Few people in motorcycle sport will not have either heard, or come across, the name Barry Robinson.
Barry from Ilkley, West Yorkshire has been taking photos and reporting on events for over 60 years. He turns 86 on 19th October and shows no signs of slowing down.
Barry Robinson has been taking photographs for more than 60 years.
Serious about his craft, he joined the National Union of Journalists and he has worked on The Motor Cycle; MCN; Daily Telegraph; Californian Biker; Newsquest; Yorkshire TV to name but a few.
Robinson got to know Eric Rathmell, father of Malcolm back in 1953 when he rented a cottage in the village of Otley and became life-long friends with the Rathmells from that moment on.
Trials Guru’s John Moffat said: “I came across the name Barry Robinson by reading reports of trials in MCN when I was still at school. In particular an event that I attended as a spectator at Rochdale, the ACU Inter-Centre Team Trial that was in 1973. I was fortunate to be introduced to Barry some years ago when attending a Scott Trial and to my surprise he had heard of me, through the sport. Like most motorcyclists, he is a true enthusiast and I think his experience led him to believe that I was too and we hit it off. Since then he has taken my photo many times when interviewing and he has allowed me to use these here on Trials Guru. I spent a whole day with him and Eric Kitchen at ‘Goats’ during the Reeth Three Day trial a few years ago, which was a very entertaining experience. It was a joy to see these two guys at work and the banter between them was hilarious”.
Richmond sidecar trials driver, Barry Watson told Trials Guru: “I first met Barry Robinson in 1976 at the Allan Jefferies Trial, which Ronnie Suttill and I won, beating Arthur Lampkin. In his words, he said, well I suppose I had better take a photograph seeing you have won!”
Robinson has actually ridden many factory bikes in his time, especially those of Malcolm Rathmell. These included the works Bultacos, Montesas and of course Beamish Suzuki.
Trying out Malcolm Rathmell’s factory Montesa in 1982, Robinson has had his leg over quite a few factory machines in his day.
He has also had close ties with the Lampkins, especially Arthur, the eldest of the Silsden brothers.
Barry Robinson astride a 750 MV Agusta, which belonged to Mallory Park owner, Chris Meek. MCN borrowed it for a road test, but damaged the motor.
A very private person, Barry Robinson told Trials Guru: “Not a lot of people are aware of my long connection with the Rathmell and Lampkin families or that I actually rode trials, as an expert; scrambles, as an idiot, or that I was a Yorkshire and Lancashire champion grass track sidecar passenger and rode in televised scrambles as a solo and sidecar passenger”.
Malcolm Rathmell’s factory Montesa Cota 349 in 1982 – photographed by Barry Robinson
Robinson has also been a Speedway referee, a TT and Ulster GP mechanic for Alan Shepherd and Rob Fitton and an ACU road race steward. He was also an assistant clerk of the course of the Ilkley Grand National to Eric Rathmell for 25 years. He also ran the Dunlop press office at the SSDT for three years when the tyre company sponsored the event.
Barry has captured on both roll film and digitally all of the top riders of their day.
Rob Edwards relaxes after the Scott Trial in 1981 -Photo Copyright: Barry Robinson, Ilkely.
Happy birthday Barry on the 19th of October, you have a good few miles and events to cover yet!
This tribute to Barry Robinson on his 86th birthday is copyright.
Article: Trials Guru / MoffatRacing ~ 2017
Photographs: Barry Robinson ~ world wide copyright, All Rights Reserved
Craig Houston is the new Scottish Premier Trials Champion – Photo: Brian Gray Photography
Craig Houston is the 2017 Scottish Premier Trials Champion. He is the first Ayrshireman to hold the Scottish Trials Championship Premier class since it began back in 1955.
Known in the Scottish Trials world as ‘Housty’, Trials Guru was quick of the mark to do a ‘five minutes with’ style interview with the man himself.
Craig Houston is the first Ayshireman to win the Scottish title – Photo: Brian Gray Photography
Craig: “My Dad, George, also a trials rider, got me into motorcycle sport, he got me a Yamaha PW50 at four years old and a Yamaha TY80 a few years later.
I didn’t compete until I was around twelve when I entered the local Stevenston and Dalmellington clubs’ trials riding a brute of a 1999 Beta Techno!
I have 2 major influences in trials, firstly school teacher, Alan MacDonald, who was not only my maths teacher but my trials teacher in the early days!
He used to throw me out of his class during the day and then I’d go out practising with him and his brother, Duncan at night!
He used to get annoyed when I called him ‘Mr Macdonald’ at trials as it made him feel old. I still do it now and again, but he is old now so it’s fine.
My other big influence is Gary Macdonald, who has helped me a lot over the years and actually got me back into trials after giving up for three years when I turned nineteen.
He’s a pretty awesome trials rider and definitely the best Scotland has seen- and probably will see for a long time yet.
My all time favourite trials rider is Takumi Narita, I think he was awesome, his riding style was great to watch and way ahead of it’s time”.
‘Housty’ on his Duncan Wood supplied Scorpa 300 – Photo: Brian Gray Photography
Trials Guru: What is your line of work Craig?
“I’m a mechanical fitter working in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. My job is well suited to maintaining motorcycles which is great.
Now I’ve won the Scottish championship I want to try and do better at national events down south, like the S3 rounds and the BTC, the Scott and the big one will always be the SSDT.
I hope to string a good week together up in the Highlands one year! I am also looking forward to trying to retain the title next year against Andy Anderson, Joe Dawson and Duncan MacColl. Should make for an interesting championship in 2018!
I have to say a massive thank you to Duncan Wood at East Neuk Trials Motorcycles who has been helping me out since 2014, without him I wouldn’t be able to to do what I love so thank you very much”.
Thanks to Craig Houston for taking time out from his busy schedule and best of luck for next season, 2018.
Article Copyright: Trials Guru/MoffatRacing 2017
Photographs copyright: Brian Gray Photography, Shetland Isles –
Trials Guru is honoured to be permitted access to the photographs taken by the well-known film-maker, Mr. Charles Harold Wood of Bradford, who began a photographic career in 1922.
The firm of C.H. Wood (Bradford) Limited, formed in 1932 made many films for Castrol oils, both to publicise their products and promote motor sport in general.
Many motor and motor cycle clubs made use of the Castrol film facility for club film show evenings across the length and breadth of the UK.
Recently David Wood, son of C.H. Wood was speaking to Trials Guru’s John Moffat and they realised that they had family connections back to the late ninteen sixties and seventies.
In 1968, the Wood film company were shooting a film in Scotland at Ryeflat Farm, Carstairs, Lanarkshire. This was a scrambles event run by the Edinburgh Southern MC and Moffat’s father, T. Arnott Moffat was instrumental in organising the filming which was eventually formed part of the Castrol film, ‘Quartet for Two Wheels’. This was four motorcycle events in one movie. A scramble in Scotland, the Inter Centre Team Trial in Wales, Racing at Scarborough’s Olivers Mount and road racing at Kirkistown in County Down, Northern Ireland.
Filming at Ryeflat, Carstairs for ‘Quartet for Two Wheels’ – An unknown piper with Mrs. C.H. Wood recording sound, watched by director, Harold Wood, Derek Guy of Castrol and David Wood captures the action on a professional cine camera. Copyright – David Wood Archive
The Wood family attended these events and both David and Harold Wood met Arnott Moffat. David also met Moffat at many Scottish Six Days Trials over the years, when on location to make more films for the Castrol Film Library.
David Wood and John Moffat met at the 2014 Scott Trial Reunion dinner at the Ripon Spa Hotel, organised by mutual friend Alan ‘Sid’ Lampkin.
Scott Trial Reunion 2014 – Left to right: Arthur Lampkin; the late Martin Lampkin; Rob Edwards (on Scott machine); Alan ‘Sid’ Lampkin; David Wood; John Brittain & John Moffat
Some time later, David started looking at Trials Guru website and decided that it would be a good place to allow some of his father’s trials archive to be seen.
David Wood told Trials Guru recently: “My father was C. H. Wood of course but after he retired I ran the company for another twenty years, making over two-hundred motor sport films not only for Castrol and Shell, but for companies such as BSA/Triumph, Yamaha, Honda, Camel, Champion, Dunlop and Suzuki. The last Scottish Six Days film I made was ‘Mick Andrews Trials Champion’.
