It is with sadness that we intimate the passing of Scottish trials and scrambles rider, Robert ‘Bob’ Ashenhurst.

Bob was a well known rider in the late 1950s and through the 1960s who rode a variety of machines which included BSA Gold Star, Greeves in scrambles and an Ariel HT5 in trials. The Ariel was registered NWS405 and had belonged to multiple Scottish scrambles champion, George Hodge from Abington when new and ridden by Hodge in the 1955 SSDT.

Bob’s first scrambles event was at Crichton Castle, Gorebridge in the late 1950s.

Ashenhurst was a member of the Edinburgh Southern MC which ran many scrambles and trials events in Scotland. Bob usually wore his ‘Southern’ crash helmet which was a mid blue colour with white wings, many riders of the club used these helmets in the early to mid 1960s.

Ashenhurst’s scrambling contemporaries were: The Sandercombe brothers, Cliff and Robin; Ernie Page; Melville Hume; the Allan brothers, Jim, Robbie and Vic; George Hodge; Jimmy Stuart; Jackie Campbell; Johnny Davies; Bert Jamieson; Willie Edwards; Bob Eyers; George and Iain Shearer, to name but a few.

Bob worked for many years at Edinburgh Airport, known then as ‘Turnhouse’ and also had a small holding croft at Mannerston, near Linlithgow. His local track was ‘Hillhouse’ just outside the town of Linlithgow in West Lothian.

For many years, Bob was usually accompanied by his younger sister, June who acted as his ‘mechanic’ at scrambles across Scotland. June married John Malcolm who rode in trials and scrambles with the Lanarkshire MCC and had two trials riding sons, Graham and Sandy, both encouraged at a very early age to take up trials. In later years, Bob would be seen at the SSDT and the Pre65 Scottish trials spectating, maintaining a close interest in the sport long after he stopped competing himself. He was also a guiding influence when his nephew Graham’s son took up motocross and Graham took up Supermoto.

Bob took part in the 2021 T. Arnott Moffat Memorial road run at Inverness on his Honda WR400, having known SACU Secretary, Arnott Moffat all his racing career.

Bob Ashenhurst died on Friday, 23rd August 2024, aged 87 years and was a life-long motorcycle enthusiast who competed against the best in Scotland and occasionally beat them all. Some of the riders called him ‘Bert’, but he was universally liked and more to the point highly respected as a competitive motorcyclist by all who knew him.

Bob Ashenhurst’s funeral will take place on Wednesday, 11th September at Falkirk Crematorium at 10.45am.