By Sorrel Hoskin

Zooming around the Isle of Man T.T circuit on a motorcycle Stratford man Fred Cook found himself going into a "Granddaddy of all slides" heading toward a stone wall. Heralded as the greatest pure road race circuit of them all the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy is also one of the world's deadliest motorcycle races. 

Despite its dangers Fred had always dreamed of racing in the Isle of Man TT. The race is considered by many to be the Mecca of motorcycle racing. So from the moment he bought his first motorcycle a 1937 Ariel 350, at age 16, he set about achieving his ambition.

His second bike a 1938 BSA 500 Empire Star got him into trouble the first day he had it. "I thought I'd better try it out. I got it up to what I thought was about 85 miles an hour (136km) then the bike and I parted company.

When I got to my feet I was a bit disorientated and didn't know where the bike was. I finally located it way over in a farmer's cow paddock. It had completely jumped the fence!" Fred wasn't wearing leathers or a helmet and was lucky to get away without a scratch.

Fred's first competitive bike was a 350 Gold Star B32 BSA. He used it for road racing as well as scrambling - similar to today's motocross. His breakthrough came when he bought a 1950 AJS 7R with a works motor in it. "It gave me the opportunity to race in amongst the top flight riders of the day, like Sid Jensen and Rod Coleman, Peter Murphy…" He didn't beat them but finished well enough to make the selectors of the NZ Isle of Man team sit up and take notice.

In early 1955 Fred's dream came true. The 26-year-old got a phone call to say he was to join Aucklanders Bill Collett and John Hempleman on the boat to England.

The men had their return boat fares paid but they had to find money for their living and bike expenses themselves. Fred had just enough money to buy himself a 1955 model AJS 7R for the 350 class, and his Dad helped him buy a new Matchless G 45 for the 500 class. These bikes would be ready for him at Associated Motorcycles Factory in London when he arrived.

The New Zealand team to race at the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy in 1955. Image: Fred Cook.

The trio sailed on the Rangitoto in February for the four week trip to England, giving them plenty of time to prepare for the May race. In London they bought an old V8 ex army ambulance, painted it up and fitted it out so they could live in it.

"We checked out the companies offering cash sponsorship if we used their products. We chose Castrol Oil because Castrol R was the best oil at the time. We went to Birmingham and chose Dunlop tyres and painted their logo on the van for £50 sponsorship money."

Once on the Isle of Man the men unloaded their bikes and set about learning the course with the help of their Manx manager Eric Brown. "He said 'Look boys I'll show you around the course in the car.'" They started at Glencrutchery Rd and were given a running commentary. "He was saying, 'This is where Les Graham got killed. Someone else got killed here. See that pole? So and so died when he hit that.' It was what you'd call a demoralising ride! But we weren't too put off."

The Tourist Trophy races are dangerous because of the high speeds on very narrow, twisting streets, roads and lanes flanked by stone walls and buildings. Between 1907 and 2006 unverified accounts say there have been 223 deaths during the race (including riders killed during the Manx Grand Prix).

The 37.5 mile (60km) course has around 200 corners of varying speeds. "Anything from 130 mph (208kmph) corners to the five mph (8kmph) ones. There were low gear corners, second gear corners, third gear corners, flat out sections and very twisty bits."  Weather conditions play a big part in the racing. At times riders can barely see their hands in front of them due to thick fog. "At one spot riders would count 57 spots on the road then turn left…"

The men broke the course down into sections taking touring bikes over and over it. "We needed to be able to lie in bed at night time and just visualise exactly how the road went and see it in our own minds. We had to know exactly where the corners are. We must have spent three weeks just learning the circuit." Once they'd sorted out the course the trio practiced, and practiced, slowly building up speed.

The night before the race Eric Brown wished them luck. "I asked him what do you want us to do? Any instructions?' He said 'The main thing is I'd like you to finish the race. Don't attempt to win it because you won't." There were 16 works bikes with top riders, and some top privateer riders so Eric knew the New Zealanders didn't stand a chance - he just wanted them to come out alive. "But he said 'Drive as fast as you can safely ride and try to get yourself a Silver Replica."

The Silver Replica is a miniature of the winners silver statue of Mercury. To win one a rider must finish within ten ninths of the winners time.

Race day for the junior machines (350 class) was windy but clear. The New Zealanders had recruited a Manx pit crew who would maintain the bikes and keep the trio informed of their progress during the race. The 85 entrants started at 10 second intervals.

Fred Cook racing in the Senior Isle of Man TT in 1956. Image: Fred Cook.

Fred recalls what happened next. "I got a good start down Bray Hill and I was on the way up to Ballacraine and I had already caught one guy. I thought I was going pretty well so I really stoked it along. We had full tanks of fuel and a lot of weight up top. Then coming into a section of Laurel Bank I got into a Granddaddy of all slides! The walls were rushing up at me!" Luckily he managed to pull out and keep going - but he'd given himself a fright. "I thought to myself 'Look boy, you'd better just pull your head in a bit or you're not going to finish this race.'"