Camera, action! – David Wood seen here filming Mick Andrews in 1973 at Edinburgh’s Gorgie Market at the start of the SSDT during the making of ‘Mick Andrews Trials Champion’ for Yamaha Motor Company. Photo courtesy of David Wood Archive
I kept the C. H. Wood name as a tribute to my father, but many people think he was a one man band who made films for 70 odd years. When I retired C.H. Wood (Bradford) Ltd had a staff of over 30.
The later films were made with quite large crews and though it was hard work I wouldn’t change anything”.
What better opportunity to do this but at Scott Trial time. So here we are, some examples of C.H. Wood’s work, some never having been seen in public before.
Trials Guru are delighted to be able to bring you these images and are indebted to David Wood’s generosity.
Please be aware that all these images belong to the David Wood Archive and no reproduction can be made without express written permission from Mr. David Wood.
Don Morley (right) receives his chain of office from Chairman, Ken Blake – Photo: John Knight (former British Trophy team member ISDT)
Renowned international photographer and trials rider, Don Morley has taken over as the next Honorary President of The Association Of Pioneer Motorcyclists (APMC).
Ken Blake who is the APMC’s immediate past Hon President and now the new Chairman welcomed Don to his new post at a special investiture meeting of the Association.
Don is the 49th Honorary President in the Associations’ 70 year history, and most of his predecessors have either been former TT racing or motorcycle industry greats, so it is regarded as being a wonderful personal honour.
Morley spoke to Trial Guru: “I still have no clue as to how or why I was chosen although I have been a APMC committee member in the past. The APMC is in fact a life membership association open to anyone who has held a motorcycle licence for fifty years or more, but is in fact stuffed full of former competitive riders like ourselves”.
Don Morley has achieved much in his career as a sports and world photographic correspondent, here are a list of his life-time achievements:
Ex-Chief Photographer For The British Olympic Association
Rolls Royce Staff Photographer
MCN Photographer Writer 1957 on,
The Motor Cycle & Autocar (IPC Magazines London) Staff Photographer
Winner ‘Time Life Man in Sport Photography Award’ (USA)
Assistant Chief Photographer –United Newspapers
Staff Photographer/Picture Editor – The Guardian.
Chief Photographer –Sports World & Worldsports Magazines
Chief Photographer. – The Football League Review
Three Times Motoring Photographer of the Year,
Winner -AIPS International Sports Photographer Award
Winner -Royal Photographic Society/Sports Council Sport For All Photography Award
Winner Sports Picture Of the Year Award
Chief Photographer & Photographic Manager -World Student Games
Founding Member International Race Press Association (IRPA)
Chief Photographic Liaison Officer IRTA (All Grand Prix Race Circuits Worldwide)
Founder, Past Chairman & Hon Member –The Professional Sports Photographers Association
Co Founder, Director –All-Sports Photographic Agency (Now Getty Images)
Author – 24 books Most on Motorcycle Marques with six on photography, ‘A’ List SPA Judge, Founding Leader Of SPA Photojournalism Group. Winner Numerous Professional Photographic awards.
Here at Trials Guru, we are always looking for something different and original and instead of featuring a rider, we obtained this article about the unsung heroes of our sport, the observers. Without observers, we would have no events. Trials Guru asked an observers’ daughter to pen us an article, this is the result.
Words and photos provided by Helen Graham:
Following a photograph of a well-known and reliable observer ‘Farmer John’ being featured on social media, a flurry of praise ensued with comments such as: Legend; Respect; “Hope I can do that at his age”; “Dedicated to North East Trials”.
There were also questions raised about the life of this 87 year old man in a flat cap, who braves all weathers to observe at trials throughout the North East and beyond.
John Graham was born on 10th January 1930 in Blanchland, Northumberland and at an early age moved with his parents to a rented farm in Hexhamshire, where he lived until the age of twelve when the family moved to a different farm in Hexhamshire, known as High Raw Green, not far from Whitley Chapel.
John wanted to join the RAF as he wanted a trade, and particularly wished to be a mechanic on aeroplanes.
Sadly this was not to be, as being an only child it was expected that he would work for his father and then take over the tenancy of the farm, which was owned by Northumberland County Council.
Let us not forget that in those days there were few cars or tractors, and work on the farm was by means of four legged ‘horse-power’. John states his father got the first family car in 1947, and only after that did they get a tractor on the farm.
Farmer John has only ever possessed one motor cycle, a 1950 Ariel 500 with sidecar. He describes the sidecar as a “wooden box for carrying stuff in”.
John got married to his wife Nancy in 1958, and in 1962 they began farming for themselves at High Raw Green. Sadly the Ariel 500 and ‘box’ had to be swapped for a wagon chassis to make a trailer to be used on the farm. Money was scarce and any available was put into the farm. John is a self-taught engineer and this was not the only trailer that he has built throughout his life.
John and Nancy had a hard life on their dairy farm. They had a herd of over 40 friesian dairy cows to be milked every morning and evening. In summer there was hay and silage to harvest. In winter there were severe snowstorms and John was a well-recognised figure out on his tractor with snow plough fitted to the back, to clear the local roads of snow so that the milk tanker could get to the farms to take the daily production of milk from the farms to the dairy.
John and his younger daughter Anthea began going to motocross every Sunday afternoon. He described it as “an interest, at weekends”.
In 1991 when he and Nancy retired from farming John started to go to motorcycle trials, and says that Harry Norman “roped him in to observe”, and he has been doing so ever since, for 26 years in fact.
Let us not also forget that since John retired from farming in 1991 he has worked continuously at Hexham Auction Mart as a stock person, a manual job, and starts work there at 7am every Tuesday and Friday, and other days when sheep and cattle or other sales take place.
John has observed at all local trials, plus the Yorkshire and Cumberland main trials, and this year is his 20th year for observing at the Scottish Pre-65.
His elder daughter Helen questioned him closely: What do you enjoy about being an Observer?.
His immediate reply, with a wry smile, was “Authority”!
She asked – Do you want to elaborate on that?, and Farmer John replied “to make sure there’s no rock-shifting”.
She asked him what he thinks about observing in wind and rain and all types of weather and his matter-of-fact reply was “It doesn’t bother me because I’ve been used to it all my life”.
Has he a favourite venue?
FJ: “No, but the Scottish Pre-65 is one I enjoy very much. It was a one-day effort originally, and I observed at Pollock Hill for 12 years, The Pipeline, twice or thrice at the hotel up on the top. It was Brian Short who ran the Weardale Trial who got me to do it. They always wanted me to observe at the Scottish Six Days Trial but I declined, it was unfair on anyone that was with me because I would be out from 7am – 7pm. I’ve seen most of the sections at one time or another.”
Does he have any problems with any of the riders?
FJ: “Some of them didn’t like getting Fives but there’s no arguments nowadays because a Five is a Five! I know most of the riders well now“.
What do you think of the new/young riders who are taking part in trials now?
FJ: “They are progressing well“.
A lot of people are surprised you are so fit and healthy at your age of 87 years. What do you put that down to? – FJ: “Hard work“.
How long do you intend to continue? – FJ: “Till I Die“.
Well ‘Farmer John’, let’s hope that’s not for some time yet!!
His daughters just also want to say that behind every good man there is a good woman, and Farmer Johns’ wife Nancy still makes his bag of ‘bait’ every Sunday morning for him, before he heads off to the relevant Trial of the day, and has his cooked meal ready for him when he gets home.
Legend is probably quite fitting, don’t you think?
2017 Pre’65 Scottish Trial – Major Gaff!
When 87 year old Farmer John Graham was asked if he had a favourite venue to observe at he described the Pre’65 Scottish as being ‘The Trial’.
This year, 2017 was to be his twentieth year as an observer at the Pre’65 Scottish Trial.
His daughter Helen has always said that for as long as he wants to observe she will drive him the 225 miles to Kinlochleven from his home town of Hexham, Northumberland.
This duly happened this year, and she drove Farmer John and wife Nancy on a beautiful sunny day from Hexham to what had been a wet day in Kinlochleven.
