Snaefell mountain course
Encyclopedia
Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course is a road-racing
circuit used for the Isle of Man TT
and Manx Grand Prix
Races held in the Isle of Man
from 1911 and 1923 respectively. The racing is held on public roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald
(the parliament of the Isle of Man). It is the oldest motor-cycle racing circuit still in use.
The course is 37.733 miles (60.73 km) in length and the start-line is situated on the A2 Glencrutchery Road in the town of Douglas
. The racing circuit is based on a number of public roads on the Isle of Man including the primary A2 Douglas to Ramsey
road, A1 Douglas to Peel road, A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road and the primary A18
Snaefell
Mountain Road. The highest point of the course is situated on the primary A18 Mountain Road between the Bungalow
and Hailwood's Height
at spot height 422 metres (1,384.5 ft) above sea level ( 54°14′47.47"N 4°27′57.18"W).
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Motor racing began on the Isle of Man in 1904 with the Gordon Bennett Trial and were originally restricted to touring automobiles. As the Motor Car Act 1903
placed a speed restriction of 20 mi/h on automobiles in the United Kingdom, the Secretary of the Automobile Car Club of Britain and Ireland approached the authorities in the Isle of Man to seek permission to race automobiles on public roads. Tynwald's The Highways (Light Locomotives) Act 1904 gave permission in the Isle of Man for the 52.15 miles (83.9 km) Highroads Course
for the 1904 Gordon Bennett Tria.
For the 1905 Gordon Bennett Car event it was decided to run a trial for motor-cycles the day after for a team to represent Great Britain in the International Motor-Cycle Cup Races. The inability of the motor-cycle competitors to climb the steep primary A18
Snaefell Mountain Road section of the course forced the organisers to use a 25 miles (40.2 km) section of the Gordon Bennett Trial course. For this reason, the 1907 Isle of Man TT
Race used the 15 miles, 1,470 yards (25.49 km) St. John's Short Course
. The 1906 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Race for automobiles the Highroad Course was reduced from 52.12 miles (83.9 km) to 40 miles, 2 furlongs and 60 yards. For the 1908 Tourist Trophy Race for racing automobiles, the course was again reduced to 37.5 miles (60.4 km) with the removal of the Peel and Sandygate loops and was known as the Four Inch Course
. The name of the course derives from the regulations for the 1908 Tourist Trophy adopted by the Royal Automobile Club
which limited the engines of the competiting automobiles to a cylinder diameter of four-inches (102 mm) . The Four-Inch Course was adopted by the Auto-Cycle Club for the 1911 Isle of Man TT
Races. The Four-Inch Course subsequently became known as the Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course when used for motor-cycle racing.
For the 1920 Isle of Man TT
Races, changes were made to the Mountain Course and competitors now turned left at Cronk-ny-Mona
and followed the primary A18 Mountain Road to Governor's Bridge
with a new start/finish line on Glencrutchery Road which lengthened the course from the pre-World War I
length of 37.5 miles (60.35 km) to 37.75 miles (60.75 km). More changes to the course followed in 1923 with the adoption of a private road between Parliament Square
and May Hill
in Ramsey. The course had previously had negotiated the A2 Albert Road and Tower Road in Ramsey and the new course length was now 37.739 miles (60.73 km). The official course distance for the Snaefell Mountain Course was amended in 1938 to 37.733 miles (60.73 km) which is the current course length.
For the 1934 Isle of Man TT
Races major alterations to the Mountain Course were carried out which included the removal of the East Snaefell Mountain sheep-gate. This was followed by the removal of the hump-backed bridge at Ballig
and the road work was completed for the Manx Grand Prix in September 1935. Road widening occurred on the Mountain Course at the Highlander, Laurel Bank
, Glen Helen
(between the Old Quarry and Brew's Restaurant) and at Brandywell
with the removal of the Beinn-y-Phott sheep-gate for the 1935 Isle of Man TT
Races. Road Improvements occurred at the 26th Milestone
, Greeba Bridge
and on the Sulby Straight for the 1938 Isle of Man TT
Races. Further road widening and landscaping occurred at the Water Works Corner
and road widening between the Gooseneck
and the 26th Milestone for the 1939 Isle of Man TT
Races. A memorial to Jimmie Guthrie
was built in 1939 at the The Cutting
at a cost of £1,500.
Races. Changes to the Mountain Course occurred for the 1953 Isle of Man TT
Races including road widening at Bedstead Corner, elevation works at Signpost Corner
and Cronk-ny-Mona
and the widening of the corner at Gorse Lea
.. Before the commencement of racing for the 1953 Manx Grand Prix, the cottage at Appledene
Corner was demolished between the 6th and 7th Milestone road-side marker on the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road on the Mountain Course. Further changes occurred to the Mountain Course to facilitate racing on the Clypse Course
and during the winter of 1953/54 road widening occurred on the primary A18 Mountain Road at Creg-ny-Baa
, Signpost Corner, Cronk-ny-Mona
and at the approach to Governor's Bridge
. The approach to the Quarterbridge
on the primary A2 Douglas to Peel road was widened and re-profiled and the jumps at the Highlander
and adjacent to Ballagarraghyn
Cottages were removed for the 1954 Isle of Man TT
Races. Other major course alterations for the 1954 Isle of Man TT Races included road widening at Appledene, Handley's Corner
, Barregarrow, Rhencullen
, Ballaugh Bridge
, Ginger Hall (Sulby
) and Kerrowmoar
. During the winter of 1957/58 the hotel at the Bungalow
tram-crossing was removed on the Mountain Section of the course.
During the 1960s further road-widening occurred at Ballig and also at Greeba Bridge
on the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road. In 1963 a roundabout was added to the road junction at the Quarterbridge
. The winter of 1970/1971 and road-widening occurred on the A18 Mountain Road at Verandah
by cutting into the hillside. During the winter of 1975/76 road-widening and landscaping by the Isle of Man Highway Board occurred at Snugbrough on the primary A2 road at the 2nd Milestone
. The winter of 1986 further re-profiling occurred at the Quarterbridge road junction with a new road traffic system including two new mini-roundabouts, the removal of a traffic island and trees. Road re-profiling and widening occurred at Quarry Bends
during the winter of 1987. During the winter months of 1991/1992 the A18 Mountain Road was closed for repair work to the road foundation between the 26th Milestone
and the Mountain Box and also between the Windy Corner
and Keppel Gate
.
