"THE great number of motor cyclists passing through Malvern on Saturday was due to the holding of a open passenger machine trial for side-cars and cycle cars," reported the Gazette 100 years ago.

The event had been organised by the Birmingham Motor Cycle Club, whose members had started the day by riding from Selly Oak to the Wyche Cutting, via Rose Hill.

"Between Rose Hill, and the Wyche Cutting there were many stoppages due to minor troubles, such as punctures and sooted plugs; in fact I think I saw more involuntary stops than usual, taking the whole run into consideration," read the report.

"The Wyche Cutting, with its finishing gradient of 1 in 2.96 (surveyed), was, as expected, the tit-bit of the day. A large crowd had congregated there, but, contrary to expectations, there were not a great number of failures - only 17 out of an entry of 58 starters.

"The most conspicuous climb was that made by H Newey on his 2¾ h.p. Lewis and sidecar, whose performance can only be described as very remarkable, I am told the bottom gear of his machine was 16.1.

"Mrs Riley on her 6 Enfield and sidecar also made a very excellent climb, coming out of the top at a speed that almost scared some of the crowd congregated there.

"The James machines were conspicuously uniform in their climbs with the exception of one machine of the six which were entered. The Morgans also made very fast climbs. There were fourteen cycle cars started, and it is interesting to note what rapid strides have been made in the perfection of these machines, as recorded by the fact that no fewer than ten of them made clean climbs on the Wyche Cutting and on all the hills in the course."