The Place

Good evening

My first thread here with a bit of a personal cry for help.

My father, who I didn't know for nearly all my life, (he and my mum divorced when I was about 3 and he never made contact again), recently passed away. He has quite a back story, which also includes working in Williams F1 machine shop in Didcot when they first started out.

My reason for joining this forum is because in the early to mid or late 1970's, he was a sidecar racer, I believe at club level rather than big time GP or TT.

He was apparently pretty good and something else I've been told is that he built his own outfits. I've done a little research because I've managed to get in touch with an old Williams colleague of his who knew he raced sidecars and also knows someone who rode in the sidecar for Dad.

I managed to find on Google a PDF copy of a motorcycle race meet program in I think 1975, that took place in Colerne, Wiltshire in which Dad is mentioned as an outfit in one of the heats.

His name was Brian Mark and his sidecar oppo was a guy called Richard Polley. Richard also worked at Williams as a van driver. I've been passed a phone number for him as apparently he still lives in Didcot.

Also if this is true, my Dad was also the first racer to have a woman in the sidecar!

One other bit of info is that the outfit they were riding in this meet was a BM650? That would possibly match with what I heard about him building his own bike?

So if anyone knows anything about my Dad or his career it would be much appreciated, indeed any info on where I can find anything would be great too.

Thanks in advance,

Ricky Mark

Sorry, cant help you with info on your dad. I'm sure someone will be along to help out.
One thing I can help straighten out, is that your dad was most definitely not the first to have a female passenger. There have been numerous over the years.
Pat Wise passengered for Eric Oliver at the TT back in 1958, for a starter.
Good luck with your search for info.

Brian Mark? Brian used to race at Lydden with dad. I remember him, good friends with Bob Bird he was.

Think it was him who had the S800 Honda that Mick mcGinley later had but that might be wrong, I know he had a honda late 70s.

Sideslip wrote: Wed Apr 24, 2019 8:43 am Sorry, cant help you with info on your dad. I'm sure someone will be along to help out.
One thing I can help straighten out, is that your dad was most definitely not the first to have a female passenger. There have been numerous over the years.
Pat Wise passengered for Eric Oliver at the TT back in 1958, for a starter.
Good luck with your search for info.

Thanks for the reply and info. I only heard about the female passenger from someone else, so thirdhand info only

steve-e wrote: Wed Apr 24, 2019 8:46 am Brian Mark? Brian used to race at Lydden with dad. I remember him, good friends with Bob Bird he was.

Think it was him who had the S800 Honda that Mick mcGinley later had but that might be wrong, I know he had a honda late 70s.

Cheers Steve, so my dad also raced with yours as well as Richard Polley then? Or was your dad a driver too?

Was Lydden like a home track for my old man where he raced all the time, or just a regular race event?

Does Lydden still exist?

Do you know any way I can find out more details of his racing days at all?

PM me if it's easier?

Cheers, Rick

My dad was a driver too. I think mum is still in touch with Bob bird (he drove as well) will see if she can contact him.
I think Brian did brands hatch as well but mainly remember him doing Lydden. Odd the things you remember but I remember him getting a bonus whenever Williams won a race - a lot more often then then lately that would be!
Lydden still exists, we are racing the Bears there in June I think, is on the race dates on the front of the site.

This was Brian's Honda, not an s800. This is from his Facebook page

steve-e wrote: Wed Apr 24, 2019 3:26 pm My dad was a driver too. I think mum is still in touch with Bob bird (he drove as well) will see if she can contact him.
I think Brian did brands hatch as well but mainly remember him doing Lydden. Odd the things you remember but I remember him getting a bonus whenever Williams won a race - a lot more often then then lately that would be!
Lydden still exists, we are racing the Bears there in June I think, is on the race dates on the front of the site.

Brilliant, cheers!

I agree with probably no bonuses nowadays

I've contacted Lydden to see if they hold historical records, might do that for Brands as well. Thanks for the photo, it's a nice bike, and I obviously misread the program I was looking at. I saw BM rather than BMS. Was BMS a team or sponsor do you know? Or maybe just Dad's logo maybe?

I obviously can't get to his full FB profile now he's gone unfortunately so no chance of seeing what photos he's got on there although I'd imagine we'll come across loads when dealing with his estate!!

Thanks also for the offer of contacting Bob Bird, any info at all will all add to my knowledge of him.

Rick

I'd guess probably "Brian Mark Special"

He has three profiles on Facebook that I can see. I'll pm you about that

steve-e wrote: Wed Apr 24, 2019 7:02 pm I'd guess probably "Brian Mark Special"

He has three profiles on Facebook that I can see. I'll pm you about that

BMS makes sense then I guess, didn't think of that!

Cheers for the FB info, chat soon

@steve-e

I tried to send you a PM yesterday, but it's still sitting in the Outbox and not showing in the Sent section?