It is 70 years next week since Rod Coleman won the 1954 Junior TT on a factory 350cc AJS.

The race was reduced to five laps from the traditional seven and the New Zealander was originally lying fourth behind the Guzzis of Fergus Anderson and Ken Kavanagh, and the works Norton of Ray Amm in third.

Anderson retired on lap two and Amm drew level with Kavanagh at the front, before producing the first sub-24 minute lap for the Junior on the third circuit.

Kavanagh then dropped out, as did Amm at the 13th Milestone, elevating Coleman into the lead from his team-mate Derek Farrant.

Coleman duly became the first New Zealander to win a TT, averaging 91.54 mph. He died in Whanganui at the age of 93 in August 2019.