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Words: Nigel Megson

Fifty years ago, the Manx National Two Day trial was held on Saturday 29^th August and Sunday 30^th August 1970.

The solo trial had two hundred and one starters and was over two circular routes that started at 8.15am from the famous TT Grandstand.

The Saturday route traversed the south of the Island and had thirty-four sections  and the Sunday route went over the North of the island and also had the same number of sections.

On paper, the favourite looked to be Gordon Farley who had travelled all the way from Kent and who would be riding his works supported 250cc Montesa Cota. He would be up against Expert riders from West and South Yorkshire, many of whom were riding ‘mini’ 125cc bikes. Riding numbers probably favoured the top runners, who were starting from the middle of the field as the riding order was reversed for the Sunday.

Dave Thorpe on the 250cc OSSA ‘Pennine’ was riding number 68, Terry Wright on his Dalesman was riding number 92, Gordon Farley with number 126, Gerald Rathmell on the works 125cc Sprite with number 142, Jim Sandiford on a 250 Bultaco 66, Paul England on a 125cc Dalesman, number 160, a young Nick Jefferies was number 75 on the ex factory Triumph Tiger Cub, next to the popular Stan Cordingley on a 250cc Bultaco, who finished in 8^th place on 24 marks, riding number 76.

Notable absentees from the event included Alan ‘Sid’ Lampkin who was riding a 400cc Husqvarna at the Bucks Grand National down at Brill, whilst Malcom Rathmell and Martin Lampkin were riding their Moto-Cross bikes in a Craven club scramble. Several other top riders included Ian Haydon, Derek Adsett and Rob Edwards.  

John Hemingway and Scott Ellis were riding in the Clayton Trophy Trial in Wales.

On the Saturday, Dave Thorpe had a good steady ride losing three marks, Terry Wright on his Dalesman lost five on the slippery hill at Billown and Gordon Farley finished up losing nine including , in what for him,  must have been a disastrous day with a maximum at Poylvaaish and several dabs at the Arragon River.

On the Sunday, Dave Thorpe went pretty much to pieces losing thirteen marks whilst Gordon Farley had the best ride of the day losing four marks. Terry Wright suffered a five on the vicious sections at ‘Tholt-Y-Wil’, but he did retain his composure and nerve for the rest of the event including the ultra steep rock climb at Sartfell Park.

The final results of the trial were:

1^st  Terry Wright  125cc Dalesman.  10 marks                  

2^nd Gordon Farley  250cc Montesa.  13   

3^rd Dave Thorpe  250cc Ossa.  16                            

4^th Paul  England  125cc Dalesman.         17

5^th Gerald Rathmell  125cc Sach Sprite.  20

6^th Jim Sandiford  250cc Bultaco.              22

The team prize went to Wetherby ‘A’ which comprised Terry Wright, Gerald Rathmell and John ‘Killer’ Kendrew  (who finished in 9^th place on 24 marks)

A fantastic result for the popular Yorkshireman Terry Wright giving the Dalesman concern possibly their first and only ‘National’ win .

Fair bet that it was a good party that night!

(Front cover of 1970 programme by kind permission IOM Centre ACU)

Fifty years ago, Barry Kefford built and rode a lightweight sidecar outfit which spawned many sidecars to be produced for the chairmen of trials. The BKS chair was the piece of kit to have in the 1970s.

Here are two photos supplied by Barry’s passenger of the era, Geoff Bridgwater who is a Trials Guru website reader.

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Taken at the Beggar’s Roost trial in 1970 in which they won the sidecar class on gtheir BSA Victor powered outfit with the innovative narrow, light weight sidecar and the 1969 trial at Hawkstone Park.

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Words: Trials Guru & Ben Butterworth

Photos: Jack Butterworth

A unique opportunity has arisen to purchase a true ex-factory AJS from the late 1950s!

The machine once the issue of former British Expert and ACU Star rider, Gordon L. Jackson, registered in 1957 by Associated Motor Cycles as TLP686, a 347cc AJS 16C.

The machine was ridden by Jackson in the 1957 British Experts trial and Scottish Six Days. The vendor has written confirmation from Gordon personally of the machines authenticity.

