Calling JB and PT

We've been looking at some old pics over at the Autosport forums and came across this one, just wondered if we could get some names, think it's 73 and is definately Llandow.

Hi Mick!
Looks like Llandow and Dick Hunter leading brother Dave ... Could be John Whatsisname, our BRC Treasurer, we called `Scrooge´ in 3rd spot ... I´ll take another look...
Cheers!

Mick
I think no 4 is Tony Jones on George Harris' bike.
Regards
Chris

Yep your right Chris, can't mistake the helmet.

This would have been my first Llandow meeting and the one Niffy had his prang right in front of me. I remember the place with mixed affections as i got my first pot there in 74, 2nd and the last time i rode there in 80 i got a 2nd again behind Colin Pole in the pouring rain with the local Port Talbot club's track record holder sniffing at my pipes.

Paddock bend at Llandow. Think its 1973.

Dick H then Carpete Slippers (Pete Styles) , Peter Nice (10), Wobbleyman (18), Tony Jones (4) and No 8 I'm afraid I cant recognise.

I should still have the programme somewhere (Always remember how the programme price was displayed, "Price, to you? 5p" ).

The results were printed in the mag. so we could get a full caption in time.

That race would be when I was in Canada -- `74 on... At least not at Llandow on 19th May 1973.
Come to think more about it, 2nd place is Peter Styles but it looks as if he´s wearing specs... Did he? when he raced, I mean?
Could NOT have been the day Niffy broke his leg -- that was 19th May 1973 at Llandow (my best day ever) because the Wobblyman was out of action after crashing, and wrecking his own Bantam and riding Icarus 2 (my second Bantam) to seizure --all in practice -- and during racing was under medication for concussion. It rained that day and Mick Scutt fell off on the way to the start of the last Senior race... I drove Bill Lawrence and two others to Bridgend in Niffy´s Ford, to see him, and then had to drive ALL the way back to the East End because none of the others had a car licence. Also, much to my annoyance, they insisted we stop at a Chinese restaurant in Cardiff on the way, which meant getting home at nearly 4 in the morning. Remembered well is buying a pack of Benson & Hedges at the Chinese noshery and smoking to keep awake (trailer with dodgy tires on behind...) and having only one ciggy left at the Heathrow Servicers.
The inside of that car stank but those three passengers slept soundly.
Cheers!
JayBee.

That pic could still be `73 ... There was a second Llandow meeting that year and as you see there´s a bit of shadow and that day the sun did shine -- although not on all of us. I crashed in practice on the Bantam and could not get the 250 ABS to start...
Niffy might have crashed in front of you in ´74 Mick but his broken leg incident was in `73 -- as I said we visited him in Brigend hospital and I drove his Ford home....

Just installed DVD player on my Pc and played this film on my PC although Slick gave it to me 4 years ago. Fantastic! The way Bert Munro did things with his 1920 Indian to get it to do over 200 mph on the Salt Flats -- and the bits of kitchen... he used -- reminded of some of the Bantams we used to have racing in the late 60s -- early 70s...
There´s seems a better level of preparation these days...

It is 73 John, the guy who took the pic confirmed it and it was the one where Niffy broke his leg.

Ok! Then that has to be the 19th May 1973 -- if it was the day Niffy broke his leg because my cup confirms that date and I DROVE NIFFY´S Ford Back to the East End whilst Niff was on his back in Bridgend hospital... It has to be a senior race but I doubt very much that was Aldridge on #18 unless he made a remarkable recovery from his concussion -- but then knowing that nutter he could have risen ... and borrowed another Bantam -- he´d seized my `Icarus 11´ after dumping his own in practice...
...
Aha!. Now Mick -- if you have a reliable source for that picture then ask if any more were taken (on that wet day) because I´d just like to have one of me `broadsliding´ the pits bend turn -- which Bill Lawrence can vouch for -- repeatedly happened.
Niffy was in the lead, in that Novice race, on about lap 4 or 5 when he lost in bottom bend ...
right???
All the best,
JayBee (for John-Boy).

So it was may 1973. I wasnt there, because that would have been just before my final Mech Eng exams at Nott Uni. That also means I wont have the programme.

