Meetings 1907 - 1930

TT 1913

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.

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.