73 replies to this topic

[ejayaitch]

Hi Eric, Welcome from me too, I think you retired around the time I started but I remember you on the 'Kass Construction?' Yamaha's in the 70's
I'm a native of Laceby just up the road from you, but now living on the IOM, I used to keep in touch with your neighbour Keith Martin (journalist not the one in this thread) give the old lad my regards if you bump into him in the village.
I look forward to some of your photo's too.
Paul

Hi 'LCRider' -- yes, my TZ-period ended on August Bank Hol. Monday in 1978. Only the 5th outing on new TZ750E (monoshock) at Donington, and I was getting round 2 secs. faster than best time on the 'C' in 1977/8. Then fell at Coppice, in practice(!), and made a mess of my right shoulder.
'Kass Construction' it was Paul. Don't see Keith Martin (the journalist) much, although he did take the photos at my (second) wedding 6 years ago!
Have spent a few hours playing with ImageHost.org, trying to make it do what I want with scanned-in photos, but with limited success.
Anyway, as Mike Yarwood (impressionist in the 1970's) used to say: "and this is me" (sorry for big-ish photos):-
1. FIRST RACE at Snetterton, April 1967 (Bantam's had upside-down-forks even then!-


2. TZ350A at Cadwell's Mountain, early 1974:-


3. Ducati 750 Sport at Sulby Bridge, 1975 Production TT:-


4. TZ750C at Croft's (proper) Chicane, late 1976:-

Regards to All

Edited by ejayaitch, 26 November 2010 - 22:25.

[Paul Collins]

Nice pictures Eric, they brought back some memories.

I certainly remember the old Croft chicane, it was defined by a double stacked railway sleeper barrier with a gap on the entry to allow an overshoot (which I used a couple of times) after the gap you were committed to either getting through or clouting the sleepers, it wasnt a place to get it wrong.

[ejayaitch]

Any more 'First Race' memories................??

[LamboNZ]

My first race was a Newmarket meeting at Snetterton 1985. Pole position!! for my first ever race.
Was riding an MT125 Honda that I paid 300 pounds for. Got to four laps unhindered, then got a bit carried away at Riches, and went flying across the potato field and couldn't get out (race over). The second race was an unlimited singles race, got lapped on the last lap going through Russells by Vernon Glasier, but won my class! (there was only one other 125 there that day though, and the guy was about 80!!)

Edited by LamboNZ, 01 December 2010 - 07:54.

[mba21]

My first race was a Newmarket meeting at Snetterton 1985. Pole position!! for my first ever race.
Was riding an MT125 Honda that I paid 300 pounds for. Got to four laps unhindered, then got a bit carried away at Riches, and went flying across the potato field and couldn't get out (race over). The second race was an unlimited singles race, got lapped on the last lap going through Russells by Vernon Glasier, but won my class! (there was only one other 125 there that day though, and the guy was about 80!!)

Nice one Nigel , join the potato field club......have been in there myself on one occaision.....

[knickerbrook]

I also qualify for the Riches potato field club !
Threw away a decent position in a national there in 1980 by pushing my luck just a little too much on the brakes . Bumpy innit!

[Arthur]

I also qualify for the Riches potato field club !
Threw away a decent position in a national there in 1980 by pushing my luck just a little too much on the brakes . Bumpy innit!

Never tasted them spuds but had a romp in the barley straw at the next corner Sear's Allmost made it to the tarmac of the old A11 which ran parallel to the Norwich straight. Allso bit the dust at Corams twice and the newly made Russells which when first used had a peice of new tarmac with a lip like a speed hump Caught 11 out in the wet including the master Mike Hailwood and wee Bill Ivy Peter Williams was one of the few to stay on and went on to win.
Know why its called Russells?