Lancashire’s Ben Butterworth is handling the sale for a close family friend who has owned the AJS for many years.

Ben said: “I’ve been asked to help with the sale of the Ex-works trials AJS 350 which was Gordon Jackson’s machine, the owner is open to sensible offers and would consider a part exchange.

 

The AJS has been put up for sale as the current owner stated to Trials Guru that “I’m not getting any younger and will never use it so I’d like it to go to somebody who would appreciate it for what it is with the history.”

The ex-factory machine is expected to fetch a high price and it has generated significant interest by both private collectors and museums.

Trials Guru’s John Moffat a enthusiast of the marque added: “This is indeed a unique opportunity to own a piece of SSDT, AJS and British Trials history that doesn’t happen very often.”

Words: Trials Guru

Photos courtesy: Gas Gas Motorcycles & John Shirt Motorcycles Ltd

For many years the UK importer for the Gas Gas brand of trials motorcycles, John R. Shirt has formed John Shirt Motorcycles Ltd to become an authorised Gas Gas UK dealer.

Previously Shirt supplied trials dealers the length and breadth of the British isles with Gas Gas trials machines, but following the take-over of the Spanish brand by the Austrian based KTM organisation, matters have now changed dramatically.

KTM tested the trials market back in 1975, when they built a small number of prototype KTM trials machines and engaged Austrian Walther Luft and German Felix Krahnstover as development riders. Shortly after, the company decided to end the project and concentrate on development and production of both motocross and enduro machines.

John Shirt told Trials Guru: “I am excited by my new venture, Gas Gas had real financial problems since 2015, but now that the KTM organisation is fully in charge, matters have been resolved and now I am trading as an authorised Gas Gas dealer, selling bikes direct to the trials buying public at large. As an authorised dealer, we at John Shirt Motorcycles Ltd interface direct with the manufacturer, there is no official UK concessionaire any longer. I was very keen to continue with the brand which I have been loyal to for 30 years. I am looking forward to engaging with direct customers, many of whom I know are similarly loyal to the Gas Gas brand. I have already a team of great people at JSM raring to go.”

For more information, have a look at John Shirt’s official website: HERE

Photos of the new GAS GAS trials model:

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We are always on the lookout for something different on Trials Guru and French Bultaco enthusiast Gilles Escuyer never fails to produce something special.

This time it is a monoshock 125 ‘Bultaco’ as he has a brand affinity that goes back to his father Pierre’s age.

It is in effect a rare Gas Gas model with a 125cc Cagiva motor from a Merlin DG7 model that was produced in very low numbers around 1985. The fuel tank/seat unit is custom made. Front suspension are the well tested Marzocchi M1 items including yokes.

Carburation is taken care of by an Italian Dellorto unit. Swinging arm is in aluminium alloy.

Gilles told Trials Guru: “It is a bike that the Bultaco factory could have and should have made if it had not suffered financial ruin in the 1980s. I think most will find it an interesting air-cooled monoshock trials machine, with the Bultaco spirit.

We have called it the 197E because the 250 Sherpa was 198 and this is a smaller capacity. The Sherpa range ceased production with 198/199B and it would have been acceptable to continue with 198/199C then D and so on.”

Photo call for the Bultaco 197E:

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As promised, we have built a fresh page for the handiwork of photographer, Colin Bullock of CJB Photographic.

Jump straight to it HERE

We will shortly have a selection of Colin Bullock (CJB) images for you to look at on a permanent basis on Trials Guru.

Colin is beavering away in his boxes of photos and will select a number for your enjoyment, so watch this space as they say.

In the meantime, why not read up about the man himself:

Here!

