Rummage Through Your Draws...

A Page for your old Classic Trials and related photos with history...

• Well two weeks ago I had some photos sent me after I had just found some of my own in a top draw of one of my chest-of-draws, thats an idea I thought, I bet there are loads of people out there with piles of Classic Trials or motorcycle related photos.
• So it would be a good idea to start a page for these photos…
• Well for a couple of days a couple of the regulars sent me a contribution photo or three.
• But since then not a good response… So until now I thought well why bother to do the page.
• Then I found a couple more of my own, and because it is my web site, I thought just do it, you know how stuff has built before.
• So here goes…
• 24/04/2020...

So first photo from Ian Ballard. of Davy McBride and pasenger, at the TALMAG trial a few years ago, and riding a BSA with a very special registation plate... More history on this bike later...

How times change...

 Me and Bruv off out for a ride to a local trial on one of the Ariel's and Matchless... Date...18 April 2011...

Now here's a photo of a guy who knew what Self -Isolating was about..

And managed with cloths made out of sacking...

 Theodore lamb....A wealthy chap and gentleman farmer, that was spurned in love, so left the farm with his family, and became a recluse, and went to live in an old hen hut at the cross-roads between Sidford and Epwell Oxfordshire. He did a bit of dealing and repairing clocks, and it was  said that the "scales of justice" were to weigh out his gold, how true that is I don't know...

One of those sadly missed characters that we don't seem to get any more...

 Story on this one later...

This is the second photo from Jim Switzer, of Norman Hanks BSA ..

Bantam trials bike....

Hi Charlie

Another photo which may be of interest.

In the 1990’s when our son was converting a BSA B175 to trials spec he received much encouragement and advice from many kind folks, one of which was Norman Hanks, my sidecar racing hero of the 1960’s. As you will well know Norman achieved a 2^nd place in the 1968 TT partnered by Rose Arnold, his future sister in-law, who was the first lady to stand on a TT podium.

His bike, built in the late 60’s, had a Bantam engine housed in a  a one- off single spine frame. Initially fitted with Bushman’s forks these were later changed for a set from a Suzuki ER250 for better performance and lighter weight. The bike weighted in at 185lb (84kg). Wonder what weight a 'modern' Bantam is? Photo courtesy of Norman.

As he readily admitted, it would not be accepted for pre-65 events.

Regards

Jim Switzer...

~Oo> I said to Jim, that this bike was now in a collection of trials bikes owned by my very old friend Ted Freeman and son Ed...

Here is the Norman Hanks Bantam at Telford a couple of years back..

Photo taken by another BSA trials owner "Jake B" and the photo is his ©...

Here is Ted Freeman riding my new TR 20 Triumph Cub in the South Midlands Inter-Team trial on 31 March 1963...

"Over The Top"

He always was, "Your place is in the army my lad " they used to say.

Instead he decided on a career in two wheeled transport.

Yes This is Son Lee Prescott.

This is the demo card from Lee's UNI project where he built two full-sized bikes for his consignment.

More bikes later.

And just one more for now of Dan Shorey and me riding in a trial in Devon where the photo was taken by "Classic Bike Builds"...

18/01/2021...

Some more local to me Banbury N.O.B.A.C. Photos from 1955, sent into me by good friend's, Ted, and Ed Freeman...

I do so like these old photos and we need more, so as I say, "Rummage Through Your draws", and see what you can find for me...

Photos Courtesy EW Freeman...

Trials Photo One..

Brielow Bar Garage Buxton, start of the "Clayton Trial" 1955.

From L to R: Arthur Vincent - James, Frank Knight - James, Ted Freeman - Norman, Barry Chadbourn - Francis Barnett...Banbury N.O.B.A.C...

Trials Photo one...

Do you like the water proofing for the Villiers 8e saucepan generator covers! First thing I learnt, "No-No don't throw that inner tube away",

 First two inch strip around the "puddun-basun"  we said,  and use the rest to hold yer numbers on, and keep the kick-start in...  And more so keep a load of one inch strips to hold yer over-trousers together when the zips break...  The youth of today have a lot to learn....

Trials Photo Two...

Banbury N.O.B.A.C. Motor Cycle Club outing to the BSA Factory 1955, Ted Freeman on the BSA bike....Can you name any more?

I have spotted a couple more as well as you Ted, but may use them in a quiz...That I am starting on here...Do I spot "Banbury Dan"?

Trials Photo Three.

Ted aboard the James bought from Arthur Vincent...The Norman had now been sold to Glynn Thomas, from my

"Tales of the Fifties"...

~~~~~~~

Trials Photo Three...

Ted Freeman "Southern National Trial" 1955...Norman...

Tried another version for you I think this is better?

I will leave both on for now...

~~~~~~~

Barry Chadbourn, another of the Wigginton Oxon boys that got me into trials riding.

 Barry used to live in "Buddlia Cottage" not far from the "White Swan" pub, his trials bike was usually in the front garden of the house by the garage, and when at that time I was up visiting my aunt, at "Southfield Farm", I used to nip up the road and take a look at the little bike over the wall, and dream of owning one. Happy Days. 

04/02/2024...

Another great memory photo from the 2007 Pre 65 Scottish and SSDT   walk about from the Freemans...

Devils Staircase 2007...

We must add to this page as there are so many memories to be shared...

So here is another local one for me the Banbury Cross Boys from the sixties 

From the left first? second in Dave Almond third Ralph Hall fourth Les? fifth behind dont know six our Colin Jenkins. seventh Ken Flint eighth Dave Robbins (Drobby)

ninth Rodney Henn..and tenth Jim Gregory... notable absentees are that springs to mind Jack Butler, Rodney Clarke...Colin Marsden... Tim Stevens .. Mick Salt later.

Bernard Ayscoffe...Brian and Dave Higgins ...Mick Upton...Ian Durrun Velocette Thruxton... Harry Freeboard 

More later... Just a Start...

Our Colin Jenkins  and the famous Rayner BSA Bantam story on it own page later...

More Later...

Three more from Ed and Ted Freeman... and look what they found...

No I did not save the comics then...

And here is Ted aboard his Francis Barnett in the same trial...

And Peter Gaunt and Scott Ellis aboard BOK ...

Updat2024...02...