1906 Knowsley Park Selection Trial
1906 June 6th. Wednesday. Held at Knowsley Park, near Liverpool
Motorcycle Trials[1]
The selection race to choose the trio to represent the United Kindom in the International auto-cycle race, was held at Knowsley Park by permission of Lord Derby to-day. The entrants were -
- C. R. Collier, 7 h.p. Matchless;
- H. A. Collier, 7 h.p. Matchless;
- R. Morewood, 6 h.p. Westlake;
- T. Silver, 5 h.p. Quadrant; and the Irishman
- C. B. Franklin, 7 h.p. Jap.
Silver was unable to ride, as he was suffering from an injured leg. He found a substitute A. A. Butt.
A good give-and-take course of 4.5 miles had been flagged, and it was arranged that 27 circuits should be made, the total distance, therefore, being 121.5 miles. The course contained some nasty corners, but most of the competitors had been able to get preliminary practice. Morewood, however, was strange to the course, and he was allowed a trial spin.
The start was made soon after half-past nine, the men leaving at one minute intervals. Morewood had a narrow escape from a nasty accident in his fourth lap. He was travelling splendidly, when he felt something wrong with his steering. Immediately after the handlebar came off in his hands, and it was impossible to guide the machine he fell heavily on the grass at the side of the road.
Times for twelve laps, 54 miles:— C. Collier, 1h. 19mins. 33 4-5sec.; H. Collier, 1h. 19min. 47 4-5sec.; Franklin, 1h. 34min. 50sec.
The times for eighteen laps, 81 miles were:— C. Collier, 1h., 57mins. 39 2-5sec.: H. Collier, 1h., 59mins. 38secs.; Franklin, 2hrs. 30mins. 41 4-5secs.; and the times for laps (108 miles): — C. Collier, 2hrs. 35mins. 58 4-5sec.: H. Collier. 2hrs. 52mins 50secs.; Franklin. 3hrs. 20mins. 54secs.
Result:— C. Collier finished first in two hours 56 minutes, 21 2-5 seconds; H. Collier was second in three hours 21mins. 48 4-5secs. The team is therefore, C. Collier. H. Collier, and C. B. Franklin, two Englishmen and an Irishman. The winner’s average average speed was 41.25 miles an hour, a splendid performance considering the course. Franklin was stopped by the officials with three laps go.
Other riders included: G. A. Barnes - 8 h.p. Barnes and V. Feeney - 7 h.p. Westlake.[2]