Farmer John had been given a brand new section to observe at on Friday 28th April 2017, at Man na Gualain. He was most concerned that he had not checked it out. Helen took him to the meeting of all observers the evening beforehand and once having received his official programme he was keen to check out his section.
Farmer John Graham (right) gets into position to observe – Photo: Helen Graham, Consett
He was duly at Kinlochleven checking in the following morning and was duly at his section well before he needed to be, so keen is he!
Farmer John was glad to find that the section was harder than what he thought it would be and “riders lost quite a few marks”. He was as ever vigilant that there was no “rock-moving” and he thoroughly enjoyed his day, chatting with entrants and people who were watching the trial.
Saturday was a section he had been at previously, Camas na Muic, and the only blight in his day was the amount of riders who stood on a particular “rock” in the section in an attempt to move it. As ever he was on the ball and fair in his marking.
Unbeknown to him organisers of the Pre-65 Scottish wanted to acknowledge his 20 years of observing at the awards evening on Saturday 29th April. He is not a big social attender but Helen suggested it might be nice to go as he hadn’t been previously, so he obliged.
Farmer John was there presented with an engraved whisky glass and medal acknowledging his 20 years of observing. He was very grateful, albeit very confused when the organisers made a huge and very embarrassing blunder by having the presenter, Graham Archer mention that he was retiring.
Oops! Graham Archer (right) and Colin Dommett (Centre) received incorrect information that ‘Farmer John’ was retiring, whereas it was actually for recognition of twenty years service for observing! Farmer John accepts his award in his usual shy manner and certainly isn’t retiring – Photo: Helen Graham, Consett
Well, his daughter Helen was very quick to point out, that is the first she had heard of him retiring, and he has made no decision to do so!
As an interesting aside, after his two days observing Farmer John, Nancy and Helen travelled down the west coast to Portpatrick for an overnight stay there. Farmer John and Nancy had stayed there almost fifty-nine years previously on their honeymoon. Farmer John was again in his element with his other interest, seeing the countryside and cattle on the Mull of Galloway and visiting a farm near Whithorn, Dumfries and Galloway which belongs to a cattle dealer that is a client at Hexham Auction Mart where Farmer John works.
Roll on your 21st Pre’65 Scottish Trial Farmer John, and never lose your interests.
Article: Copyright – Trials Guru & Helen Graham 2017
Photos: Helen Graham, Consett
Farmer John (left) with North East riders, Darren Palmer (Centre) and Gavin Brown( Right)
Sadly John Graham passed away on 7th December 2020, aged 90 years.
John Graham was diagnosed with cancer on 19th November 2020. He had been out observing at a motorcycle trial as late as the 12th September. The nurses who treated John told his family they had never known anyone as strong, and they called him ‘individual’. The sum of £4000 has been raised in donations for Tynedale Hospice at Home. Trials riders followed the funeral cortege around Hexham Auction Mart where John had worked from his retirement from farming in 1991. Around 200 farmers, friends, family and about 30 trials riders on their bikes, in effect his worlds united with mutual respect.
Memorial to Farmer John Graham – Dedicated To Trial
Apart from ‘Fair Dealing’ for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, no part of this article may be copied, reproduced, stored in any form of retrieval system, electronic or otherwise or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, mechanical, optical, chemical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author as stated above. This article is not being published for any monetary reward or monetisation, be that online or in print.
Photos: Jimmy Young – Iain Lawrie – Kimages/Kim Ferguson
Alastair Macgillivray in 1978 – Photo: Jimmy Young, Armadale
Two times a Scottish trials champion, 1974 & 1979, from Banavie, Fort William, Alastair Macgillivray is an electrician by trade and was brought up at ‘Muirshearlich’ near to where a group of sections for the Scottish Six Days were situated – ‘Trotter’s Burn’.
Alastair Macgillivray shares a joke with Mallaig man, Alan Mcdonald at Lagnaha in 2015 – Photo: Kimages/Kim Ferguson
Known to all the locals as simply, ‘Allie-Magill’, the quiet spoken Lochaber-man was a force to be reckoned with in the late 1970s and early 1980s in Scottish Trials.
Alastair Macgillivray (Bultaco) on Cnoc-a-Linnhe in the 1981 SSDT – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
He is the cousin of Rodger Mount, himself a three-time Scottish Trials Champion (1971-1973).
Alastair Macgillivray on his Bultaco Sherpa 250 in 1972 at the Kinlochleven Spring Trial (Now Ian Pollock Memorial) captured by Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven.
Always a member of Lochaber & District MCC and at one time a secretary of the club, Alastair rode mainly Bultaco Sherpas from 1971 until 1982 when he moved on to ride Fantics in Scottish nationals and in the Scottish Six Days.
Alastair MacGillivray (Bultaco 325) at Scottish Experts & National Trial, Achallader, Bridge of Orchy 1978 – Photo: Jimmy Young
He acted as a ‘back-marker’ official at the SSDT for many years after he ceased riding regularly in trials.
Former Scottish Trials Champion, Alastair MacGillivray from Fort William on a 325 Bultaco at a very wet Forfar trial around 1980. He has the benefit of having an earlier air-box fitted which helped these bikes, but they were bad for taking on water! – Photo: Jimmy Young
Macgillivray won the Scottish championship in 1979 after coming very close to winning in 1978, but lost out at the penultimate round at the Glentanner Estate in Kincardineshire run by Bon Accord MCC, leaving the championship spoils open to eventual joint winners, John Winthrop and Robin Cownie.
Alastair McGillivray Scottish Trials Champion in 1974 & 1979 (Fort William) seen here on a 200c Fantic at the Lanarkshire Valente Trial in 1981 – Photo: Jimmy Young, Armadale
Alastair is also an accomplished fly-fisherman, particularly trout fishing and has won many competitions, one of which the prize was the use of a Lexus car for a year being the Lexus Fly-Fishing Champion in 2012.
Taken around 1970 – From left: Allie ‘Beag’ Cameron; Kenny Fleming; Rodger Mount & Alastair Macgillivray
The Premier Trial Sport Website for photos, articles, news and the history of motorcycle trials
PETER MITCHELL – a Scottish Trials Character – 1942 – 2011.
Peter Mitchell – 1942-2011
Words: John Moffat, Isobel & Duncan Mitchell
Photos: Eric Kitchen; Jimmy Young, Armadale; Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven; Colin Bullock/CJB Photographic, Solihull; Anthony MacMillan, Fort William*; Richi Foss, Inverness; Mitchell Family Archive.
Peter Mitchell having a cautionary dab on his 250 Suzuki at a Forfar event around 1980. Photo: Jimmy Young
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One of Scottish trials best-known characters was Peter Mitchell. Born in the granite city of Aberdeen on 20th July 1942, he was the youngest of six children with four sisters and one brother, also a trials rider.
Peter Mitchell on elder brother Colin’s 16c AJS at Skatie Shore in 1962
Elder brother Colin competed in the SSDT and many events having been demobbed from his national service in 1959 and purchased a new 350 AJS 16C from Comerfords at Thames Ditton, a machine that Peter would ride on occasion.
Elder brother, Colin Mitchell seen here on his Beamish Suzuki in 1979
Peter attended school in Aberdeen, firstly at Mile End primary school and then Stonehaven’s Feteresso and Mackie Academies. Married to Isobel, they had four children, Duncan, Derek, Stuart and daughter, Alison. His nephews were Alan and Richard, Colin’s two sons.
Peter’s elder brother Colin seen here in 1979 with his Beamish Suzuki. Colin was a car body repair specialist and rode many events together with Peter Mitchell.
Isobel recalls: “Peter started scrambling as a member of Bon Accord MCC at the age of sixteen at a meeting at Findon near Aberdeen. Although I did not know him at the time, I used to go along to the scrambles to watch the racing, but never thought that on the 28th of December 1966, I would be married to him”.
Peter Mitchell scrambled a BSA Gold Star at one time, but a bad crash put him out of scrambling and he decided to concentrate his motorcycle efforts into trials, like his elder brother Colin.
