bob thomas

photo of bob thomas 

Based on the Barry Jones archive at Brooklands, that picture was taken in 1953. Interesting to see the round tank he fitted to it.
I believe the tank still exists at the Milntown estate.

This is another picture of Bob in September 1984 at Gooseneck bend, on the IoM TT course, coming up out of Ramsey.

Indeed Giovanni, that rounded tank with  ABC transfers  on it sits on a shelf at Milntown.
I don’t know anything else about it though. 
I will take a photo and send it  later this  coming week.

  Whilst on the Bob Thomas theme, here is a photo of the great man that once appeared in one of my old Newsletters.
Here he is, with his race-face on, on his 'racer' at a Chalfont St. Giles hill-climb event.
I guess that the date is pre-1964, which is when he moved to the IoM, from the Bicester area.

He was a remarkable engineer.
This  story is  not about ABCs - or even motorcycles,  but it does illustrates this.

On the 1948 London to Brighton run, the crankshaft of the two cylinder 1900  New Orleans car,entered Sir Clive  Edwards and Bob Thomas, went ‘bang ‘ and   snapped in two.

At the side of the road, still 20 miles from Brighton,  Bob managed to make a repair - in effect making a  single engine from the twin!
He then drove on to reach  to Brighton.
The distinction of being the only car known to have made  the run with a broken crankshaft remains unchallenged!

In the picture we see a determined- looking Bob driving the N.O. followed by  Clive and a  female passenger in a’ woody’ Lea Francis and trailer.
It was Lea Francis who made a new crankshaft for the car - as Clive related, ‘ For not too many pots of gold ‘

 

The little car has made 33 successful LTB runs in its 124 year history  - the latest in 2018.
It still  runs well and is part  of the ‘Thomas Collection’ at Milntown House. 
 

G'day all...I have this photo in the way of a Christmas card.