Surrey Branch at the Ardingly Classic Bike Show 24 March 2024

The Surrey Branch represented the NOC at The South of England Classic Bike Show on the Sunday 24 March 2024.18 members of the Surrey branch brought along their bikes for our display. This display ranged from Dominator twins, to Commando’s, and OHC and OHV singles. David Carpenter could not bring along his two Manx Norton models due to a flat tyre on his trailer. David Cooper our secretary could also not make it due to a very bad cold that prevented him from riding to the show. We could have had 25 bikes on our stand, but there were the two racers that went over to the Mike Braid display, and the two West Kent members who had to put their bikes on a location opposite us.

Some of the Surrey Branch Members

For the Sunday event, the weather Gods smiled on us, as the sun was out all day. The last four events at Ardingly we have had very heavy rainfall, which did not help with the attendance of these wonderful events. The show opens to the public at 10am, and the Surrey branch stand was as per usual a hive of very intensive activity. There was Graham Holcombe, Bill Plummer, Malcolm King, Max Groves, Simon Smith, Phil and Robert Tuck, and the ever-industrious David Brown, erecting the gazebo and setting up our stand. With out Simon Smith and his pickup truck and the trailer the Surrey branch would not have a gazebo and any stand to erect and would be unable to show at any event. We had a table laid out for our tea and coffee along with the kettle, and the biscuits were laid out for us all. Our members had to make many trips to the toilets to refill the kettle with water.

Sadly, Dave Croxford was unable to attend, and so the JPN Norton theme had to be scaled down. However, there was still some fantastic race-bred machinery for us all to see and hear on the day. There was the Fire-Up paddock that was out side adjacent the Queens Jubilee show hall at 11am and 1pm. There were many racers that were started to the merriment of those that came to observe this momentous event. All those that brought along a bike could collect a 2024 souvenir from the exhibitor’s desk after the prize giving had finished.

Paul Smith with Malcolm King and his Commando Roadster

Paul Smith the chairman of the NOC rode his blue Norton Commando Roadster, to be put on display on our stand. There were four Commando’s in all with two Roadster, and two Interstates. Howard Robinson our treasurer brought along his MK2A Commando Interstate.

I do like to at these events to talk to our members about their bikes, and get their own stories and any history associated with the bikes that they now own and bring along.

David Brown and his newly acquired Model 50

David Brown displayed his newly acquired 350cc 1957 Model 50 that he has been restoring, along with his ex racer, a Dominator 99. The Model 50 is a one-owner bike, and he acquired it after the owner had sadly passed away. His wife kept this Model 50, as she did not know what to do with it. She gave it to a friend of her deceased husband, who after leaving it for six years, in a damp shed decided to sell it. David then was able to buy it, and he restored, all the parts that it required. He rebuilt the Amal Monobloc carburettor, and did the paint work. The bike has a damaged petrol tank lining that will have to be attended to, as David will not be able to ride it until this situation has been sorted. The inside of the tank has the lining, which is beginning to peel off the inside of the petrol tank. Dave has ridden the Model 50, and attended to the mechanical parts of the engine. He has changed the rocker box gaskets, as well some gearbox gaskets. The bike has direction indictors that the previous owner added while he owned it.

Max Groves 1964 Norton Atlas, which he bought from a school caretaker, who then lived about 20 miles from where Max now resides. It was for sale at a NOC rally in 2010. It was all black when Max bought it, and it had 18000 miles on the Speedo, and it now has done 30000, miles. Max has never had the engine apart, and it is still as it was built at the AMC premises in Plumstead. All he has done is change the oils and check the tappets. The only failure that the bike has incurred was due to the electronic ignition. There are two Amal 389 Monobloc carburettors, and one of them is a chopped one with out a float chamber. Max has a added a float chamber extension to the one that has the float chamber on it.

