laird387 Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Hi, I chose this image because it illustrates, for me, various aspects of 'the way it was'! It was taken in April 1960 at the Gloucester and Cotswolds club's Hurran trial near Littledean. The rider on his rigid AJS is Don Warner who, along with his brother Bert, was a member of the Dursley club. As a photographer I have to admire the man behind the lens, Bill Cole, for the way he managed to capture the very steepness of the section - usually the camera tends to flatten the view! Enjoy. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bashplate Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 that is a cracking picture 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Hi, Another AJS in action this time it's Gordon McLaughlan on the works 401cc AJS in the 1964 SSDT. This format of works Ajay was first seen during February 1963, at the Victory Trial. Experimenting with his, otherwise more or less standard, longstroke engine bored over-size to 74mm (plus ten thou) and fitted with a first over-size piston from the road-going shortstroke ‘Sceptre’/‘Mercury’ range. This gave a heavy flywheel and 93mm long stroke configuration of 401cc rather than 348cc capacity, this set up in itself proved more than good enough to win the 500cc Cup on its very first time out. Later experiments developed this theme further, for instance by using the 7R road racer’s 75.5mm piston, but the price paid for that was inferior combustion due to the piston crown shape being less compatible with a trials cylinder head. The ‘Sceptre’ type piston soon proved itself to be the best all round option, arguably very much better than a full 500cc job or the still later Norton oil pump engines. This set up also leaves enough metal in the standard long stroke cylinder for further re-bores. Enjoy. 1 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 shot of Gordon McLaughlan's works Ajay, seen this time in its final format for the 1965 SSDT, at the Shell van, getting his free lubrication service. Note the compressed air tyre inflator mounted above the alloy primary chaincase. Note especially that it is located against at its lower front end, a tubular extension welded to the magneto carrier side plate, which many people over the years, have asked me for a purpose. Is it some form of drain - and if so, what? No, it is another of those 'read the regs. carefully works tweaks for the SSDT.' You see the regs. demanded that the machines be fitted with a side-stand, to be used during 'parc ferme' times. Well, that was the side-stand provision, you placed the end of the tyre pump in the tubular opening, the other end on the ground - and made sure the bike was in gear. Much lighter than a fitted stand which would likely get knocked off on the rocks anyway............. Enjoy Edited January 22, 2014 by laird387 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Hi, Another works Ajay in the Scottish, this time Bob Manns with TUL654 on the Ben Nevis sections in 1956. This was one of the ex-works Ajays that I owned. Amongst the spectators on the left of the picture in the pork pie hat is Edward Damadian, A-CU Steward and pre-war Ariel rider. Enjoy 1 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, A truly historic image this time, the rider is Gordon Jackson, the trial is the 1961 Scottish, the section is one of the subs of Grey Mare's Ridge - and plonking down that precautionary foot cost Gordon the only mark he lost all week. Enjoy Sorry, that image, supplied by Peter Howdle, is no longer available. Edited January 22, 2014 by laird387 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totalshell Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 two ro three years ago i watched at a section named 'jacksons' at the pre 65. it was reputed as the same section but it looked NOTHING like the one above. even allowing for the tree growth etc the slope on the right of the picture was much steeper and the large rock to the left much more prominant.. it still took marks from even the very best though and then up would pop a decent club rider for a clean. very deceptive section. 1 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, A very early shot of an AJS works trials bike, in the hands of Hugh Viney, seen in the 1951 at Kinlochrannoch, the first year the section was brought back into use after a break during the wartime years. Note the tyre pumr taped alongside the rear number. The interesting closest line of spectators are, left to right, Mrs Barker (first spectated in 1930), Bob Holliday (editor of Motor Cycling), Harold Tozer (BSA sidecar champion) Murray Walker, Charlie Rogers Royal Enfield works rider) and Rex Young (Norton works rider). Enjoy Edited January 16, 2014 by laird387 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firedfromthecircus Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Fantastic images of the best* postwar, pre-Spanish invasion trials bikes. Would love to see more images of Hugh Viney if you have them. *best defined as more SSDT wins between '47 and '64 than any other manufacturer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted January 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) Hi firedfromthecircus, Yes, I have plenty more to come when I have decided how best to use my archive - my sentiments are probably best expressed in a "History of AMC trials models' book that I haven't published yet. Fittingly, the last really big outing for the full AJS works trials team was the 1964 Scottish. Miller, riding the Ariel as a supported privateer, won on thirty marks lost from Mick Andrews on thirty eight, with McLaughlan fourth and Blakeway tenth. They hadn’t actually won, as AMC had on ten previous occasions, but their combined performances were more than enough to win the ailing company their final Manufacturers team prize. Incidentally this was also the last time such an award was won by a maker of traditional big bikes. One of the reasons that when a new form of trials was formulated for traditional British machines it gained the title ‘pre-65’ as being the final year for the big bikes! That was it, the era of the big four-stroke in trials was over, really over because all the other manufacturers had long since transferred their affiliation to the unit construction lightweights. Cheers. Edited January 18, 2014 by laird387 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firedfromthecircus Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 Hi firedfromthecircus, Yes, I have plenty more to come when I have decided how best to use my archive - my sentiments are probably best expressed in a "History of AMC trials models' book that I haven't published yet. . Put me down for a copy please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie prescott Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 Hi Guys. Hi Deryk, Yes publish that book,!!! And one on every other British Trials Bike ,Make. Perhaps starting with Ariel ?? Paper or Electronic??? Be good to read it on a Kindle???? Respect Regards Charlie. ....www.bsaotter.com, PS BSA second????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc2 Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 Fittingly, the last really big outing for the full AJS works trials team was the 1965 Scottish. Cheers. Deryk, don't you mean the 1964 Scottish? We'll look forward to whatever you're able to publish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted January 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 Hi, OOPS !! CLANGER FIRST CLASS !! Yes, John, I did mean the 1964 Scottish, in 1965 Mick Andrews was already on a Francis-Barnett with a James badge on the tank, Gordon McLaughlan was still on the 401 AJS - but as his own bike, by then. But that leads me on to a secondary query, to everyone reading this post, what are you reading it on - if I do publish anything it will certainly be an electronic publication, I no longer have the resources to publish AND SELL hard copy publications - but how many are reading this on some form of tablet compared to those reading it on a pc? I would be very interested in any sort of response. As far as when Colin Dommett first used the Starmaker Cotton with the MP forks, why not ask the lad?? Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie prescott Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 (edited) Hi Guys, Come on give Deryk a response to his question . Would you buy a a copy of anything he publishes on KIndle???? I know I would. To those of you who does not know about Deryk, and who he is!! And I am sure that there are a few of you? I hope he won't mind me saying that he is No Spring Chicken. And the man has a knowledge about "Classic British" trials machines and there history ,probably more than anyone else still on this planet!! He also has an archive of pictures and documents about these bikes that one could only dream about!! So do we want him to put down into readable format this knowledge , that we can then buy and down load??? Or do we want the History lost For Ever???? You decide!!!! He needs a Show Of Hands :NOW OK : Not just from You, but ASK any of your mates that might be interested in "OFF ROAD REVEIW" rising again. But in e- format. as a reference library . Just a thought Deryk, Hope you don't mind, We will see what response we get on TC won't we????? Regards Charlie from my I- Pad. Edit 12.10 to correct my I-Pad?? Good for reading e-Books on though. :icon_salut: Edited January 18, 2014 by charlie prescott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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