Gallery I The Mountain Course - Where Structure Proved Itsel

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In the 1920s, the Isle of Man TT was the ultimate test of a motorcycle’s integrity.

Long straights, blind crests, uneven surfaces, high-speed descents.

Cotton machines arrived with something different - a patented triangulated frame designed to reduce torsional flex and maintain wheel alignment under stress.

In 1926, Cotton achieved a complete podium sweep in the Lightweight TT:

1st. 2nd. 3rd.

 This image represents:

Possibly Junior or Lightweight TT class (250cc–350cc)

During this period, Cotton motorcycles were competing in:

• Junior TT (350cc) 
• Lightweight TT (250cc)

 Object: Racing Postcard
Subject: Stanley Woods on Cotton motorcycle
Event: Junior TT, Isle of Man
Date: 1923
Significance: First major international victory.

Stanley Woods — TT era (early 1920s) 

One of the best-known riders linked to Cotton’s early TT reputation. 

 Stanley Woods was the winner of Junior TT 1923.

Paddy Johnston — 1926 Lightweight TT 

Winner of the 1926 Lightweight TT 

The 1926 Lightweight TT sweep (1st, 2nd, 3rd) remains one of the most important moments in Cotton racing history.

In the early 1960s, British racing was changing.  The old giants were fading.
Japanese machines were rising.

And smaller marques were fighting for relevance.

Cotton was one of them.

But Cotton did not return quietly. It returned with the Telstar.

And at the centre of that resurgence stood Derek Minter.

 Derek Minter - Key Races & Achievements

Machine: Cotton Telstar 247cc (Villiers Starmaker)
Significance: Championship victory

This was Cotton’s greatest 1960s success.
Minter’s consistency, corner speed, and ability to keep the Starmaker engine “on the pipe” secured the title against strong factory-backed competition.

Machine: Cotton Telstar 250cc
Event: Lightweight TT

The Mountain Course demanded absolute precision.
Although not a TT winner on Cotton, Minter’s participation at this level reinforced the Telstar’s credibility as a true racing machine.

Machine: Cotton Conquest 250cc
Co-rider: Peter Inchley
Result: Class victory

This endurance race proved the Conquest’s durability and speed.

• Average speed: approx. 91.9 mph
   
• Among the fastest 250cc machines tested at the time
   
• Demonstrated Cotton could compete over long-distance racing

The Conquest Era Rider (1965)

Peter Inchley was a British motorcycle racer active during the 1960s, remembered particularly for his association with the Cotton Conquest 250cc during the marque’s final competitive resurgence.

In 1965, Inchley partnered with Derek Minter to compete in the demanding 

Castle Combe 500-mile endurance race.

Riding the Cotton Conquest - powered by the Villiers Starmaker 247cc two-stroke engine - they secured a class victory in the 250cc category.

The performance was remarkable:

• Average speed: approximately 91.9 mph
   
• One of the fastest 250cc machines tested in Britain at the time
   
• Demonstrated endurance capability over 500 racing miles
   

This race confirmed that the Conquest was more than a lightweight sprint machine — it was capable of sustained high-speed competition.

The Conquest was essentially a road-based racer:

• High-compression Starmaker engine
   
• Lightweight frame
   
• Minimalist equipment
   
• Designed for performance over comfort
   

Inchley’s contribution in endurance racing required mechanical sympathy, consistency, and tactical pacing - essential qualities for keeping a high-strung two-stroke alive over long distance.

Peter Inchley represents one of the final competitive chapters in Cotton’s original history.

The timeline of Cotton racing peaks includes:

• 1923 Junior TT success
• 1926 Lightweight TT podium sweep
• 1964 British 250cc Championship (Telstar)
• 1965 Conquest endurance victory
   

Inchley’s role helped cement Cotton’s reputation in the 1960s as a serious lightweight competitor, even as global competition intensified.