Scots photographer Jimmy Young and John Moffat (Trials Guru) have been friends for over forty years, but only recently Jim has unearthed his treasure trove of trials photographs.
A plant technician to trade, Jim spend many years of his life in Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia in the Mufulira copper mines servicing caterpillar and other heavy machinery in the deep mines.
He also worked with Liebherr GB and Burnthills Demolition as a service technician.
It gives Trials Guru great pleasure in sharing Jim’s photos with readers of Guru. A Trials Guru exclusive!
As always, please be considerate, the photographs are the legal property of Jimmy Young and should not be displayed unless accompanied by the wording: ‘Copyright: Jimmy Young, Armadale’. Without this addition, any images broadcast or displayed are in breach of Jimmy Young’s copyright.
Rob (Centre); Brian Hutchinson and Kipper Herrington at the SSDT.
When I thought I was slowly drifting towards a finish, things keep jogging my memory – so off we go again. My friend Trials Guru says I can keep going as long as I want! – Thanks Guru!
The photo of ‘Hutchy’, Kipper Herrington and myself, taken by Don Crosby at the Scottish above made me realise what a scruffy lot we were. I suppose that because everybody else dressed the same we just blended in.
Footwear in those days was usually Fireman’s boots. The stitching would rub against the frame leaving a big hole into which the footrest usually found its way in. The rest of the section was spent trying to get the footrest back out.
Mick Wilkinson pioneered a great idea for keeping the draught and the rain going through the zip of your Barbour jacket. Take one old Barbour jacket and cut a large D shape out of the back this makes you a large bib. Fasten a length of elastic to it to fit around your neck. Along with my Barbour mittens these were stored in a safe place until the next SSDT!
The guru has also put a picture of me on a 250 Cotton riding ‘Foyers’ and the neckerchief can be clearly seen. Not very trendy – but it kept you warm.
After the Fireman’s boots came the ‘Wellies’. The lads at Mile End Motorcycles in Newcastle were the first to come up with this idea. They were actually Coal Miners waterproof boots and were affectionately known as Mile End wellies. They were followed by Dunlop rubber boots. At first people laughed at the thought of riding in wellies but I must admit it was great to have dry feet. – Rob
Rob Edwards (centre) with Brian Hutchinson (right) at the Scottish in 1968, showing what every discerning trials rider wore under their Barbour suit back then!
– I recently noticed a comment from a fellow Thornaby lad, Ian Instone. Ian remembers me as being a good friend to his late father in law Jack Russell.
Jack had a small Motor Cycle Shop in Thornaby, the like of which we will never see again.
He was a main agent for Villiers engine parts.
If it was a motorbike a lawnmower or concrete mixer or whatever Jack could fix it or supply the necessary spares.
I cycled past Jacks shop everyday on my way to Head Wrightsons where I was an apprentice.
We became great pals and the friendship lasted for years. Many people will remember seeing him around Thornaby on his motorbike and sidecar.
The sidecar had been removed and its chassis had been adapted to carry a motorcycle or anything that had been dumped that he could make a few shillings from.
My first bike was a 197cc Dot and I desperately wanted a longer throttle cable.When I turned the handlebars from lock to lock the engine revs went up and down, but finances couldn’t stretch to a longer cable.
One evening I was on my way home from work and I called in for a chat with Jack. He gave me a bag and when I looked inside,yes it was an extra long throttle cable.
“You can pay me for it when you have finished your apprenticeship”. – “Now in the meantime off you go and get some Trials won!”
Jack built a Motorcycle especially for speed events on Pendine Sands in Wales.
The cylinder liner was a piece of cast iron drainpipe that he machined to size in his lathe.
The bike was considered a bit of a joke but he set a time at Pendine sands that wasn’t beaten for years.
He was probably what we might call eccentric today and I am proud to say that we were friends.
Trials Guruhas been asked recently to provide a ‘forum’ facility for trials enthusiasts.
We apologise, but our view on this matter is that forums on any sport tend to become counter-productive over a period of time.
They also require careful moderation for legal and other reasons, which we simply do not have the free time to do.
As a result, Trials Guru has no plans to introduce this facility, however, we are able to bring you some facts and stories on the great sport of trials worldwide ~ with the assistance of our contributors and photographers ~ all with the free promotion of the sport.
Is an independent site aims to remember the trials motorcycles and top riders of the 1980’s to the mid 1990’s, as well as celebrating the Catalan motorcycles of that era. Many of these manufacturers have long since disappeared.
Most of what is featured in the site is linked to the Spanish machines, which are the speciality of Retrotrials. The Spanish have been very influential in the history of motorcycle trials since the 1960’s. This rise in fortune followed the British motorcycle industry’s decline.
