Racing heroes in Hawick, Scotland.

When you have holiday, the best thing you can do is to bring your wife to an even colder and rainier place than you live……..Scotland! And if you wish her to feel really miserable why not bring her to a remote museum……

A few weeks ago I saw a photo of Jimmie Guthrie in the Antique Motorcycle Club of America`s face book page. I remembered that there was a museum in his hometown Hawick, Scotland…….Summer holiday coming up; I live five minutes from a “Ryan air” airport. A phone call to my wife……”Do you want to go to Edinburgh for a few days?..........

We did have a god time in Edinburg, but with a rental car you can find interesting places….

The museum was a little hard to find……But when you see a road with this name, you know you are getting close.

We arrived early so we had time for a walk in the Wilton Lodge Park before the museum opened.

"Hawick's Racing Legend" Jimmy was born on 23rd May 1897.  As a motorcycle racer he started with an AJS but will be remembered for his success on Norton`s. He achieved success after success, winning race after race and held many world records and European Championships. His last race was at Sachsenring where he died "upholding the honour of his country in the German Grand Prix" on 8th August 1937. He was a star and the train to the German frontier carrying his body had a military escort. His funeral took place in Hawick and was attended by thousands - the cortege was 3 miles long.  At statue of Jimmie Guthrie was erected in 1939 at Wilton Lodge Park, Hawick, near to the Museum, where there is an exhibition commemorating his life.

In case of an oiled spark plug…….

Harwick is also the birth town of the late racing hero Steve Hislop. I have seen him racing at the Isle of Man.

The inscription beside the statue reads:

Steve Hislop
11 January 1962 - 30 July 2003
Born in the Scottish Border town of Hawick, and raised at Southdean,
Steve began his working and racing career in nearby Denholm,but latterly he lived Onchan on the Isle of Man. One of the fastest and most stylish riders of his generation, he was respected and admired by his rivals and legions of fans.
Tragically, at the age of 41 years, Steve was killed in a helicopter accident at Carlenrig, Teviothead, near his former home town. At the time he was the reigning British Superbike Champion.

Promising view from outside.

The Steve Hislop Room.

From the Jimmie Guthrie room.