Bill Lomas ohc Royal Enfield story goes right back to 1950

Sam Hewitt

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25th August 2018

In reply to Mr Fred Dawes’ letter about the overhead-camshaft Royal Enfield in OBM (July), the answer lies here.

In those far-off days I always looked for Cyril May’s magazines because they had such good photos.

I’ve been a reader of OBM from the year dot, so keep it up – it’s brilliant in its present format.

Geoff Sims,
Email

In response to the letter from Fred Dawes (OBM July) I can confirm that the ohc Enfield engine was on display in the window of Bill Lomas Motorcycles at Milford, Derbyshire, in the 1960s.

This same issue of *Motor Cycle Sport* (above) contained this picture of Bill Lomas of Derbyshire (below) making a brilliant start to the 1950 road racing season. The caption continues: “In the first two weeks Bill was the outstanding rider in the Lightweight Class,at Ansty, Brough and Cadwell. He is riding the 250cc ‘double-knocker’ Royal Enfield designed by himself, and the only one of its kind. In this very fine action shot, Lomas is seen in an ‘all-out’ mood during the Clubman’s TT.” Thank you so much, Geoff.

There’s a photo of the complete engine on page 26 of Chris Pereira’s book, British 250cc Racing Motorcycles and one of the cam box in Bill Lomas’s own book, World Champion Motorcycle Racer.

Just to keep the record straight, there were no Lomas brothers. Harry, who ran the shop, was Bill’s father, and Bill ran the other shop at Clay Cross, near Chesterfield.