I do remember the following phrase in the mag that had these Llandow results:-

"In memory of all those that fell at Llandow"

In which case -- now, having put it together in my mind:-
The Novice race where Niffy done-in his leg was in the dry, I remember dust rising up and Niffy not reappearing into the straight... I ran down there to bottom bend and he was lying, with one of his feet (forget which one now...) facing backwards... Probably in that period of time the Wobblyman made his recovery and then our Colin Aldridge scrounged yet another bike to ride... 3 in one day? ... what persuasion that man had?
And that pic of Mick´s must have been the first Senior race -- still in the dry (shadows and dry appearance of the road surface...) and if that is Aldridge then he must have made an amazing recovery from when I saw him in the back of someone´s van, asleep, just before Niffy´s crash. BUT THAT IS POSSIOBLE, KNOWING THE MAN... someone must have lent him yet another bike. Or was it that the East End lads sorted his own...?
In practice, as was our personal dual-wont, we were first out in first session of practice. Something had gone wrong with track preparations because although George Harris had said we´ve cleaned up the track there were still dollops of sheep-droppings on the bottom bend. Colin was a bike-length in front me when he hit one of these and did the most spectacular hand stand -- about 4 feet above his bike...
Back in the pits after practice was seeing the East Enders refitting Colin with another crash hat and one boot. The defective boot was less half its sole and the crash helmet split ...!
Colin Aldridge was glassy eyed yet he climbed aboard Icaru-2 -- my second Bantam -- which he´d said was a killer of bad handling and went out, riding like a wild animal until Icarus-2 seized its piston.
In the first Inter race I was in the lead. It was dry up to the 4th lap when a fine rain set in. On the penultimate lap I waved Poddy Phillips to come by... I did not want a win because of the rule of becoming a Senior at the next meeting. Poddy was having none of it -- so I won. Having entered 3 more Inter races I made it 4 in one day -- only because it rained and I had a long-stroke engine with plenty of torque and the wheel spin was putting it into the power-band -- on that wet surface. I´d love to get hold of any more photos of that meeting.
Never to be repeated...
Thanks Mick for lettinmg me tell that --you must have seen Niffy crash....
Bill Lawrence reckoned that I was sliding almost lock-on, every time thro´Pits Bend.
Was a bad day for crashes .. One ofthe 250 riders had a really bad one where his ankle was ground away by being trapped under the bike sliding along the tarmac...
George Harris reckoned there were complaints about my riding style but he overcame them and the Sec of Meeting for my wins to stand....
One of the protesters reckoned there was a rule that once started, a rider was not permitted to take his feet off the footrests until the race was over.
That must have been cod´s-whallop -- or is it so?
And there´s the values of Low-Cost trophies: 1973 was a bad year for reliability because I had Icarus-2 revving a around 11 - 12000 rpm and constantly seizing so to get 4 good races in one day was perfect. Now,
what is it? 36 years later, I can look at this little cup (here on my PC)
and see I had a second place at Cadwell (burnt out clutches there) and those four firsts at Llandow in 1973... Just 2 meetings in that year...
So what! They were only Inter races ... Nothing to speak of in terms of Senior Races -- So what?
A lot to me though -- thanks Mick & Pete.
Sorry this is so long -- but you are speaking of MY DAY!
..
Have a good session of carting in Lincoln and a good season you Bantam racers .
Watch out for gravity --- the FORCE I mean.
Cheers!
JayBee for John-Boy.

It's nice to see some nostalgia here, not many people seem bothered with it. Wobbly is better remembered over at the Autosport forums because of course, like me, he raced in other classes, shame that so many good riders and BRC stalwarts are forgotten here.

`S right Mick!
At one time -- over 640 members. Some of those must surely be existing still....
Being heavyweights the Wobblyman and I ignored the Senior riders as much as possible and raced against each other as if we had our personal competition within each event...
What I regret was not having a go at bigger classes and particularly 250 until too late. I spent almost a whole season getting the ABS to behave how I wanted it to behave and the second season -- 1973 -- picking up a few 4th, 5th & 6th places when it all came together like. Most memorable was dicing with John Senior, on his Greeves Silverstone, for six laps at Llandow to finish 4th -- a 1/2 wheel behind him -- with two Jpanese heaps at the front. So second Brit home -- which didn´t count for much I suppose. I couldn´t even start the ABS at one Llandow event which was really sickening. Must have been my body smell, I suppose, I seemed to never have a helper in the pits... I think that was mainly because I was too engrossed in my job which meant I was too often not mixing socially with the lads...
Niffy told me not to ride the ABS because he reckoned it would kill me --
it was tanking-slapping its front end at Paddock at Llandow every time on braking -- so much for advice -- SADLY it was our Niff who bought it...!
Go well and Stay well Mick!
Cheers!
JayBee.