Peter on his BSA Gold Star scrambler – Photo courtesy: Mrs Isobel Mitchell
Young Mitchell worked in various jobs as a builder, digger driver, lorry driver and with a demolition company. At the weekends he also worked at his brother Colin’s garage, where he would dismantle cars for parts reclamation and sales, this was before the advent of large vehicle dismantlers such as Overton Dismantlers. The beyond use parts were sent away to the scrap yards for crushing. Dismantling work was always done on a Saturday when his four sons were also involved, by donning their boiler suits to work at removing parts from the cars. Lunch times involved a trip to the Cammachmore public house where pie, beans and chips and a few pints were called for, while the children got a game of pool and a soft drink.
The camaraderie of Scottish trials is shown in this photo of Peter Mitchell at the 1988 SSDT start. If you look closely to the left, the man reaching forward with his hand to his face is Jimmy (J.D.) Morton of Sorn, Ayrshire – shouting ‘words of encouragement’ to Peter as he is piped away!
Son Duncan Mitchell, also a trials rider: “We used to get to drive the cars around the fields until they broke down, crashed them, or ran out of fuel, then we used Uncle Colin’s Land Rover to recover them, syphon the petrol from the cars so we could all use our bikes to race about the fields next door”.
Duncan Mitchell now rides Peter’s 350cc BSA B40, which he called his ‘secret weapon’ when it was first built. Duncan believes in keeping his Father’s memory alive in Pre’65 events, seen here at the Highland Classic on Alvie Estate, near Aviemore – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
Peter was also a supervisor at George McGowan civil construction, operated by the brother to Rodger McGowan, who ran the Aberdeen bike shop ‘McGowan Motor Cycles’. After McGowan closed his company, Peter was made redundant and started out as self-employed, setting up a building company simply called Peter Mitchell Builders. He had the assistance from all his children on weekends and summer holidays to assist with any jobs they could undertake.
Duncan: “I remember this one time we built a wall and set the coping stones on it, then put the scratch coating on it all in one long day, Dad then said to me ‘great job let’s wash out the mixer’. He said to me to put some stones in the drum to knock off the mortar from it, so that is what I did, this was a ‘tow behind’ mixer so you can imagine where the stones came from, the wheel chocks! Well it took off down the hill and went clean through the wall, I’ve never ran so fast”.
Mind on the job in hand, Peter Mitchell (Beamish Suzuki) at the 1980 Aberfeldy Two-Day Trial – Photo: Jimmy Young
In 1998 Peter had a heart attack and was forced to give up his company. After he had some rest and was finished all the bikes in the garage he got a job with Ready Mixed Concrete (RMC Group) at Durris Quarry where he was in charge of the batching plant. He had a good easier job there and had a shed there where he could tinker with his bikes, also had a folding seat that he could sit outside when he was not too busy.
In 1982, Peter Mitchell rode and finished with this 238cc Bultaco in the Scottish Six Days.
Recycling:
Duncan Mitchell: “When the RMC company closed the Durris plant, Dad then got a job working driving skip lorries for a living, he was in his element here as many a good thing was discovered in a skip was what he told me. Many a tool and other things used to come home”.
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1988 Scottish Six Days with Peter taking a hefty dab and advertising the ‘YAMSCOT’ support as he gets the TY250R Yamaha up the big step at ‘Witches Burn’
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Eyes front and concentrating hard, 1993 Scottish Six Days on the TY250R Yamaha – Photo: Colin Bullock/CJB Photographic, Solihull
Family Man:
Peter was a real family man; he was Grandfather to Nicole and Callum, Katy and Iona, and father-in-law to Fiona, Pauline, Willie & Jill. He was also a Step Grandfather to Leanne, Darren and Liam with Great grandchildren, Tony and Sol. Son Stuart was not captivated by motorcycles, preferring football and golf as his sports.
Family man! Peter on his 1969 Bultaco M.27 Sherpa with his children Duncan, Derek and Alison.
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Family was important to Peter Mitchell, seen here with son Duncan, daughter-in-law Jill, and wife Isobel at the finish of another SSDT for Duncan on the TYZ Yamaha.
Derek did both trials and motocross and also car rallying, autocross and hill climbs. He also took part at the Alford Museum popular moped race on a Yamaha DT50 and won this several times including the first year it was organised. Derek worked at Shirlaws Motorcycles for many years.
Waving a precautionary right foot, Peter Mitchell was a regular competitor at the Loch Lomond ‘Dan Stewart Memorial’ 2 Day Trial, seen here at the 1980 event on his 250cc Yamaha TY ‘Yamscot’ – Photo: Jimmy Young, Armadale
Alison was also a trials rider and rode for many years and only gave up competing to have a family and start a new business. Duncan Mitchell still rides trials most weekends, with the moped racing at Alford in September. He also assists the Bon Accord club whenever possible, the SSDT, Loch Lomond Two Day and at club trials. He was also the Bon Accord trials and enduro convener for a number of years and also set up the 2 Day events at Ballindalloch, where the barn dances were epic many a good weekend spent there.
Scottish Six Days in 1989 with Peter Mitchell on a Fantic 305 on Ben Nevis.
Peter Mitchell played Football for a local team in Cove Bay, until he got struck with the ball and punctured his lung. He was also an officer in the Boys Brigade 1st Cove Juniors.
Never one for sitting polishing his machines, Peter weighs in his well used 240 Fantic for the 1984 Scottish Six Days Trial
Peter was a member of the Bon Accord MCC for over 50 years, and other various clubs through Scotland and England from Rogart in the north of Scotland to Somerset in the south of England. He took part in scrambles, grass track racing, trials, enduro and also stock car racing.
Music:
Peter loved country music and also loved to go to the speedway racing, especially Cradley Heath when on holidays in the south. Peters motto in life was “Love me, love my bike – have bike will travel” and so the whole family joined in for many happy and enjoyable years, trekking up and down the country and making lots of friends along the way.
John Dickinson, formerly Editor of T&MX News: “I was minding my own business one day at home when I looked out of my window and suddenly there was Peter Mitchell and family walking outside my house, he had called into Kendal on holiday, knowing I lived there and began searching for me just to say hello”.
Hard riding Peter on his BSA B40 on Cameron Hill in the 2009 Pre’65 Scottish – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
Duncan: “In 2009 we had a great holiday, we flew to Birmingham, hired a car and went to Cardiff to the world speed way cup and also visited the Sammy Miller Museum which was a place my Dad wanted to visit for a long time. We then watched the speedway racing at Eastbourne and then on to a meeting at Wolverhampton before handing back the hired car with over 1,000 miles on it”. “We had a great holiday, but little did we know what laid ahead of us. Sadly in the following April, Dad was diagnosed with cancer the week before we were heading up to Fort William. He rode the Pre-65 trial at Kinlochleven, but sadly this would be his last. He loved the area and loved the events there, after a long battle, he passed away on the 13th February 2011”.
Peter Mitchell enjoys a post event chat (and beer!) at the Scottish Six Days with (from left): Rab Paterson, Derek Mitchell, Peter, Duncan Mitchell and Alan Johnston.
Trials Guru’s John Moffat: “I was extremely privileged to be invited by the Mitchell family to speak at Peter’s funeral in 2011. I had known of Peter and his brother Colin before I started riding trials in 1974. Peter was a great character, he always greeted you with a broad smile and was always keen to chat about the sport whenever he met you. Never a shrinking violet, he was a hard rider, but had a heart of gold. The kind of guy that you could rely upon”.
No time to look at the scenery in 1984, Peter Mitchell tackles Laggan Locks in the morning sunshine of the Tuesday, 8th May on his 240cc Fantic.
Peter took part in many events and won many trophies over the years. He was Best up to 250cc in the SSDT, best Scottish rider in the Pre’65, Best over 350cc in the Pre’65 trial. Peter had ridden the Pre-65, then the SSDT, followed by the Lochaber Invaders trial which was the equivalent to nine one-day trials on the trot.
Duncan: “He was proud to show me the way around the hills of the SSDT course, not many people get the chance to do things like this with their fathers. I was so proud to have known this man for the time I did, I have so many experiences and great fun with him. He was to me a great man, missed by us all”. Peter also was one of a few that rode all of the Loch Lomond Dan Stewart Two-Day Trial up to the events’ 25 years celebration. It is believed that it was Ian Abbot and Peter were the only two to have ridden them all.
He annually rode the Forfar & Perth & District Club’s Aberfeldy Two-Day trial and along with a few others received a long-time rider award, this was a special motorcycle trophy made by a local artist, constructed from spark plugs, gears and bolts. In 2008, Peter received a life time achievers award for services to motorcycle sport from the Scottish ACU.
