Triumph Trophy
Medal winner
In 1947, when the International Six Days Trial resumed post-war, the location for the event was Zlin, Czechoslovakia, and it came as no surprise that both the International Trophy and Silver Vase contests were taken out by the home side. The British were unamused, and set about rectifying the situation prior to the 1948 event, held at San Remo, in the Ligure Alps, Italy. The economic situation in Britain at the time was bleak, and fuel was so scarce that the UK team selection trials in Wales in July 1948 were reduced to 2 days and just 180 miles.
And fuel wasn’t the only thing in short supply. Unlike its major rivals, BSA, the AMC group, Norton, Ariel and Royal Enfield, Triumph had suffered massive war damage, its Coventry factory being virtually flattened. So it was a cautious return to serious competition in 1948, where the company regarded the ISDT as an event worthy of a special effort. Importantly, the Ministry, which saw the event as an important export showcase, announced it was to relax restrictions for British motorcycle manufacturers who were prepared to enter the ISDT. For the Italian contest, Henry Vale, head (and only fulltime employee) of the Triumph competitions shop, managed to prepare three maroon Speed Twins, engine numbers TF22661, TF22662, and TF22663, which were completed on July 22nd, 1948 – just in time for the team selection trials. In place of the iron heads and barrels were the alloy items sourced from the wartime generating set (officially known as Auxiliary Airborne Power Plants as they were generally carried in Lancaster bombers), similar to those used on the road racer that had won the 1946 Senior Manx Grand Prix and which in 1948 became the limited production Triumph Grand Prix model. The generating units of necessity had to be as light as possible and have good heat dissipating qualities, and were cast in a special silicon alloy – ideal for competition. Unlike all the other British entries in the trial, the Triumphs carried working dynamos, meaning efficient lighting in the numerous tunnels, while the others relied purely on batteries. In other respects the machines were essentially modified Speed Twins, to be ridden by Allan Jeffries, Bert Gaymer and Jim Alves. The trio covered itself in glory, all winning Gold Medals by finishing without losing a point, and helping the United Kingdom to victory in both the International Trophy and Silver Vase contests. It was quite an achievement; of the 151 starters, only 25 managed to complete the event with clean sheets after 1, 274 miles. The successes in San Remo quickly enthused Triumph’s marketing department to capitalise, by producing what was termed to be a replica of the
ISDT bikes named, not surprisingly, the Trophy, or TR5 in catalogue terms. Notwithstanding the enthusiasm, there was still the matter of chronic material shortages and production capacity, and despite its best efforts, the Triumph factory was unable to complete even one of the new models in time for the allimportant Earls Court Show of 1948. A presence at this show was vital in order to secure much-needed export orders, which may then result in increased material quotas from the Ministry. Instead of the new but still uncompleted production model, Allan Jeffries’ ISDT bike was displayed, but it had the desired response, with plenty of export orders, although the home market was forced to wait until supply could catch up with demand.
When it did finally materialise early in 1949, the new TR5 “Trophy” model was quite a different animal to the other vertical twins in the Triumph line up. A new shorter wheelbase rigid frame, which was derived from the 350cc 3T and which would later be used in the military TRW model, had a useful 6 ½ inches ground clearance. The powerplant used the generator’s alloy cylinder block and head with its widely-spaced square finning, on a standard T100 bottom end. In fact, the cylinder casting used on the TR5 differed slightly from the generator component, in that the bosses on the outside of the barrels, which were used to mount heat deflecting shields and handles for carrying, were undrilled. The alloy conrods, to T5/T100 dimensions, were highly polished and reportedly delivered to the production line wrapped in tissue paper. The engine was fed by a single carburettor, with the exhaust pipes “siamesed” and exiting on the left side into a special silencer where the inlet was off-centre.
One advantage of the WD head was that the exhaust ports were parallel rather than splayed and the pipes could be tucked in closer. The TR5 (at least the home market model with its 6.0:1 compression ratio) was designed to run on the feeble 70 octane ‘pool’ petrol, which was said to “possess all the combustible characteristics of a duck pond.” Inside the gearbox was a set of wide-ratio gears, with the first three gears low and close and a big gap to top (4th) gear. Close-ratio gears could also be ordered, suggesting that Triumph would be happy for riders of other sporting persuasions to utilize the Trophy as an alternative to BSA’s successful Gold Star. In keeping with the more compact dimensions of the frame, the primary chain-cases were also shorter than on the T100 and Speed twin. A 20-inch front wheel and 19 inch rear (with Edward Turner’s favourite but overweight Sprung Hub as an option) helped the quest for ground clearance. A seven-inch front brake was used, with a six-inch on the rear. A small, chrome plated petrol tank with blue-lined silver panels was fitted with the usual tank-top parcel rack, and was reduced in width at the front so that it would not contact the fork legs, due to the extremely generous steering lock. Both head and tail lights were quickly detachable via a socket fitting for the wiring harness. The dynamo could also be removed by removing a single bolt and Triumph listed a blanking plate to cover the hole. The centre stand was also easily removable. Although the TR5 carried a pillion pad on the rear mudguard, it was not for passenger comfort (there were no standard pillion footrests) but to permit riders to get well back in speed contests. In keeping with the sporting character, mudguards were light and unique to the model. Price announced at the Earls Court Show was £154 (home buyers paid an extra £41/11/8 Purchase Tax), and the only optional extra was a Smiths speedometer. Although it was catalogued as a 1949 model, very few Trophies were sold to private buyers in the UK as the export drive rampaged. Dealers who did receive stock were expected to ensure these went into the hands of noted trials riders. Also, Triumph itself was not that interested in a model that, in comparison to the Speed Twin and T100, would only sell in small numbers and required quite a number of special parts. Accordingly, a process of cost reduction began and by 1951 the TR5 had lost some of its distinctive features. Gone was the parallel port head and wide fin barrel, replaced with the standard alloy T100 components, along with highcompression T100 pistons. The Sprung Hub also disappeared in favour of a rigid wheel, and in 1952 a swinging arm frame, as used on the works scrambles bikes, was offered. Before long a 650cc version, the TR6 was offered, but it was heavy and a far cry from the svelte original Trophy machines. The TR5 Trophy formed the basis of the Triumph effort in the ISDT from 1949 to 1951, the UK team winning the International Trophy on all three occasions as well as taking the Manufacturers Award. The featured motorcycle is on permanent display at The National Motor Racing Museum at Bathurst, NSW. It is part of the Eastment Collection – a local family collection that has been managed by the Bathurst Regional Council for the past decade or so. Although it retains the original TR5 bottom end, this motorcycle employs the die-cast close-fin T100 top end introduced in 1951. The TR5 Trophy is today quite a rare bird, with just 2475 rigid frame bikes built from 1949-52. Some surviving examples have had the later T100 top ends replaced with exgenerator heads and barrels, and therefore fitted with the unique non-splayed exhaust system. Of course the Trophy moniker has reappeared on various models during the course of Triumph’s existence, but none with the credentials and kudos of the original.
The TR5 Trophy is today quite a rare bird, with just 2475 rigid frame bikes built from 1949-52.