Fred finished easily in 27th place, gaining his first Silver Replica with a time of three hours nine minutes 55 seconds, averaging a speed of 83.45mph (133.5kmph).

Friday was the 500 senior Tourist Trophy Race. After another good ride Fred came in 18th, gained another Silver Replica, and a time of 88mph (140kmph).

The team headed back to England and from there to race on the Continent. First up was the Belgian Grand Prix at Francochamps. "That was a very fast circuit. We were a bit unlucky there. Bill Collett came off on a very fast bend. He would have been doing about 120 and one of the connecting rods on his G 45 let go and locked the machine up." Bill got concussion, damaged the bike and decided to head back to England.

John and Fred continued on - racing in Holland, Germany, Belgium, picking up start money and prize money every so often before arriving back in England and heading over to Ireland to race at the Ulster Grand Prix.

Back in New Zealand Fred continued racing, his Mum and Dad helping take the bikes around. His results were good enough to get him selected for the 1956 Isle of Man team.

Bill Aislabie from Palmerston North and Bob Coleman from Wanganui joined the Taranaki man, along with Paul Fahey who paid his own way. Fred couldn't afford to buy new bikes so took his 1955 models to England.

The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy team 1956. Image: Fred Cook. Click here to view larger image.

"Mind you it didn't really matter. We did all our own repairs and maintenance because I knew a race could be won or lost in the workshop. We were very fastidious in the way we prepared our bikes. It was always a combination of man and machine."

Fred's elder brother Bob was already racing in the United Kingdom at the Manx Grand Prix. Back home in New Zealand younger brother David had also taken to racing motor bikes - it was in the family's blood. 

On the trip over to England Fred met Kiwi girl Julie. It was the start of a life-long relationship. Julie was travelling with two friends and the trio ended up following the men to the Isle of Man, then around Europe.

The group picked up an old Chev truck that had sleeping quarters over the cab, with a little stove and cupboards down below. "Paul and I slept up in the space above the roof. The girls had the floor down below in the kitchen part, divided off from the bikes in the back."

Tragically Bill Aislabie was killed before he could race in the TT. He and Fred had been racing in the North West 200 in Ireland when his bike slid out from beneath him. He died in hospital of head injuries.

Bob Coleman and Fred raced in the TT, Fred picking up another two Silver Replicas with a 14th place in the junior 350 class and an 18th in the 500 race. "I still think it's the greatest circuit in the world, a terrific lot of learning, a great test of man and machine."

At the Belgian Grand Prix outside their Chev truck accommodation. Left: Colleen Southey, Fred Cook and Julie Andrew (now Julie Cook). Image: Fred Cook. 

After the race the group packed up their old Chevy and headed for the Continent.
We went on through Belgium to meetings all over Europe, to Assen in Holland, Hedemora in Sweden then back to Germany to the Solitude circuit near Stuttgart." At Solitude they were approached by the organisers of an event in Leipzig in East Germany, behind the Iron Curtain. "They said they'd pay us good money and offered to fix us up with visas so we said 'Lovely!'"

Once in East Germany the pair of motorcyclists was treated like celebrities. "They made quite a fuss of us and showed us around the city of Leipzig." Paul Fahey won the 350 class but clipped a hay bale in the 500 class, slid out and badly broke his leg.
His bike burst into flames and skidded into the crowd. Paul was stuck in hospital in East Germany while Fred and the girls' visas had expired and they had to leave.

Tragedy struck again when Fred heard his brother Bob had been killed two weeks prior, while racing at Aintree in Liverpool. "They had no idea of how to contact me. That was a blow. I managed to ring through to Liverpool and talk about it with people that he knew well. But the cremation had taken place, and there was really nothing I  could do but write home to Mum and Dad."

Fred continued racing, finishing well in France before the Chev's engine packed up and they were stuck in Koblenz in Germany. They packed up and headed home.

Back in New Zealand Fred carried on racing, winning the Rotorua Grand Prix and finishing second in both the Auckland TT's. "A lot of people said 'Why don't you carry on with it Fred?' I would have, but I didn't feel racing was fair on the wives. I was engaged to Julie at that stage. I'd seen too many wives over there whose husbands had been killed. It would be OK for me but not my wife."

Fred Cook today. Image: Puke Ariki.

Fred took up dairy farming, got married and raised a family. Then, in 1995 the wheel turned full circle. Forty years after his first race at Isle of Man Fred went back. "It was T.T time and we found the circuit was virtually unchanged since I left. But oh gosh! Those bikes! There had been terrific changes. More speed, better tyres, better road holding, everything improved. It really seemed our lives had come full circle."