'Magical' milestone for historic Westcountry motor club

The West of England Motor Club is marking its centenary this year. As part of the celebrations, the club’s president, Dave Cole, looks back on some of the memorable milestones in its history

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THE West of England Motor Club has been an unbelievably popular and successful club over the years, with a massive following of supporters, not only from the South West but also nationally.

The club, as well as being respected nationally, is also probably one of the best known sporting motorcycle clubs in the Westcountry.

It is now the oldest of the local Auto Cycle Union (ACU) affiliated clubs to have continued to provide regular motorcycle sport throughout its history, with the exception of the war years.

From its inception, the club catered for cars as well as motorcycles, but in 1972 the club’s final car event took place, leaving it a motorcycle only club.

On the first day of February 1925, a meeting of members from the many different existing motor clubs took place at the White Lion Hotel, in Exeter, and the West of England Motor Club was born.

The club's first event was a trial on March 7, 1925, and catered for all vehicles (two, three and four wheels). The trial started from Exeter, covered around 80 miles, and the winner was Mr Peters.

In the club's second event, a speed trial, Freddie Dixon, a famous motorcyclist of the time who was well known throughout the motoring world, put up a sensational performance on the road at Brentor, near Tavistock.

Whilst riding a 746cc Douglas machine, he did the straight half-mile stretch in 18 seconds dead, which works out at 100 miles per hour. The weather was reported as being bitterly cold but remaining fine, and the attendance was one of the largest seen at a Devon meeting for many years past.