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Snetterton 70s


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#1 greg1953

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Posted 18 June 2015 - 20:14

Just found this, not the greatest quality.

https://www.youtube....h?v=3UlFShsrCso

Greg



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#2 Paul Collins

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Posted 18 June 2015 - 22:55

Good find Gregg, a couple of familiar faces there  ;)



#3 tonyed

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Posted 19 June 2015 - 05:23

The rider ion the blue and white helmet at 2.20s is Peter Clifford. He is riding my 250 Yamaha and the person in the orange and black jacket is yours truly. I think I must have lent Peter my 250 to compare with the one he was building as I also had the 500 Crescent at the time.

 

Newmarket meeting 1977 I have the program at home, should be able to pinpoint it from this. I had the Crescent as well as the Yamaha and crashed the Yam at the bomb hole in the final meeting of 1978 and damaged my spine again. Had to sell the Crescent to rebuild the Yam.

 

Of course Peter went on to journalism and edit Motorcourse then run WCM with Bob McLean and I am still at Marshalls in Cambridge where I was then  :(  :confused:


Edited by tonyed, 19 June 2015 - 05:55.


#4 knickerbrook

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Posted 19 June 2015 - 15:01

The atmosphere is well captured, despite the dodgy quality. Pity there's not more!

 

As I have said before, there must be loads of stuff (photos especially) lying around in drawers that people don't think worth posting. This just goes to show that it's not about the quality - it's the content that's important! (Candid paddock shots are always good to see).



#5 tonyed

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Posted 20 June 2015 - 08:24

Found the program

 

Newmarket 'Final Fling' October 16th 1977

 

Coming into the paddock at the end of the race is no 7 Richard Dowland and sliding in behind them no 35 Chris Curtis

 

Warming up area footage shows:

 

18 Glen Cooper (whose film this is) 250 Suzuki

51 Tony Chipman 350 Yamaha (I ran Tony over in a crash at Snetterton a few years earlier)

32 Alan Atkins 250 Yamaha 53 John Bleaney 250 Yamaha

 

 

Being 1977 'my' Yamaha that PC is riding still belonged to Graham Godward who, if I remember, was not riding due to injury and lent PC his bike.

 

The 250 Yamaha that Chris Curtis is riding has the large seat on it which later found a home of the Godward Yamaha and I believe Chris still has this 250.

 

I bought the bike off GG the next year and rode it in the MGP prior to stuffing it into the Armo at the bomb hole in the final national of 1978 and having to sell the Crescent to finance the rebuild. In this meeting I rode my Crescent for the first time since damaging vertebrae during a crash at Windy Corner in MGP practice.

 I had to finish at least third in the championship race if my nearest rival Chris Rossiter (500 TR Suzuki) won the race. Chris failed to finish the race and I was 3rd.

 

As is said, a very nice period piece with tons of atmosphere  :up:



#6 Robin127

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Posted 20 June 2015 - 14:04

Was the bike that Chris Rossiter rode one of the ex-Suzuki GB "works" watercooled twins?  I remember Dick Hunter riding one the year before and I think it might have been the same bike.



#7 tonyed

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Posted 20 June 2015 - 14:33

Was the bike that Chris Rossiter rode one of the ex-Suzuki GB "works" watercooled twins?  I remember Dick Hunter riding one the year before and I think it might have been the same bike.

 Yes it was. Sponsor Andy Lee motorcycles, a Suzuki agent, had two. Glyn Smith, who was Andys' workshop manager rode the later one at the beginning of the year and Chris Rossiter started on the earlier one. Both were ex-Suzuki GB TRs ridden by Sheene and John Newbold. Glyn fell off early in 1977 and I think broke his shoulder so Rossiter had use of both bikes.

 

I wanted to hire the older one for the MGP but Rossiter vetoed this.

 

In the last race of the year he had a clutch problem with the bike, as he'd only bought the later bike with him, which I fixed for him but something else failed in the race and I didn't bother to find out what. I didn't get on much with him as his girlfriend came up to me at a  Newmarket Waterbeach meeting just after the I'd got back on my feet (well crutches) after the MGP crash to say she was glad I'd crashed so now Chris would win the championship.