Simon & Lindsey Warren and Simon’s Manx

Simon Warren brought along three of his amazingly restored OHC racers. Simon has nine OHC single Norton’s. He has an ex Bob Macintyre Scarbourgh Gold Cup winning 1957 Model 40 racer. This must have been one of the Joe Potts prepared bikes that Bob Mac rode for him. He has an ex Keith Campbell 1957 350 Manx and this particular bike has won many races in Australia. He was the 1957 350cc World Champion for Moto Guzzi. There is the Desmond Craig Manx who was one of the sons of Joe Craig. Simon is at the moment building some of his other OHC racers, as he does the work himself and Andy Savage does his engine building for him. His 1934 500 that he bought at auction, and the previous owner was the late and very much lamented George Cohen. It has since been completely restored, by Simon. Simon’s wife Lindsey is a beach racer of a very high standard. She has raced on Margate beach in the Molley Mile, and she has been winning in these beach races against some very stiff male opposition.

Phil Hannam the renowned Dominator historian, on that Sunday morning, following a last minute ‘go or no go’ decision headed off to the Ardingly Classic Bike Show, in cold but clear blue skies. The plan being to add his Norton to the other Norton’s that had gathered for the display on the Surrey Branch stand. The yes / no issue had dropped on his shoulders, the previous Friday, when returning home from work in Chichester. His Norton 650 deciding to splutter intermittently while cruising along the A27 towards Portsmouth. That Friday evening and the following Saturday evening with a check of the wiring system that had indicated a few dodgy connections and some dirty earthing connections but nothing serious. The spark plugs were then examined, then the single Amal 930 carb checked and finally his Wassell Electronic Ignition Unit was given a once-over. At which point he discovered that one of the magnets from the trigger rotor was now a collection of chewed up metal fragments stuck to the surviving magnet.

A clean up sorted out the debris problem. The unit was then re-assembled with an estimate being made for the ignition timing. The bike started first kick but was reluctant to rev. In deference to the late hour, further engine running and adjustments were delayed until the next morning. Therefore, early Sunday morning, he kitted up then he headed out to a nearby quiet spot to warm up the engine and fine tune the ignition. This is where the Wassell kit is so user friendly. Two short screws hold the outer cover and the pick-up can be adjusted using a small spanner. Fine-tuning can be done while the engine is running and takes just a minute or two to adjust the timing. The Dual Output coil solved the worry concerning the missing rotor magnet, so with a smooth sounding engine he set off for Ardingly, and got there and back home, with out any further problems with the engine or the bike.

John Duplain brought along for display his incredible Dominator café racer; with a 99 engine of 600cc. John then gave me the story that was associated with this machine. The bike was re-imported from the USA in 1984, and it was then first registered in the UK in 1985. It was purchased by John in May 2007, as a part finished project bike, and he recreated it as a custom style of his younger days. The most difficult modification was removing the tin-ware primary chain casting and replacing them with a set of early Commando alloy castings. The timing side and oil delivery was a challenge, as the top end the cylinder head, was totally flooded with oil after travelling a few miles. A 650cc downdraft cylinder head with twin carburettors, and a set of swept back pipes, with large bore silencers have been fitted. This along with an alloy Slimline petrol tank and a custom made oil tank. The rest of the machine is down to hours of polishing to produce a sixties café racer. John covers over 500 miles a year, going to and enjoying Norton rallies at both home and abroad.

During the day, we had many visitors to our stand, with many enquires, as well as owners of Norton’s wanting our advice and help with their technical questions. We have had SNOC  branch cards printed so that we can hand out to any prospective members who want to join us. One such show goer was intrigued by my prototype Unified Twin engine in the N15CS frame. He saw the petrol tank on the bike and assumed that it was a Norton N15CS desert racer. When he came up close and personal to the bike, he was amazed to see not an Atlas engine and gearbox in that chassis, but this odd looking unit engine there instead. He came over to our stand and asked about that odd bike on displayed out at the front. My colleges on the Surrey stand pointed me out to the inquisitive show goer, to give him an in depth explanation. I explained to him about that engine and its history, and how I had had it recreated to look like what may be Norton, and the then AMC Company may have built and exported to North America to the Berliner Corporation, back in the 1960’s.

This show was very well attend, with packed auto-jumble halls and the bakery stall always doing a huge trade in their amazing bakery items. Julie Diplock and her staff of helpers are always there to help and assist us all. Julie now having a pedal bike to travois the large distances involved with this event.

We had Andy Neal, and John Summerfield who came along to our stand, support us. Andy Neal is at present restoring an ex WD Norton 16H, and John Summerfield is very involved in restoring a 1920’s single cylinder Norton.