[ejayaitch]

Fortunately, I never visited the spud field. However:-
Probably at the third Bantam meeting in my first year of 1967, again on the 2.71 mile Snetterton circuit, I decided that the Hairpin could be taken (much) faster than I was doing -- 'after all, it does have Avon GP tyres'.
So, approaching the Hairpin flat-out at 71mph (genuine), I sat up at approx. 50 yards and after just a quick dab on the brakes, slung the bike in.....
I retrieved the bike 30 seconds later(!), and unfortunately it was leaking gearbox oil.
The bike had fallen onto the gearchange shaft, rattled the gears around inside and split the crankcases.
I was never as 'brave' again, having learnt the meaning of the phrase "make haste slowly".
I also have a vague recollection that the marshals who handed me the bike tried, but failed, to suppress their laughter.
Happy Days....?!?

[Herr Wankel]

I also qualify for the Riches potato field club !
Threw away a decent position in a national there in 1980 by pushing my luck just a little too much on the brakes . Bumpy innit!

Not done the spuds,but did the wheat at Carnaby (****-'ole)
HW

[MickJones]

I think i've joined nearly all of the Snetterton clubs Richesx1, Searsx1, Essesx3, Bomb Holex1,Coramx1, so I only missed out on Russells, lucky me. Mind you I did crash in the pit lane slip road once , so that makes up for it i guess.

Edited by MickJones, 05 December 2010 - 01:17.

[exclubracer]

Not done the spuds,but did the wheat at Carnaby (****-'ole)
HW

Yup, me too.

[Quixotic]

My first race was back in the early 80s at Amaroo Park. I rode a Suzuki GT250X7 in improved production. Got my Arse kicked. most of the field were on the then new RD 250LCs.

Finished second last, and got lapped by Buster Saunders who was up from Victoria for a bit of practice prior to Bathurst.

Crashed at Stop corner in my second race though............ Talk about starting as I meant to go on. Over the next 18 years I lost count of how many bones I broke in Race crashes.

[Robin127]

....Been going through the alphabet and finally remembered...........my name, it's Keith Martin from Stoke-on-Trent (10 years & counting).....

About three quarters of the way down this page from a couple of years ago, that's you isn't it?

http://forums.autosp...w...658&st=8480

[Jim77]

Couldn’t decide what topic to put this in, it originally was going to be “racing transport” but as my transport recollection seems so trivial compared to all the exotic transports thought better of it. Next “Gone but not forgotten” again perhaps not I’ve just made an entry, better not add another.  Last saw old topic “First race” not changed since 2010. “ah” I thought, yes that will do, so here it is.

 

Started racing in 1966, transport was a BSA M33 500cc converted sidecar to carry my Bantam to Brands Hatch practice day, to test before the BRC meeting  at Snetterton. My racing experience ended when the Bantam slowly seizing during the race.

 

Following few weeks and change of job, made the decision wouldn’t have enough time to make the Bantam competitive. With advice from George Hopwood decided to buy a Triumph Bonneville for the up-and-coming “Production” events.

 

Because I could not use the sidecar for transport and did not have a van it meant riding to race meeting, race it then ride home.  This worked for Cadwell, Brands and third ride at Snetterton but on fourth (BMCRC July 1967) a rider fell at Russell’s, another rider told me I had crashed into the fallen bike. The first thing I remember was waking up in Norwich Hospital bed.  The bike was badly damaged so I couldn’t ride home.

 

Thanks to the late Peter Butler it was transported back to London.

 

After that crash, I acquired an old Thames 15cwt van.

 

Edited by Jim77, 25 November 2014 - 19:52.

[Jim77]

Russell Burrows  Posted 27 October 2010 - 20:56
An eight lap unlimited bash around Oran Park on a '67 250 Aermacchi for me. I started off about
mid field and pretty much stayed there (an omen of things to come).

Hello Russell,

Are you aware that your PM is full i.e. Does not accept new messages.
Trying to send you this: -

Just looking at topic where you referenced ride at Oran Park.
Are you Australian?
When you rode at C/Palace were you only here for the event?

Regards
Jim.

