ACU National Rally - 1955

[Eamonn]

I recently had an email from a lady who was going through her late fathers effects and she found this control card from the 1955 National.

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[Plugsnpoints]

My dad used to do this sort of run in the '50s. He said they used to strap a huge belt round him and his passenger so his mate on the pillion could go to sleep, then swap over!

[Rob Harknett]

Amazing some of this old ephemera survives. I noticed a few flyers in some of the old Jampot magazines, when I was scanning them. Advertising leaflets, membership forms, I am sure also, ACU rally entry forms. I did scan them all and juggle page numbers so an A5 booklet can be printed. A5 will be just a little smaller than the original mag. A few magazines were an odd landscape format size, so you will need to juggle print out settings to print them A5 landscape.

[MikeM.]

My first National Rally was in 1959, I competed on a Vincent and Steib. Some years went past before I competed again this time on a Greeves Sports Twin, unfortunately 112 miles into the event while heading out towards Chelmsford on the A12 the motor locked up with what turned out to be a twisted crankshaft, I did manage to get home on it more by luck than judgement. The rest of the times I competed was either on a G12 or my AJS 500:Twingle. MikeM

[SPRIDDLER]

600 miles was still one heck of a ride 65 years ago even though the roads were probably less busy.

My first National Rally was in 1959, I competed on a Vincent and Steib.

Great stuff Mike. Must've been hard work as you're (still) only a lightweight chap.

[Rob Harknett]

600 miles was still one heck of a ride 65 years ago even though the roads were probably less busy.

My first National Rally was in 1959, I competed on a Vincent and Steib.

Great stuff Mike. Must've been hard work as you're (still) only a lightweight chap.

Did many 1,000 + mile trips 1956/60 from Essex to Wales / Scotland. The ere few cars but quite a few lorries. I mainly used the A1 going north which there were quite a few, open all night lorry drivers cafe's. Going West I mainly used the A40. First lorry drivers cafe was the famous Ace cafe. There was another nr High Wycham called Last Chance cafe. It was the last until you got the Cheltenham / Gloster. Most notable thing the was how dark it was at night. There were few roads with street lamps, most street lighting went off at mid night. So the old lights worked better then than now. They lit the road and lit up " Cat Light's " for quite a distance ahead.