144 MINUTES HARD

Series

Series Name
Mining Review 18th Year

Issue

Issue No.
1
Date Released
Sep 1964
Stories in this Issue:
  1. 1PARIS PARLEY
  2. 2144 MINUTES HARD
  3. 3A KINGDOM OF Coal

Story

Story No. within this Issue
2 / 3
Summary
BFI synopsis: a miner from Yorkshire gains a place in the Isle of Man T.T. Race.
NCB Commentary - From Water Haigh Colliery, near Leeds. Pit-fitter Carl Ward went in June to the Isle of Man to ride in the Senior Tourst Trophy Race.
The day before the race, all the bikes entered are inspected to see that they are as described on the entry form ... and to see that they are of the correct capacity - in this case under 500cc. Then the tank is filled with standard racing fuel.
After vetting the bikes are taken to this tent and locked-up overnight.
The next day, the race. Six laps of 37 1/2 miles each - 226 1/2 m. in all. For the warm-up a might roar fills the Manx air.
Then a travelling marshal rides the course to see that it is clear of sheep and holidaymakers - and the riders move to the starting grid. They start in pairs at ten-second intervals.
Five minutes to go. The riders settle into the saddle and they’re off. In the first pair is Derek Minter on a Norton - No.2 He was to finish second.
Mounted-miner Carl Ward waits for his starting flag.
And farthest from camera goes Mike Hailwood - No.5 - on his four-cylinder M. V. Agusta. He was to win for the second year running; his third senior TT win.
And now Carl rolls his twist grip and away he streaks.
By the end of the first lap, Hailwood - No.5 - is leading at Governor’s Bridge.
And here comes Carl Ward on 61.
At Signpost Corner, Mike Hailwood builds up his lead relentlessly; closely followed by Derek Minter.
By the end of the fifth lap Carl is lying tenth.
When the flag falls he has risen to eighth position - a remarkable feat for a private entry, in the toughest professional motor-cycle race in the world.
Carl’s time was 144 minutes 32.8 seconds at an average of 93.98 miles an hour - it was just as well they’d cleared the sheep and the holidaymakers from the Island roads.
Keywords
Motor racing; Competitions
Locations
Isle of Man
Written sources
British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
The National Archives COAL 32   /13 Scripts for Mining Review, 1960-1963
Credits:
Sponsor
National Coal Board
Production Co.
National Coal Board Film Unit

Record Stats

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