This is AU 69 at the 2025 Kop Hill Climb. It is a fantastic replica of the 1911 Isle of Man TT entry machine from William E. Brough (W.E.B), and has been built from the ground up by Brough afficionado Dave Clark. The bike was constructed to the detail of one glass plate photo and uses a 500cc JAP engine that has been cleverly modified to look like a W.E.B motor. This is a short article written by Dave Clark which provides some background behind the original machine.
Mr John Ward Cox, the man with the TT Brough.
In late February 1911 the Brough factory was registered for an entry in that years IOM TT races. One machine, one rider, George Brough (son of William Brough). When race day arrived the Brough entry was nowhere to be seen, and not in any of the starting lists. Whatever the reason for the non starter it would appear something had happened causing William to drop the entry quite early on.
As a practical man the bike was then put up for sale. William realised he was on to a good sales ploy with the ‘TT’ designation, for quite a few W.E.B. models carried that designation afterwards.
In March 1911 a chap called John Ward Cox sent in a photo to Motor Cycle magazine, of his just acquired TT Brough. He extolled its low saddle height (which the paper misprinted as 26 inches, not the real 29) and also the rake of the front forks, claiming it was impossible to skid around corners. Mr Cox was part of the firm Cox and Malin, a wine and spirit merchants of Derby established in 1825.
CH 321 is a Derby registration. Aged 20 at the time he got the bike, J W Cox was the treasurer of the newly reformed Cambridge University Motorcycling club.
On 4th March the TT Brough was first entered by him in the CUMCC Moulton Hill climb achieving 7th place in the 650cc class, nine seconds slower than the first place. Secondly on April 15th the machine started in the MCC Lands End Trial, but was not placed, nor finished. A more unsuitable machine for the trial I cannot imagine, with a ground clearance of a bare 3 inches.
Thereafter the Cox TT machine disappears from history. Mr Cox later rode Triumphs and a P & M. During WW1 he was a Lieutenant in the 12th Service (Pioneer battalion) of the Notts and Derbys regiment and served from 1914 through to the wars end, on station in France..
I think it possible that the 1911 TT entry was dropped because William was working on the new 6hp v-twin machine, which was entered in its first event at Clipstone on June 11th. George Brough (GB) probably preferred the twin over the single.
A flat twin Brough actually made it for the 1913 TT, but another saga ensued and the Brough engine proved troublesome. It was swapped for a blagged ABC engine which GB blew up in practice. GB finally blagged a complete Zenith, which had ‘Brough’ taped onto the tank. GB only got part way round the course before that expired as well.
This replica is a testament to superb craftsmanship and imagination, and is a wonderful reminder of what would have been an exciting time on the TT circuits before the war erupted. Imagine thumping around the rutted race tracks of the time on a machine with no suspension (even on the saddle) and blocks for brakes! Thanks to Dave for capturing the time with Brough in 1911.
an article by Dave Clark for The Girder Club
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