 

They were nice bikes and would have made a great TZ option.

 

Andy sold both at he end of 1977 when he started to concentrate on his son Micheal and world speedway. Unfortunately Micheal went off the rails but eventually got to grips with 'real' life.  


Edited by tonyed, 20 June 2015 - 14:34.


#8 geoff5552

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Posted 11 August 2017 - 19:39

In 1975 at the Brands Stars of tomorrow Dave Camier ran a Suzuki ex works TR500 loaned by Paul Smart.

I did manage to pass him at the start of the second lap of the 500 race coming in to Paddock bend, but had a plug disintegrate on my Crescent. I think dave did win the race.

The Crescent was sold to TonyEd for a bottle of beer (Not quite true but thought it would get a laugh) and a TD2B with a fantastic Spondon frame. Only bike I ever rode I could tear up the front tire in 2 wheel drift!!

Peter Bowers won the Stars of Tomorrow trophy, as I remember in an alcoholic haze in the clubhouse afterwards!!

 

Geoff B



#9 tonyed

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Posted 12 August 2017 - 05:53

Still looking for the 'Barstard' Crescent. I know the whereabouts of Willy Ryans and Peter Everns bikes but the one Geoff built has disappeared.

 

Look at the names at the top of their games these days such as Leon Camier, son of Dave. Peter Hickman, son of Dave. Jake Dixon, son of Darren. All old names from that era.

 

Unfortunately I don't think we'll ever see the likes of the 70s in racing again. :cry:

 

Out for track day at Snetterton in a couple of weeks on the Frepin. I'll have then ridden on three Snetterton circuits. The one with the old Norwich Straight. The one with the Revetts straight and the new 300 circuit with a corner named after a legendary cartoon characters (oh it's 'Oggies' is it I thought it was 'Ogris'). That is if I can get petrol to stay in the tank. I have been chasing small weld cracks for the past couple of weeks, that is the trouble with a 41 year old aluminium tank. :mad:


Edited by tonyed, 12 August 2017 - 05:54.


#10 geoff5552

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Posted 14 August 2017 - 13:29

Tony, you still working at Marshalls??  I thought you would have retired by now. I'm still working in the good? old USA.
I have a "Bike" beer mat from the IOM I have pinned on the wall at work showing OGRI and MALCOM I will try to post it.

No luck.


A little more history on Willie Ryan and Crescent

Willie had 4 frames
The Brass frame and the STEF were built before I worked for Willie and various riders rode them.

1- The "Brass" frame
2- The STEF frame which I bought from him beginning of 1974 and broke off the steering head at Mallory Clearways late in 1974 this was scrapped.
3- A duplex frame bike I built for him in 1974 which Mick Grant from South Africa rode. I think this is the bike sold to Peter Everns.
4- the Seeley framed bike built in 1974 which was a Yamsel frame I modified for Willie to fit the Crescent engine into. South African Mick Grant rode this a few times, followed by Dave Potter. This is the Bike I rode in 1976. I lost track of this bike, but I believe it crashed in to the concrete marshals post entering Paddock bend at Brands after a front brake disk broke

I built the spine frame bike in John Vines workshop in Leigh on Sea in the winter of 1974. This is the Bike I rode in 1975 and which was sold to Tony with the Mono shock modification

Geoff

#11 knickerbrook

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Posted 14 August 2017 - 14:29

Hi Geoff,

 

You may (or not) remember me from those good ol' days. We spoke a few times. I rode a G50 Seeley 1973-75, before switching to a TZ.

You had some good rides on that Crescent as I recall. Its good to know you are still around.

All the best.

 

Barry Needle.



#12 geoff5552

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Posted 14 August 2017 - 20:14

Thanks Barry, back at you, you were no slouch either. The G50's stayed competitive for a long time
I did feel a little guilty in some of the non Japanese 500 races.
As Tony knows I changed my name to Barr before I got married in spring 1981.
I last raced in 1980. Manx and a couple of Snetterton rides afterwards
Lots of great memories from that time.