[Russell Burrows]

Hello Russell,

Are you aware that your PM is full i.e. Does not accept new messages.
Trying to send you this: -

Just looking at topic where you referenced ride at Oran Park.
Are you Australian?
When you rode at C/Palace were you only here for the event?

Regards
Jim.

I'm a London born Englishman, Jim.  I spent a chunk of my life in Australia though where I began racing.  I came over here in 1971, sort of on impulse bought an old 7R from Geoff Monty - actually it was a nice late model one with an Oldani brake - and raced it all over during that year, including the Palace where I had watched lots of racing as a kid.  I returned to Oz the following year with big racing plans and with the ulimate aim of returning here to race -  for all sorts of reasons it went wrong.

[Jim77]

Ah, I see Russell, well partly? Does that mean your place of residency is the UK?

[Russell Burrows]

It is,  Jim  - domicilled in good old blighty for yonks now.

 

You're not from the immigration dept, are you?

Edited by Russell Burrows, 26 October 2014 - 09:26.

[Jim77]

Russell, when you came back to blighty was it with an Australian or English accent?

Edited by Jim77, 26 October 2014 - 22:03.

[Russell Burrows]

Russell, when you came back to blighty was it with an Australian or English accent?

Erm, any biography is unauthorised Jim until you speak to my agent .   I have been accused of having a bit of a twang, but not nowadays I think.   Do you have an Australian connection ?

[Jim77]

Not really Russell, my wife/motherinlaw had connection with people imprisoned/interned in Singapore's Changi prison during WW2 and had returned or moved to Australia.

 

About fifty years ago a couple of guys who worked in the same company as me, decided they move to Australia. They both came back to the UK after six months, for a visit. What amazed me at the time was one was speaking like he was born/breed Australian! The other still speaking as I remembered had decided that Australia was not for him.

 

Was this common when you moved there; to fit in you adopted the “twang”! Do you know if it still prevalent  today?

[Russell Burrows]

Not really Russell, my wife/motherinlaw had connection with people imprisoned/interned in Singapore's Changi prison during WW2 and had returned or moved to Australia.

 

About fifty years ago a couple of guys who worked in the same company as me, decided they move to Australia. They both came back to the UK after six months, for a visit. What amazed me at the time was one was speaking like he was born/breed Australian! The other still speaking as I remembered had decided that Australia was not for him.

 

Was this common when you moved there; to fit in you adopted the “twang”! Do you know if it still prevalent  today?

Ah, the old talking like Chips Rafferty after a few months syndrome - don't think I did that, Jim.  Not sure what that's all about, insecurity of one sort or another I suppose.  I do find though that when I want to sound posh/authoritative when say complaing to someone like BT or British Gas for one of the usual screw ups, I can hear myself going more than a bit Aussie.  Go figure as the young people say.

[tonyed]

1st race March 1968 Brands hatch BEMSEE meeting on my race tuned Ariel Arrow. I still have the program from the meeting as I do with all the meetings I ever did from 1968 to 1982 and some beyond during the 90s.

 

The old paddock at Brands with the covered parking on the slope, missed that when it went photos of that era at Brands I find very evocative.

 

Talking Riches spud field I went into it several times, one on time my TD2B getting back on track at Sears only to find a bloody great ditch I didn't see but managed to negotiate it and rejoined having also avoided the marshalls' broom swung in jest at me by Peter Clifford. 

[SMonty]

1st race March 1968 Brands hatch BEMSEE meeting on my race tuned Ariel Arrow. I still have the program from the meeting as I do with all the meetings I ever did from 1968 to 1982 and some beyond during the 90s.

 

The old paddock at Brands with the covered parking on the slope, missed that when it went photos of that era at Brands I find very evocative.

 

Talking Riches spud field I went into it several times, one on time my TD2B getting back on track at Sears only to find a bloody great ditch I didn't see but managed to negotiate it and rejoined having also avoided the marshalls' broom swung in jest at me by Peter Clifford. 

 

Hard to beat a bit of short circuit racing, motocross, and a trials section or two all in the one day!