laird387

Hi, This might give you some idea of what a 1986 ty looked like in action. Enjoy

Here is an Italjet, seen at Orgate Falls in the oldest trial in the calendar, the Scott Trial, in 1982. Sorry I can't guarantee the rider since the riding numbers are not visible but I suspect it is Nick Jefferies, although I would have expected to see Nick on an Armstrong late in 1982, so it is probably somenody else........... Enjoy - remember plenty more in ORRe.

Yes Charlie, "Tis Rob Fitton himself Cheers Deryk

Hi pschrauber, I was an active photographer from 1950 onwards, so had to learn how to use film and also how to develop and print them for myself. My comment was that ACTION photos are likely to have been in b/w, simply because the color film was so slow that you could not 'stop' the action. I was doing still shots of machines for catalogues, etc., in color from about 1966, so 'posed' photos for magazines would often be in colour - that would be where your 'special edition' issues would come from. Anyway, here is another Cota for you, Rob Edwards in action in the 1974 Eboracum Colonial trial. Enjoy,

Sorry, pschrauber, most action photography of that period was still black/white so I can't be sure if this Cota is one of the ones that you like - but the image comes from my book of the Scott Trial History which is being serialised in our digital magazine, ORRe, shortly. Enjoy

Everything else obsolete - not correct, actually - that bike with Sam on board closer to the answer - but then again remember that he had made the Ariel 'all conquering' until he joined the Rickmans and started his Bultaco 'phase'

Sorry not Graham Loram but the quick and easy is this shot of Sammy, with the first production Sherpa.

Hi, Just any Ossa - or some particular machines? Whatever, your request is noted - as well as a comment from a Stateside member who was admiring the amazing scope of 'tc' when an image of Mick Andrews on his Spanish registered Ossa won the Scottish (actually that was the second year he had won it on an Ossa!) and asked for more. Well that also answered my request for suggestions of what YOU would like to see so, as someone who has known Mick Andrews personally since he first started riding and his Dad was his mechanic (and inspiration) I shall be telling a lot more of Mick's very complex life story that includes a works AJS for the youngest ever team member, riding for Great Britain in the ISDT as well as scrambling, plus all sorts of development rider angles not only for the Ossa machines that you are interested in, but also the Yamahas - and, much later the pre-65 scramblers and now the replica James/Francis-Barnett pre-65 bikes. Where will you be able to read this story - in 'tc's own digital magazine, ORRe. Enjoy Deryk PS. Here's one OSSA just found in my lost pile - negatives that have become detached from the entry list/results sheet. so I don't know who - or where - but over to you, armchair sleuths, any ideas?

Your thoughts, fourex, prompt me to ask several questions: 1. Did the same models of Spanish marques always be exported to Australia, the States and Europe simultaneously? 2. How did the point at which any models turned from '74, say to '75 compare to the actual calendar New Year? Whatever the answers, here is Malcom Rathmell in the same trial, also with the clutch lever arm on the top of the casing............ Enjoy

OK you win - how about this photo taken at the 1974 Eboracum Colonial trial? Enjoy

Already hundreds of Montesa Cotas in ORRe - but many more to come, so enjoy! Deryk

It is obvious to me from the comments in many 'TC' members emailed queries that they believe I am only interested in the Pre-65/Classic scene. Nothing could be further from reality, I am vitally interested in all forms of offroad motorcycle competition - not just trials, but anything involving two or three-wheeled sport of any kind. Agreed my own personal financial situation over my younger active riding career, limited my own activity to the trials scene - but I was an active club member supporting our West Leeds scrambles and knockout hill climbs at Post Hill, as well as being very much involved with the early days of our White Rose trial. When national service 'captured' me and posted me to various places around the country, then finally to Paris, I was just as actively involved in local clubs. Now I have the chance to recall many of those days in our digital magazine and I am very happy to undertake to trawl the massive archive for interesting shots that have never been published before, taken at many events over the past thirty years or more. But I also have a firm belief that if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well, so over recent weeks I have thoroughly reviewed and updated my entire computer and publishing system in readiness for the major task of getting quality images of every type of motorcycle sporting activity simply to aid as many people trying to restore or build virtually every marque of British and foreign motorcycle. The point of this posting. IT IS FAR EASIER - AND PROBABLY MORE BENEFICIAL - TO PUBLISH IMAGES THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR (OR WOULD LIKE TO SEE JUST TO JOG THEIR OWN MEMORIES) THAN TO JUST SIT PONDERING WHICH ONES TO CHOOSE - SO IF YOU HAVE ANY PROJECTS ON THE GO THAT MIGHT BE HELPED BY AN IMAGE OR TWO, PLEASE, PLEASE DROP ME AN EMAIL EXPLAINING WHAT YOU WANT.......... Enjoy Deryk (Email address in the profile - or message me)

The funeral of Mr Norman Close will be held at the St Mary’s Church, Kettlewell on January 12th commencing at 11.15 a.m. Mr Close died on Boxing Day evening, he was 73. He was the owner of a specialist steel construction company in Kettlewell manufacturing gates and bridges for the local farmers, landowners, and the National Parks authority. As a landowner many Allan Jefferies Trial sections were on Norman’s land. He also acted as driver and minder for British Champion James Dabill in his formative year. His 6.2 litre American pick-up truck was a familiar sight in Wharfedale and could be heard arriving well before man and machine appeared. Observing was also one of his duties at local trials. A great man in every sense of the word and tremendous loss to his family and motorcycle trials sport.