Olga Kevelos and Me

Words by: Colin Turbett

In my early teens in Hampshire, friends and I would cycle out to watch off-road events at Weavers Down, and also the Greybeards Trial that would come by our house annually. Although I never got the opportunity to ride off-road properly (that seemed to be reserved to farming families), the bikes fascinated me. However that was all put behind when the magic age of 16 approached and we all began to get road bikes. My first biking was dirt tracks on a road BSA C15 250cc belonging to a friend but by the time my birthday in 1970 came I had my own (at the princely cost of £10), and had already notched up a lot of road miles when parents weren’t looking. Roll on the years and one awful Brit bike after another, but they had to go in favour of a car for work and family. In my early thirties I was able to get an old bike again and my passion for tinkering with, “restoring” and researching the, by now, ageing British marques, revived and gradually gained pace. Off-road interest got as far as owning a nice 1951 AJS 18CS but that was used very much for road riding, taking me as far as Poland for a rally on one occasion.  A CCM came and went and that of course had lots of off-road associations, but again, I never really had the opportunity so never tried…

After forty years of fairly heavy duty and demanding work, and with kids now grown up and away, retirement at the age of 61 meant I suddenly had time on my hands. I had written a lot of stuff, including two books, in relation to work matters, so writing came easy. I also habitually read up on anything that tickled my fancy – often following up on tasters from the classic bike magazines: makes, bikes and personalities. That was where I came across Olga Kevelos, but, to my surprise there was no book.  Further research also revealed that her story was a good one and that a book was overdue if not too late as she had died in 2009. At that point I knew not a single person who had been acquainted with her in any way – not being part of the Trials fraternity didn’t help in that respect.  What I turned up in those initial stages back in 2016 was fascinating, not least because it revealed a complex personality whose own spin about herself had led to a certain amount of myth – the biggest one being that she won two ISDT Gold Medals (she actually won one but thought she should have won another – you’ll have to read the book to find out more!). She was also a “looker”, and had clearly used her feminine charms to the utmost to lead an unusual and very full life.

The project of writing a book about Olga would probably have got no further than a magazine piece had researches not turned up a hoard of memorabilia on Ebay; this had been found, long abandoned, by builders renovating the Kevelos family home in Birmingham.  Using up some of my hard earned savings I managed to get quite a lot of this – several boxes full of old programmes, results sheets, letters, photographs and odds and ends. This included one or two tasty items but the valuable stuff – her trophies and medals – had long ago been “collected” after her death in Kings Sutton, Oxfordshire. I also made an appeal through the magazines for information and memories, and this turned up some fantastic results, putting me in touch with individuals like Michael Martin, whose well known motorcycling family were from the same neighbourhood as Olga and knew her very well.  Gradually the information came together although gaps and mysteries remained.  Sensitivities also emerged – Olga had, shall we say, an interesting sex life, and many of the personalities of the day fell victim to her charms although few seemed able to remember for one reason or another!  Her vibrant personality clearly made its mark on the Trials scene in her day, especially the Scottish, and the Midlands district – which she helped organise for several years after her retirement from the sport as a rider.

Researches over a year long period turned up enough information to describe Olga’s unusual background and childhood (her father was from a wealthy Greek family), and wartime experiences including the Birmingham Blitz and service on the canals (which never quite lived up to her childhood passion to become a seagoing buccaneer and marry Errol Flynn).  Her motorcycle sporting career started soon after the war through men she met at her father’s restaurant in the city centre of Birmingham, and it was soon clear that she had a talent even though she had never ridden prior to the age of 23. Trials was her forte and favourite, and of course it was open to women unlike other areas of motorcycle sport at that time.  During her years of activity she was associated with numerous makes but in particular the James and CZ factories.  She tried her hand at road racing, scrambles and car racing – showing pluck and determination in all that she did.

Olga ended up running a pub in Oxfordshire along with her brother Raymond. Those years too were eventful and enlivened by her character. She was a TV “Mastermind” contestant and a pub quiz aficionado until the end of her life. I called the book “Playing with the Boys” because that quote of her sums up exactly what she liked doing: she didn’t see herself as a feminist or pioneering woman even though her exploits offer example of both.  I feel fortunate, even though I never met Olga, to have had the opportunity to provide an account of her life.

The book was self-published and like many such enterprises (I now know!) suffered from layout issues and marketing difficulties despite efforts to widen exposure. I had two-hundred and fifty copies printed and they are nearly all sold. Having had some errors pointed out (thanks to Olivier Barjon!) and with new information to hand, a further edition might be worthwhile. However this time it would have to involve a publisher and one (who produced a more recent motorcycle book by me) has already said no, so this may or may not go anywhere – maybe a case of watch this space!