Thousands of miles have been travelled in collecting this information. Sit back and read what you have not seen before.
Trials Guru recommends that you explore the web site and you will find:
Martin Lampkin could be saying: ‘Have you lost your licence again Rob?’
Hello Everybody, here are more of my Bits ‘n Bobs, I hope you will enjoy them.
My next tale happened in France.
Malcolm Rathmell, Martin Lampkin and I were travelling to the French round of the European Championship. We stayed the night at a hotel that was about 20 miles from the Trial start.
First thing next day we set off in the direction of the start. As soon as we got going, we rummaged about to find the regulations for the event. These stated that the start was at ‘Le Mari’. We still had a fair way to go, so we could relax and keep one eye on the map. Suddenly Malc bellowed: ‘LEFT, LEFT, LEFT‘ and sure enough as we broad sided into this rather grand gateway the sign read ‘Le Mari’.
Almost in harmony we said ‘bloody hell! this looks a bit posh for a Trial?‘.
At the end of the drive was a magnificent French Chateau. Still the sign said ‘Le Mari’ so we must be right.
We parked in front of the Chateau and Mart and Malc set off up the stone steps. Says Mart: ‘Come on Rob what are you piddling about at?‘
I said: ‘I cant find my Passport or my money and my international trials licence’.
It was at this point Mart washed his hands of me.
Mart: ‘Every time you put your documents safe you forget where you have put them’.
‘Anyway’ said Mart, ‘I am not even going to help you look for them, you won’t have lost them look in all your pockets’.
Mart said: ‘Me and Malc are off to sign on you can catch us up’.
Sure enough I found my documents and set off in hot pursuit. The lads were on their way back down the stone steps.
Malc said: ‘Up the steps Rob, oh have you got your international Trials licence they wont let you sign on without it. Go through the glass doors and up the staircase in front of you at the top turn right go down the corridor and into the third door on the right’.
I opened the door and walked in expecting to see three or four people waiting to sign competitors on. Instead the room had about thirty people seated around a huge oval table all looking a bit bemused. It didn’t take me long to realize that I had been set up by the lads but not before I had got half-way around the table shouting in my best pigeon French Allo Allo sign on for ‘Trieeaal‘.
The look on their faces said it all and I beat a hasty retreat back through the door and off down the corridor.
Once outside I saw Mart and Malc laid on the ground with tears rolling down their cheeks. ‘Did you get signed on Rob?‘
‘No I bloody didn’t!’ was my reply.
We learn’t later that every town and village had a ‘Le Mari’. This is not maybe how to spell it but roughly translated it means ‘Town Hall’.
No wonder the people in the board meeting thought that the village idiot had popped in!
Anthony Ayrton’s 2RT Montesa. Photo: Barry Robinson
We have a breeding programme around Barnoldswick (Barlick to the locals in Lancashire).
Montesa 315’s are being caught and put into quarantine. Those are refurbished but some, Anthony Ayrton’s 4RT, had a blown engine so costly to ‘fettle’ that they are cannibalised. The 4RT frame requires some modifications to slot in a 315 engine, radiator etc. The 4RT air-box is utilised. The 315 forks fit. The end product is a responsive good handling trialler that will not wear out. As it is breeding season in the Pennine regions any lurking Montesa 315s are being trapped by the Yorkies crossing the border without a permit. At least twenty such machines are nesting in the hills above Barlick. It’s that old Yorkshire/Lancashire rivalry again!
Nathan Wrigglesworth and Anthony Ayrton. Photo: Barry Robinson
Saturday 3rd January saw Moto Trial NI host the 3rd round of our winter series at John White’s Farm in Newtownards. An absolutely fabulous day it turned out to be, there were 158 competitors who turned up and the weather was as good as you can expect in winter with bright sunshine all day!
Of the 158 riders there were 45 youth competitors which was very heartening as it shows trials are starting to generate new competitors into the sport. There was also a very healthy amount of older bikes from air cooled monos, through 70/80s twinshocks right back to a beautiful Matchless, and at the other end lots of new bikes and the ultra modern electric bikes for the kids!!!
Davy Mulholland
In the A grade there was a bigger than usual entry of 34 riders! And there were quite a few in with a shout of the win!
At the halfway point a slack two mark penalty dropped Ken Perry down to second only one mark behind former GP MX star, Newtownards’ own Gordon Crockard!! Four riders finished the first card within three marks of Crockstar, so the battle and pressure was clearly on for the final two laps!
Crockard held his nerve though to post a faultless second card to finish the trial on only one mark lost!! This give him the win over Ken Perry by one mark who beat Sam Hampshire by a further one mark! In fact both Ken and Sam matched Crockstars clear second card, so it was a real nail biting finish!! Phillip Morrison was next a further point back while Gareth Mackey was fifth on five marks lost.