The Surrey branch did not come away with any rosettes this time, for winning machines or for our stand, but it is not about winning any thing, but to putting the Norton name and the NOC out to the hearts and minds of those that attend these shows. To show the show goers that Norton did make some amazing bikes, both for the road and also for the racetrack. Therefore, we can say with justifiable pride that we rocked it totally.

The Surrey branch committee are always working very hard to give the branch so many different events for us all to attend. To all those that came to the Ardingly show event for the Surrey branch I give you my heart felt thanks and that on the day we had a display that we in the Surrey branch can be very justifiably proud of. To all those helped set up and take down our stand, your hard work on behalf of the branch is valued to a very high degree.

These are the Surrey Branch members who brought along their bikes for our display

The racing Commandos were on a stand opposite us were as follows, and two of them were brought along by Mike Braid were the ex-works Norton racers.

Surrey Branch AGM held on Tuesday 14th November 2023. Starting @ 8.00pm.

The SNOC committee have fine-tuned the Branch Constitution and it will now be put to the members at the Branch AGM planned for 14th November 2023. Our draft Constitution, as sent to the NOC Directors, needed no serious changes which was excellent news.

Agenda:

a) Minutes from last AGM 8th November 2022
b) Matters arising from the minutes
c) Chairman’s Report 2023 (Phil Hannam)
d) Secretary’s Report 2023 (Dave Cooper)
e) Press Officer/Events Reports 2023 (Anthony Curzon)
f) Facilities Officer Report 2023 (Simon Smith)
g) Website Officer Report 2023 (John Blades)
h) Treasurer’s  Report 2023 (Howard Robinson)

i) Standing down and re-election of Committee

The present committee is as follows:
Hon Chairman – Phil Hannam
Hon Secretary – David Cooper
Hon Treasurer  – Howard Robinson
Events Co-ordinator  – Anthony Curzon
Facilities Officer  – Simon Smith
Press Officer  – Anthony Curzon
Website Officer  – John Blades

The existing committee members will all be standing down so if anyone would like to put their names
down for any of the positions on the committee please let us know. You will need a proposer and
seconder.  Club members can also be co-opted (if willing) to support the running of the Branch. This helps to share the load and makes everybody’s life much easier. Helping to set up an event display being a good example of this.

j) Ratification of Constitution: The NOC branches are now independent clubs affiliated to NOC
Ltd. Therefore we need out own written constitution. Our proposed Constitution has been
prepared and comments from Branch members and NOC Ltd have been received and
incorporated. It will be put forward to a Branch vote for ratification.

k) Branch Subscription

l) Club Events: Proposals are invited. E.g.:
Quiz Night for December
Games Night for January
Technical talks. Members suggestions are invited
Travel talks. Are these popular?
Members’ bikes?
List of events will be circulated periodically by the Secretary in the New Year. Also see NOC
website for planned Branch events.

m) Ride Outs:

To be confirmed at later dates in the New Year. These may be proposed at short notice,
depending of weather etc. All Branch member are welcome to propose events for your
Secretary to circulate to all Branch members.

n) National Events:
NOC and VMCC at Sammy Miller’s Museum 15 May 2024
NOC International Rally – Spain – 6th -10th June 2024
NOC National Rally – Corbridge, Northumberland – 5th-8th July 2024

o) SNOC Club Member of the Year: TBC

p) Facilities Officer
Please NOTE:  Simon Smith has decided to stand down as our Facilities Officer at our next AGM in 2024.
Please can somebody consider taking over this position? We shall need someone who is able and
prepared to store our trailer and club gazebo.

q) Any Other Business

r) Meeting Closed

     Surrey Branch at the Ardingly Classic Bike show 29 October 2023

John Blades’ 1970 Mercury 650cc previously featured in Frank Westworth’s RealClassic magazine

The Surrey Branch represented the NOC at the October 29 2023 Ardingly Classic Bike Show. The day before it had rained, and earlier that morning it had also rained. I set out, on my 500cc Nomad desert racer, with wet roads, and very large puddles all over South Croydon. Riding in those conditions can be treacherous, so I was taking my time. The 500cc Nomad’s Dominator twin was all new with about 350 miles on its bores. It has new pistons and rings rings, with all new valve guides, as well as valves. The rest of the motor was also all new, so I was only doing between 30 and 40 mph. I was also using in the motor, Morris running in oil, as this helps to bed in the pistons rings. On the straight parts of the A22, the Nomad hounds along, but it does struggle on the steeper parts of that road. It only rained the once on me, and that was on the road, past the Mormon Temple on the B2028 as I rode in to a huge down pour. There are many trees on that road, so I did not get too wet.