From 2003 to 2006, road repair work was carried-out on the primary A3 road from Barregarrow to Cronk-y-Voddy, including Handley's Corner
and the 11th Milestone
. In 2004 the western-side embankment is removed from Guthrie's Memorial
on the A18 Mountain Road. Also, during the winter of 2004/2005 road widening occurred at Windy Corner
followed by Brandish Corner
during the winter of 2005/2006 by the Isle of Man Department of Transport. In October 2007 the Isle of Man Department of Transport began road widening at Braddan Bridge
on the Mountain Course with the creation of a new roundabout incorporating the 'Jubilee Oak' Tree on the A1 Douglas to Peel Road. The Department of Transport also announced the proposal of building a new section of road and roundabout for the Mountain Course with a link road from Signpost Corner to Governor's Bridge
using the existing A18 Bemahague Road. This road widening scheme began in February 2008 with the removal of trees on the Bemahague Estate which included Government House
, the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
and the creation of a small mini-roundabout. Further work by the Isle of Man Department of Transport in July and September 2008 included the installation of a storm drain and the completion of the mini-roundabout. The Isle of Man TT Races and Manx Grand Prix continued to use the original A18 Bemahauge Road that runs parallel to the new link road and the Governor's Dip for motor-cycle racing. In July 2008, the Isle of Man Department of Transport announced a £4 Million road safety scheme for the Quarterbridge
road junction, including the building of a new roundabout and the demolition of the Quarterbridge Hotel. In August 2009, for the 2009 Manx Grand Prix
a section of grass bank is removed from the southern side of Keppel Gate
. This is to provided a run-off area after the crash in evening practice by the Australian TT competitor Cameron Donald
and a further incident involving a TT Travelling Marshall at Keppel Gate during the 2009 Isle of Man TT
Races. Further road construction and repair work is carried out by the Highways Division, Isle of Man Department of Infrastructure and the Isle of Man Water Authority between Cronk Urleigh
and the 13th Milestone during the winter of 2010. This is followed by major road resurfacing work between the 13th Milestone and Westwood Corner near Kirk Michael, Barregarrow Hill and Sulby Straight from Kella Crossroads to Sulby Bridge during the spring of 2011. The Highways Division modify the road junction at Signpost Corner
including improved drainage, elevation changes and repairs to the road surface in November 2010 and the same major repair process of road resurfacing is repeated for the Quarterbridge
road junction in February 2011.
Race. The race record is held by Steve Plater
in 1 hour, 45 minutes and 53.15 seconds; an average race speed of 128.278 mph during the same 6 lap (236.38 Miles) 2009
Senior TT race.
The lap record for the Sidecar TT
is 19 minutes and 24.24 seconds at an average speed of 116.667 mph set by Nick Crowe and passenger Daniel Sayle during the 2007 Sidecar Race B. The race record for the Sidecar TT is 58 minutes and 59.28 seconds at an average race speed of 115.132 mph for 3 laps (113.00 miles) of the course, held by Dave Molyneux and Daniel Sayle during the 2009 Sidecar Race A.
In the 2006 TT practices New Zealander Bruce Anstey
achieved the unofficial current top speed record of 206 mi/h. at the end of Sulby straight on a Suzuki 1000cc machine. This speed value was registered by the on-board datalogging equipment and can not be considered as an official record.
s and, from 1936, the Manx International
massed-start road race. The first race on the 18 June 1936 was won by Charles Holland of the Midland Cycle and Athletics Club in 1 hour, 42 minutes and 57 seconds for one lap of the Mountain Course.
It is estimated that there are over 200 corners on the Isle of Man Mountain Course and about 60 corners have names. The first corner to be named after a competitor was Edges Corner in 1920 on the primary A21 Johnny Watterson's Lane on the Mountain Course between Cronk-ny-Mona
and the A22 Ballanard Road in Douglas
used for racing between 1911 and 1922. Part of the Mountain Course was named Brandish Corner
after Walter Brandish crashed in the right-hand gutter while trying to pass another competitor at Upper-Hillberry Corner (previously Telegraph Hill) between Creg-ny-Baa
and Hillberry Corner
and broke a leg during practice for the 1923 Isle of Man TT
Races. During an early morning practice session for the 1927 Isle of Man TT
, Archie Birkin
swerved to avoid a fish-van travelling to Peel and collided with a wall and was killed. The corner in Kirk Michael on the A3 primary road where the accident occurred was renamed Birkin's Bend
. From 1928 practice sessions for the Isle of Man TT
Races and Manx Grand Prix
where held on closed-roads. The Ballameanagh Corner between the 11th Milestone
and the 12th Milestone is renamed Handley's Corner
after Wal Handley riding a Rudge motorcycle, crashed during lap 1 of the 1932 Isle of Man TT
in the Senior TT
Race sustaining a back injury and subsequently retired from the race. In 1939 a stone memorial to Jimmie Guthrie
was built at The Cutting on the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road and the S-bend corner is renamed Guthrie's Memorial
.
A crash during an evening practice session for the 1952 Isle of Man TT
Races by Bill Doran
between Ballig
Bridge and Laurel Bank
the corner was renamed Doran's Bend
. A stone shelter in a style of a small mountain Alpine Lodge was built in 1955 in memorial to Les Graham
the inaugural 500cc World Motor-Cycle Champion on the A18 Mountain Road The corner is named Les Graham Memorial
or sometimes referred to as the Bungalow Bridge. The uphill section of the Mountain Course from the Bungalow
to the highest point of the course near Brandywell
is renamed Hailwood Rise in memory of Mike Hailwood
the former world motor-cycle champion in 1981 and the highest point of the course is named Hailwood's Height
adjacent to the Brandywell road junction. In 2003 the 32nd Milestone was renamed 'Dukes' after the 1950s world motor-cycle champion Geoff Duke
and the 26th Milestone renamed Joey's after the former Formula 1 TT motor-cycle champion Joey Dunlop
. In contrast, the name 'Ago's Leap
' is a misnomer
for the section of road between Brunswick Road/Selborne Drive and Quarterbridge Road junction with Bray Hill/Cronkbourne Road in Douglas and is an unofficial name used by the media and TV commentators.
