Keep up Rob!!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by supercomp
[QUOTE]Originally posted by picblanc
[B]

Blimey!! Donnie McLeod...welcome to the forum proper, the I haven't got any pictures to post threw me of the scent, should of got it from the miserable bit!! any how a few pics, I have a nice one from 1984 on the Dalmac TZ but it needs redoing poor resolution :\ Post later/tomorrow?

Hi picblanc

Great pics. I recently had a guy who has my old Jock Gibb Yam TZ350 contact me looking for photos. He is restoring the bike and wanted to do it as per original. To my shame, I had only one photo (never been a great one for nostalgia!). Can I give him your details for more pics?

Donnie [/QUOTE]

You can indeed.

Yeah, welcome to the old farts club Donniie

Please give us some anecdotes and memories from your racing days

Hi Rob

So Rob H is you! Yes it is me! Good days back then. I remember you and Dave Guest were the fast guys. Have seen your name in recent results and wondered if it was the same Rob Hall as all these years ago. Brave man on a TZ750 at your advanced age!!

Donnie

Talking of quizzes, we haven't had one since lunch time! and after all that excitement I need to settle down before bed, so WWW?

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

The sick Transit that Rob H referred to led to one of these 'legendary' exploits that locals still talk about today.

The Transit expired on the way home on the M6 motorway at 11pm, still 100 miles from home. We managed to coast halfway up the slip road to Carlisle, only to be immediately accosted by police. They said we had to get of motorway or phone a breakdown truck. They sat in the car and watched as 3 of us pushed a Transit, fully loaded with 3 TZs, up that very steep slip road!!

Plan A was for one of us to hitch a lift hone and bring a tow car down. However, we were unsuccessful hitching a lift (on Motorway!!) and were again chased by Police.

Plan B: Sleep in van, wait until daylight and drive one of the TZs home! We drew straws and Jim W???? won (name hidden to protect. He went on to become top GP mechanic with Lawson, Spencer, Biaggi etc). So at 5am, we taped up his sponsors name on the bike, filled the TZ up with fuel, gave him some Castrol R inside his leathers and he set of up the M6 on a full race TZ350!!! Got to nearly Moffat before seeing a Police car, so he turned of and took scenic route through Moffat, in the sure knowledge that he could not be caught on a twisty road. Nearer home, people were just going to work and waiting for buses etc. To this day, they are not sure whether the noise and sudden appearance of a screaming TZ was real or a dream! Road Racing at its best!

D

Yes got good memories of that time!. Had a bit of a mid life crisis in my late thirties (wife said that since I had stopped racing I was turning into a boring old man!!!), so I thougt I would cure that so instead of changing her for another one I started racing again. Been hooked ever since. just dont bounce quite so well now a days. (Ask graham about that one. ) Still married to the same woman on basis of better devil you Know Ha Ha !!!. And how do you mean advancing age??? There cant be that much difference in the pair of Us!!!. Rob

[QUOTE]Originally posted by picblanc
[B]Talking of quizzes, we haven't had one since lunch time! and after all that excitement I need to settle down before bed, so WWW?
[

Graham

Strange photo. Is it a warm up lap? Dont recognise some of guys near front (102 etc), but PH and I are at back?

Anyway, feel as if I am hogging forum tonite.

9 NMac
87 PT
AC
73 GF
NR
SW
White & Red Arai helmet ?? Looks like Mark Farmer
90 RO
?
102 ?
DMcL
PH Was a shock when I read he had passed away. Always v.quick round Cadwell
107 ?

D

[QUOTE]Originally posted by supercomp
[QUOTE]Originally posted by picblanc
[B]Talking of quizzes, we haven't had one since lunch time! and after all that excitement I need to settle down before bed, so WWW?
[

Graham

Strange photo. Is it a warm up lap? Dont recognise some of guys near front (102 etc), but PH and I are at back?

Anyway, feel as if I am hogging forum tonite.

9 NMac
87 PT
AC
73 GF
NR
SW
White & Red Arai helmet ?? Looks like Mark Farmer
90 RO
?
102 ?
DMcL
PH Was a shock when I read he had passed away. Always v.quick round Cadwell
107 ?

D [/QUOTE]Welcome Donnie, yes long time since we have crossed paths, probably 1982.
I think for your first WWW, you have excelled, i cant remeber last week, let alone 20 odd years ago.