The Wetherby & DMC have cancelled the Filtrate Trial on Sunday – Jan 8 due to the recent weather. The trial was originally planned to run at Bayliss Gap Farm but only if the ground conditions were good. The move to Kingston Farm, Fellbeck, was axed when the parking area on the south meadow was too soft. The Wetherby Motor Club will review the situation as to whether the trial will be redated.

Thanks scot taco, Here is a picture of the particular frames, they were put together for Peter Edmundson by Jim Lee and sold as Dalesman motorcycles, definitely not a Wassell frame. The tie up with Hodaka was because Peter had a chance to export to the States, if he could find a motor with adequate spares and knowledge 'back-up' Stateside - that proved to be the Hodaka. A batch of machines were created, Peter bought the Hodaka engines, paid Jim Lee to make the frames, bought the wheels, forks, etc., and shipped the lot to the States. Expecting money to arrive to pay for the batch of completed and exported machines, Peter faced near bankruptcy. But he was not expert in overseas sales, so had not used the ECGD facilities offered by the government (Export Credit Guarantees Department) who would have verified the status of the purchaser in the States before allowing shipment, and then insured Peter for the subsequent payment. That all but ended the Dalesman story, but Peter was still keen to do his bit for sporting motorcycling, so he took up an interest in the Wassell concern - which is where the reference may have inaccurately originated - so NO not a Wassell or Sprite (from Frank Hipkins) but a DALESMAN. Enjoy

He wasn't the only rider to have problems there in 1986 - this is Tony Scarlett, who survived and went on to win the event...........and also Harold Crawford (124) - drowning his motor

Another link to the Alec Wright tie-up with Kawasaki. Around 1974 Mary and I had started dabbling in sidecar trials, initially with a BSA B40 outfit (which was useless). Alec and John Gazely had been good friends of ours since 1964 when I had arranged for them to join a sidecar trials demonstration with their works Greeves outfit in conjunction with the St Cucufa Trial in Paris, the first time sidecar trials action had been seen on the Continent. Seeing our useless B40 plot, Alec, who was riding another of John Gazely's excellent creations but powered with a 230cc works Ossa motor, offered us that outfit - but less the motor, which wasn't his to sell, because John had just finished its successor, this time powered by a 450cc Kawasaki motor. In those days Peter Fletcher was the Ossa supremo for the UK, and Peter and I were old buddies from our days in the West Leeds club, so he let me keep the motor for a nominal payment - and Mary and I had a real outfit.......Attached is a photo of Peter (Fearless Fred) when Fletcher's were the concessionaires, note Peter's personalised registration on the Ossa. Jack Mathews then took us under his wing and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

That certainly looks as though you have spotted the actual bike - like all Dalesman frames it would have been created by Jim Lee and popular rumour has it that Mick Grant had a finger in the design pie, and since there were definite links between Mick and Kawasaki at that time , there's another link........ Now Scot taco all we need is the background to when that photograph was taken - and would it be possible to have a copy please?

Rappers has just emailed me privately with the following comment: "I’ve just spotted your picture on TC of me taken in the Scott Trial, however, I’m not certain that the year is correct but I guess if it’s a Barry picture he will have got it right.One thing for certain is that it’s a Suzuki and the reason I broke down was because a rock had gone round with the back wheel and punched a hole in the Suzuki’s plastic airbox which also formed part of the mudguard (as they do these days). Water filled the air box and eventually the carburettor and put me out of the trial.The Scott is the only event that has always beaten me. I rode it four times, twice on Bultacos and twice on Suzukis. Twice I retired with broken footrests off the Bultacos, once for the reason above and once because I was out of time approaching Goat Splash on the way back in and was waved off. I’ve always managed to finish other events, the SSDT and the ISDE but the Scott is my downfall. However, I have been there every year since 1978 when I went to TMX and have not missed one since." Thanks Mike, another nugget to add to the accuracy.

When the Dalesman models were in full swing at the 'works' in Otley, there was potential for a tie-up into a lucrative American market - so an engine that had readily available spares and support Stateside was an excellent idea - just such a motor could have been a Hodaka unit - they already had a flourishing business in the States - but no trials expertise as such - so at least one model was made. Now here's the query - has anybody seen such a model? Better yet, does anybody know where there is one?

Baz tells me, "Hi Deryk the riders are no 46 the one and only Mike Rapley broken down, & 58 is Richard Sharp from York ,, the section is at Booze in Arkengarthdale . The year is 1978...Mart won making it three in a row....." Thanks Baz, another step nearer getting the full story out for everyone to see. Deryk

In spite of what the petrol tank motif says, this is NOT one of my sponsored riders........... Please can anyone confirm the year of the Scott trial and the name of the Montesa rider? Enjoy

Hi, This is obviously a Kawasaki and I'm fairly certain it is Richie Sunter aboard - but my query is, was it a 'works' bike from Alec Wright? Enjoy.

Sadly there is no 'one answer fits all' to the perennial problem of riders who appear to lack all sense of common decency - and, having ridden, observed and organised on many occasions over a lifetime I am aware that it is the same riders who 'push in' when waiting at sections, or wander through sections in size seventeen boots kicking obstacles into the path of other riders, etc. Some clubs recognise that this problem can be eased by official recognition of their observers, maybe with a contribution towards expenses, sometimes just with a non-competing rider circulating with flasks of tea, coffee or soup - or even just taking over the observing for a short period to give the observer a break. Talk to people who rode in trials that I organised and you will find plenty who know that I was not backward at telling riders who were noted for being rude that there presence was less important than our officials presence at future events.........