I arrived at the Ardingly show, and the lady on the gate waved me though, and I pushed the bike into the main hall. Our part of the hall was a hive of much activity, with some of the earlier arrivals busily erecting our gazebo. Phil Hannam and I then set about getting the bikes into some sort of organized order.  We like to have some space between the bikes, so that visitors can walk around them to get a better view of them all.

A very special mention must be given to Robert Tuck, who with his van had collected all our stands equipment from Simon Smith. Simon and his wife were going to Australia, so he could not bring our stands equipment, to the show. With out Robert, the Surrey branch would not have had a gazebo, or any thing else, but just two rows of members bikes on display.

Simon Warren and his award winning 1960 500cc Model 30 Manx Norton

To Robert we all give a huge amount of thanks for his endeavours on behalf of the Surrey branch. We had Oscar Frieslaar, Graham Holcombe and Bill Plummer who come along to support us as always and to help with the set up of the stand. David Brown, Malcolm King, and David Cooper, were there also busily setting up the stand, as well as our chairs and tables. Phil Hannam managed to get another table from one of the other stallholders, as they did not require it. We then had enough room to put our kettle with the tea and coffee as well as the biscuits out for all our members.

Malcolm King with his 1965 750cc Norton Atlas

Julie Diplock and her wonderful team of helpers must have had a very difficult time, due to the horrendous weather conditions. Julie team, made the show even with these very bad distraction, an event that all classic bike owners should be attending.

We had 14 bikes on display for the Surrey branch, and we also had two members from the West Kent branch arrive to put their bikes on our stand and swell our numbers. The Surrey branch collected two awards on the day for our member’s bikes. Simon Warren was award a first place in the competition section, for his immaculate, and amazingly presented 1960 Manx Norton. Ken Rawlinson was also awarded a rosette for his 1965 Atlas.

Ken Rawlinson’s first prize 1965 Norton Atlas 750cc is a beautiful example

The out side weather turned into huge down pours through out the day, and I felt so sorry for the out side stall holders. This has been the forth Ardingly show that it has rained. Robert Tuck and I went into the large hall to look at the auto-jumble, and when we came out it was raining very heavily. Robert and I were dodging in and out of the covered stall, and then we made a dash into the main display hall.

The Surrey section stand had many visitor’s, admiring the bikes on display. We had many asking about where we meet, and Graham Holcombe was handing out the SNOC cards to many prospective members.

We had many questions from visiting owners of Norton’s for help with their own bikes, and restorations, of which the SNOC branch members have a wealth of knowledge. I saw three visitors intrigued by my 500cc Nomad, as one of them said to me, that he never knew that Norton had actual constructed such a bike. I then proceed to tell them some of the history about the Norton Nomads, as well as about the restoration of my own Nomad on display. As the weather turned very unpleasant, with very heavy torrential rain, the show hall was filled with so many more visitors.

Peter Sparrowhawk and his 1969 Mercury 650cc

As I like to ask our members about their bikes, I spoke to Peter Sparrowhawk about his 1969 Mercury. Peter had purchased this bike in 2011, and the bike has a 1971 registration number. The last owner had lived in Bolton, and it came from a private dealer. Peter explained that all the bikes parts were original, and it has the all-important matching engine, frame and gearbox numbers. Peter went on to say that it came from Plumstead in the colours it has now in silver and black. The gearbox has the letter N stamped after the gearbox number. It had when Peter bought the bike, a standard 1966 Norton dual seat, but it has now been changed and fitted with the correct dual seat. The Petrol tank still has the original Mercury logo transfer on the top front of the petrol tank. Peter has rebuilt the engine this year, as well as installing new pistons. The front forks have rebound and compression damping inside of them. The bike has been used for many of the West Kent section runs.

