laird387 Posted January 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 Hi, Another blast from the past, this time one of the true geniuses of our sport, Hugh Viney, who as Competitions Manager for AMC frequently kept his riding hand in on the group's products. Seen here in the 1963 West of England trial on a James. Enjoy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted January 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 (edited) Hi, Another offroadarchive image, this time from the 2000 Pre-65 Scottish, shows 'Blackie' Holden with his James on Caolasnacoan. One interested spectator, Mary Wylde, has her foot in the picture! Why 'Blackie' well his Sunday name was actually Blackburn Holden - but we riding mates rarely used that !! Enjoy. Edited January 14, 2014 by laird387 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
340villiers Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 (edited) Mr Wylde That is an absolute gem of a picture, Mr Viney looks terrified, he has just realised somebody had swapped engines, and has just unleashed all of that 197cc Villiers power. Willie Edited January 14, 2014 by 340villiers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b40rt Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 (edited) Great picture, nice to see someone that I had spoken to many times over the years. Edited January 14, 2014 by b40rt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted January 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 Hi 340villiers, Hugh Viney's natural face in repose when he was riding earned him the occasional nickname 'Mr Happy', but ask stanmet, one of our members, 'cos he worked with Hugh in the comp.shop at Plumstead - and then watch these spaces because I have handfuls of pictures of Hugh - and that look is a common feature! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 (edited) Hi, Another model from Greet at play in the highlands, in 1959 John Harris takes his 250 James up section eight on Loch Eild Path under the watchful eye of deerstaker hatted Ed Stott, who travelled from Middlesex to the highlands to observe from 1953 until 1964, after riding in the event from 1947 to 1953. Just look at that view - all the way from Kinlochleven village below, right to Ballachulish on a clear day. In those days there was no bridge at Ballachulish, only the ferry. If you would like to sample what that was like, the old ferry is still in use on the Glenelg to Kylerea route to Skye. Enjoy. Edited January 16, 2014 by laird387 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted January 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Hi, Scotland was a happy hunting ground for the early James trials models, indeed they had a factory supported rider in the form of the late T Donald Reid in the manufacturer's team in the 1952 Scottish on Bay Hill. Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted January 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2014 Hi, Another image from the archives, not this time showing a nicely restored 'show' motorcycle, but a shiny new bike from the James factory in 1954, courtesy of the local newspaper. And who was the bright faced newcomer out practising on his bike with its 'L' plates, a young Londoner recently moved to Yorkshire where his Dad had started an engineering company. Yes it's Arthur Lampkin - and when he loaned me this photograph, many years ago he commented, in his own matter-of-fact way: " T'becks still theer, and its alreet to float a dead cow full of disease down it. But you mustn't ride a nice clean 'bike through it! B***** Daft !!!!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted February 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 Hi, The last James models used the AMC home-brewed motor (some would prefer the term half-baked!) and it was no secret that the kingpin of the works team for many years, Bill Martin, was not enthusiastic about the change from Villiers - but yet he still managed to win national trials on it, like this very soggy event, the 1960 Wye Valley Traders. Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted February 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) Hi, Sadly this image from Malcolm Carling is not marked with date, event, etc., but a little crafty deduction reckons that it is the 1965 Northern Experts, obviously with Mick Andrews on the James-badged Francis-Barnett that was the last Greet model used by the works riders. Enjoy. Edited February 11, 2014 by laird387 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted February 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 Hi, Keith Butterfield at the 'Stump Cross' sections with his little James in the !999 Ilkley Reunion trial. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted March 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Hi, Climbing out of the Elan valley just to the west of Rhayader, Peter Stirland on his works James in the 1958 Welsh Two-day trial. Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhayaderman Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Hi, Climbing out of the Elan valley just to the west of Rhayader, Peter Stirland on his works James in the 1958 Welsh Two-day trial. Enjoy. The track is still there but no longer open to motorized vehicles.I regularly ride down it on my mountain bike with probably more suspension than on the James! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted March 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 Hi, Bill Martin loaned me some photographs including this one of him riding a Francis-Barnett badged James, as part of his ongoing AMC works rides of the period. Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted March 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 Hi, In the 1952 Highland Two-day trial, MOE 827 carries T Donald Reid to victory ahead of Tom Ellis (BSA) and Gordon McLaughlan (Norton). Apologies for the photo quality - enjoy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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