What a brilliant story Thank you Donnie, and welcome to the forum to a top Scottish rider from the ONLY ( I'm fairly sure ) member residing in ....NEW Caledonia ! Although to be honest we still wonder if Captain James Cook was in his good mind when he named this country.... admittedly from a distance at sea the shape of our island does vaguely resemble the scottish hills, but the vegetation, sea and air temperature are nowhere near to those of "Old Caledonia". We also have the "New Hebrides" nearby ( now called Vanuatu ) which are even less alike to the original ones .....

Nial Mac 9
Paul Tinker 87
Mez behind Tinker, Phill Mellor
Geoff Fowler 73

Rob Orme? 80 ??

Pet Hubbard 12something (Green & White) or is it Steve Thomson
Donnie Mcleod next to Pete?
Brands Hatch, Druids, 1985 (maybe 84) If it is Pete H, Ill go for 85.

Thats it Im stuck Maybe Neil Robinson in there?

Oops Donnie beat me again lol

Welcome to the Forum Donnie

Very best regards,

[QUOTE]Originally posted by supercomp
[QUOTE]Originally posted by picblanc
[B]Talking of quizzes, we haven't had one since lunch time! and after all that excitement I need to settle down before bed, so WWW?
[

Graham

Strange photo. Is it a warm up lap? Dont recognise some of guys near front (102 etc), but PH and I are at back?

Anyway, feel as if I am hogging forum tonite.

9 NMac
87 PT
AC
73 GF
NR
SW
White & Red Arai helmet ?? Looks like Mark Farmer
90 RO
?
102 ?
DMcL
PH Was a shock when I read he had passed away. Always v.quick round Cadwell
107 ?

D [/QUOTE]

Sorry for delay, Wife needed to use the PC!!

Its the Saturday Heat for the BP/Bill Ivy race.

Ok, Correct, 122 is Nigel Bosworth
in blue leathers behind Neil Rob & Bozzy, is Gordon Allott or Robert Haynes
#102 Kevin Clarke
#107 David Thurlow
Mark Farmer was in the next heat so dont think its him, its not just found another pic of that race, its Chris Simpson.

Third rider in line is Phil Mez Mellor.

You spotted Mez. 1984.

Great pictures, yet again

Frightning.... again like Olivers Mount, but great for the spectators
Its scary isnt it!

A Pro/Am type race on FSIE's would suit Aberdare, now that would be good fun

I see that they have planted NEW trees!!!!!

Blue leathers/black lid is Robert Haynes, I think!

Sorry Rob!!

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

Yes I think your right Steve, he is in another picture and last digit looks like a #3 which would make it Robert Haynes

Last one for today, or looking at the clock, first one for tomorrow!!! Same day, different race WWW?

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

69 Kim Barker (If it isnt, he'll appreciate the mention )
No doubt, he will have requested the number
149 is it Pete Wild ?

Best I can do

I did that to a TZ tank at Cadwell in '86. (It was just as bad, looking at the pics)
A guy at Spondon in Derby, cut out the bottom, re-shaped & welded it back up.
A cracking repair, it was just like new again.

Ouch

I'll go for Kim Barker too, maybe 2 Dutch/Belgian riders? (MJK leathers)next,
#65 Tom Knight, maybe Mick Preston behind him on the EMC?

Hi Graham Yeah dad used to have both 250 & 350 lap records there at different times, but fell off there a couple of times, and as those that have been there know its not the place to do that. Have spent a few evenings in Merthyr A&E carpark waiting for him to come out!
The year of the programme was one of them, but as he crashed in practice, we stayed at the track while he was sewn up and given pain killers etc. then returned later to try and race, but was still pretty high from the drugs!

Could it be possible that the rider in blue leathers and black lid is Alan Hockin?

Yes to Kim Barker.

Hi Nigel, yes to Kim Barker, two Dutchmen,(one very well known Privateer 500GP rider) and Tom Knight.
Not Mick Preston. The rider behind Tom Knight, is not with us anymore, tragically killed at the TT in bizzare circumstances.

Morning/afternoon Nigel, no its def Robert Haynes, I have another pic of same race and you can see the number clearer.

:\ worth a shot!, any more from these meetings?

