Isle of Man TT Festival 1994
Saturday 28 May - Friday 3 June 1994
Visitors begin to flow into the island to watch the TT races. Most come from Germany and Britain but there are also representatives from Italy, France, Switzerland, Sweden, the USA, Ireland - all over the world, in fact.
A tented village appears in Noble's Park, which is situated right next to the start/finish of the TT course. This has become a regular feature in the past few years and it provides welcome shelter for the TT fans.
Safety becomes a priority in a bid to prevent a repeat of the previous year's 10 fatalities in 89 accidents. Police appeal to fans to keep their speed down (and announce that there will be speed traps), not to show off and remind Continental fans to travel on the left. In the first two days of practice week 20 speeders were caught, including locals.
There is one fatality on the Tuesday of practice week. He is a fan from London. His pillion passenger escapes with minor injuries. Several other fans are involved in minor accidents throughout the week.
Manx Radio's medium wave frequency becomes Labatt's Radio TT, which provides information, music and commentary - mainly in English but with some announcements in French and German - for the two weeks of the festival.
A German TT fan, Thomas Eggerscluess, is seriously injured after sleepwalking out of a second floor window at a boarding house in Peel. He is in a critical condition in the intensive therapy unit at Noble's Hospital. Radio TT satirist Bill Dale is dropped from Radio TT after making light of the incident.
Racing takes place on the Billown circuit in the south of the island. Some riders, including 15 times TT champion Joey Dunlop, use the event as a warm-up for the TT.
Practices start. Australian sidecar driver Gavin Porteous is badly injured in the first practice and is unable to compete in this year's TT. Top contender Mark Farmer, from Ireland, is killed in Thursday afternoon's practice session. The TT receives its first publicity in mainland Britain for all the wrong reasons.
Saturday 4 June 1994
Actual racing begins but not for long. After a glorious sunny morning, the weather suddenly takes a turn for the worse just as the Formula 1 TT gets under way. After the first lap many competitors taking pit stops say the race should be stopped. The two top riders, Manx-based Scotsman Steve Hislop and Irishman Joey Dunlop, quit the race after just one lap. After the second lap the race is stopped to the fury of the riders leading the race who say it was only stopped because the top riders had dropped out. They have a case, as weather conditions were beginning to improve. Officials say there was too much surface water on the course.
The race will be re-run on the next day which is traditionally known as "Mad Sunday". It will be the first time racing has been held on Mad Sunday since 1966. Mad Sunday is when bikers usually go out for a blast on the TT course. The mountain section is made one-way to prevent accidents but tomorrow this will not be the case when the road is open to the public.
The Sidecar A race, however, does get underway. The first full race of the 1994 festival is won by Rob Fisher and Michael Wynn from Cumbria, who also break local ace Dave Molyneux's year old sidecar TT lap record in the process. Molyneux and his passenger Peter Hill come second, with Mick Boddice Senior and Dave Wells in third place. The presentation ceremony is delayed while Mick Boddice waits for his son, Mick Junior, to finish his first TT race.
In a special court in Douglas 45 bikers are fined a total of £3757 for speeding, plus costs of £7.10 each.
In the evening Douglas promenade becomes a hive of activity. Activities such as bungee jumping, body flying, helicopter rides, bar flying, mini-motorbikes and race simulators line the promenade. Bikers ride along the promenade with blow-up dolls as pillion passengers or tape silly hats to their helmets. At one of the island's premier pubs, Bushy's, fans queue for some of the unique Bushy's Brew Bitter. Some decide to ignore police warnings and show off by pulling wheelies, riding naked and making "donuts" on the road in front of the large crowd. "Donuts" are made by hopping in a circle with a bike whilst putting the front brake on thus drawing a black circle on the road.
In the main shopping street, there are long queues at off-licences and fast food kiosks. Some shops even open late to boost profits. Many shops open especially for TT week and disappear soon after the festival.
