Dudley Edlin

Record type: Motorsport Biographies

Biography: Mounts: Lightweight – E.M.C.
125 c.c. – M.V.

Age 36, D. H. Edlin is a car and motor cycle dealer from Uxbridge, Middlesex. He is best known for his performances on the short circuits in Lightweight classes, particularly with the 250 c.c. Melem Special with which he at one time held the grass track record at Brand’s Hatch.

Edlin’s previous experience in the Isle of Man includes the 1954 Lightweight T.T., in which he rode the Melem into 13th place and last year’s Ultra-Lightweight race when on an M.V., he was eights at 58.41 m.p.h. Last season he was entered by Joe Ehrlich and rode E.M.C. two strokes; at Oulton Park at Easter he was second in both 150 c.c. and 250 c.c. races, and he had two other second places a little later at Snetterton and Brand’s Hatch.

His hobby (as given in 1954, when last we asked) was “practising on a one-wheel bike.” By now he should be pretty experiences at it!
(TT Special, 5 June 1957, p.11.)

Mount: Leightweight—Melem Sp’l.

Age 33, D.H. Edlin is a motor car and motor cycle dealer from Uxbridge, Middlesex.

His machine, the “Melem,” is one of the prettiest and one of the most interesting in the Lightweight race. It is well known on short circuits, consistently finishing within the first few, and was until last year holder of the track record in its class at Brand’s Hatch.

The engine, design by Ron Mead, has a Norton crankcase, Excelsior flywheels, Velocette conrod, and big-end assembly, and Maurice Cann double-knocker cam-box. Originally this engine was fitted into a Norton frame and used with success by Fron Purslow, but the present is built to Edlin’s own specification by Charles Lucas.

The front forks and wheel are Norton, but the rear hub is from an E.M.C. How did the name of “Melem” arise? Well, the machine was put together by Bernard Marley, so we get Marley, Edlin, Lucas, Earles, and Mead! (Earles got in there because at one time Earles forks were fitted.)

Edlin gives his hobby as “practicing on a one-wheel bicycle,” and says that he is getting on well at it. Oddly enough, he is not the only rider adept at that particular game.
(TT Special, 16 June 1954, p.11.)

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