REDEX TRI STATE 2500 MILE MOTORCYCLE RELIABILITY TRIAL
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1954 - REDEX TRI STATE RELIABILITY TRIAL
On Sunday the 6th of June 1954, in front of 5,000 spectators between 107 and 123 (depending on which newspaper you read) motor cycles left Parramatta Park in Sydney for the gruelling week long Redex Motor Cycle Reliability Trial. There were three women competitors - two on solos and one, Mrs Elva Middleton, as a passenger in her husbands outfit. The two women riders were to receive more publicity than all the other competitors combined, There was a total of 1,000 pounds in prize money.
There were secret check points along the way, Points would be lost arriving at check points too early or late, The Auto Cycle Union of New South Wales organized the event, It was stressed it was not a speed event, The highest speed in any section was not to exceed an average of thirty four miles per hour.
1954 - The Route of the Redex Motor Cycle Reliability Trial - Numbers represent the overnight stops.
Ray Trevena who rode his BSA from Broken Hill and his team mate Bill Mayes leave the start at Parramatta Park, Standing between them is ACU steward Harry Bartop. Photo: Old Bike Australasia magazine.
1954 - DAILY TELEGRAPH NEWSPAPER REPORTED
7th June 1954
1954 - Joyce Aylmer on her Jawa leaving Parramatta Park.
STAGE 1 SYDNEY TO YASS 6th June 1954
The Braidwood to Captain Flats road was described by competitors as, "you couldn't find worse" Riders and passengers cramped with cold and near on frozen reaching yass, Eric Hinton was first on his Norton.
STAGE 2 YASS TO MELBOURNE 7th June 1954
Only eighty one competitors reached Melbourne, Riders had faced sixty one miles of snow and slush.
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Arriving at Melbourne BSA riders LHS Bill Mayes, Sydney (helped plan the route) and Ray Trevena from Adelaide.
STAGE 3 MELBOURNE TO ADELAIDE 8th June 1954
Seventy eight riders left Melbourne and set off to Adelaide.
STAGE 4 ADELAIDE TO BROKEN HILL 9th June 1954
Seventy three riders left Adelaide heading for Broken Hill, watched by five hundred spectators.
STAGE 5 BROKEN HILL TO HILLSTON 10th June 1954The first major accident of the trial was during this stage when Queenslander Max James hit a pot hole and fell hitting a tree on the muddy Menindee - Ivanhoe section breaking his thigh, He was transported to Menindee then flown to Broken Hill by the Royal Flying Doctor.
He was still in Broken Hill Hospital at the end of 1954 and was expected to be there for some time, Queensland motor cycles clubs were raising money to help with his expences.
Ivanhoe to Hillston was also a "horror stretch" due to the deep mud, fifteen bikes became deeply bogged.
Sid GoodsellThe oldest competitor, Sid Goodsell aged fifty one, collided with a cattle grid but vowed to continue on his damaged bike, He replaced the forks on his Triumph Tiger at Goulburn, He did finish the trial.
Brian StansfieldBrian Stansfield hit a kangaroo, His machine was wrecked in the accident and he failed to finish the stage and the trial.
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STAGE 6 HILLSTON TO BATHURST 11th June 1954
Sixty four riders left Hillston headed for Bathurst.
STAGE 7 BATHURST TO LITHGOW 12th June 1954
Stage seven saw the riders leave Bathurst and head to Goulburn then on to Lithgow.
STAGE 8 LITHGOW TO SYDNEY 13th June 1954Stage 8 was the final stage, the riders left Lithgow and headed for Sydney and the finish line at Parramatta Park.
Mr CooperMr Cooper on his motorcycle made it to within twenty seven miles of the finish line only to be involved in a accident with a car.
There were seventy one finishers at Parramatta Park, some who had broken down along the way had caught up, It was won by twenty two year old Keith Stewart on his Matchless.
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1954 - KEITH STEWART
1954 - Roy Dungate and Keith Stewart at the finish. Photo: Old Bike Australasia magazine.
1954 - THE LADIES COMPLETE THE TRIALN Mitchell
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The last competitor reached Sydney on the 20th of June 1954, one week late, that rider was Paul Edwards.
Shiner Wright was also a week late comming in second last.
By the 14th of June there were still 16 missing riders, Two days later 11 riders were still unaccounted for.
1954 - Paul Edwards |
1954 - Shiner Wright |
1954 - JOY AYLMER REPORTED
The trial was advertised as 2,500 miles, some reports had it at 2450 miles.
The accommodation along the way was sometimes rudimentrary wit late arrivals sleeping rough.
One of the youngest riders was 18 year old Stuart Ifield of Parramatta who lost only forty seven points.
Last place was held by R Corrigan on his Jawa outfit with one thousand two hundred and twenty eight points lost.
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