Allan Johnston 1933-2017

July 24, 2017 bigjohn2014 Leave a comment

OBITUARY:

Allan Johnston - red — **Allan Johnston 1933-2017**

It is with sadness that Trials Guru has to announce the passing of SSDT enthusiast and former competitor, G. Allan Johnston on July 21st, 2017.

Educated at George Heriot’s School, Edinburgh, Allan was a well-known figure in the parc-ferme area of the SSDT in more recent years, being a machine examiner on the team led by Chief Machine Examiner, Archie Plenderleith.

DSC_7532-001 — **Allan Johnston checking machines in the Parc Ferme at the SSDT – Photo: Heather Mead, Dingwall**

Johnston who lived in Longniddry, East Lothian was father to Scottish trials riders, Keith and Paul and rode in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He leaves a widow, Thelma.

JY - KG — **Allan Johnston’s eldest son Keith was a former Youth Scottish Trials Champion seen here on a 320 Majesty Yamaha prepared by Allan at Edinburgh St. George, Lauder Trial. – Photo: Jimmy Young**

Allan also assisted Team Yamscot in the 1970s and 1980s when the Aberdeen dealers Shirlaws Ltd were promoting Yamaha off-road and racing machinery under the Yamscot moniker. He was a member of the Edinburgh Southern MC and worked as a Telephone Engineer firstly with Post Office Telephones and latterly BT.

**Allan Johnston (right) working with SSDT Clerk of Course Jeff Horne in 2013 – Photo Heather Mead, Dingwall**

Allan had a passion for anything on two or four wheels and owned a dark blue and black, 1926 Morris ‘Bullnose’ Oxford which was owned previously by a retired Doctor. Unfortunately it was involved in a minor collision with another vehicle and such was his sense of perfectionism, he wouldn’t allow the insurers have it repaired at a garage because: “I would never have been happy with a repair I hadn’t done myself”.

As well as preparing his son’s trials machines and tuning Karts for racing, Allan obtained great pleasure from his work as a volunteer at the East Lothian based ‘Museum of Flight’ at East Fortune where he helped restore Concorde for display and also maintained the models and displays.

Funeral details: Tuesday, 1st August at Seafield Crematorium, Edinburgh at 14.00 hours. Family and friends welcome. Collection fro Cancer Research UK.

Obituaries

Claude Coutard 1928-2017

July 13, 2017 bigjohn2014 1 Comment

coutardclaude — **Claude Coutard 1928 – 2017 – Photo Trial-Club.com**

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of a great enthusiast of the sport, Claude Coutard from France.

CLAUDE COUTARD 1998 Loch Eilde path — **1998 Claude Coutard (250 Greeves) on Loch Eild Path – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven**

He was a well-known rider who competed on Greeves machines in the 1960s. He was father to multiple French Trials Champion, Charles.

CHARLES COUTARD 1998 Loch Eilde Path — **Claude Coutard watches his son, Charles Coutard (Greeves) on Loch Eild Path in 1998 – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven**

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French super-enthusiast Oliver Barjon spoke to Trials Guru about Claude’s passing:

“I first met Claude Coutard in the seventies, at the world rounds when his was helping his son, Charles. We talked a lot, as Charles was very focused on his riding.

I will never forget Claude’s blue eyes, until his last years.

Claude discovered trials in the nineteen-fifities, in the woods near Paris (St Cucufa), it really was the beginning of trial sport in France. From that time, his life was dedicated to our sport.

Firstly as a rider, he was the vice French champion behind Christian Rayer, and as ‘the’ French promoteur of our sport for over 50 years, until recently.

I was 30 years and and one week younger than Claude, sometime on the trials we wish each other ‘happy birthday’.

After Greeves, he rode Bultacos and had a shop in Lyon named ‘Coutard Service’.

We will all miss Claude and our hertfelt sympathies go to his widow, Josette, son Charles and all the Coutard family.”

Claude Coutard - O Barjon — **Claude Coutard and his beloved Greeves in 1994 at Mons, Belgium – Photo: Oliver Barjon**

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Claude Coutard - Claudio Pictures — **Claude Coutard (Greeves) – Photo: Jean-Claude Commeat (Photo by Claudio)**

Feature

Olga Kevelos in print

July 12, 2017 bigjohn2014 3 Comments

Playing with the Boys

Olga Kevelos (1923-2009) was a star of the UK motorcycle scene from the late 1940s until the 1960s, excelling best in the trials scene, but trying out both road racing and scrambles, both of which were largely denied to women at the time. She was well known in the ‘Scottish’ (SSDT) and ISDT events, competing in both over many years, with some success.

But Olga was more than just a motorcycle sportswoman – she was glamorous, adventurous, fearless and, above all, independent in nature. This book traces her life from its’ beginnings in the family home in Edgbaston, Birmingham, through her unusual wartime service with a small group of women volunteers on the canals, her motorcycle years, and finally, her time as a pub landlady and quiz expert.

Along the way the reader will learn about her vivacious personality and those who most closely shared her life. In order to provide context, a chapter covers the place of women in motorcycle sport in the pre and post war years. An appendix gives brief detail on some of the motorcycles most closely associated with Olga.

This A4 size 160 page book has over 250 illustrations, many of which have never been published before and many in colour. The author has self-published the book and it’s initial availability is limited. Copies cost £20.00 and P&P in the UK is an additional £4.00. Further details can be found on the Facebook page: HERE or from the author : ctur282388@aol.com

TRIALS GURU – DEDICATED TO TRIAL

Monthly Archives: July 2017