Gene McDonnell?

Back to Aberdare again & Lap records.
It appears that Barrie Middleton set a new (Class & outright circuit) lap record at that meeting in '83 with 44.9secs Speed 60.13.
Any ideas what the current records are ? It wouldn't surprise me, if it still stands?

Hi Steve, I know a few people have broken it since, riders such as Kev Mitchell, Foggy, Ian Lougher maybe others.

Last night my wife was talking to one of her friends on the PC, he is a computor wizzard and great photographer amongst other things, very clever feller (I hate him!! )
They were talking about photography and asked the wife to send one of my un-worked on dull & boring pics to him to have a play with...this is the result, it was done very quickly really late last night, but he said could be even better with more time spent.
I am not a big fan of the wacky type of picture things, but I think this works quiet well?
Mick Robinson sent me one of his pics a couple of weeks a go, a great shot in the rain at Brands with this same painting effect done to it, really great it looked too.

Original picture no work of any kind done to it (I have coloured and lightened a version to put on my Myspace page) this is how it started out, boring really!! :\

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics

to this, a quick demo of what can be done!!

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics

Outright lap record as of 2007, not got the results of 2008 handy, but it goes to Derek Welch on 28th July 2007 on a 250 @ 39.0 secs
Neil Tuxworth still holds the 350 lap record set on 28th June 1986 @ 43.7 secs

Fark me, thats quick!

Yes poor Gene McDonnell.

A few, but I will have to re scan them, they were done at the wrong size, so quality not great, hopefully do them after work!!? :\

IIRC a horse was spooked from the helicopter that was picking up Brian Reid?, and jumped the fence and into the path of Gene, virtually cutting the horse in two and killing Gene (RIP)

Thats right, there was a BBC TV documentary made about that years TT races, excellent job too, but you see Ballaugh bridge from the front and hear the commentary of Peter Kneale? when it happens, on the approach to Ballaugh Bridge, really sad and ironic that helping one rider led to the death of another.!!
The documentary actually followed Neil Robinson and his first attempt at the TT, seeing him in practice and walking bits of the track with Granty, but before the programme was broadcast he was lost at Scarboro, 1985/6? as the closing words of the programme said.

Look forward to seeing them later, need to got to bed now (would say go to have beauty sleep, but would take years of sleeping! :\ )

night night

39secs That is quick, 5 seconds is huge over 0.9 miles.

FAUGHEEN ROAD RACES
tonight @21.00 motors tv

I'm flattered by your generous comments there Graham (Aberdare) but you over-egged it a bit !
For the record, it was the return to racing at Aberdare Park in 1978, after it was stopped in 1964 (up to that point it was a well-known National venue which attracted the likes of Surtees, Hailwood and Cooper). It was a club meeting in '78 with, it must be said, not too much opposition. Front runners on the day were Colin Bevan, Phil Landeg, John Chappell, Jeff Miller (an Aussie over on holiday) and myself. I had a couple of wins before dumping it in the big final, when we all went down like skittles! I broke my leg in five places and severed an artery . But I did bag a nice cup for the fastest lap of the day (not sure of the time, but it wouldn't have been very fast - and it was wet in places). Poor John Chappell was not so lucky and could never walk again. I returned "all mended" in 1980, when it was upgraded to a National, and made it my last race before retiring (bagged third in the 350 final). Yes - it's not the place you want to fall off!

Good to have you aboard Donnie !

Barry.

were did I get that from then?

Thats impressive Love the effect.
Ive never been too keen on illustrations, but the transformation is great.

Thanks Steve, me neither, but this is quiet impressive, & with more time spent would be even better I think?

Just a few videos worth watching of Donnie Mac & co.

"Eye she's a Bewtee"

Race part 1 & Interview http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=prvaInSDMAo

Race part 2 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kMWBiK_l9sI&feature=related

Whoops .... http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iib2yqoOjjY

Men and Motors 'On bike TT experience' at, erm...NOW !!!! Well....19.05.

Hi Graham

Was the documentary 'The Mecca of Motorcycling' or something similar?

If it's the same one I had it on VHS but it was lost in a house move years ago, the description certainly sounds familiar.

ATB.

Mick.

Cant remember the name of it Mick, but I still have it on VHS I will put it on DVD soonish, I can send you a copy?
G.