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
circuit used for the Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
and Manx Grand Prix
Manx Grand Prix
The Manx Grand Prix motorcycle races are held on the Isle of Man TT Course every year for a two-week period usually spanning the end of August and early September. The 'MGP' or 'Manx' is considered to be the amateur riders' alternative to the Isle of Man TT Races held in May and June...
Races held in the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
from 1911 and 1923 respectively. The racing is held on public roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald
Tynwald
The Tynwald , or more formally, the High Court of Tynwald is the legislature of the Isle of Man. It is claimed to be the oldest continuous parliamentary body in the world, consisting of the directly elected House of Keys and the indirectly chosen Legislative Council.The Houses sit jointly, for...
(the parliament of the Isle of Man). It is the oldest motor-cycle racing circuit still in use.
The course is 37.733 miles (60.73 km) in length and the start-line is situated on the A2 Glencrutchery Road in the town of Douglas
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
. The racing circuit is based on a number of public roads on the Isle of Man including the primary A2 Douglas to Ramsey
Ramsey, Isle of Man
Ramsey is a town in the north of the Isle of Man. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas. Its population is 7,309 according to the 2006 census . It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of...
road, A1 Douglas to Peel road, A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road and the primary A18
A18 road (Isle of Man)
The A18 Snaefell Mountain Road or Mountain Road is 15.30 miles long road in the Isle of Man and is a primary road which connects Douglas with Ramsey. The A18 Mountain Road is part of Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course is a road-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand...
Snaefell
Snaefell
Snaefell is the highest mountain and the only summit higher than on the Isle of Man, at above sea level. The summit is crowned by a train station, cafe, and several communications masts.- Views :...
Mountain Road. The highest point of the course is situated on the primary A18 Mountain Road between the Bungalow
Bungalow, Isle of Man
The Bungalow is situated adjacent to the 31st Milestone roadside marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the road junction of the primary A18 Mountain Road, A14 Sulby Glen Road and the road-tramway crossing for the Snaefell Mountain Railway in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man.The Bungalow...
and Hailwood's Height
Hailwood's Height
Hailwood's Height and Hailwood's Rise is situated between the 31st Milestone and 32nd Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road in the parishes of Lezayre and Lonan in the Isle of Man.The uphill section of the...
at spot height 422 metres (1,384.5 ft) above sea level ( 54°14′47.47"N 4°27′57.18"W).
History
Motor Car Act 1903
The Motor Car Act 1903 introduced registration of motor cars and licensing of drivers in the United Kingdom and increased the speed limit.-Context:...
placed a speed restriction of 20 mi/h on automobiles in the United Kingdom, the Secretary of the Automobile Car Club of Britain and Ireland approached the authorities in the Isle of Man to seek permission to race automobiles on public roads. Tynwald's The Highways (Light Locomotives) Act 1904 gave permission in the Isle of Man for the 52.15 miles (83.9 km) Highroads Course
Highroads Course
Highroad Course is a road-racing circuit used for the Gordon Bennett British Eliminating Trial held in the Isle of Man in 1904 and the 1905 Tourist Trophy Race...
for the 1904 Gordon Bennett Tria.
For the 1905 Gordon Bennett Car event it was decided to run a trial for motor-cycles the day after for a team to represent Great Britain in the International Motor-Cycle Cup Races. The inability of the motor-cycle competitors to climb the steep primary A18
A18 road (Isle of Man)
The A18 Snaefell Mountain Road or Mountain Road is 15.30 miles long road in the Isle of Man and is a primary road which connects Douglas with Ramsey. The A18 Mountain Road is part of Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course is a road-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand...
Snaefell Mountain Road section of the course forced the organisers to use a 25 miles (40.2 km) section of the Gordon Bennett Trial course. For this reason, the 1907 Isle of Man TT
1907 Isle of Man TT
The 1907 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the first of the Isle of Man TT races. The races took place on 28 May 1907 over the Short Course...
Race used the 15 miles, 1,470 yards (25.49 km) St. John's Short Course
St. John's Short Course
The Short Course describes a road-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT held between 1907 and 1910...
. The 1906 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Race for automobiles the Highroad Course was reduced from 52.12 miles (83.9 km) to 40 miles, 2 furlongs and 60 yards. For the 1908 Tourist Trophy Race for racing automobiles, the course was again reduced to 37.5 miles (60.4 km) with the removal of the Peel and Sandygate loops and was known as the Four Inch Course
Four Inch Course
Four-Inch Course is a road-racing circuit first used for the 1908 Tourist Trophy Race for racing automobiles. The races were held on public roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald...
. The name of the course derives from the regulations for the 1908 Tourist Trophy adopted by the Royal Automobile Club
Royal Automobile Club
The Royal Automobile Club is a private club and is not to be confused with RAC plc, a motorists' organisation, which it formerly owned.It has two club houses, one in London at 89-91 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, Surrey, next to the City of London Freemen's School...
which limited the engines of the competiting automobiles to a cylinder diameter of four-inches (102 mm) . The Four-Inch Course was adopted by the Auto-Cycle Club for the 1911 Isle of Man TT
1911 Isle of Man TT
The 1911 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy races took place for the first time over the "Snaefell Mountain Course". The whole organisation of the races was given over to the Auto Cycle Union , who announced the use of the longer mountain course with a four lap Junior race on Friday 30 June and a five...
Races. The Four-Inch Course subsequently became known as the Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course when used for motor-cycle racing.
Course Changes 1920–1939
1920 Isle of Man TT
The 1920 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the first to take place following World War I. Official practice sessions started on 31 May with the races taking place on 15 and 16 June....