When undergoing treatment for cancer, Peter had numerous chemotherapy sessions but he still managed to ride the Scottish AMCA Over-40 series and finished the season by winning the championship. Sadly, he died while he was a reigning champion and never got the chance to defend this title.
Peter Mitchell’s career highlights:
Pre 65 Scottish: 1989-2010
Started the event as number 1 in 1994
Best finish was 4th overall in 1995
SSDT: 1978-1997
Started the trial as number 1 in 1998.
Getting his time-card from the official guest starter in the 1988 Scottish Six Days, Peter on his Yamaha TY250R at the start in Fort William, issued with number 1 – Photo: Anthony MacMillan, Fort William*
Peter rode for the Aberdeen based Yamscot team in 1978 won the ‘Eigg Cup’ for best performance on a motorcycle under 250cc, riding a TY 175 Yamaha, he rode with Jock Fraser and John Winthrop.
Peter Mitchell in his first SSDT in 1978 on the TY175 Yamaha on Blackwater
Peter rode a variety of machines in the SSDT, Yamaha TY 175, TY 250, Beamish Suzuki, Bultaco, Fantic, Yamaha TY 250R Mono, TYZ, Gas Gas, and completed his last SSDT on a TYZ model Yamaha.
A fantastic shot of Peter Mitchell on his Yamaha TYZ climbing ‘Garbh Bheinn’ in the 1997 Scottish Six Days Trial, watched by Richmond clubmen, John Fraser and Andrew Kearton – Photo: Worldwide copyright – ERIC KITCHEN – (all rights reserved).
In 1994 Peter was in the winning team which were awarded the ‘Jackie Williamson’ trophy for the best Scottish team with Duncan Mitchell and Neil McGregor for the Bon Accord club, this was the first time the trophy was presented.
Grimacing with the effort of concentration in the 1998 Scottish Six Days, Peter Mitchell on the 250 Gas Gas at Piper’s Burn.
On the lighter side, Peter raced in the ‘Team Kwackersaki’ for McGowan Motorcycles with son Duncan from 1991 -1995 where they won the Scottish moped racing crown on several occasions.
Peter enjoys a pint and some grub after a hard day on the bike!
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Peter Mitchell Memorial Trophy:
The Peter Mitchell Memorial Trophy, the trophy which was made by Inverness artisan, Richi Foss, the base was made by Peter’s eldest son Stuart.
After his death, Isobel Mitchell approached the Inverness based welder/fabricator and artisan, Richi Foss to commission a special trophy in Peter’s memory. It was to be presented to the Edinburgh & District Motor Club Pre’65 committee for the oldest finisher award at the annual Pre’65 Scottish Trial.
Foss undertook the commission and the first winner was none other than seven times TT winner, Mick Grant. Foss was delighted to hear that news, being a motorcyclist himself.
If you look at the Peter Mitchell trophy you will see that the rider is climbing his machine over a large granite out-crop, this is significant, as it represents the granite from Peter’s homeland of Aberdeen and also that he was always regarded as a ‘hard rider’.
Being an artisan, Foss contacted a ‘person’ who knew Peter Mitchell well and questioned him closely about Peter’s life and his career as a trials rider. Foss took all this information he had gleaned from the fellow enthusiast and thought about it long and hard before forming his ideas as to how the trophy would look. He also studied some photos of Mitchell in action, noticing that he rarely rode with a crash helmet with a peak fitted for example.
Foss wanted to capture the ‘spirit’ of Peter Mitchell in the finished article. This he achieved and the trophy was greeted with great pleasure by the Mitchell family when it was handed over to them by its’ creator.
Richi Foss has achieved the impossible when you realise that the wheels carry no visible spokes as they are spinning too fast for the eye to see, thus giving the piece the impression of ‘motion’.
The specially commissioned trophy for the oldest finisher in the Pre’65 Scottish Trial in memory of Peter Mitchell. Made by the Inverness artisan, Richi Foss of Foss Fabrication and Welding
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The Peter Mitchell trophy rear view – Photo: Richi Foss
Trials Guru is indebted to the Mitchell family for their assistance in compiling this tribute to a true character and sportsman of Scottish motorcycle trials.
* Alistair MacMillan / West Highland News Agency, Fort William (with permission of current copyright holder: Anthony MacMillan, Fort William – All rights reserved)
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The Yamscot Team in the 1985 SSDT – from left: Peter Mitchell; Alan Fender and the late Ian Fender who lost his life in a road accident during the 1991 event.
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Article copyright: Trials Guru/Moffat Racing 2016
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If you want to know more about Scottish Motorcycle Sport from 1975 – 2005 click … HERE
Former White Helmet team member, Tom Walker in 2012
Trials Guru has been chatting to a Scot who became a well known face in many motorcycle shops during the mid 1970s when employed as a sales representative for the Barnard Castle based trials and motocross clothing manufacturer, TT Leathers International.
It was TT Leathers that pioneered coloured apparel for the sport of trials in 1973 with their RUFRYDA equivalent to the world famous Barbour and Belstaff suits. Whilst these were all of a similar design, TT Leathers introduced both a green and red base colour alternative to the traditional black waxed cotton of the rival producers.
Subsequently they introduced their Vystram two piece suits and one piece summer trials suits from 1975.
The TT Leathers Vystram trials suit from 1977 brought colour to the sport – Photo: Trials Guru/Moffat Racing
Tom Walker was originally from Ayrshire and joined the British Army, he takes up the story…
Walker: “I met Jim Aird at a motor cycle show in London while I was in the Army and at the time was part of the famous Royal Signals ‘White Helmets’ motor cycle display team. Jim was by then with TT Leathers and also a professional Motocross rider from Kirkcaldy in Scotland. He was a Scottish champion and was making a name for himself having raced CZ and AJS machines for the CZ importers and the AJS factory.
We built up a friendship and I invited Jim across to Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire where the Display Team was based and did much off road riding to train new potential riders for the forthcoming season. Jim came to the gym and cross country riding to strengthen his skills for the forthcoming racing season.
Tom Walker (left) and Jim Aird on Army issue BSA B40 models in 1971 at Catterick. Aird was riding for AJS at this point in time. – Photo courtesy Tom Walker, Harrogate.
A couple of years later, I left the White Helmets team and was in the driver training wing at Catterick and got selected for the British Army Enduro team when I rode in the ISDT, continuing my friendship with Jim and also the boss of TT Leathers, Len Thwaites”.
Len and Jim asked Tom if he would like to work for TT leathers as their first sales representative. After a great deal of thought, he decide to do join the company as his next Army posting was a two year tour of duty in Northern Ireland.
Tom: “Taking my family there, I was never comfortable with, so I decided to leave the Army and join TT Leathers. During this period of contact with Jim, the White Helmets purchased lots of riding gear from the company, such as the ‘RUFRYDA; brand trials clothing, a new invention for off road riding which was very bright and colourful but very hot when wearing it”.
K. Hall (Montesa) on Pipeline during the 1978 Scottish Six Days, wearing a TT Leathers Summer Trials one piece suit – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
Walker continued: “During my time I also met a Scot called Stan Young and another called John Little who also rode in the ISDT for Scotland, I also met the SACU secretary, Arnott Moffat who was quite involved with the Scottish ISDT effort at that time. I kept up my association with Stan and John and some eight years later when I moved from TT leathers to increase my position in the motorcycle trade”.
Jimmy Aird was a multiple Scottish Motocross (Scrambles) Champion before joining Len Thwaites at TT Leathers in 1970. He rode the factory AJS Stormer models and for Alan Clews’ CCM factory. He now is MD of Scott Leathers.
“Many more years on, I became Managing Director of a German shop chain who wanted to set up in the UK, called Heine Gericke. I took the job and developed the company and when I opened the Edinburgh shop in Queens Street. Stan became the shop manager and was for many years a great enduro rider and just a really nice guy”.
“Jim Aird and myself continued in the industry and I also assisted Jim develop his company with Euro Helmets, the AGV importer and we created the brand ‘SCOTT Leathers’ from there it has gone on to be one of the best racing suit manufacturers around”.
