1913 Isle of Man TT. Race #7

The TT had survived its first crisis, and any doubts about the future were firmly dispelled a year later when 147 riders entered the 1913 event.

Motorcycles lined up ahead at the start of a race, 1913 TT

Major Tommy Loughborough took over as the new secretary of the ACU and incredibly decided to make the races even tougher. Instead of one Junior and one Senior race, he decided the events should be divided into two, sections, held on different days.

The six-lap Junior would be split into two races of two and four laps. The seven-lap Senior would start with a three-lap event, the second four-lap part being run together with the Junior two days later.

Despite these crazy new regulations there were 16 different makes of machine represented in the 44-strong Junior field. New manufacturers included Levis and Veloce, while Douglas were favourite to repeat their success. It was not to be, with Hugh Mason winning on a NUT despite having been hospitalised following a practice crash, and Billy Newsome second on the flat-twin Douglas.

The 97 starters for the Senior included 32 makes, but it was the Scotts which ruled the roost once again. The likes of Ariel, BSA, Brough and Rover had all been lured to the Island, but Scott-mounted Tim Wood led at the end of the first race from Bateman's Rudge and Alfie Alexander's Indian.

Bateman had taken over the lead in the second race when he crashed below Keppel Gate following a puncture. He died from his injuries, and a great cloud was cast over the rest of the proceedings. Wood went on to win, setting a new lap record of 52 mph, but it was Rover who were awarded the new manufacturers' prize.

Additional info:

Frank Richard Bateman, who was injured during the contest for the motor-cycle Tourist Trophy in the Isle of Man, died in hospital late last night from concussion and severe injuries to the head. He was taking the S-shaped corner at Keppel Gate, and was leading in his class, when he smashed into the roadside. He was at once seen to be in a very grave state, and an ambulance was telephoned for from Douglas, five miles distant. He was removed with all speed to Noble’s Hospital, where it was ascertained that was suffering from severe concussion, and, it was feared, a fracture of the base the skull. Bateman never rallied, and at 11.45 passed away. Bateman was a young man, and was the most popular and best known racing cyclists of the kingdom, being well up on last year’s and this year’s winning list.

Mason poses with the TT winning machine 1913

1913 NUT, Hugh Mason, Junior TT

A policeman moves a motorcycle to clear a way for the traffic during the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Race

Backall on his Douglas motorcycle after an accident during the Tourist Trophy race on the Isle of Man

Thomas Jnr on a Douglas approaching Ballig Bridge during the Isle of Man TT Race

Tom Peek on a Peelers and W Creyton on an Ariel passing through Kirk Michael village during the IOMTT

The start of the Tourist Trophy Race on the Isle of Man. The rider at the front is T Wood, who won the senior race.

Indian riders for the 1913 Senior IOM TT event. The machines are wearing their practice numbers.

?Photo by National Motor Museum/Heritage Images via Getty Images

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