Races, changes were made to the Mountain Course and competitors now turned left at Cronk-ny-Mona
Cronk-ny-Mona
Cronk-ny-Mona is situated between the 36th Milestone and 37th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road and the road junction with the A21 Johnny Watterson Lane and the tertiary C10 Scholag Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of...
and followed the primary A18 Mountain Road to Governor's Bridge
Governor's Bridge
Governor's Bridge is a double hairpin bend and road junction on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man between the 37th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course and the TT Grandstand on the primary A2 Glencrutchery Road in the town of Douglas.The...
with a new start/finish line on Glencrutchery Road which lengthened the course from the pre-World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
length of 37.5 miles (60.35 km) to 37.75 miles (60.75 km). More changes to the course followed in 1923 with the adoption of a private road between Parliament Square
Parliament Square, Ramsey
Parliament Square is situated between the 23rd Milestone and 24th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the junction of the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road, the A9 Ramsey to Andreas Road and A2 Douglas to Ramsey Road situated in the...
and May Hill
May Hill
May Hill is a hill between Gloucester and Ross-on-Wye, whose summit is on the western edge of Gloucestershire, though its northern slopes are in Herefordshire....
in Ramsey. The course had previously had negotiated the A2 Albert Road and Tower Road in Ramsey and the new course length was now 37.739 miles (60.73 km). The official course distance for the Snaefell Mountain Course was amended in 1938 to 37.733 miles (60.73 km) which is the current course length.
For the 1934 Isle of Man TT
1934 Isle of Man TT
For the 1934 Isle of Man TT Races despite the winning of four TT Races in 2 years, Stanley Woods parted with Norton motor-cycles over the issue of prize money and race tactics and joined Husqvarna alongside Ernie Nott....
Races major alterations to the Mountain Course were carried out which included the removal of the East Snaefell Mountain sheep-gate. This was followed by the removal of the hump-backed bridge at Ballig
Ballig
Ballig is a small hamlet of a few houses situated between the 8th Milestone and 9th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course between Ballacraine and Glen Helen...
and the road work was completed for the Manx Grand Prix in September 1935. Road widening occurred on the Mountain Course at the Highlander, Laurel Bank
Laurel Bank
Laurel Bank is situated between the 9th Milestone and 10th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races between Ballacraine and Glen Helen on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road in the parish of German in the Isle of Man.This series of bends at...
, Glen Helen
Glen Helen, Isle of Man
Glen Helen is situated between the 9th Milestone and 10th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the junction of the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey road in the parish of German in the Isle of Man....
(between the Old Quarry and Brew's Restaurant) and at Brandywell
Brandywell, Isle of Man
Brandywell is situated between the 31st Milestone and 32nd Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road and the road junction with the secondary B10 Sartfield Road in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man....
with the removal of the Beinn-y-Phott sheep-gate for the 1935 Isle of Man TT
1935 Isle of Man TT
For the 1935 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, Stanley Woods provided another surprise by moving again, from Husqvarna to Moto Guzzi.The 1935 Junior TT Race provided a Junior TT double win for Jimmie Guthrie at an average race speed of and Norton with a 1-2-3 race win with Walter Rusk and "Crasher"...
Races. Road Improvements occurred at the 26th Milestone
26th Milestone
26th Milestone is a corner on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man between the 25th and 27th Milestone the road-side milestone markers used for the Isle of Man TT Races...
, Greeba Bridge
Greeba Bridge
Greeba Bridge is situated between the 6th Milestone and 7th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the junction of the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road and the Greeba Mill Road in the parish of German in the Isle of Man.Greeba Bridge was...
and on the Sulby Straight for the 1938 Isle of Man TT
1938 Isle of Man TT
The 1938 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy saw the Senior TT lap record of 90.27 mph set by Freddie Frith the previous year broken in 1938 when Harold Daniell completed a lap at 91.00 mph on his Norton, a record which would stand for 12 years. He managed to win, beating Stanley Woods by only...
Races. Further road widening and landscaping occurred at the Water Works Corner
Water Works Corner
Water Works Corner is situated between the 24th Milestone and the 25th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road in the parish of Maughold in the Isle of Man....
and road widening between the Gooseneck
Gooseneck
The gooseneck is the swivel connection on a sailboat by which the boom attaches to the mast. The boom moves from side to side and up and down by swiveling on the gooseneck....
and the 26th Milestone for the 1939 Isle of Man TT
1939 Isle of Man TT
The 1939 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the last race festival until 1947 due to the interruption of World War II. It was the last of ten TT victories for the 34 year old Stanley Woods in which he won the Junior TT on a Velocette at 83.19 mph and came 4th in the Senior TT race...
Races. A memorial to Jimmie Guthrie
Jimmie Guthrie
Andrew James "Jimmie" Guthrie was a Scottish motorcycle racer famous for 19 motorcycle Grand Prix wins and 3 victories in the North West 200 and 6 wins at the Isle of Man TT Races in his career.-Biography:...
was built in 1939 at the The Cutting
Guthrie's Memorial
Guthrie's Memorial is a S-bend corner on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man between the 26th and 27th Milestone Isle of Man TT road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course....
at a cost of £1,500.
Course Changes 1947–1999
Major road widening occurred on the Snaefell Mountain course at the 33rd Milestone, including the removal of fence posts at road level and the removal of a section of a grass bank before the start of the 1947 Isle of Man TT1947 Isle of Man TT
After an eight year absence the 1947 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the first race festival since 1939 due to the interruption of World War II. With the restart of racing the ACU decided to add three Clubman class races for production machines and introduced these races for Lightweight, Junior and...
Races. Changes to the Mountain Course occurred for the 1953 Isle of Man TT
1953 Isle of Man TT
The 1953 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy saw Ray Amm win both Senior and Junior TT races. Bob McIntyre retired for his first TT, the Junior.-Senior TT :-Junior TT :-Lightweight TT :-Ultra Lightweight TT :...
Races including road widening at Bedstead Corner, elevation works at Signpost Corner
Signpost Corner
Signpost Corner is a 90-degree right-hand corner and road junction and is situated between the 36th Milestone and 37th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Bemahague Road and secondary B11 Avondale Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man.The name...
and Cronk-ny-Mona
Cronk-ny-Mona
Cronk-ny-Mona is situated between the 36th Milestone and 37th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road and the road junction with the A21 Johnny Watterson Lane and the tertiary C10 Scholag Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of...
and the widening of the corner at Gorse Lea
Gorse Lea
Gorse Lea section of road is situated between the 7th Milestone and 8th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road in the parish of German in the Isle of Man....