“Jim of course is still heading up SCOTT Leathers from Barnard Castle. Len Thwaites is now retired and lives in New Zealand and I am potentially retired and live in Harrogate, North Yorkshire but still active in the motor cycle industry and enjoyed every minute of this fantastic industry”.
When in the White Helmets Display Team, Tom was a Lance Corporal. He was brought up in New Cumnock, Ayrshire. He joined the Royal Signals in 1964 as a driver and served in Herford and Bielefeld, in Germany. His duties as a driver took him all over Europe, often carrying VIPs. He joined the ‘White Helmets’ team in November 1969. Always keen on sports and being a Scot, fond of football.
World famous, the manual magnetic scoreboard of Charly Demathieu, wearing his Ecole de Trial Happy shirt provided by TRAP – Transfers Racing Adrien Prato
The Guardian of Trial Memories – Charly Demathieu
Thirty years in the world of trials, if one man has made his mark it’s the Belgian, Charly Demathieu. The absolute reference point for the scorecards at both the Belgian and Spanish Championships as well as all the World rounds, he is the true living memory of our sport. The guardian of trials history he has put his treasured archive on his fabulous website www.trialonline.org This is the story of an encounter with a genuinely passionate individual that does not only live by numbers.
“I was the first minder in the history of trials with Jean-Marie Lejeune.” – Charly Demathieu
“Trialonline has 4000 pages and almost all the results of all the big events since the birth of our discipline.” – Charly Demathieu
Words: Philippe Pilat; Charly Demathieu
Pictures: Eric Kitchen; Colin Bullock and private collections.
Who is Charly Demathieu?
Charly: “I was born on 12th June 1952 at Cheratte (North of Liege – Belgium), in fact I still live there. I followed my humanities course until the sixth year, which is the equivalent of ‘A’ levels in the UK. Then I got my driving licence and I became a truck driver for the Public Welfare Centre of Liege for whom I worked for twenty years. The centre later closed and I found myself as an archivist in a psychiatric hospital, completely different but really not an obvious career change at first but it was a very rewarding experience to live in contact with patients with severe drug and alcohol problems. I learned a lot through these people that we really do not need to be afraid of them, yet they frighten almost everyone … Another twenty years passed very quickly and for the last two years I have been a pensioner, but not quite retired!“
Before the computer revolution, the world trials series was covered by a 400 page book
Which is the source of your passion for trials?
Charly: “Oh, I feel a bit like Obelix, I fell into a tiny cauldron filled with a potion (passion!) for the magic of trials. Still in my pram, my mother often took me to see my godfather, Rene Georges, and my cousin Roger ride. Later there was one man who gave me a really genuine passion for the sport, Jean-Marie Lejeune (Eddy Lejeune’s elder brother). In 1975 I was a spectator at the Grand Prix held in Sommieres and Jean-Marie was looking for a driver to take him to the next round in Sweden. It started well and I was soon driving the Lejeune family truck to all the Grand Prix’s and once there I tried to occupy myself so I started making small rankings of the results.“
You rode trials in the seventies … why did you stop?
Charly: “I just rode as a Novice and then Intermediate but without any impressive results. In fact at the time I was especially fond of my road cycle. My claim to fame is that I was the first minder in the history of trials with Jean-Marie but my job was so very different from their current duties. I followed my rider between sections with my backpack filled with essentials as this was the time when motorcycles were much less reliable than today. I helped with repairs for Rathmell, Lampkin and Karlson. Solidarity amongst riders was much stronger than today. I was almost never seen in sections, I stood at the ends cards, ready to intervene if necessary. I watched the lines and rides of his competitors but I never set foot inside the section. I remember one time when Jean-Marie made me stand in the middle of a river with water up to my waist to mark the deep hole where he should not ride. We were very close to each other and then we lost contact for nearly fifteen years since I was often on results duty in Spain and rarely in Belgium. We met again by chance in 2011 during the GP of France at Isola 2000.“
1970s shot of (from left) Jean-Marie Lejeune, Charly Demathieu and Jean Lejeune
How do you convert from competitor to official – organiser?
Charly: “I rode events for a few years. I drove the Lejeune family to all events using holidays that I could earn by working on other weekends of the year. For a long time I looked after the Belgian Championship but I finally stopped because it took me too much time. I was race director, timekeeper, starter and closer of the event too, you know the one who leaves after the last rider to remove and collect the section markers. I also worked with the setting out of sections; at the time we marked the inter-section route with methylene blue mixed with plaster. You finished the day blue all over; the colour did not want to wash off! I also managed entries for the GP’s, allocation of riding numbers; I standardised the various documents for the Championship so we could use the same media everywhere.“
You became the “Grand Vizier” of the scoreboard with your famous magnetic board?
Charly: “It was with Jean-Marie Lejeune that we came up with the idea of a magnetic board to display the scores but I did not actually put into practice until 1982. On one side there were the rankings of the day, on the other those of the Championship and I got to the final result by sliding my magnets up or down. I managed to calculate the score very quickly so when riders brought me their score card I put the results on the famous board and everyone could see where they had finished compared to their competitors in almost real time. I was doing all this alone at many events. At Bilstain for the Belgian GP I arrived with a large format magnetic board that I installed on the podium. The Italians asked me to do the same at their home round: I said yes, then it was the turn of the Finns … and I was away, I did it all over the world. It lasted nearly twenty years and then one day the truck of the Spanish Federation was stolen in Poland along with the famous scoreboard that was in it. I then finally moved onto the computer but suddenly I could not see the riders as I did before and I was no longer on the podium with the public: I was tapping on my keyboard in a corner.“
What is your current status? Are you an employee of the FIM, do you still work for the Spanish Federation? Charly: “I work for the FIM at the World rounds. I am in a team of three with Jordi Pascuet and Jake Miller: it’s a package imposed by the International Federation (FIM), it is not I who makes the decision to go or not to a particular GP. It may not suit the organisers who prefer to use the services of ‘locals’ who are more often than not very competent, but they do not calculate the overall rankings throughout the season. In addition we represent for them a significant cost. A few years ago I took my car and I went to the other end of Europe but with age I can no longer do things in the same way. So the organisers of the GP must support our airfare, accommodation etc… This represents a budget they would like to distribute down to the volunteers already in place. I did the same job for the Spanish Championship for eighteen years; I stopped only four years ago. I was away twenty seven weekends a year. Since I am a pensioner I have more time but there were still two years that I spent all my holidays to travel. I was always away but I loved it. I loved certain events such as the trial of Montmartre in Paris in the nineties. I found it wonderful to be able to bring trials machines here! They should have done the same thing in Barcelona. The urban trial at Cahor’s in France is superb it seems but I never went there. We must find a way to introduce trials to the public who know nothing of our discipline.“
What were the various stages or changes in your work?
Charly: “There came a time when I was forced to stop organising events in Belgium due to a lack of time, I was spending so many weekends at the Spanish Championship whilst working at the hospital in Liege during the week. I was often with Jordi Prat; it is we two who have defined the current format of the Trial des Nations. Before we took only the top three total scores of the four members of the team, later we decided to only take into account the three best results of the four teammates in each section. Our principle was tested and finally accepted by Ignacio Verneda then President of the FIM, it was he who insisted on my presence at each Grand Prix. That gave me more time to spend on the road.“
Charly explains the scores to Gas Gas UK boss, John Shirt Jnr at a world round
Any anecdotes, vivid memories?
Charly: “Many, inevitably, there are often amazing things that happen at a trial! For example at the GP of San Marino in 2008 when the local club wanted to refuse the technical controls being undertaken by the Italian Federation as it obviously did not please them, they had a real zealous approach, so they thoroughly checked all the dates of various documents (insurance, motorcycle registrations etc) of all foreign riders, it was a massive panic, as some of the riders feared they would be excluded from starting! Eight days later in Foppolo for the Italian Grand Prix, it was again the same controllers; they finished at lightning speed without any real checks. Still at the same event, we went back home on Sunday evening without being able to send out any results. Italian TV had saturated all internet connections; it took ten minutes to send an email of three words.“
1982 Scottish Six Days, Charly with Eddy Lejeune (Honda)
You created ‘Trialonline’ and have written dozens of books: you’re a pretty verbose boy!
