1935 Isle of Man TT. Race #24

Stanley Woods always had a new trick up his sleeve and he arrived on the Island for the 1935 races (in the middle of a general strike) armed with 250 and 500cc Moto Guzzi’s - and a new teammate, Omobono Tenni.

Major alterations to the Snaefell mountain course are carried out for the 1935 TT Races. This includes the removal of the hump-backed bridge at Ballig and the road work is completed for the Manx Grand Prix in September 1935. Road widening occurs on the Mountain Course at the Highlander, Laurel Bank, Glen Helen (between the Old Quarry and Brew's Restaurant) and at Brandywell with the removal of the Beinn-y-Phott sheep-gate.

A warm-up period is introduced for the first-time before each race.

Associated Talking Pictures use the 1935 TT Races for the backdrop for the motion picture No Limit starring George Formby who dreams of riding a 'Shuttleworth Snap' motor-cycle in the Isle of Man TT Races. Filming starts on 15 June 1935 with co-star Florence Desmond using Douglas Beach, White City, Douglas Head Road, the Palace Ballrooms and the Douglas Camera Obscura.

Royal Enfield entered a 500 cc Four valve-Racing model for the Senior TT 1935. This is the last TT Royal Enfield entered.

During practice N.Cook riding an Excelsior crashes at Keppel Gate and George Rowley riding for AJSi at Signpost Corner. An injury to a thumb caused by replacing a drive-chain at Sulby causes Wal Handley to withdraw from the 1935 TT Races.

Also in this year saw the appearance of travelling marshals on the course, while pit attendants were allowed to assist with running repairs for the first time.

The 1935 races also marked the end of the career of the great Wal Handley after he lost part of his thumb trying to make adjustments to the rear brake of his Velocette on the Sulby Straight during practice. He had won four TTs. Wal switched to car racing after retiring from two wheels, but was later killed while serving as a pilot in the Second World War.

?Junior TT

The 1935 Junior TT Race provided a Junior TT double win for Jimmie Guthrie at an average race speed of 79.14 mph (127.36 km/h) and Norton with a 1-2-3 race win with Walter Rusk and "Crasher" White filling 2nd and 3rd places. J.A.Macdonald riding a Norton motor-cycle crashes at Union Mills and is killed.

?Senior TT

The Senior was a very different story and produced one of the greatest TT battles of all time. The race was postponed to the next day due to poor weather. The race was led away by Jimmie Guthrie at number 1 while Stanley Woods starting at number 30 had a 15 minute wait. By the last lap of the 1935 Senior TT Race, Jimmie Guthrie had built-up a lead of 26 seconds.

As the Moto Guzzi pit-attendants made preparations for Stanley Woods to refuel on the last-lap, the Norton pit-crew signalled to Guthrie to easy the pace on the last lap. Stanley Woods riding for Moto Guzzi went straight through the TT Grandstand area without stopping on the last lap and set a new overall lap record of 26 minutes and 10 seconds at an average speed of 86.53 mph (139.26 km/h). Despite the Norton team telephoning the signal-station at Ramsey on the last lap to indicate to Jimmie Guthrie to speed-up the pace, Stanley Woods won the 1935 Senior TT Race by 4 seconds from Jimmie Guthrie in 3 hours, 7 minutes and 10 seconds at an average speed of 84.68 mph (136.28 km/h).

Start of 1935 Senior TT

?Lightweight TT

The Lightweight TT Race was a debut event for the Italian Omobono Tenni. It was team-mate Stanley Woods that led the 1935 Lightweight TT Race from start-to-finish at an average race speed of 71.56 mph (115.16 km/h) followed by Tyrell Smith and Ernie Nott, both riding for Rudge motor-cycles.

Photos:

Stanley Woods poses aboard a Moto Guzzi machine, number 2, 1935 TT

Stanley Woods descends Bray Hill during the 1935 TT Races

Stanley Woods on a 498cc Gizzi bike

Jimmy Guthrie at Governor’s Bridge, 1935 Senior TT

Otto Steinbach (DKW) 1935 Lightweight TT

Rather grainy photo of premature celebrations by the Norton chaps when it was thought Jimmy had won. Needless to say, it was not used overmuch at the time!

?Photos credit: National Motor Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images, gettyimages, imuseum, Dennis.

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