Colin Turbett, Isle of Arran, Scotland

Colin Turbett is a “Sometime social worker and trade unionist – continuing socialist activist and author – and biker!”

Trials Guru is always searching worldwide for interesting facts, figures, articles and photos from the world of trial, past and present for your enjoyment of our sport. That is why we say that Trials Guru is ‘Dedicated To The Sport’.

Words: Trials Guru

Photos: Iain Lawrie; John Honeyman; Grant Family; Peter Bremner; Wullie John Gillespie; Willie Gillespie.

‘The bike Willie built’ is no exception, it’s a domestic story pertinent to Scotland and features a man called Willie Pitblado, a mildly eccentric, but very interesting character from Fife and specifically the historic town of Dunfermline. This article is by way of a tribute to ‘Willie Pit’ as he was known, a true enthusiast.

Pitblado was a time served painter/decorator who was also a keen trials rider and a motorcycle enthusiast of note. He was born into a family of thirteen children.

He was a former rider, then official at the Scottish Six Days Trial, a life-long member of the Dunfermline & District MCC and a lover of the highland village of Rogart in Sutherland, where he found his bride Ann.

Willie set up the breaker firm of ‘Motorcycle Spares Scotland in Golf Drum Street in Dunfermline, initially with friends Alec Smith and John Davies, themselves trials riders.

Pitblado rode a variety of machines including a Greeves which he acquired in January 1961, registered WWS415 which had factory connections. He rode this Greeves in the SSDT.

Willie had an idea to build a special machine of his own, using a Triumph 3TA twin cylinder four-stroke motor that he prized from a road machine and his plan was to fit it in a Sprite frame. The Sprite was a fairly new brand, sold in kit form.

Pitblado thought for a name and using his own surname and that of the Sprite brand, he came up with The PITRITE.

The PITRITE was registered in Fife with the number DSP47D in April 1966. It was destined to be ridden on loan by a variety of riders, but its ownership was not to stray further than Pitblado’s extended family base, namely that of his nephew, Willie Gillespie.

Trials Guru’s John Moffat on Willie Pitblado: “I met Willie Pitblado when I was in my early teens when my father was collecting some parts to help with the restoration of his ex-factory Matchless around 1973.

We visited Willie Pit’s shop in Dunfermline and it was in an old house on three levels. It was an old property and was literally filled with bike parts from all makes and ages. I was surprised that Willie said to my father to go rake around until he found what he was looking for, we literally got the run of the place, but I learned that that was not how Willie usually did his business, far from it. Apparently Dad and Willie had known each other for many years and had a respect for each other, hence the freedom afforded to us.

“Years later, I was restoring a 1954 Matchless G3LS road bike and I needed the correct tank, wheels and a few more odds and sods. I drove over to Dunfermline from my parents home in Whitburn, West Lothian and again I went to Willie’s emporium.  He was at his counter with his old Alsatian dog and greeted me with ‘Hello Mr. AJS what can I sell ye today?” I explained that I needed parts for a Matchless to which he quipped: ‘They are both the same, just badge engineering’. Of course Willie was right.

I was about to be told to go look myself, but ‘watch the dog disna bite ye’ – when a man arrived behind me in the shop. He wanted a camshaft for a Triumph Bonneville, to which Willie asked what year? The man gave the year and Willie turned around and pulled one from the shelf behind him. ‘That will be £25’. The man said, ‘Would you take £20?’ Willie replied, ‘no, I’ll take £30’. The man looked astonished and said: ‘Hey, you are increasing the price!’ Willie replied ‘Aye, and you are trying to reduce it, now do you want this camshaft or no, because I have one and you dinna! Now either pay me what I want or get oot of my shop!’

The man paid Willie the £30 and left without another word.”

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Willie Pitblado was instantly recognisable on the public highway as his vehicle was either blue with the white cross of St. Andrew across it depicting the Scottish Saltire or he had a white vehicle with blue doubled ‘go faster stripes’ up the bonnet. If you waved at Willie on the road he would always give you the ‘peace’ sign, symbolic of American bikers of the era!

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