Charly: “It is only for personal pleasure that I did all that. I’ve always loved creating stories from the passion that I witnessed. I have written fifteen books on Belgian, Spanish and World events, but I have even more to give. I have created a CD Rom containing all the results from around the world, which works in the same way as my website that I created at the request of the FIM in 2004. Since then I keep feeding Trialonline the results of trials in the most diverse countries such as Israel, New Zealand and even some South American countries. I update the results of the latest events even those held last weekend. You click on the flag of a country and you get the corresponding results, you click on the photo of a rider, you know his record. Trialonline has 4,000 pages through which we find almost all the results of all events since the birth of our discipline: it is only missing 21 ranking events! Sometimes it is very difficult to obtain results; I often prefer to speak to organising clubs rather than National Federations who are not really making big communication efforts in this area. You can find the results of the year, but not those from previous seasons! In France, it is Oliver de la Garoulaye who took the trouble to dig through the archives of the FFM to find the results since the first World round. Here I absolutely have all the results, but only thanks to fans like him, not because of the Federation.“
Charly chats to Thierry Michaud at the Belgian world round in 1988
What are your plans for the future?
Charly: “To finalise my archives, finding the 21 results I am still missing. I am also concerned about what will happen if I stop Trialonline work with the FIM. I renew the partnership each year, but I may not want to one day, it worries me to leave because there would be nobody to take it on after me. I’m also a big fan of Asterix: I have 600 volumes published in 42 different languages, I am very proud of my collection and I have some very rare specimens. I need to update my rankings for Trialonline; right now I’m working on a trial in New Zealand. I also plan a new grading program offering a choice between two or three rounds, a variable number of sections, all this is a lot of work.“
Takahisa Fujinami pops into the FIM Press office to say ‘Hi’ to his old friend Charly Demathieu
What is the state of health of Belgian trials?
Charly: “As elsewhere, is too often a single person who takes care of everything in his club and when this guy stops, the club dies. We also have the organisation related to ecological constraints that are huge in Belgium, much worse than your problems. For example, in the province of Liege, in the eighties, there were more than ten events per year, now we have only one quarter and in the rest of the country, it is the same problem. There is still a trial in Mons, Aywaille, and Bilstain and in Wavre and that is almost everything. You really have to go to private land such as Bilstain for young people to ride legally. This is the only way forward. Obviously the financial crisis is even worse for young people who have much difficulty in finding the budget to ride. It is certain that Belgian trials have seen better days.“
How do you feel about the disappearance of the GP in Belgium?
Charly: “This is something that really saddens me the as last GP was already six years ago and I look forward to the next one in Comblain-au-Pont close to Aywaille on the 13th July this year. At the last Bilstain round there was a strong divergence between the organisers and the FIM in particular with regard to the departure time. Since then the FIM does not want to go back. There was later a GP at Spa – Francorchamps in 2006 but that also ended badly. In the late afternoon there was an anti-doping control which lasted a long time and the prize ceremony could not take place until the test results were known. Inevitably the public became impatient and left without waiting for the podium presentation, the party was spoiled! It struck me as a tough decision as the results had been ready for a long time…. So I’d like to set the record straight, contrary to what has been said by many, it is not the fault of Charly Demathieu that there were no more Belgian GP’s! In 2007 the request by the organisation for a date was too late and the GP has not occurred since. This is obviously very unfortunate, if only because of the central location of our country, it is not such an expensive event for the vast majority of participants.“
If you could see the realisation of your three wishes, what would they be?
Charly: “To make the most popular trial by creating attractive and free to spectator trials, so not really like our current indoor circus … Reaching out to people I do not know and of course find the 21 results I miss between 1964 and today.“
Charly Demathieu “I love Yrjo Vesterinen, the first truly professional rider”. Vesty seen here at the 1981 Scottish Six Days in the paddock – Photo: Colin Bullock/CJB Photographic
What else would you want to say?
Charly: “I wanted to tell you about my favourite riders. Obviously there is Jean-Marie Lejeune but Mick Andrews for his ability to adapt quickly to different machines whilst remaining competitive. I love Yrjo Vesterinen, the first truly professional rider. I also appreciate Fujinami as he is someone who respects everyone and always passes by to say hello. Thank you and hello, they cost nothing, but it is important to all the hard working enthusiasts who create our sport. I would also like to take my hat off to people who have the courage to write about trials.”
Charly Demathieu, happy in his work
This article was first published in Trial Magazine, France and we thank them for the cooperation and use of this article.
For Charly Demathieu’s Trialsonline website – HERE
Apart from ‘Fair Dealing’ for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, no part of this article may be copied, reproduced, stored in any form of retrieval system, electronic or otherwise or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, mechanical, optical, chemical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author as stated above. This article is not being published for any monetary reward or monetisation, be that online or in print.
Recently, we created a Trials Guru ‘section’ on Colin Bullock who has been taking trials photos for many years and we were proud to feature some of his most excellent images. It was when we were studying one of Colin’s photos from the 1985 Scottish Six Days of Steve Saunders on his Honda Britain supported RTL250 Honda. In the photo was a man well-known to Trials Guru’s John Moffat, that man was Bob Paterson, former Scotland and Northern Ireland Sales Executive with Honda motorcycles and power equipment.
Bob Paterson in the 1952 Scott Trial on his 350 Matchless – Photo: Ray Biddle, Birmingham
Bob Paterson, known as ‘Big Bob’ to the Scottish trials community of the period was a keen trials rider of the old school. He was a stalwart of the Lanarkshire Motor Cycle & Car Club which is based in west-central Scotland and had a history as being a scrambles and trials club which could trace it’s roots back to the 1930s. In the early days it was a joint club, for motorcycles and light cars.
The Lanarkshire MCC was the first Scottish motorcycle club to organise ‘scrambles’ events.
Watsons of Airdrie service department in 1956. Bob Paterson is second from the left in the front row, Director, Bill Watson is fifth from left. Photo courtesy of Carrick Watson
Back in 1998, John Moffat was writing some articles on Scottish motorcycle personalities for a magazine and visited quite a few former riders to get their story. These riders included Ian Bell, John Davies, Jackie Williamson and Bob Paterson. They were all people that knew John well, through his father T. Arnott Moffat, secretary of the Scottish ACU.
Bob Paterson on his 350 Matchless in the 1950 Scottish Experts Trial, the section is at Westfield near Bathgate, West Lothian – Photo Courtesy Paterson family
Bob Paterson had by this time unfortunately passed away, but Moffat went to visit his widow, May Paterson at her home at Luggiebank, near Cumbernauld. Moffat had also by this time started collecting material for his first book which was to be called Scotland’s Rich Mixture, Memories of Motorcycle Sport 1945-1975. May Paterson has since passed away.
Lochaber MCC Spring Trial – Grey Mares Ridge with Bob Paterson getting a helping hand with his 350 Matchless, Ian Pollock on the left and Laurie McLean on the right. – Photo: Courtesy of Paterson family
Bob Paterson was brought up in Glenmavis, a village in North Lanarkshire two miles north-west of the town of Airdrie. He took up employment at Watson Brothers in Airdrie and was a faithful employee for thirty-eight years before moving to Honda of which Watson’s had a dealership in their Cumbernauld branch.
It is believed that Bob became frustrated with Watsons when a promise of a directorship in the family run business failed to materialise. Paterson resigned, moved on and became the Scotland and Northern Ireland Sales executive for the Japanese car and motorcycle giant. Bob was a well-known face amongst the motorcycle trade, he was a valued sales-person with years of experience gained in a busy motorcycle then a large Vauxhall-Opel multi branch dealership.
1946 Lanarkshire MCC Scramble. The middle rider is Bill Smith (AJS) formerly a Levis supported rider and later became a director of Associated Motor Cycles, the manufacturers of Matchless and AJS and on the right is Bill Watson of Watson Bros, Airdrie on a Lanarkshire registered AJS – Photo: Carrick Watson
Bob and May had a daughter, Shona and son Robert Junior, but they also adopted May’s younger brother, Kenneth who had been orphaned when May’s parents died suddenly. A very difficult decision to make for a couple, but ‘Big Bob’ and May just took it in their stride.
Paterson rode in both scrambles and trials, he had a particular liking for ‘colonial’ type trials which would form the basis of time-trials and latterly enduros. His favourite was the Edinburgh St. George Colonial Trial at Gifford, East Lothian. He rode several Scottish Six Days trials and rode in the 1952 Scott Trial on his 350 Matchless (HSG211).
