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Straight from the plate: The Carshalton Club's pillion trial - May 1932

First section was the wonderfully named ‘Crabtree Lane’, near Box Hill Station. It provided ‘...plenty of fun. Halfway through lay several stretches of deep, glutinous mud, followed by an absolute pond of liquid mud.’ Past winner J Sayner (598cc P&M) had to foot heftily after a slide while NE Dedman (497cc Ariel Four) ‘deposited both himself and passenger on the easiest part.’ More successful were AJG Belsey (346cc Levis) who took it slowly but surely, as did like mounted H Williams. FWS Codd (349cc BSA) went up the bank with ease, instructing his passenger to “Hold on, kid!” while CJ Bond (347cc Ariel) ‘...streaked through fast as a die.’ The liquid mud, further on, nearly caught several out including AC Dale who just held onto his hefty 980cc Brough Superior.

Throncombe hill was next up – it caused ‘very little bother’ – though Messrs GW Hole and GM Bryant, both on BSA Blue Stars, were ‘impressively fast’ with others taking it more sedately. Next section was Hankley Loop – easy for the early runners but progressively worsening. RA Austin (990cc Matchless) ‘essayed into collapse in a handy gorse bush.’ Others had mixed fortunes including JMB Fletcher whose ‘fair passenger mutinied and was actually leaning forward and holding open the twist-grip of his 493cc Sunbeam.’

Penultimate section was Hindhead – ‘dry, and gave very little trouble’ – while Blind Hill, the last hill in the trial, featured ‘...the climbing of vertical banks – a thrill for passengers.’ Most spectacular was EJ Know (347cc Matchless) ‘...who charged the bank and fell.’

Come the event’s end, the Skelton Cup for best performance went to H Williams (346cc Levis). Best 500cc (Dymond-Levy Cup) was KT Mitchell (499cc James) with FW Clark (248cc P&M) winning the Francis-Barnett Cup for Best 350cc. The team award went to Mitchell, AJ Ryde (499cc Rudge) and H Wake (344cc Sunbeam).

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