Scott Ellis's win breaks a spell.

Scott Ellis,

Heading for his first big win, riding his own built, and his last version of the works BSA C15T,

BOK 228C....

This section is the start of "Ashfield".

(Picture Courtesy offroad-archives).

Scott riding in the 1966 event.

New Version of this page, now at the bottom.

Below is the picture of the same section as published in the

"Motor Cycle" on the report about the,

British Experts Trial event in 1965.

That Scott riding his home built framed bike, Won...

Scott Ellis...

Breaks the Spell.

These were the headlines in the 2 December 1965 copy of,

“The Blue Un” "Motor Cycle" magazine.

This was the first major win for Scott Ellis riding BOK 228C, using the new frame.

The spell that was broken!

Was, that prior to this win, only four British riders had won the British Experts trial in the previous ten years.

They were Jeff Smith, Gordon Jackson, Bill Wilkinson, and Sammy Miller.

This is briefly, what they said about Scott in the write up.

At “Fearsome” Ashfield where a snow fed foaming torrent obscured many of the huge boulders, Scott was already ahead, on 19 marks down.

Then moving on to Pembridge, and after waiting for one of the biting sleet storms to pass, Scott lost another ten marks, five of which he lost when his rear chain came adrift.

The final piece of real punishment was the sections named "Bongham Alley", Scott was only one of three that managed to climb the hill for a loss of three marks, his team mate Arthur Lampkin (249 BSA), and Don Smith on his Greeves was the other.

Scott’s practice session partner, Colin Dommett, eventually finished eighteenth in the trial, with a loss of 128;

Scott won the British Experts Trial, with a total loss of 64 marks, in a very hard trial, compounded by the atrocious weather of the day...

This is how BSA used the "Win" to their advantage with a full page advert.

And don't forget the top management figures at BSA, did not know about, or approve of the bike's existence, and when they found out after the trial, instead of any praise to to comp department team.

They roasted Brian Martin about its existence and use. In their eyes it was a "Special"...

And not a machine they wanted to be associated with, it did not come from the production line...

Neither did the bike that Brian Martin rode, and most of the machines ridden by the other BSA supported riders.

But BSA were very Quick to use the Win for publicity, and even using a photograph of the actual machine...

Dunlop also jumped onto the publicity band wagon.

But did supply tyres to most works supported riders and teams at the time. Although a few riders, and one in particular, used Avon tyres, that particular rider I am thinking about was Sammy Miller.

The teams were also sponsored by oil company's like Shell and Castrol along with Lucas looking after the ignition on the BSA and Triumph works teams...

Just been taking another look at the old pile of Motor Cycle magazines, trying to find other pictures of Scott as there seems to be very few in existence of this trial, or in-fact of Scott's bike at this time.

I must say it is the smell of the old publications when reading them that I enjoy...

Each to their own!

Scott eventually bought this bike along with the rest of machines he rode for BSA, and continued to ride the bike until 1969 when he eventually sold BSA C15 BOK 228 C on.

This machine then changed hands several times until it was eventually purchased by Colin Dommett.

And the rest you know is History.

~~~~~~~

Did you know ? That this was the first year that all machines in the Solo class of the British Experts trial were under the engine capacity of 250 cc's...

Ron Langston as usual romped away with the sidecar class ably passengered by Doug Cooper they beat next sidecar rival Peter Wraith by 27 marks,

This was a changing year in British Observed motorcycle trials.

Not only as I said above, was that all the solo entry were on under 250cc bikes but also most of the works teams were now in the process of disbanding.

The villain had been the progress of a motorcycle not even thought about a couple of years earlier That Spanish Bultaco.

Probably one of the most sterling efforts was put up by Peter Gaunt riding a very suspect machine the 250 Royal Enfield, he still with determination managed to fill the fifth place slot.

Another achievement was the Greeves boys of Gorden Adsett and Don Smith finishing third and fourth respectively.

Next BSA finisher and also not without his problems was the evergreen, Arthur Lampkin, his team mate J V Smith finishing down in sixteenth spot...

It has got to be said, that after just half of a trials season the new threat of the Spanish invasion had started, with Miller taking the runner up spot.

The biting winter weather that we got in the sixties only favered the brave, one would say.

But the writing was on the wall and this trial set the outcome for the proceeding years, for British National Observation trials in no uncertain way.

It should be remembered that this was the year that most British Manufacturers were clinging on to their industry with a very fine thread.

We have a Trials test in the "Blue Un" on 25th November... That said, Peter Fraser Weighs Up the New Greeves Anglian Trialster. The headline read,

BETTER THAN EVER...

But was it, or an expensive exercise, that along with other clutching at straws, herelded the end of the company, as that management after a long and splendid career were due for retirement.

Although in that same issue. another headline said

JUICIER THAN EVER, (page at bottom)

This was for the National Mitcham Vase trial won by Deryk Adsett Greeves with runner up Don Smith, and first class awards by Gordon Jackson riding a New Anglian, and also Colin Hare riding a Greeves getting a first class award too...

In August that year we should have realised where the industry was going.

There was the competition results in the fifth of August addition, with the winners of a competition to design a quick change throttle cable, the winner David Osborn probably had an illustrious career in industrial design...

But the whole scene for Industry at that time was for change.

But we for some reason did not grasp the nettle and join in, the old upper management, and ground floor workers, was still in place. And we just would not change...

Company and management buy out's, were the norm, and then most of the inflated companies went to the wall anyway.

Saying Wall, the writing should have been in January 1965. for the TALMAG trial with over 300 entries was won by Charlie Harris riding a Greeves and Murray Brush finishing second on a Triumph TR20 Cub.

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Version Two of the Page.