.. Before the commencement of racing for the 1953 Manx Grand Prix, the cottage at Appledene
Appledene
Appledene is situated between the 6th Milestone and 7th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road in the parish of German in the Isle of Man....
Corner was demolished between the 6th and 7th Milestone road-side marker on the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road on the Mountain Course. Further changes occurred to the Mountain Course to facilitate racing on the Clypse Course
Clypse Course
The Clypse Course describes a motor-cycle racing course used for the Isle of Man TT Races between 1954 and 1959.The course is 10.92 miles long and is in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man. The course uses two short sections of the Snaefell Mountain Course which includes the primary A18 road...
and during the winter of 1953/54 road widening occurred on the primary A18 Mountain Road at Creg-ny-Baa
Creg-ny-Baa
Creg-ny-Baa [kreg no bæ:] is situated between the 35th Milestone and 36th Milestone on the primary A18 road and the road junction with the secondary B12 'Creg-ny-Baa Back-Road' in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man...
, Signpost Corner, Cronk-ny-Mona
Cronk-ny-Mona
Cronk-ny-Mona is situated between the 36th Milestone and 37th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road and the road junction with the A21 Johnny Watterson Lane and the tertiary C10 Scholag Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of...
and at the approach to Governor's Bridge
Governor's Bridge
Governor's Bridge is a double hairpin bend and road junction on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man between the 37th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course and the TT Grandstand on the primary A2 Glencrutchery Road in the town of Douglas.The...
. The approach to the Quarterbridge
Quarterbridge
Quarterbridge Crossing was the first major crossing point of the Isle of Man Railway's first line to Peel and was opened in 1873, closing in 1968 with the rest of the line.-History:...
on the primary A2 Douglas to Peel road was widened and re-profiled and the jumps at the Highlander
Highlander, Isle of Man
Highlander is situated between the 5th Milestone and 6th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road in the parish of Marown in the Isle of Man....
and adjacent to Ballagarraghyn
Ballagarraghyn
Ballagarraghyn is situated between the 7th Milestone and 8th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the junction of the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road in the parish of German in the Isle of Man....
Cottages were removed for the 1954 Isle of Man TT
1954 Isle of Man TT
The 1954 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the second race in the 1954 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season and proved highly controversial for course and race changes. The 1954 Junior TT was the first race where the official race distance was reduced from 7 laps to 5 laps...
Races. Other major course alterations for the 1954 Isle of Man TT Races included road widening at Appledene, Handley's Corner
Handley's Corner
Handley's Corner is a corner between the 11th Milestone and 12th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the primary A3 road in the parish of Michael in the Isle of Man....
, Barregarrow, Rhencullen
Rhencullen
Rhencullen including Birkin's Bend is situated between the 15th Milestone and 16th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course between Kirk Michael Village and Bishopscourt on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road and the road junction with the tertiary C19 Orrisdale Loop Road...
, Ballaugh Bridge
Ballaugh Bridge
Ballaugh Bridge is situated between the 17th Milestone and 18th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course in Ballaugh Village on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey and the road junction with the A10 Ballaugh to Ramsey Coast Road and the tertiary C37 Ballaugh Glen Road in the...
, Ginger Hall (Sulby
Sulby, Isle of Man
Sulby is a parish ofon the primary A2 road which connects Castletown and Ramsey in the Isle of Man. The name of the village of Sulby or Sõlabyr or Sulaby reflects the Scandinavian influence in Isle of Man place-names....
) and Kerrowmoar
Kerrowmoar
Kerrowmoar is situated adjacent the 22nd Milestone on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey road and between the 20th Milestone and 21st Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races near Sulby in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man.Kerromoar...
. During the winter of 1957/58 the hotel at the Bungalow
Bungalow, Isle of Man
The Bungalow is situated adjacent to the 31st Milestone roadside marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the road junction of the primary A18 Mountain Road, A14 Sulby Glen Road and the road-tramway crossing for the Snaefell Mountain Railway in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man.The Bungalow...
tram-crossing was removed on the Mountain Section of the course.
During the 1960s further road-widening occurred at Ballig and also at Greeba Bridge
Greeba Bridge
Greeba Bridge is situated between the 6th Milestone and 7th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the junction of the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road and the Greeba Mill Road in the parish of German in the Isle of Man.Greeba Bridge was...
on the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road. In 1963 a roundabout was added to the road junction at the Quarterbridge
Quarterbridge, Isle of Man
Quarterbridge is situated between the 1st Milestone and 2nd Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the junction of the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road, A2 Douglas to Ramsey and the A5 Douglas to Port Erin road which forms the boundary...
. The winter of 1970/1971 and road-widening occurred on the A18 Mountain Road at Verandah
Verandah, Isle of Man
The Verandah is a series of corners on the primary A18 road in the parish of Lonan in the Isle of Man.The Verandah series of bends is situated between the 29th Milestone and 30th Milestone on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road and was part of the Highland Course and Four...
by cutting into the hillside. During the winter of 1975/76 road-widening and landscaping by the Isle of Man Highway Board occurred at Snugbrough on the primary A2 road at the 2nd Milestone
2nd Milestone
2nd Milestone is road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races situated between Braddan Bridge and Union Mills on the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road in the parish of Braddan in the Isle of Man....
. The winter of 1986 further re-profiling occurred at the Quarterbridge road junction with a new road traffic system including two new mini-roundabouts, the removal of a traffic island and trees. Road re-profiling and widening occurred at Quarry Bends
Quarry Bends
Quarry Bends is situated adjacent to the 19th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey, in the parishes of Ballaugh and Lezayre in the Isle of Man...
during the winter of 1987. During the winter months of 1991/1992 the A18 Mountain Road was closed for repair work to the road foundation between the 26th Milestone
26th Milestone
26th Milestone is a corner on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man between the 25th and 27th Milestone the road-side milestone markers used for the Isle of Man TT Races...
and the Mountain Box and also between the Windy Corner
Windy Corner
The Windy Corner is a corner on the primary A18 road in the parish of Lonan in the Isle of Man.The Windy Corner is situated between the 32nd Milestone and 33rd Milestone on the Mountain Course on the primary A18 road. The Windy Corner is part of the Highland Course and Four Inch Course used for the...
and Keppel Gate
Keppel Gate
Keppel Gate is situated adjacent to the 34th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man....