Prior to the start of the 1970 SSDT at Edinburgh’s Gorgie Market, we see Bob Paterson quietly smoking a ‘cigarillo’ and closely examining the finer points of Austrian Walther Luft’s 169cc Puch – Photo Hans Maiditz.
Paterson was a great supporter of the Scottish Six Days, he had ridden the event, his first being 1950 course marked it in the 1960s and was an SACU steward in the 1970s. He sat on the International stewards jury when the event was at it’s pinnacle and was over-subscribed and all the factory riders had it written into their contracts that they rode the Highland classic.
Bob for many years assisted in the course marking from Stirlingshire up over Fersit to Fort William, a run he thoroughly enjoyed either on his own Matchless G3C or a machine supplied by the Edinburgh & District club.
SSDT 1970 – Group photo at the ‘weigh-in’ From Left: Walther Luft; Peter Bous (crouched down), Tommy Ritchie; John Graham; Trevor Hay; Bob Paterson; Jackie Williamson; Unknown; John Moffat; Unknown; T.Arnott Moffat – Photo: Hans Maiditz, Graz
Paterson enjoyed setting the course for the Lanarkshire MCC’s annual Valente Trial held at Kilsyth, he used his Matchless to set the moor and road work for the event which had a lap of approximately 15 miles.
Bob was elected President of the Scottish Auto Cycle Union upon the retiral of the haulage firm owner from Markinch, Fife the late Jim Birrell, Bob held the post until 1983.
The late JIM BIRRELL from Markinch, Fife on his 197cc James Commando in the 1951 Highland Two-Day Trial at Inverness. Birrell and Paterson were not only past Presidents of the SACU but great friends also. Photo courtesy of the Birrell family
He was asked by the SSDT Secretary, Jim McColm in 1983 to write an article for the official programme when he was president of the Scottish ACU, in it he wrote a fascinating account:
“I feel priviledged to be asked to write this article for this years’ Scottish Six Days programme and probably like many contributors before, find it difficult to begin. As a layman at this kind of task, I feel hopelessly inadequate to try and put into words the feeling one gets in attending the SSDT. Be that as it may, there is no doubt if one rides or even attends the Scottish, forever after come hell or high water, the first week of May will be reserved for the Sporting Holiday in the Highlands or as the late Allan Jefferies once described it ‘A religion or an incurable disease.
It was 1950 before I had the good fortune to enter the SSDT and as over the previous few years I had listened awestruck to older hands talking and reminisce regarding this great event, the big day rushed nearer with all the attendant forms, what with signing up for oil and petrol etc and then obtaining my international licence. I was beginning to feel taller than my then 6′ 1 1/2 ” frame. Finally being allocated riding number 53 only one place behind the great man himself, High Viney at 52.
This was to prove a great benefit, for B.H.M.V actually came over and spoke to me at the weigh-in and from then on throughout the week I felt quite at home. The fact that I was to lose 100’s of points to his tens or was it single figures? Didn’t matter.
When the great man took the time to advise and follow him, like getting up onto the pegs and into top and blasting over the Mamore Road it made it feel like a main road compared to my 1st and 2nd gear slitherings, prior to his advice.
Sometimes the lessons learned from the big boys were well driven home certainly I never forgot one occasion when after leaving Altnafeadh and heading down the main road for about 46 miles to Camushurich on South Tayside past Killin, I found myself at the front of a long line of the big names and feeling quite proud to be heading a procession of about a dozen machines in close company, that was until I spluttered to a near stop and had to go on reserve with the string passing and waving their thanks for the tow, probably getting them to a lonely pump somewhat short of Lix Toll
Those were the days of course when the petrol and oil tankers followed the route of the trial and one drew alongside when suction pumps emptied the 4 stroke oil tanks, replenished with fresh oil and tanks were topped up with petrol. The International flavour created by the properly sited tankers and trade barons in those days were much better than many varied vehicles we see today, spread all over the countryside to give the necessary support to their riders. it is a great pity that the petrol barons have withdrawn from our sport and of course new legislations also prevent some of this assistance.
Within days of the trial the newcomers are seen in close contact with the stars and while today I’m sure some of the big names are easy to converse with and obtain some guidance, there can be no doubt the stars have more pressures, with all the backing, sponsorship and manufacturers to contend with than in earlier times.
As trials are no longer a British sport but International, we can now gauge the strengths and expertise of our overseas visitors by their performance over the pas few years and one never ceases to be amazed by the severity of sections we now see in national and World rounds of our trials sport.
The Edinburgh & District Club have managed to accommodate this welcome involvement from our overseas and home top runners and yet provide possible sections which continue to ensure a fully subscribed entry, made up in the main from club riders and most importantly newcomers.
It may be that a special section per day to fully test the top runners will soon be required and the rest of the sections something less than the crankcase breakers we are now seeing in World rounds, whatever is decided I’m sure the E&D will live up to the test, requirements and pleasures the Scottish has provided over the years.
One could not exclude from this article the efforts, work and hours the organising committee put into the running of this event, from the many long, hard, wet, snow covered and just occasionally dry weekends covered by the scouts who are out and about in the area of the trial on motor-cycles, visiting landowners, looking at new hills etc. and during the trial out marking the hills, to the hard pressed office staff in getting the results out as soon as possible. All their efforts must of course be assisted by the voluntary observers and other officials during the week, ready and willing numbers of people to fill those duties are always available and speak volumes for the popularity of the event, Having experience on most of those duties, i.e. to route marking and back marking, I can recall, as this years assistants will, the pleasure of getting back to the Hotel, having a bath, catching a meal (sometimes) and as in the past, off to the bar for a small talk of the day.
Having had previous experience as a steward of the trial, I wish this years’ jury a good trial with not too many nights on duty into the ‘wee sma hours’ and above all trust that our secretary of the trial, Jim McColm keeps his cool as usual and has yet another successful trial under his belt.
I look forward to being with you all this year in Fort William and trust that our Scottish greeting of haste ye back will be remembered as the first week in May keeps coming around“.
In the 1980s he was a spectator, but also a Honda representative and took an close interest on the Honda factory riders of the day, especially Eddy Lejeune and Steve Saunders. Bob would be found standing silently wearing his deer-stalker style hat at the side of many of the sections eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Honda mounted riders. He would continue to watch the riders walk the sections and then ride them. Bob enjoyed a small cigar called a cigarillo and would smoke one while waiting for the riders to arrive.
Steve Saunders on the Honda Britain RTL250S at the 1985 Scottish Six Days on Achlain section, watched closely by Honda UK representative Scotland & Northern Ireland, BOB PATERSON – Photo copyright: Colin Bullock/CJB Photographic
On quite a few occassions in later life, Bob would take his specially imported 1976 Honda TL250 up with him to the SSDT to observe and used the machine as transport instead of his car. Often he rode around to follow the trial for a number of years with fellow SACU man, Adam Brownlie, but never off-road.
There was a rider called Fransisco ‘Paco’ Nistal who came over to compete in the SSDT in 1986 from Guatemala who stayed with the Macgillivray family at Muirhearlich just outside Fort William. He was having trouble coming to terms with the machine he had entered for the event and wanted to buy a Honda RTL which was a machine in short supply. Alastair Macgillivray mentioned this to Bob Paterson, who knew Tom Robinson of Robinsons of Rochdale, a main Honda dealer and one of a select few chosen by Honda UK to handle sales of the specialist machine. Robinson’s happened to have a brand new RTL250S in stock. The RTL was sent up to Scotland for the Guatemalan to ride, all due to Bob’s interaction.
Bob Paterson Trophy:
The Pre’65 Scottish Trial accepted a trophy from his son Robert and widow, May to remember Bob and his significant contribution to Scottish motorcycle sport. Called ‘The Bob Paterson Trophy’, it is awarded annually for the best performance of a competitor riding a machine up to 500cc.
Article Text Copyright: Trials Guru / Moffat Racing – John Moffat 1997-2016
Photos:
Paterson Family, Cumbernauld.
Birrell Family, Fife.
Ray Biddle, Birmingham.
Colin Bullock/CJB Photographic.
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