Have finally re-located my collection of BRC Mags and Programmes from the period 1973 - 1980. If the pic is 1973, the guys following the leader are : 7 Pete Styles, 10 Phil Rossiter, 4 Tony Jones, 18 Colin Aldridge and 8 Dave Blunt. Hard to see the number on the lead bike but if it's no 2 it's Mick Scutt (his bike definately had a yellow Launchbury fairing at the time). No 1 that year was Dick Hunter, but his Launchbury fairing was dark green.
I reckon it's Ian's Dad in front.

Bit by bit I'll scan some of the programmes I have, inc two from Debden, and get Alan to upload them.

Regards
Chris

I've just come off the phone with Pete Styles. he confrms he did race at Llandow in 1973, and also said he never wore glasses when racing. So if it isnt Pete (and I think his riding style gives him away), who was it?

Well done John and Mick for the nostalgia - I thrive on it!

Good to hear Pete, your other classes expieriance would stand you in good stead over at the Autosport forum, good nostalgia thing going on over there. All sorts of people remembered including Wobbly, they even remember me for God's sake Some old names on there as well, Mick Robinson, Steve Bateman, Jeff Sayle, Stu Avant et al. Get yourself over there it's good fun and very friendly.

Great thread love the old pics, come on Mick you must have loads, even proddies class, would love to see em. I posted some a couple of years ago and that got the ball rolling, can we see more pics from 60/70/80s especially pics of bikes in the paddock.When I first started in the 70s I used to seeing the array of different home brewed bants parked up from Colin Hammond's araldited, brazed up rusting beast to Terry Browns immaculate BRG beauty. Then came all the modern body work of Peter Styles and Ned's which we see Mike and this year Chris riding they don't look that different from back then.


They say nostalgia's making a come back

Tony

Thanks Chris for the definitive info - I got about 5/10 ! I can confirm from memory that Dick H had a green bottom half white top half to his Launchbury fairing, and that Mick Scutt's was a yellow bottom half. Mick also raced with a open face jet style helmet and visor. I now recall that Pete Nice used jet helmet with goggles, so was well off the scent suggesting him. Pleased that I got Wobby right too!

Hi Tony, yep i have a few pics but all of me which is a bit boring, if only digital cameras were around then, i'd have shed fulls. I spose we could have the who, what, where pics as they do at Autosport, that's alot of fun and creates alot of debate, i'm now in touch with guys i havn't seen since 83 and i'm just getting in touch with the guy who was my best man at my 1st wedding his sons are racing as well and one of them is doing 125 GP's(Danny Webb). Small world.

Is George Harris available? -- anybody got George´s number? -- I had it for a while and lost it... He´s one bloke who´d probably have the race programme and results for 19th May 1973... when Niffy crashed and broke his leg ...
If that pic is not 19th May `73 and was still Llandow then it was the later meeting at which I crashed and ripped off the Icarus-1´s exhaust pipe... and could not start the 250 ABS... Dreadful memory!

That pictiure is more likely the second Llandow meeting of 1973 AND NOT THE MEETING WHEN NIFFY BROKE HIS LEG BECAUSE THAT WAS DEFINITELY MY 19TH May DAY -- so there!
Sort yourselves out you lot -- if #18 WAS Wobbly then that was the later meeting ....
Somebody must have the results for those two Llandow meetings --- surely?
Bit of a laugh though ennitt -- it´s only 37 years ago and we don´t know ...
So much for nostalgia -- whore of memory -- so Will Shakespear said.
I can a voice whispering -- what did Will ride and when?

Here´s wishing all you Bantam Racers´ a good season with no gravity difficulties..
Cheers!
JayBee.