.
Course Changes from 2000
Handley's Corner
Handley's Corner is a corner between the 11th Milestone and 12th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the primary A3 road in the parish of Michael in the Isle of Man....
and the 11th Milestone
11th Milestone
11th Milestone or "Drinkwater's Bend" is a corner situated between the 11th Milestone and 12th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road which forms the boundary between the parishes of German and...
. In 2004 the western-side embankment is removed from Guthrie's Memorial
Guthrie's Memorial
Guthrie's Memorial is a S-bend corner on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man between the 26th and 27th Milestone Isle of Man TT road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course....
on the A18 Mountain Road. Also, during the winter of 2004/2005 road widening occurred at Windy Corner
Windy Corner
The Windy Corner is a corner on the primary A18 road in the parish of Lonan in the Isle of Man.The Windy Corner is situated between the 32nd Milestone and 33rd Milestone on the Mountain Course on the primary A18 road. The Windy Corner is part of the Highland Course and Four Inch Course used for the...
followed by Brandish Corner
Brandish Corner
Brandish Corner is situated between the 35th Milestone and 36th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man.Brandish Corner was part of the Highland Course and Four Inch Course used for the Gordon Bennett...
during the winter of 2005/2006 by the Isle of Man Department of Transport. In October 2007 the Isle of Man Department of Transport began road widening at Braddan Bridge
Braddan Bridge
Braddan Bridge is a bridge over the river Dhoo on the Douglas-Peel road, from which a halt on the Isle of Man Railway's first line to Peel took its name.-Bridge:The bridge is a landmark on the Isle of Man TT road-race course...
on the Mountain Course with the creation of a new roundabout incorporating the 'Jubilee Oak' Tree on the A1 Douglas to Peel Road. The Department of Transport also announced the proposal of building a new section of road and roundabout for the Mountain Course with a link road from Signpost Corner to Governor's Bridge
Governor's Bridge
Governor's Bridge is a double hairpin bend and road junction on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man between the 37th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course and the TT Grandstand on the primary A2 Glencrutchery Road in the town of Douglas.The...
using the existing A18 Bemahague Road. This road widening scheme began in February 2008 with the removal of trees on the Bemahague Estate which included Government House
Government House, Isle of Man
Government House is the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man. It is situated on Governor's Road in Onchan, Isle of Man....
, the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
The Lieutenant Governor is the representative on the Isle of Man of the Lord of Mann . He/she has the power to grant Royal Assent and is styled His Excellency. In recent times the Governor has either been a retired diplomat or senior military officer...
and the creation of a small mini-roundabout. Further work by the Isle of Man Department of Transport in July and September 2008 included the installation of a storm drain and the completion of the mini-roundabout. The Isle of Man TT Races and Manx Grand Prix continued to use the original A18 Bemahauge Road that runs parallel to the new link road and the Governor's Dip for motor-cycle racing. In July 2008, the Isle of Man Department of Transport announced a £4 Million road safety scheme for the Quarterbridge
Quarterbridge, Isle of Man
Quarterbridge is situated between the 1st Milestone and 2nd Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the junction of the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road, A2 Douglas to Ramsey and the A5 Douglas to Port Erin road which forms the boundary...
road junction, including the building of a new roundabout and the demolition of the Quarterbridge Hotel. In August 2009, for the 2009 Manx Grand Prix
2009 Manx Grand Prix
The 2009 Manx Grand Prix was held between Saturday 22 August and Friday 4 September 2009 on the 37.733-mile Mountain Course.The Blue Riband event of Manx Grand Prix Race week was won by Michael Russell claiming victory in the Senior Manx Grand Prix...
a section of grass bank is removed from the southern side of Keppel Gate
Keppel Gate
Keppel Gate is situated adjacent to the 34th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man....
. This is to provided a run-off area after the crash in evening practice by the Australian TT competitor Cameron Donald
Cameron Donald
Cameron Donald is a motorcycle road racer who has raced at the Macau Grand Prix, the North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT Races. He lives in Warrandyte, Victoria in Australia, and works as a plumber during the off-season...
and a further incident involving a TT Travelling Marshall at Keppel Gate during the 2009 Isle of Man TT
2009 Isle of Man TT
The 2009 Isle of Man TT Festival was held between Saturday 30 May and Friday 12 June on the Mountain Course. The 2009 TT races again include a second 600 cc Supersport Junior TT race and the Lightweight TT and Ultra-Lightweight TT races held on the Billown Circuit in the Isle of Man...
Races. Further road construction and repair work is carried out by the Highways Division, Isle of Man Department of Infrastructure and the Isle of Man Water Authority between Cronk Urleigh
Cronk Urleigh
Cronk Urleigh is a corner situated at the 13th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the primary A3 road in the parish of Michael in the Isle of Man...
and the 13th Milestone during the winter of 2010. This is followed by major road resurfacing work between the 13th Milestone and Westwood Corner near Kirk Michael, Barregarrow Hill and Sulby Straight from Kella Crossroads to Sulby Bridge during the spring of 2011. The Highways Division modify the road junction at Signpost Corner
Signpost Corner
Signpost Corner is a 90-degree right-hand corner and road junction and is situated between the 36th Milestone and 37th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Bemahague Road and secondary B11 Avondale Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man.The name...
including improved drainage, elevation changes and repairs to the road surface in November 2010 and the same major repair process of road resurfacing is repeated for the Quarterbridge
Quarterbridge, Isle of Man
Quarterbridge is situated between the 1st Milestone and 2nd Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the junction of the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road, A2 Douglas to Ramsey and the A5 Douglas to Port Erin road which forms the boundary...
road junction in February 2011.
Official lap records
The official lap record for the Snaefell Mountain Course is 17 Minutes and 12.30 seconds at an average speed of 131.578 mi/h set by John McGuinness during the 2009 Senior TTSenior TT
The Senior Tourist Trophy is a motorcycle road race that takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival; an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June. The Senior TT is the Blue Riband event of the festival and takes place on the Friday of race week. The Marquis de Mouzilly St. Mars...
