1955 Sidecar TT

Course name: Clypse

Course length: 97 miles (9 laps)

Description: Race report from the IOM Weekly Times 10 June 1955 p.10 below which is a full list of competitors:

THRILLS IN SIDECAR T.T.
SCHNEIDER WINS FROM BODDICE
FOUR OF THE TROPHIES “GO FOREIGN”

The sidecar T.T. on Wednesday was a walk-over for a German B.M.W. after two Norton stars, who carried Britain’s hopes of a win, had “shed” their passengers in spectacular spills in a thrilling battle for the lead. The Germans smashed lap and race records and won as they liked. So the first four of the five trophies “went foreign” with Schneider’s win.
At the end of the first lap the German B.M.W. man, W.Schneider, led from Eric Oliver, last year’s winner, and Noll. Cyril Smith, who had shaped well at the start of the race, as soon out of it. He lost his passenger, Stan Dibben, at the fast left-hand bend at Cronk-ny-Mona.
On the third lap, Oliver snatched the lead from Schneider at Creg-ny-Baa after being only two seconds behind in the second lap. The two other B.M.W.s were third and fourth. All Britain’s hopes were pinned on veteran Eric Oliver, many times world champion.
Then Oliver, too, lost his passenger, who was hit in the eye by a stone.
The fastest lap of the race was Noll’s seventh, which was completed in nine minutes dead (71.93m.p.h.).
The start, Wednesday.
For the third time today there are 16 starters including two manufacturers’ teams, one from the B.M.W. factory (Noll, Schneider and Faust), and Watsonian sidecars team of Eric Oliver, Cyril Smith and Bill Boddice.
Four club teams entered. Germany was represented by the B.M.W trio. The BNCRC, team of Oliver, Smith and Len Taylor, was also strongly fancied.
The side car race was regarded by many as Britain’s last real chance of a 1955 T.T. trophy. And from the starting grid it was Bill Boddice who accelerated his Norton into the lead, closely followed by Cyril Smith and Schneider.
At the end of the opening circuit, Oliver was sandwiched between the leader, Schneider, and the work champion Noll.
Already Cyril Smith was out of the race and Britain’s hopes rested with “old maestro” Oliver, lying four seconds behind the leader. Schneider lapped from a standing start in 9 mins. 30 secs. (69.34 m.p.h.).
Smith lost his passenger, Stan Dibben, at the fast left-hand bend at Cronk-ny-Mona. Dibben was taken to Nobles Hospital for treatment to his badly injured nose and cut mouth.
Their streamlined Norton outfit somersaulted through the air and Smith was taken to hospital with a broken arm.
Oliver was holding his own, however, and both he and Schneider were drawing away from Noll, who now had the third B.M.W. (Faust), winner of the Spanish Grand Prix, on his tail. If Oliver retired, the B.M.W.’s would win as they liked.
The Norton hope had cut the German’s lead to two seconds by the end of lap 2, with a lap in 9 mins.15secs. (70.14 m.p.h.). Schneider clung grimly to his two second lead throughout lap 3, but at Creg-ny-baa, Oliver proved that he had lost none of his old magic by swooping round the German in spectacular fashion to snatch the lead on his streamlined Norton.
By the end of the lap, Schneider was back in the No.1 position.
After Three Laps
Four warning lamps flashed on simultaneously to signal the leaders at Governors Bridge at the end of the fourth lap.
Leading past the stands was Schneider with Oliver trying to pass – three lengths away from Noll – who, in turn, had Faust just astern of him. Only three seconds separated the four leaders.
Jubilation in the German camp! At Creg-ny-Baa the German trio led with Noll first, Schneider second and Faust third.
Oliver had to retire when his passenger, Eric Bliss, was taken to hospital with an eye injury after being hit by a flying stone while travelling at speed on Ballanard Road.
Oliver had just snatched the lead from the B.M.W. trio when the accident occurred.
Although lapping half a minute faster than the nearest British challenger, the B.M.W. team were not easing off their pace.
They were engaged in a desperate fight for first place. In the lead at the end of lap 5 was world champion Noll, by one second from Schneider, who led Faust by just 2 seconds.
Noll was going faster and faster, taking 9 mins. 1sec. on his fifth circuit – 71.81m.p.h.
Oliver’s 1954 record was being smashed again and again. Faust took over second place behind Noll on lap 6, and third man, Schneider, was leading Boddice by over 2 ½ minutes.
“Pip” Harris held fifth place and J. Beeton (Norton) was lying sixth.
Sensations were not over for the day. From Ballacoar corner came the report that Faust had collided with D.R. Yorke (Norton). The B.M.W. outfit was sent somersaulting through the air but both Faust and his passenger (K. Remmert) escaped unhurt.
They quickly righted their combination and continued with a buckled sidecar wheel.
Yorke and his sidecar passenger (R.G.Eden) also escaped injury.
So far ahead were the B.M.W.s that Faust was able to continue in third place, despite the delay. He retired at the end of the lap.
After Six Laps
On his seventh lap the leader reduced the lap record to 9 mins. Dead (71.93 m.p.h.).
The Noll-Schneider dog fight continued throughout Lap 8 with Noll maintaining his lead and easing off slightly.
He started his final lap with a four second lead. Creg-ny-Baa reported that Noll was still in the lead comfortably.
But yet more sensations for spectators already breathless with excitement – the Nursery bends commentator, David Lay, announced that Schneider was “out on his own” and the sole surviving B.M.W. crossed the line to win a sensation-studded race.
Schneider finished his record-breaking ride in 1hr 23 mins 14 secs., an average speed of 70.01 m.p.h.
End of Noll’s great bid for sidecar honours came at Ballacoar Corner, scene of his team mate’s accident – when he crashed his streamlined B.M.W. into the bank.
Noll and his passenger were reported unhurt, but “slightly shaken up”.


Noll’s Crash
The crash of W. Noll and F. Cron when leading in the Sidecar International was spectacular and frightening for those who witnessed it. Fortunately it resulted in neither driver nor passenger suffering more than shock.
Noll had got past Ballacoar, according to an eye-witness, but on the succeeding bend did not appear to straighten up the machine after taking the corner. The outfit, with the two men, was thrown into the air. The model righted itself and the men in coming down curled themselves up in order to make as soft a landing as possible. They landed on the road, then sprang to their feet and got out of the way. The B.M.W. with its sidecar travelled down the road for another 100 yards and was removed most expeditiously by marshals.


Only Cyril Smith Detained in Hospital
Of the men involved in accidents during the Sidecar International on Wednesday, only Cyril Smith (broken arm) is detained. His passenger, Stanley Dibben (damaged nose); and Eric Bliss (injured eye caused by stone from road splintering goggles) were discharged in the early evening. F. Cron, passenger for W. Noll, who crashed on the last lap whilst leading the race, attended Nobles for an x-ray for possible injury to one of his feet, but was immediately discharged.

Competitors

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