The Place

Hi there,

And first up apologies for the ‘essay’ below.

I’m not a sidecar racer but ‘am a regular visitor to the site and love it. Partly as I write for Classic Racer magazine among others. If you’ve seen it, any sidecar coverage over the last few years (which is unfortunately minimal - ”there’s no appetite”) will have been from me – Nigel Rollason, Peter Brown, Hanks family, etc (Mick Boddice coming soon). As a side project though I’m producing a book on the BSA Unit twins (A65/50) which will have extensive coverage of the racing. Of which sidecar racing was obviously about 90% of it.

The book’s based almost entirely on direct quotes, interviews and period pictures and, as well as those mentioned above, I’ve talked to Chris Vincent (obviously), Stuart Digby, Ken Vogl, Eddie Wright, Pete Krukowski, Tony Price (Derek Wood’s passenger), Martin Davenport and Mick Horspole (the later two as they put a few across the BSA boys). But can anyone help with additional information?

1. I have various phone numbers for Bryan Rust (and his son Colin) but have never been able to get through to them, so presume they’re wrong. As such has anyone got a number for either, or can put me in touch with someone who does? I know they’re Skegness way, or thereabouts, but have come to a dead end! Bryan got lots of really good results late ‘60s so I really don't want to miss him off.

2. Photos – I’ve been fortunate in getting photos of most of the ‘names’ but have a few blanks – Mac Hobson, Bill Crook, Pat Sheridan, the Hardy brothers (as I think they were on an A65 before the Imp?) and oddly Pete Krukowski (incidentally on Pete any photos from the CRMC period would be as useful as from the ‘60s/70s). And with photos, those showing someone hitting things with a hammer in the paddock are as (more?) interesting as actual track shots.

3. Other A65 runners. If there are any of you out there who ran a BSA twin (quite a lot I would have thought!) I’d be interested to hear. Club racing is just as interesting to me as nationals and the like and it’s not a chronicle of race results which are important, but your more general recollections and memories of the bikes, competitors, period, etc.

You can PM me, or get me on 07966575182 or peterjcrawford@tiscali.co.uk

Cheers

Pete

Gary Bryan of RGB Racing had or still has an A65 engine which was converted many years ago to run a double overhead camshaft.

The guy's at SRM in South Wales, A65 specialists could maybe help you in idenifying who else rode them.

Ray Thomas of SRT from up here had one in his early day's of racing.

We will have some photo's of Peter Krukowski, my old man used to let him follow him somtimes , when they did battle in the early CRMC days - both running A65's.

I don't think it made it as a photo the time I hit Peter K with a hammer (i was only a kid) whilst helping my dad fix the A65 shame -would have made a good pic.

SRM (Steve mcfarlane?) Started out doing mostly the stuff my old man tought him, I remember Steve sleeping on our living room floor one weekend whilst being shown A65's

The last Windle A65 dad had was an ex Bill Crook bike, Peter K had it after dad.

The old man's A65's were easily recognisable as they had what some people thought was a seahorses on the side of the fairing - it was actually a Lion.

We'll see what we can dig out of dad's loft.

Regards, Stu woodard.

Thanks Ian, I’ll certainly try Ray Thomas. Oddly SRM ask me things rather than the other way around (!) but the Gary Bryan suggestion is a good one. I think that OHC A65 engine has long gone (built by Keith Blaney for Chris Vincent originally) but Gary was certainly mixing it up with the A65 runners around that time.

Hi Stu,

Thanks so much for the offer. Really generous. Anything you can dig out would be greatly appreciated. It doesn’t matter how obscure.

Cheers

Pete
PS. I’m not sure if anyone will recognise the outfits being ‘fettled’ below? Ken Vogl’s and Mick Boddices’.

Ron Hardy was still racing with BHR and CRMC up until 2 years ago, he is often at meetings. I think he is on Steve's "The Place" Facebook page and he also has his own Facebook account.

I can supply you with a current number for Colin Rust,I will ask him first though,and then Pm it to you. There are loads of pictures of Mac Hobson,and a few of Pat Sheriden,on Facebook,under Classic sidecar racing,and Silloth groups.I am sure Mike Richards could supply you with some pics of Pat,as he currently owns the ex Pat Sheriden/George Odell A65 outfit.Dont forget to include the A70 in your book.There was a picture in Classic Racer a few years ago,taken at I think ,Stafford of the OHC A65 engine on a stand-so it still survives.The Hardy twins run Triumph before the Imp,notably the HTS,and don't forget Jock Taylor started racing an ex Mac Hobson A65.There is an article in Motorcycle Racing(remember that?)with a pic of Jock at Knockhill on it.

Hi Tony, thanks for the links. That Silloth page looks interesting. I'd not seen that. And I'll have to look into the "Hardys issue". I've got a lot of programmes with "BSA" in them, but you're not the first to say they were always on a Triumph, pre-Imp. Perplexing.

But yeah there'll be plenty on A70s. Well, the various different ways people got from 650, to 750, and beyond. What's amazing with the BSA factory guys was that they were all doing their own thing, independently of each other, though at times Vincent, Brown, Hanks and Boddice were within a spanner throw of each other! If the factory had only pulled all that together, who knows..............

..and I got Bryan Rust's number. Just had a chat to him and Colin.

Peter K and R Hardy are both on the Classic Sidecar Racing Facebook page

Sent you a PM Pete