In the grade A aircooled group Aaron Smyth ran out winner, while in the grade A twinshock group Kyle Turner ran out a clear winner from Stuart Hanlon.
Paul Harvey
Onto Grade B, and again there was a healthy entry of 35 riders.
At the halfway stage there was a three way tie for the lead, Paul Harvey, Ray Adamson and Alan Young all on three marks lost!! Again the pressure was on for the final two laps and Paul showed the experience gained over many years to post a faultless card for the final two laps to give him the win on three marks lost! Ray was second three marks further back, Alan took third one mark away from Ray with Johnny Russell forth on eleven, one better than John Tweedie in fifth!
In the twinshock group Geoff Hillis came home in first place and in the Pre 65 group Chris Hampshire made the trip from over the border worthwhile by winning on his BSA Bantam!
The largest grade of the day was Grade C with 45 competitors, three riders posted faultless first cards with numerous riders within reach of them a few marks further back!! Davy Mulholland held his nerve and returned a faultless second card to end the four laps of ten sections without any marks lost all day!! A fantastic ride!! Next home was Ray Harper on one mark, Ray Mason was third on two marks one ahead of Eric Davidson in forth with Tom Conlon fifth on five marks lost!
In the twinshock grade David McGaughey was the winner on his Ossa!
Onto the youth grades and in youth A Josh Hanlon fought off all the others to take the win. At the halfway mark he only had a narrow lead from Alexander Lennox but Josh held his nerve to post a faultless second card to extend his lead and take the win on four marks. Alexander had to ride well to hold off Ross Pyper for second, while Ross in turn just held off George Taylor by one mark for third! Jack Waring took fifth place.
In youth B Robbie Dugan showed how well he has progressed recently by taking the win on five marks lost from Campbell Baillie who posted a score of ten, next was Jordan Nixon on twenty, with Matthew White a further three marks further back in forth. Callum McAllister was fifth home on thirty six marks.
Grade C youth is separated in two, one group riding the adult course and one on a smaller course.
On the big course Ryan Thompson and Peter Molloy tied on ten marks lost, but Ryan took the win having gone further than Peter before losing any marks! Next was Morgan Steele on nineteen, followed in forth by Tim Davidson on twenty four with Aaron Lappin fifth on twenty six.
On the smaller course Dylan Smyth was first, Matthew Lockhead was second with Ross Allen third.
In youth D Stuart Lappin was first closely followed by Shannon Smyth.
There were two grades for electric bikes and in the E1 class Harry Smith won while in the E2 grade Ben McCosh was the winner!!
Speaking immediately after the event the winner Gordon Crockard said “I would like to thank Moto Trial NI for putting on such a wonderful event, it was a great day! The best thing though is having an event within 800 yards of my front door!!!!”
Moto Trial NI would like to thank John White, John O’Hara, Andy McCracken, Leslie and David Wright for the use of their land, we would also thank the residents for their patience in having us there and Phillip Hanlon for the photographs and lastly but as important thanks too to the observers Brian, Blossom and Kenny, Phillip, Gordon, Davy, Dougie, Clive, Mervyn, Emily and Nikkie for giving their day to allow us to put on such a great event!!
Finally thanks to all the riders for turning up in such numbers to compete.
Results Grade A
1. Gordon Crockard 1
2. Ken Perry 2
3. Sam Hampshire 3
4. Phillip Morrison 4
5. Gareth Mackey 5 Aircooled
Aaron Smyth Twinshock
Kyle Turner Grade B
1. Paul Harvey 3
2. Ray Adamson 6
3. Alan Young 7
4. Jonny Russell 11
5. John Tweedie 12 Twinshock
Geoff Hillis Pre 65
Chris Hampshire Grade C
1. Davy Mulholland 0
2. Ray Harper 1
3. Ray Mason 2
4. Eric Davidson 3
5. Tom Conlon 5 Twinshock
David McGaughey Youth A
1. Josh Hanlon 4
2. Alexander Lennox 14
3. Ross Pyper 16
4. George Taylor 17
5. Jack Waring 36 Youth B
1. Robbie Dugan 5
2. Campbell Baillie 10
3. Jordan Nixon 20
4. Matthew White 23
5. Callum McAllister 36 Youth C big course
1. Ryan Thompson 10 – furthest clean
2. Peter Molloy 10
3. Morgan Steele 19
4. Tim Davidson 24
5. Aaron Lappin 26 Youth C small course
1. Dylan Smyth
2. Matthew Lockhead
3. Ross Allen Youth D
1. Stuart Lappin
2. Shannon Smyth E1
1. Harry Smith E2
1. Ben McCosh
Photo credits to Philip Hanlon.
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