Those members that brought along and displayed their bikes are as follows

Max Groves and his 1964 750cc Norton Atlas

I rode back accompanied by Robert Tuck’s son Phillip on his 1968 Atlas, but I did explain to him that I was running in the Nomad, so I was only going to be going along at 30 to 40 mph. The ride home was with out the torrential rain that had hampered the show earlier. It was a joy to watch Phillip ride, as his riding, is like poetry in motion, when he comes up to the bends, and powers around them. For me, I was taking my time, as the wet weather conditions, may put the bike and myself down in the road.

To all those that attended the Surrey Branch stand, who brought along your bikes for display, for all your hard work, in its erection, and dismantling, we give to you a huge amount of thanks and our appreciation. Without you and our member’s bikes, and their enthusiasm, the Surrey branch would be the poorer with out you all.

Anthony Curzon

Surrey Branch Events Coordinator.

ACE Cafe Norton Day(s)

A small band of SNOC members braved the weather and traffic conditions to join up with others bikers attending the ACE Cafe Norton Day(s) on 23^rd & 24^th September. A very heavy downpour delayed my own departure for an hour but after that my 2 hour ride to London was on dry roads. The route took me along long stretches of London roads plagued with 20mph speed limits. There were associated signs all around claiming that the low speed limit was to save air pollution. Personally I cannot see how hundreds of lorries and buses crawling along for miles in low gears helps to cut the amount of CO2 and NO2 filling the atmosphere. Are you serious Mr Khan??? 

Finally I got to the Ace at 11.30am where I counted 45 Norton of various models on view. Plus just over 100 other visitor machines. More bikes coming and going during the 4 hours I was at the cafe.

TVS had brought along 2 new 961s to give test rides to those interested in trying one of these bikes out. As I arrived at the ACE, an NOC member (who you all know well) had failed to make the 20 yards to the exit onto the North Circular. Was he trying to do a wheelie to impress or just lost control after dumping the clutch.???

Alongside the TVS pagoda was another representing Andover Norton and a third promoting the NOC. The temptation to play’ ‘spot the crooks’ was very great but declined. The three wise men representing the NOC were Tim Harrison, Rich Thomas and Paul Smith.  Mike Jackson turned up and tried to give a short address followed by the bike award ceremony. He was unfortunately drowned out by the Cafe lunchtime meal service and rock music coming over the audio system.

I was asked to help with the bike judging of the heavy non-Commando Twins category. 

My vote went to a Cafe Race style Dominator which was very tidy and more in keeping with the bikes that I remember frequented such places as the ACE Cafe in the 60s and 70s.

Phil H

Myself (650SS), Robert Tuck (Dominator 99) and David Hulme (BSA Gold Star tourer) rode to the Flower Farm in Godstone yesterday to meet up with Simon Smith (Commando) before heading off along the A22 to the Hellingly Transport Festival, which is near Hailsham, where we met up with Graham Holcombe and Bill Plummer who had travelled by car. I had managed to get 4 free passes to the event but in the end they just waved us all through without checking anything.

The weather was fine and mainly sunny and it stayed dry all day including the trip back.

The A22 is quite a nice road and there was not a lot of traffic, you have to go via East Grinstead but that was not much of a problem at all and we sailed through.

I personally like these Country Fair Festivals as there is plenty to see and keep you occupied. There are classic cars, bikes, lorries etc. as well as army vehicles, organs, a fairground, an auto-jumble, food and drink stalls, plus a beer tent selling real ale from barrels. At the event I met up with Steve, an old colleague who was the president of the defunct South London Classic MC club that I once belonged to. Steve had one of his vans (as the green/cream van pictured) with a BSA DBD34 in it and his “assistants/nurse” made Simon Smith and I a nice cup of coffee and gave us some biscuits which was kind of them. Steve is an avid bike collector and has around 150 nice bikes as well as a few vintage lorries but unfortunately he is quite ill and will be selling his collection of bikes and some of his lorries, I wish him well.

All in all a very pleasant ride and day out. I will book early, for this event, next year and try and get some more free passes so then perhaps more of you could join us?

Best wishes – Ken