The population of the Isle of Man, which is normally around 70,000, increases by at least another 30,000 people at TT week. Douglas is bustling with motorcycle fans of varying nationalities.
Sunday 5 June 1994
Articles about the dangers of the TT appear in two Sunday newspapers. Both call for the festival to be banned but one wonders if the writers of the articles have ever been to the island and experienced the atmosphere of TT week.
A funfair arrives at Noble's Park, next to the TT Grandstand. The fair has been coming to the island for a few years now and proves very popular with locals and visitors alike.
The Formula 1 race is re-started in perfect conditions. The Castrol Honda team claims the first three places as the race is won convincingly by Steve Hislop with Phillip McCallen and Joey Dunlop in second and third respectively. Local rider Gary Radcliffe comes in fourth and the "winner" of yesterday's abandoned race, Welshman Nigel Davies, comes in sixth. Joey Dunlop's brother, Robert, falls off his machine at Ballaugh and is taken to Noble's Hospital with arm and leg injuries.
Festivities continue on the promenade. Part of the promenade is closed in the evening to allow for a street party. A Polish training ship moored in Douglas bay stays an extra day to enable the crew to join the party. Extra attractions such as a bucking bronco, human skittles (were a person is strapped inside a giant ball), a bouncy castle, "sumo wrestling", a fairground organ, a bungee run, disco and rock bands arrive especially for the party. A firework display has been scheduled to take place on the beach at midnight but the position of the tide meant that just a few rockets could be left off. Despite that and some drizzly rain, the revellers' spirits are not dampened!
Monday 6 June 1994
The Singles TT, Lightweight 125 and Supersport 600 races are postponed until Tuesday due to more bad weather.
It emerges that Transport Minister Robert Smith caused mayhem during Sunday's Formula 1 race by reversing a lorry onto the TT course. He was apparently unaware that the race had been rescheduled from the previous day.
Tuesday 7 June 1994
Scotsman Robert Mitchell dies after suffering serious injuries in last Thursday's practice session. His family gain comfort from the fact that his internal organs give four other people a new lease of life.
Manx resident Rick Wakeman gives the TT some good publicity on his regular sports view sport on Virgin 1215 radio. He says that although there are deaths, the TT is a great festival of motor sport with a great atmosphere. He also congratulates Steve Hislop on his 10th TT win.
Noble's Hospital reveal that Robert Dunlop's injuries are more serious than was first announced. Dunlop underwent a six hour operation on Sunday evening to rebuild his leg with the use of steel pins and screws, whilst attempting to restore the circulation to the lower leg. It is thought that the injury could threaten his future racing career. The hospital switchboard is jammed with calls for Robert. When they appeal on Radio TT for people not to keep on calling and to send cards instead, fans try ringing his house!
The Singles TT and Lightweight 125 races are run at 12 noon. Jim Moodie wins the Singles TT and dedicates his win to Mark Farmer. Second was New Zealander Robert Holden with Welshman Jason Griffiths third. Local rider Gary Radcliffe got another fourth place by just one second.
Joey Dunlop scores his 16th TT win with victory in the Lightweight 125 race. Denis McCullough is second with local rider Chris Fargher an excellent third. He becomes the first Manxman since his cousin Graham Cannell in 1982 to step onto the podium in a solo TT race.
The Supersport 600 is run at 2.30pm. The race is won by Iain Duffus with Ian Simpson in second and Steve Ward in third. Singles TT winner Jim Moodie falls off his machine at the Black Dub but is not seriously injured.
A marshall attending an accident at the Black Dub dies of a heart attack.
Five visiting TT fans appear before the Deputy High Bailiff charged with doing donuts and wheelies on their bikes. They all admit the charges and are each fined £30.
Another 40 speeders are fined in court. A total of £2816 is collected.
Isle of Man Breweries' commercial manager David Mannen is kidnapped by German bikers and held hostage at the Sulby Glen Hotel. It's all for charity though and the £100 ransom goes to the Manx Grand Prix Supporters Club helicopter fund.
