88 Dave Browning maybe?

It's George Ashton...isnt it?

Sorry Paul I missed your--and a few other postings Thanks for your kind words ,I must say it's a pleasure to be a small part or this wonderful --mostly friendly , light-hearted ,informative forum and long may it continue

See his helmet !

1968, Bill Ivy and George Ashton, 50cc Honda's CR110.

Well done Arthur

Good one Russell

I once had the opportunity to ride George's Cr110 at Brands. George was injured and offered me the ride

I asked him what to rev it to and he said,"until it won't go any higher". That worried me somewhat as it wasn't my bike. However when I got into a frantic scrap with Dave Simmonds on his Tohatsu the concern soon vanished and the little Honda ran like a dream, Dave beating me by just over a wheel. That was the one and only chance I had to ride a 110

Bill Ivy, of course, Ron Pladdys (88) 107 is Pete........ oh damn I remembered earlier Oh well if I remember again I'll be back!

Yes Rod i still remember the old army huts at Castle Combe and untill they altered and resurfaced it around 1965 there used to be lumps and holes all over the place especially one in particular size of bloody great mole hill right on start/finish straight. Vic Anstice where are you?

Jeez Arthur - how'da know that was Castle Combe?!!

Hurray I've remembered......... Pete Buswell. Every now and then he went really well but so inconsistent.

I have some fond memories of Castle Combe. A tale that many would have not heard about is that they filmed parts of Doctor Doolittle in the village when we were there at one race meeting and some of the caste attended the meeting and invited some of us back to the village afterwards for refreshments where we met Rex Harrison and Samantha Edgar who had the starring roles. No complaints of noise in them days

I still wonder when this shot was taken. Did SMBH give those Hondas a try-out on the mainland before the 61 'TT races ?

Ca'nt identify year Renn but you never knew with Mike the Bike.Sometimes at national meetings without even being entered he would turn up with works machinary and beg an entry. In those days thats the way it was.
Remember him turning up at Snetterton once unexpected with the MV 4s.

Another on of those pesky mechanical marvels

Thanks, Arthur.

Which brings my wandering thoughts to another topic, not sure if of general interest though...

Has anyone any ideas about the "logistics" in these days, i.e., was the MV squad on one long tour for the whole season (as long as nothing unforeseen happened) like the privateers or heading back to Cascina Costa after every event ?

Remember a pic of Surtees crawling out of the famous green MV truck at Solitude in the fifties, the same truck as used in the final days ... basic approach for even the top team

Seeing this jewel ridden with its open carbs and the gravel around makes me shiver....

Talking of Castle Combe - I have copied a few pages from a my 1966 programme.
As a keen fourteen-year old, me and a few mates hitch-hiked there from Port Talbot. (If there are any kids watching - I wouldn't advise it 'nowadays!).
A reminder of life before Yamahas! Who can you see?

To many to list Barry ,I would have been there also ,but hav'nt got that prog, but have one from 29 April 1967 with basically the same frield

If I remember correctly, and with my track record I probably don't, that meeting would have been 2-3 wks after the Ulster GP where I crashed the CR93 at Quarry Bends in the pouring rain and broke my collar bone. The doc said I couldn't race again until I could do 20 press-ups I was walking round the paddock at Castle Combe with my arm in a sling but luckily nobody in "authority" seemed to notice Didn't half hurt after the race.

She might look like this, at the bottom of this page

http://www.classic-motorrad.de/cm2002/kurth/rudi-kurth.htm

The winner of race # 11 (Junior = 350 ?) is a Yam though....any TD 1A available as early as '66 ?

Reg Everett ,one of the first on a competitive Yam . TD Ted Broad runner IIRC

TD 1B's were already available in 1966.

Cees van Dongen's 1966 TD 1B:

Arthur on his Macchi...... Five Tohatsu's in the 125 race !

Blimey, genuine Rennsport engine? Looks wonderful. Emille though might have kept the chair down....

[QUOTE]Originally posted by knickerbrook
[B]Talking of Castle Combe - I have copied a few pages from a my 1966 programme.
As a keen fourteen-year old, me and a few mates hitch-hiked there from Port Talbot. (If there are any kids watching - I wouldn't advise it 'nowadays!).
A reminder of life before Yamahas! Who can you see?

Do I detect a wistful note there Barry.....would you have rather stated racing say seven or eight years ealier?

I have never really thought along those lines Russell, but if it were possible to choose - I reckon I would have plumped for the late-sixties because of my love of the singles! Having said that, the advent of the TZ was pretty special I think, as it so much levelled the playing field and produced such close racing.

Hotel Deubel.....Link

The real thing!

And extra large size to boot !!!!

Re: Castle Combe programme:

One of the names I spotted there was Stuart Hughes, who lost his life at Mallory, at The Elbow, and was featured in an article in the (then) new Daily Telegraph magazine. Don't suppose anybody has a copy of that?

One little technical note - I can't open page 57 on this thread - my employer's firewall has collared it! I don't suppose anybody could copy it into a Word doc and p-mail me with it could they? (I had a post to this thread collared the other day when I initially missed out the full stops in J.A.P.!)

a easy www (at least the 1st "w") for a warm-up

Geoffrey Duke, Norton, 1952, probably Spa...

I'm a bit confused about Page 57..... But then I am the resident technophobe. I'm sure someone will come along who can help.

, but not Spa I'm afraid

Hint: The last outing of GD as a member of official Norton team, no lucky one for him though

Deutschland perhaps....Solitude ?

It's in fact the Schottenring.

As far as my records are correct, Duke arrived late Saturday afternoon and thus had little time to get familar with that 16 km long circuit. In the race, he led until he crashed due to poor knowledge of the track, breaking a arm, which ended his season.
BTW, the Schottenring was supposed to be the venue of the German GP of '53, but was boycotted by all UK/Commonwealth works riders due to the safety-standard.
From the organising club's point of view, it was as safe as any other of this time, but the likes of Doran, Fergus Anderson, Brett, Kavangh were still under shock after Graham's fatal crash shortly before on the IOM.
The point of view from the organiser, at least.....

Do we know what's going on here?

Not really, 2 well known gents, one in the background, but no idea of the ocassion

Has it something to do with the comeback in '63 ?

I would hazard a guess that Geoff is taking the Gilera for a run before bringing them back to the UK whilst Hartle looks on.

Yes gents, right period, it's Geoff at Oulton Park in '62. The above pic is also '62 apparently, perhaps even the same day. I'm not sure in which guise the bike was fettled, but on one of these occassions Duke posted his fastest ever lap at Oulton Park, despite of course having been retired for about three years.

How far is the Gilera factory from Monza?

Arcore is quite a few 100 meters distant from the Lesmo bends, IIRC

Wouldn't be a demo lap in 1964 at the Bob Mac memorial would it?

It should read "only a few"

Sorry

Just as well then, aye.

No... The blurb says not and I know that I've seen a picture of Duke at that early testing session with the Dustbin fairing. The question for me is, why was he riding them at all ?

Gilera inspired German "worldbeater", but a least a exercise for things to come

Don't ask me how the front suspension works...

Well Russ, under the circumstances would'nt you want to try the goods ???