Race. The race record is held by Steve Plater
Steve Plater
Steve Plater is an English motorcycle road racer. He was the 2009 British Supersport champion, and also finished as runner-up in the series twice in the late 1990s. In the British Superbike Championship he has 4 wins and 17 further podiums. He has also had success in Endurance and road racing...
in 1 hour, 45 minutes and 53.15 seconds; an average race speed of 128.278 mph during the same 6 lap (236.38 Miles) 2009
2009 Isle of Man TT
The 2009 Isle of Man TT Festival was held between Saturday 30 May and Friday 12 June on the Mountain Course. The 2009 TT races again include a second 600 cc Supersport Junior TT race and the Lightweight TT and Ultra-Lightweight TT races held on the Billown Circuit in the Isle of Man...
Senior TT race.
The lap record for the Sidecar TT
Sidecar TT
The Sidecar TT is a motorcycle sidecar road race that takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival; an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June...
is 19 minutes and 24.24 seconds at an average speed of 116.667 mph set by Nick Crowe and passenger Daniel Sayle during the 2007 Sidecar Race B. The race record for the Sidecar TT is 58 minutes and 59.28 seconds at an average race speed of 115.132 mph for 3 laps (113.00 miles) of the course, held by Dave Molyneux and Daniel Sayle during the 2009 Sidecar Race A.
In the 2006 TT practices New Zealander Bruce Anstey
Bruce Anstey
Bruce Anstey is a professional motorcycle road racer. He is now signed to race for Padgett's Honda, having previously ridden for Relentless Suzuki which is based in Ireland. He made his Isle of Man TT debut in 1999, he completed his first race in the Lightweight 250 class, finishing 7th...
achieved the unofficial current top speed record of 206 mi/h. at the end of Sulby straight on a Suzuki 1000cc machine. This speed value was registered by the on-board datalogging equipment and can not be considered as an official record.
Cycling
The same course has also been used for cycle racing, including individual time trialIndividual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
s and, from 1936, the Manx International
Manx Trophy
The Manx Trophy or Isle of Man International Road Race is a bicycle road race run annually on the Isle of Man. In the 1960s the race attracted the world's top professional cyclists including Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx....
massed-start road race. The first race on the 18 June 1936 was won by Charles Holland of the Midland Cycle and Athletics Club in 1 hour, 42 minutes and 57 seconds for one lap of the Mountain Course.
Named corners
Cronk-ny-Mona
Cronk-ny-Mona is situated between the 36th Milestone and 37th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road and the road junction with the A21 Johnny Watterson Lane and the tertiary C10 Scholag Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of...
and the A22 Ballanard Road in Douglas
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
used for racing between 1911 and 1922. Part of the Mountain Course was named Brandish Corner
Brandish Corner
Brandish Corner is situated between the 35th Milestone and 36th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man.Brandish Corner was part of the Highland Course and Four Inch Course used for the Gordon Bennett...
after Walter Brandish crashed in the right-hand gutter while trying to pass another competitor at Upper-Hillberry Corner (previously Telegraph Hill) between Creg-ny-Baa
Creg-ny-Baa
Creg-ny-Baa [kreg no bæ:] is situated between the 35th Milestone and 36th Milestone on the primary A18 road and the road junction with the secondary B12 'Creg-ny-Baa Back-Road' in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man...
and Hillberry Corner
Hillberry Corner
Hillberry Corner is situated at the 36th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road and the road junction with the C22 Little Mill Road in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man....
and broke a leg during practice for the 1923 Isle of Man TT
1923 Isle of Man TT
The 1923 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy saw the introduction of the first Sidecar TT race over 3 laps and was won by Freddie Dixon and passenger Walter Denny with a special Douglas banking-sidecar in a time of 2 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds at an average speed of however the fastest...
Races. During an early morning practice session for the 1927 Isle of Man TT
1927 Isle of Man TT
The 1927 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy saw more changes occur with a fatal accident during practice to Archie Birkin, a brother to Tim Birkin of the Bentley Boys fame. The corner in Kirk Michael where the accident occurred was renamed Birkins Bend and from 1928 practice sessions were held on...
, Archie Birkin
Archie Birkin
Charles Archibald Cecil "Archie" Birkin was a British motorcycle racer, brother of Tim Birkin, one of the "Bentley Boys" of the 1920s.-Background and family:...
swerved to avoid a fish-van travelling to Peel and collided with a wall and was killed. The corner in Kirk Michael on the A3 primary road where the accident occurred was renamed Birkin's Bend
Birkin's Bend
Birkin's Bend is situated between the 15th Milestone and 16th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course between Kirk Michael Village and Bishopscourt on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road and the road junction with the tertiary C19 Orrisdale Road in the parish of Michael in...
. From 1928 practice sessions for the Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
Races and Manx Grand Prix
Manx Grand Prix
The Manx Grand Prix motorcycle races are held on the Isle of Man TT Course every year for a two-week period usually spanning the end of August and early September. The 'MGP' or 'Manx' is considered to be the amateur riders' alternative to the Isle of Man TT Races held in May and June...
where held on closed-roads. The Ballameanagh Corner between the 11th Milestone
11th Milestone
11th Milestone or "Drinkwater's Bend" is a corner situated between the 11th Milestone and 12th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road which forms the boundary between the parishes of German and...
and the 12th Milestone is renamed Handley's Corner
Handley's Corner
Handley's Corner is a corner between the 11th Milestone and 12th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the primary A3 road in the parish of Michael in the Isle of Man....
after Wal Handley riding a Rudge motorcycle, crashed during lap 1 of the 1932 Isle of Man TT
1932 Isle of Man TT
The 1932 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy race meeting was watched by Prince George, Duke of Kent the first royal visitor to the Isle of Man TT Races. The 1932 Junior TT Race was won by Stanley Woods riding a Norton at an average race speed of from Wal Handley and Tyrell Smith riding for the Rudge factory...
in the Senior TT
Senior TT
The Senior Tourist Trophy is a motorcycle road race that takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival; an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June. The Senior TT is the Blue Riband event of the festival and takes place on the Friday of race week. The Marquis de Mouzilly St. Mars...
