you tinker nigel! you wait till you get home next time to dads he was SHORT A** compared to me btw did you get my email?

Merely an uncanny observation Arthur...sorry I mean Julian.

no didn't get e-mail, PM sent to you.

Nigel

Just thinking back to my early days, as a kid wandering around the paddock at Brands etc.

Does anyone remember a guy called Roger Klimke?, he had a RG500, TZ750 and a Winnebago motorhome. All of this and doing mainly Brands club races in the late seventies.

Sponsored by Colourset/Colourtune ??? perhaps ??

Hi Phil , yeah thats the bloke. Do you know him?

No I don't Nige .But I do remember the name ---well you would wouldn't you with a monicar like that and the vivid IIRC colour scheme He seemed to give the impression of a bit of a rich kid or something like that with the set up at his disposal compared to the rest of us in the paddock

Well gang it's a bit quiet I've been told I havn't posted this before on here but it's fairly simple I think

Easy track...I was there a few years ago, Daytona, Kawasaki......complete guess Mick Grant

Header helps a tad

Brilliant! I saw him three or four times, came on as half day half night, on a crucifix (!) with fire on his head, and as a traffic light, good ole arthur, they do not come around often like him!!!!

Fire!

Hello Stirling ,Daytona Kawasaki but not Grunty clue the answers in the piccy

You talking about Arthur and/or Julian shhhhhhhh heard a rumour they share the same hairdresser (amongst other things ) :\

Eddie Lawson 1981?

Andy

Hi Andy ,yes it's Steady Eddie but not '81 --wasn't there that year that is me not sure about Eddie

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown

Have to get my specs out next time, I can now see that it's written at the top of his leathers.....

p.s. where is Mr Fu today then? Out taking photos I presume

Not a lot of difference then

Julian must be quite a character then......does he walk around doused in petrol, diesel, or two stroke, fuel of choice???

No don't think so it's the time of year he puts on a red uniform and frightens a few poor innocent children

You got it

Ho,ho!

Oi!! I am watching/lurking, you know.

well I would say I am perfectly normal, the rest of the world is somewhat eccentric and sterling49yes i have had several 'dousings' of bachen(sp) ligh crude oil in the last year which can be used on some deisel engines straight out of the ground ( been hauling literally millions of gallons) burns your skin and hair and wreck s your clothes though

Have you got a 'puter in the grotto ???

It's all the others Julian! They just do not see things your way!!!

I see Graham's lurking then

Anyone remember these things? and know anything about them, 500cc Cresent, 1975, long things weren't they!?

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

thats the one sterling49 ;)

All off the top of my head: wasnt the engine developed from a marine motor, with the early development riding being done by Alan Peck? Yeah, long wheelbase - who's frame though? Do we know who's on this one Graham ?

Or I might be horribly confused about the whole thing...

All right so far Russ, it was a marine engine, this one is ridden by Peter Everns, but Julian Soper had one, so did Tony Edwards & Geoff Barstard in and around 1975/6.
Anything to do with Ryan as some were Ryan Cresent?

Yes, I remember Ryan Cresent but can't recall the connection. Wasnt Bill Day also involved eraly on. It may be that Im confusing two projects: I think the bike that Peck rode was developed from a marine engine of Sandanavian origin? I probably have some info somewhere. And what was that long, low thing Brian Wacket raced in the seventies - a Konig?

Indeed it was Russell,

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

The most well known rider of the Konig was Kim Newcombe in 500cc GP's but a guy called Alan Blasdell was quiet successfull on one in the UK in 1974/5?

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

Shoehorned into a Seeley frame in the top pic?

The second bike is megga low.....there comes a point of diminishing returns ?

Is this taken at Brands back in the day? South Bank in the background with the "Trico" hording The place is soul less now :\

Indeed it is Sterling, yes not the same feeling these days, but still a great circuit, and for old timers like you and me, who have been there so many times, I expect if you close your eyes when its quiet, you can still hear and see those great days now long gone...blimey I have tears in my eyes!!!

There used to be a bar with racing memorabillia on the walls - was it in the club house, or was that the cafe ? Snetterton too had a boozer. Still there?

......Rindt, Clark, Hill, Peterson,Brabham,Surtees.....S.M.B.Hailwood on that glorious 250-6....I saw him ride it around 1967? Glorious days, all the more poignant, for it is in my "back garden" so to speak. The smells, burning rubber, hot brakes, Castrol "R", Redex UCL, Burgers and nuclear hot coffee from Minters at the end of South Bank. The traffic jams getting out, my mate always played "chicken" with the cop that was on traffic duty at the Paddock exit, he always made a point of making him hop out of the way (nearly running over his size 12 in a throaty Mini Cooper, with a load of herberts inside roaring with laughter). He stopped us one day (there's a surprise!) and my mate was so lucky not to get nicked as he asked plod "Does your head go right to the top of that helmet?" The laughter from within drowned everything else around, plod was not amused! Great days, can you imagine this happening now? So many great memories from Brands.

No! :\

The Pavillion, at the top of the Paddock, with the "Motor" bar located at the back, I always used to sneak into the Paddock free this way, asking the then Track Manager, George Officer if he had any free posters (as you do as a spotty teenager!) quickly followed with, can I sneak in the paddock ppplease? He always said yes, some say he was grumpy, I had no complaints! Drinking tea in the Pavillion was surreal, so exciting, Jim Clark and Graham Hill on the table next to you, Surtees and the co just behind, it just would not happen now, more's the pity. :\

A man of few words Graham!

Interesting point is he's on the 500. Didn't ride that too often, did he ever ride it in europe?

talking of all this who remembers the greasy bacon sandwiches on offer at the greasy spoon necxt to the signing on window/ scrutineers bay at cadwell. the thing about these is the grese IIRC came out of t top piece for bread too stil tasy though must be taht yellow belly pork!!!!!

Nigel
sent it vie tnf will send by ordinary email later mate

Sterling, I've not been there for more than thirty years - Is it still there I wonder ? After a post meeting visit to the bar, my bike once fell over in the back of the van - smashing the fairing and screen - when homeward bound on Lavender Hill. I of course, wasnt driving though.....

It went years ago sadly Russell, cannot remeber when exactly, I am sure Mr Fu will know, probably around 1977/78? The kentagon opened around 1980......ish.

Was there alchohol involved per chance Those really were the days!!!!

Do you mean Lavendar Hill, or Death Hill, down towards Farningham Roundacbout?

Was in the Kentagon a few weeks a go with a few other reprobates, while its OK for a meal or a pint...its bland, but sadly things cant stay the same! :\ Don't know when the buildings were demolished, but here is Brands in 1976.

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

Ahhhhhhhhh I feel better now normal service has been resumed

And this one, it brings back such great memories...1977 trans Trophy.

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

What a shame...dont know what the kentagon is ? From memory the bar included some of Bill Ivy's racing grear, as well as that of a variety of racing drivers. No, not Death Hill - along which as a kid myself and my mates would troop up to Brands from Swanley station - but around Clapham Common way. >As you know, the entrance for competitors at Brands , at least those from London, was along Scratchers lane; in the 60's bike racers on Britains's short circuits were commonly known as Scratchers...I wonder if there was a link?

I laughed so hard, I had to squeeze it to stop myself wetting my pants. Thanks mate.

The Kentagon is the replacement for the old Pavillion, bar facilities, food and a few great photos on the walls including Jochen Rindt winning the 1970 British GP in a Gold Leaf Team Lotus 49 and (IIRC) Gerry Marshall raising a pint glass, as only he could Lavender Hill, my old sales patch in SW London, happy days! I use Scratchers Lane almost daily!