Nurses do a charity bed push along the promenade. "Mad Yank" biker Wade Boyd, who dyed his hair purple for the TT and tries to compete in every race, is the "patient". The nurses are annoyed when they are not allowed into a Douglas nightspot after the push because the bouncers believe they will hassle punters for money.
The Red Arrows, regular visitors during TT week, do a display over Douglas Bay at 7pm.
Wednesday 8 June 1994
Two accidents involving fans occur. The riders escape serious injury.
Radio TT appeal to the public again not to try calling Robert Dunlop at the hospital or at home.
The Junior TT is run at 10.30am. There is an exciting finish as Phillip McCallen, who had been leading the race all the way, is reported as touring at the Bungalow on the last lap. That man Joey Dunlop powers through to win his 17th TT race - an amazing record that will probably never be beaten. Fellow Irishman Brian Reid was second with Jason Griffiths third.
The Supersport 400, run simultaneously, is won by Jim Moodie. Moodie was riding with a broken thumb and bruised bottom after yesterday's accident but merely said he was "a bit sore". Steve Linsdell was second and David Morris was third.
Between the races a plaque is unveiled as a tribute to the great Stanley Woods, 10 times a TT winner between 1922 and 1939. The plaque marked the erection of the Stanley Woods Memorial Clock on the scoreboard.
What had been glorious sunshine suddenly turns to rain at around mid-day and the Sidecar B race starts at 1pm on damp roads. Rob Fisher and Michael Wynn achieve a sidecar double, a feat previously achieved by second place man Dave Molyneux. In a repeat of Saturday's results, Mick Boddice Senior and Dave Wells finish third.
Injured Gavin Porteous manages to persuade doctors to let him be at the Grandstand for the beginning of the sidecar race. They insist that he come straight back to the hospital after seeing the riders off though.
An hour-long practice for Friday's Senior TT takes place after actual racing has finished. Phil McCallen runs out of brakes at the Bungalow and sends a posse of photographers scuttling for safety as he tumbles from his machine. One photographer is kind enough to give McCallen a lift back to the paddock.
More TT speeders are fined by Douglas magistrates. The court deals with 34 fans and imposes fines totalling £2213.
The day's racing is reported on the local Border news along with a welcome insight into the additional attractions laid on for TT week such as the street party, which organisers hope will grow into the largest street party in the world. Visiting fans also describe the atmospher and explain what draws them to the TT year after year.
Thursday 9 June 1994
The Red Arrows do a display at Peel at mid-day and then move on to Ramsey, where the annual sprint is occurring, to do a display at 3pm.
There is a spectacular firework display in Douglas Bay at 11pm. This has also become a regular feature of TT week.
There is a serious accident involving four TT fans, two of whom are local. Few details are released.
Friday 10 June 1994
The Senior Race is the main event in the TT festival. Manx workers have the day off as it is treated as a Bank Holiday.
Action on the TT course starts at 10.30am with the Classic Parade. This is 1 laps of the TT course on classic bikes. Past TT champions often ride in the parade.
Actual racing starts at 12 noon. The 6 lap Senior TT is won by Steve Hislop, his 11th TT win. The top three are exactly the same as in the Formula 1 race. Gary Radcliffe completes what is probably his most successful TT by coming sixth after battling with compatriot Paul Hunt for most of the race. Hunt eventually came in eighth.
Despite reprots that he had been flown home to Northern Ireland, Robert Dunlop remains in the Intensive Therapy Unit at Noble's Hospital having undergone a further operation on Thursday afternoon. Also in ITU is Italian star Baldassare Monti, who remains stable after crashing in practice. Various other riders and fans remain in hospital, mainly for broken bones.
Most fans return home but some stay a little longer to savour the beauty of the Isle of Man.
MANXMANIAC June 1994
