OK Pete, it's Wright here!
By TMX Archives on 28th Jan 09
JD went to the Alan Wright Classic Show held in Telford and tells of old friends and bikes he hadn't seen in years, what a joy...
BUMPED into an old pal, Pete Ruscoe, as I was exiting Alan Wright's Classic Bike Show at Telford last Saturday evening and Pete, fully enthused after a day with his head stuffed full of bikes said, "I can't wait to read your column next week, what are you going to say about the show?” Nothing like pressure before you even sit down at the keyboard is there...?
Well, the first thing is to say what a cracking day out it was. Telford was a brand new venue for Wrighty and I know he was worried about what kind of turnout he would get. Well, on Saturday at least, the attendance was considerable and early doors there was a reported mile-long tailback of vehicles with fans en-route to the show.
The biggest ‘problem' at such gatherings is the inevitable conversations with long-lost pals and actually getting to look at all the stuff on display! As problems go it is one I can easily manage but I think it was an hour before I actually made it to see a bike! I'm not complaining, I like talking shop with the best of them – but I also like the bikes so if I cut anyone short on the day I do apologise, it was in the best possible interest!
The highlight of my day – and of a great many others – was seeing and hearing the legend that is Joel Robert as he told a few stories of his glory years. This was no sit-down theatre show, Joel was standing, just talking with the aid of the odd prompt from compere Colin Dommett while the audience stood and just listened. I don't think I've seen so many people stand so quietly and listen so intently for so long. I'm sure we would all have happily listened to Joel all afternoon! And it wasn't all tales of bravado and high jinks that grow ever more fantastic with each successive telling – just really interesting, honest anecdotes of how it was back in the day. Like how in 1964 CZ simply provided him with a single bike with which to contest the world championship and he won four Grand Prix before they gave him some spares. "I got some clutch discs, a couple of cables and a chain!”
Joel was very humble, very honest and had the audience in the palm of his hand. I know that to every man Jack that stood and listened, the Joel Robert legend just grew stronger. And it only got better when Joel's one-time adversary Dave Bickers was cajoled into joining him on stage. Dave is actually quite a shy man and suffers from deafness but alongside Joel – whom he hadn't met for some 15 years – and they had quite an emotional greeting – all the old memories came flooding back. Dave, every bit as much a hero as his friend, paid him the ultimate compliment saying, "Joel Robert, the greatest scrambles rider ever...”
Such shows are different things to different people with some going mainly to flog a few bits and pieces, others with an eye to buying – and hopefully the two meet-up! Others go to show their bikes and then people like me go to gawp at them. It never fails to astonish me the lengths enthusiasts go to in building and preparing their steeds. I take my hat off to you all, whether you are a BSA buff, a Maico man, a Honda honcho or a Norton nut. If you are into Dots, Greeves, Triumph's, Matchlesses, CCMs or whatever, there were some truly fabulous machines on display.
It was as ever a pleasure to talk to all and sundry while circulating, whether just a brief word or something deeper. I got particular pleasure from five minutes with ex Royal Enfield works man Johnny Brittain – and I wish it had been much longer. What a wealth of knowledge and information these old boys do have. He gave me the outline of travelling to and riding in the International Six Days Trial back in 1953 in Czechoslovakia – the last time that Britain ever won the event that eventually morphed into the ISDE.
Wrighty even organised for the health and safety peeps to put their hands over their ears for a few minutes while the odd bike was fired-up. The NSU-engined Greeves scrambler of the late Brian Stonebridge has been beautifully restored and was fittingly cracked into life by his son Brian. And what a lovely engine note it was on its open pipe...
Jimmy Aird had his well-known, totally sorted, fire-breathing ex-Grand Prix CCM up for sale at an eye-watering £13,000 – and admitted to having received a bid pretty close to the asking price.
The old Bolton-built flyers really have captured the imagination of the classic boys in recent years and prices are rising ever upwards. Talking of CCMs, company founder Alan Clews was an interested show visitor and rather surprisingly said that it was the first classic show he had been to.
Judging by the scrutiny he was giving the show bikes I don't think it will be his last...