#13 Robin127

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Posted 14 August 2017 - 23:50

Where in the US do you live?



#14 tonyed

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Posted 15 August 2017 - 05:06

Heady days those. I can't remember the last time I was chased round the streets of Norwich in a Transit van by a taxi (well it turned out to be a Police car)  :drunk: but the copper was very understanding. :rolleyes:

 

After I dropped the Frepin frame off in Attleborough the other week for a frame repair Chris Curtis and I stopped at the 'Angel' at Larling adjacent to the Snetterton circuit. It is now off the main dual carriageway road that is now the A10.

 

No Watneys though (thank god). They now serve proper beer. :up:

 

Sammy Miller has a Seeley framed Crescent in his collection but it is a new build with the motor in 'the wrong way round' carbs at the back. He has displayed it a few times and I was told he had it labelled as 'Ex-Tony Edwards'.

 

Yes Geoff still at good old Marshalls. Can't afford to retire although I don't work full time anymore, but it's still handy for all the 'homework'. We are about to move out of the old ADO and into a new office down the road. This site will become housing in a new development, I wouldn't want the one built on the old 'treatments' shop though. Potatoes would come up cadmium plated, mind you the number of houses they plan for this site would mean growing them in a window box. 

 

Looking through some old photos yesterday and there are some of you on Willys' bike at Waterbeach and in the Island the year you crashed at 'Whitegates' in practice on the TZ.

 

'Sappers' daughter has been on this site for info about her dad.

 

Anyway keep yer head down  :smoking:


Edited by tonyed, 15 August 2017 - 05:08.


#15 geoff5552

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Posted 15 August 2017 - 17:48

Sapper Roberts, I first met him at a brands meeting in 2003 . He was riding a Bultaco 125? or was it a 250.
What a character.
We met at various tracks over the 70's, and joined forces in the IOM for the Manx when he was sponsored by the White Helmets
He was instrumental in opening up Waterbeach for racing as he would practice there and his C/O caught him and got interested.
He forced me to prepare for the 1975 MGP with him by doing the army training on nets and all the other physical stuff. I ended up having to rest from physical activity for 8weeks before the Manx.
I would camp with him in the paddock at MGP and we ate army rations, used army welding gear etc, so you could say I was also partly sponsored by the White Helmets !!
I remember him having a personal problem before his race, and going in to a chemists and asking the unsuspecting assistant in his broad Liverpool brogue " EE Lass, what can you give me for the ***ts"
She gave him a big bottle of Pepto Bismol with approptriate instructions. So Barry opens the bottle in the shop and chugs about a quarter of it with the assistant shouting at him to stop.
Barry didn't have any problems during the race or for several days afterwards!!

Michigan

#16 tonyed

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Posted 16 August 2017 - 09:47

Unfortunately Barry went to the Great Garage in the Sky in 2011. 

 

I seem to remember that the 'rations' supplied for the MGP that year were unlabelled so an interesting menu was always avaialble depending on which tin you opened.

 

That was the first year you rode the Crescent I think and if people look closely at the angle iron fence posts in the paddock camp site they will see one post 6 inches shorter than any other due to it being required to tie the engine to the gearbox more securely.

 

Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

I see all the old watering holes have gone in Douglas. The Dogs Home, The Groudle, The Marine Bar all should have been preserved for prosperity. I believe even Yates's Wine Lodge is no more. 

 

RogerJennings still reminds of the time at Mylcreests where we were having the pre-race scrutineering for the 1976 Senior and we had to register the makes of engine and frame. Engine make 'Crescent' I replied. Frame make 'Barstard' was the answer. 