Race sustaining a back injury and subsequently retired from the race. In 1939 a stone memorial to Jimmie Guthrie
Jimmie Guthrie
Andrew James "Jimmie" Guthrie was a Scottish motorcycle racer famous for 19 motorcycle Grand Prix wins and 3 victories in the North West 200 and 6 wins at the Isle of Man TT Races in his career.-Biography:...
was built at The Cutting on the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road and the S-bend corner is renamed Guthrie's Memorial
Guthrie's Memorial
Guthrie's Memorial is a S-bend corner on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man between the 26th and 27th Milestone Isle of Man TT road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course....
.
A crash during an evening practice session for the 1952 Isle of Man TT
1952 Isle of Man TT
The 1952 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the start of Bob McIntyres association with the Isle of Man, when he came second in the Junior Clubman TT that year. Irishman Reg Armstrong won his first Senior TT event as well as coming in second in the Junior TT race on a Norton...
Races by Bill Doran
Bill Doran (motorcyclist)
William Doran was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. His best season was in 1951 when he won the Dutch TT and finished the year second to Geoff Duke in the 350cc world championship. Doran won two Grand Prix races during his career. A crash during Thursday evening practice for the 1952 Isle of Man...
between Ballig
Ballig
Ballig is a small hamlet of a few houses situated between the 8th Milestone and 9th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course between Ballacraine and Glen Helen...
Bridge and Laurel Bank
Laurel Bank
Laurel Bank is situated between the 9th Milestone and 10th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races between Ballacraine and Glen Helen on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road in the parish of German in the Isle of Man.This series of bends at...
the corner was renamed Doran's Bend
Doran's Bend
Doran's Bend is situated between the 7th Milestone and 8th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey road in the parish of German in the Isle of Man....
. A stone shelter in a style of a small mountain Alpine Lodge was built in 1955 in memorial to Les Graham
Leslie Graham
For the English footballer and manager see Leslie Graham Robert Leslie Graham DFC was a British motorcycle road racer who competed in the 1930s and 1940s...
the inaugural 500cc World Motor-Cycle Champion on the A18 Mountain Road The corner is named Les Graham Memorial
Bungalow Bridge
Les Graham Memorial Shelter is situated between the 30th Milestone and the 31st Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Lonan in the Isle of Man.The Bungalow Bridge was part of the Highland Course and Four Inch Course used for...
or sometimes referred to as the Bungalow Bridge. The uphill section of the Mountain Course from the Bungalow
Bungalow, Isle of Man
The Bungalow is situated adjacent to the 31st Milestone roadside marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the road junction of the primary A18 Mountain Road, A14 Sulby Glen Road and the road-tramway crossing for the Snaefell Mountain Railway in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man.The Bungalow...
to the highest point of the course near Brandywell
Brandywell, Isle of Man
Brandywell is situated between the 31st Milestone and 32nd Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the primary A18 Mountain Road and the road junction with the secondary B10 Sartfield Road in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man....
is renamed Hailwood Rise in memory of Mike Hailwood
Mike Hailwood
Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood, MBE, GM was a British Grand Prix motorcycle road racer regarded by many as one of the greatest racers of all time. He was known as "Mike The Bike" because of his natural riding ability...
the former world motor-cycle champion in 1981 and the highest point of the course is named Hailwood's Height
Hailwood's Height
Hailwood's Height and Hailwood's Rise is situated between the 31st Milestone and 32nd Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road in the parishes of Lezayre and Lonan in the Isle of Man.The uphill section of the...
adjacent to the Brandywell road junction. In 2003 the 32nd Milestone was renamed 'Dukes' after the 1950s world motor-cycle champion Geoff Duke
Geoff Duke
Geoffrey Ernest Duke OBE is a British multi-time motorcycle Grand Prix road racing world champion.Geoff Duke dominated motorcycle racing in the 1950s, winning six world championships and six Isle of Man TT races...
and the 26th Milestone renamed Joey's after the former Formula 1 TT motor-cycle champion Joey Dunlop
Joey Dunlop
William Joseph "Joey" Dunlop, OBE , was a world champion motorcyclist from Ballymoney in Northern Ireland, best known for road racing. Referred to throughout the sport as "Joey", in 2005 he was voted the fifth greatest motorcycling icon ever by Motorcycle News...
. In contrast, the name 'Ago's Leap
Giacomo Agostini
-Non-riding career:Like John Surtees and Mike Hailwood before him, Agostini raced in Formula One cars. He competed in non-championship Formula One races in 1978. He competed in the European Formula 2 series in a Chevron B42-BMW and British Aurora Formula 1 with his own team and a Williams FW06...
' is a misnomer
Misnomer
A misnomer is a term which suggests an interpretation that is known to be untrue. Such incorrect terms sometimes derive their names because of the form, action, or origin of the subject becoming named popularly or widely referenced—long before their true natures were known.- Sources of misnomers...
for the section of road between Brunswick Road/Selborne Drive and Quarterbridge Road junction with Bray Hill/Cronkbourne Road in Douglas and is an unofficial name used by the media and TV commentators.
See also
- Isle of Man TT Races
- Manx Grand PrixManx Grand PrixThe Manx Grand Prix motorcycle races are held on the Isle of Man TT Course every year for a two-week period usually spanning the end of August and early September. The 'MGP' or 'Manx' is considered to be the amateur riders' alternative to the Isle of Man TT Races held in May and June...
- Clypse CourseClypse CourseThe Clypse Course describes a motor-cycle racing course used for the Isle of Man TT Races between 1954 and 1959.The course is 10.92 miles long and is in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man. The course uses two short sections of the Snaefell Mountain Course which includes the primary A18 road...
- St. John's Short CourseSt. John's Short CourseThe Short Course describes a road-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT held between 1907 and 1910...
- List of Snaefell Mountain Course fatal accidents
External links
- Circuit Guide with Steve HislopSteve HislopSteven 'Hizzy' Hislop was a Scottish motorcycle racer. Hislop won the Isle of Man TT eleven times and also the British 250cc Championship and British Superbike championship ....
, 11 times TT winner - 2D and 3D Maps of the TT Course