After meeting up with Rob Edwards at the Centenary Scott Trial, Trials Guru decided it would be of interest to our supporters to learn more of the Thornaby lad who went on to become a factory Montesa rider during the golden era of the Cota.
Here is the introduction in Rob’s own words:
Thank you for taking the time to read my story.
My name is Rob Edwards. I was born back in 1945 in Thornaby and from a very early age I was desperate to be a trials rider.
Tony Clarke, a fellow Thornaby lad, would get to our section and say: ‘come on lad I’ve had enough for today’… handing me his 250 BSA, I was off!
ever win the lottery, he will be top of the list. Cheers Tony! and many thanks.
Hope you will be here next time when we will be getting into my move to Montesa & the unbelievable life change that was about to happen.
Bye for now…
ROB EDWARDS
Trials Guru: Rob gained an apprenticeship as a fitter/turner at Head Wrightson, a major employer and large heavy industrial firm based at Thornaby-on-Tees. They specialised in the manufacture of large industrial products such as fractional distillation columns that needed special transport to get them to site. Its products, which were made of cast or wrought iron, were used for boilers, railway chairs, naval ships, and many bridges across the world.
Rob having served his apprenticeship, rarely did any overtime or weekend working for one very good reason; that would have restricted his trials riding activities. One day a manager, called Jack Welham said to him in front of a number of his workmates, “Robbie, you have got to make up your mind, do you want to be a fitter or a motorbike rider?” As Welham turned and began to walk away with a smug smile on his face, Rob shouted back at him: “I have made up my mind Jack; I’m going to be a motorbike rider!”
To be continued …
To read all of Rob Edwards’ story of his life in trials, click … here