#17 TRALEE

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Posted 21 October 2020 - 21:46

I don’t think the newer of the two TR500s was an ex Suzuki GB machine. It had been Mick Patrick’s the season prior (part of Harold Coppock’s team), but not sure who’s it was prior to that (the bike’s first season). Recent number checks when I was lucky enough to recently buy it back didn’t tie in with Suzuki GB Factory team machines. I wish it did!  And Tony...I’m embarrassed, indeed horrified at my then girl friend’s apparent comments! Bang out of order. Knew nothing of that. Can’t tell her off....haven’t seen her since 1977! 
1977...a fun year though and a steep learning curve. It even took my mum to suss out why we seized engines at three successive races...we were using the latest and newest thing in oil at the time: Bel Ray. It said “one pint” on the bottle, and the tiny print my mum spotted, with her cooking recipes in mind, said 16fl oz. Unbeknown to us, it was a US pint and we were under oiling. Usually, on lap three as I shut the throttle at the end of the Snetterton back straight, she’d nip up. Decent run off there of course, thankfully. 
 

Tony and I caught up late last year over a beer or two (we live not too far apart) and then met again at the 1000 bikes where I rode the TR again for the first time in 42 years. Gotta say, riding a Crescent, Tony deserved that championship! 

Chris Rossiter. 

 Yes it was. Sponsor Andy Lee motorcycles, a Suzuki agent, had two. Glyn Smith, who was Andys' workshop manager rode the later one at the beginning of the year and Chris Rossiter started on the earlier one. Both were ex-Suzuki GB TRs ridden by Sheene and John Newbold. Glyn fell off early in 1977 and I think broke his shoulder so Rossiter had use of both bikes.

 

I wanted to hire the older one for the MGP but Rossiter vetoed this.

 

In the last race of the year he had a clutch problem with the bike, as he'd only bought the later bike with him, which I fixed for him but something else failed in the race and I didn't bother to find out what. I didn't get on much with him as his girlfriend came up to me at a  Newmarket Waterbeach meeting just after the I'd got back on my feet (well crutches) after the MGP crash to say she was glad I'd crashed so now Chris would win the championship.

 

They were nice bikes and would have made a great TZ option.

 

Andy sold both at he end of 1977 when he started to concentrate on his son Micheal and world speedway. Unfortunately Micheal went off the rails but eventually got to grips with 'real' life.  


Edited by TRALEE, 21 October 2020 - 22:05.


#18 tonyed

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 04:42

Ah yes the old metric/imperial/US fluid measurement conversion

Graham Godward and I took part in the 1981 Daytona 250 international race with him as the jockey and me doing all the work. Martin Wimmer came into the garage to see if we had a conversion from milliliters to pints. I looked at the bottle of oil and failed to notice the US fluid ozs and converted it using imperial fluid ozs. Needless to say when he came back having seized the bike I wasn't around. Still you can't win them all.

I was glad to say that Chris had a better day at Mallory when he re-debuted the TR500 than I did with my 1974 TZ250. It having not been used for 30 odd years when I rebuilt the motor I assumed the bore coating would be nickasil so fitted chrome rings. I had ridden it for about 6 laps the previous year and was fine then. It ran but only just and I didn't get it out on the track.

Stripped it when I got home and yes it was a chrome bore well at least WAS a chrome bore. :cry:



#19 TRALEE

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Posted 22 October 2020 - 10:52

I gain comfort, Tony, from the fact that I’m not the only one who committed the Bel Ray faux pas! 
 

Ah yes the old metric/imperial/US fluid measurement conversion

Graham Godward and I took part in the 1981 Daytona 250 international race with him as the jockey and me doing all the work. Martin Wimmer came into the garage to see if we had a conversion from milliliters to pints. I looked at the bottle of oil and failed to notice the US fluid ozs and converted it using imperial fluid ozs. Needless to say when he came back having seized the bike I wasn't around. Still you can't win them all.

I was glad to say that Chris had a better day at Mallory when he re-debuted the TR500 than I did with my 1974 TZ250. It having not been used for 30 odd years when I rebuilt the motor I assumed the bore coating would be nickasil so fitted chrome rings. I had ridden it for about 6 laps the previous year and was fine then. It ran but only just and I didn't get it out on the track.

Stripped it when I got home and yes it was a chrome bore well at least WAS a chrome bore. :cry: