TT Memories: A Nostalgic Look at the Ards Circuit

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In the 1920s, two events had a great impact on British motorsport enthusiasts. Though they didn’t yet know it, the British government’s classification in 1921 of Northern Ireland as its own country worked in their favour, because in 1925 the Royal Automobile Club took the heavy-handed step of banning all road-racing in Britain following a spectator injury.

Belfast engineer Harry Ferguson, with William Wallace McLeod and Ford’s Charles Sorensen, realised the potential of Northern Ireland for road racing. Having persuaded the Northern Irish Prime Minister to introduce a bill permitting it, they convinced the RAC to approve it. Thus the RAC Tourist Trophy, staged six times on the Isle of Man since 1905, found a new home on a 13½-mile circuit between Dundonald, Newtownards and Comber.

Many prominent racing drivers supported road racing and the inaugural 1928 Ards TT attracted such characters as Malcolm Campbell, Kaye Don, George Eyston, Earl Howe and Tim Birkin. After an exciting first race, the TT started attracting a more international field, with Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz and Alfa Romeo all keen to involve themselves. So it continued until an accident in 1936 claimed the lives of eight spectators, and the RAC again pulled the plug.

Graham Gauld was doing his National Service near Belfast in 1953 when he was given a package of photographs from Northern Ireland’s golden age of road racing. His atmospheric pictures accompany his history of the Ards TT in the January issue of The Automobile, available now.

Words by Zack Stiling
Photographs from the Graham Gauld Collection
 

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