So! Pay attention there!
I have postive results for the first 9 races on 19th May 1973 -- which is page 30 of the BRC Mag (that´s all I could find...) which was ussued in July 1973....
... George Harris could explain this:---
Actually on that page (30) are nine race results -- only numbering up to Race #7.... because in someone´s wisdom there was:-
"#1. Bantam Novice";
"#1A. 175 - 1000cc";
"#1B. Bantam Novice"...
Niffy broke his leg in #1 or in #1B .... I think the latter...
---
... Then comes Race number #2. "Any Make 125..."
NOW!
This was a win for Mick Scutt!
2nd, Peter Styles,
3rd, Phil Riossiter,
4th, Peter Nice,
5th, Colin Aldridge (Sorry! my mistake -- obviously he recovered from concussion? and someone got his own bike righted...) and
6th, Tony Jones.

So that could be the pic... Mick! ORRRR... see Race #6 below...
...
Race number 3, was Production ...
...
Race number 4, was the first Bantam Inter/Novice, when it started RAINING! -- my first win of the day with Poddy (Maurice) Phillips second and Brian White 3rd....
...
Race number 5, was, Up to 250...
...
Race number 6, was, Bantam Championship.
1, Tony Jones.
2; Mick Scutt.
3; Peter Styles.
4; Colin Aldridge.
5; Phil Rossiter.
6; Dave Blunt.
...
So! unless it was the Llandow 15th Sept `73 meeting that gives some idea of who is whom in the pic ...
I am really surprised that Wobbleyman Aldridge was so well up in Race #2 and in Race #6 because -- as I said earlier -- he had been to the `Blood Wagon´, got himself some headcahe tablets and was asleep just before I was getting ready for my 1st race of the day.

PS -- Apologies to Phil Rossiter for spelling his name wrong and to all for not saying cheerio...
---
Go well and keep well...
JayBee -- for John-Boy.

Final run down on the photo for Mick Jones by JayBee ...
Chris Bennion got very close with his assessment -- it was Mick Scutt at the front Chris -- just looked more Hunterish. I think they (the Hunter Bros) were preparing for -- or already on their way to the Island ...
...
This, Really is the final JayBeeBitt (Byte) on that one....
...
Must be 19th May 1973 . Still in a bit of sunshiny daylight (grey shadows on the track) because in race # 4 (actually the sixth race of the day...) it started raining on the 3rd lap.... I know...
...
Race # 2 (actually the 4th race of the meeting because of what I said before -- there were,
"1, Novice", "1A, 175-1,000" and "1B Novice" races before Race # 2...***)
---
Race # 2."Any Make 125"
this race was called --
but it looks as if it was all Bantam:
Results:-
1. Mick Scutt.
2. Peter Styles (maybe funny goggle and NOT wearing glasses????)
3. Phil Rossiter.
4. Peter Nice.
5. Colin Aldridge (a miracle -- obviously rode better when concussed!!).
6. Tony Jones.
7. Geoff Pitcher.
8. Dave Anchell.
9. Max Ridge.
10. Peter Dodkins.
...
It could NOT be Race #6, Bantam Championship (actually the 8th race
of the day...) because it was raining then and the road would have been gleaming with wetness....
---
So Mick, my boyo! why don´t you start a GOD´s (Good Old Daysess) BRC picture album to which I´ll contribute several pics including Dave Coombes and myself on NAKED bantams (his was W/C though) at Brands Hatch...??
...
On top of my second (personal) computer (to fall-off a German lorry) stands a 250 ABS piston with a hole in its crown and the trophy-cup for that year (´73) which has printed on it proof of the other half of what I said earlier, on here. Fact is, that ABS was really the quickest 250 on the OLD Snetterton Norwich Straight that day and if it hadn´t have been for that piston disaster I would have wiped-up the field....
Whoops! what am I saying...
No, really! The ABS (Andy Boyle Special -- or Alpha-Boyle Special..?) was as quick (and in places quicker!) as (than) John Senior´s Greeves Silverstone -- it just hadn´t got over its teething problems at that time.
...
So much for Nostalgia, -- "... the whore of memory" --- as Will Shakespeare said...
...
It is quite funny though -- to be sitting among a group of `Holier-Than-Thou´ people -- with the conversation suddenly bringing in motorcycles and the reaction of those, who only ever knew of "Hell´s Angels", hearing of motorcycling as a real SPORT with dedicated followers.
Oh! how totally surprised they are to hear -- from the like of some `Heathen´ -- like me -- explaining the truth to them.
...
"Well! what d´yer think that row of Pots were for then -- Deep-Sea fishing!!?"
...
Go well and keep well,
JayBee -- for John-Boy...





*** I wonder if anybody knows why that numbering system was used?