From humble beginnings in 1907 to a last flash of glory in 1961 Norton was in the forefront of international Grand Prix racing. Rem Fowler's win at the inaugural 1907 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the precursor of a remarkable 34 victories at that challenging circuit. Their 'works' riders were the very best of that era; names such as Guthrie, Woods, Hunt and Simpson who left an indelible imprint on the racing scene. In a post-war scenario new names emerged; the greatest of their time; Bell, Duke, Surtees and other greats; alas by that stage the circuits were dominated by Italy with their...

Imperial Airways was created on 1 April 1924 by virtue of the amalgamation of four independent airline operators, thus giving stability to an emerging industry. Throughout the 1920's Imperial was in the vanguard of forging new air routes into inhospitable areas of Africa and the Middle and Far East. At the forefront of these ventures was Alan Cobham, whose survey flights made possible the creation of Imperial's Empire routes. An important aspect of these events was the employment of aircraft of British design and manufacture, a situation that was maintained until Imperial's amalgamation with...