Passing of Tom Ollerton, Bultaco Pioneer.

[pommyjon]

My father, Tom Ollerton, who was a very keen rider in the 1950s and 60s has passed away at the age of 91. Dad was a very active member of Darwen Motorcycle Club in Lancashire, and competed in the Scottish Six Days Trial many times. He worked for many years at Anelays Motorcycles in Blackburn, who were the original concessionaires for Bultaco in the UK. In 1962 Dad became the first man to ride a Bultaco in the Scottish (his was the only Bultaco entered that year). He rode it again in 1963 where, once again it was the only Bultaco entered.  In 1964 he was joined by Oriol Bulto, who was most impressed by the modifications that Dad had done to his machine to convert it to a trials machine, as you can see from his letter of June 1964. 

By 1965, the Bultaco concession had been moved to Comerfords Ltd and there were eight riders on Bultacos including, of course, Sammy Miller. The rest, as they say, is history. 

I am not sure if there are many left who will remember Dad, it is many years since he stopped riding, but I thought I would share a couple of pictures for those that do. 

Regards, 

John Ollerton. 

[rotors7]

That's a grand write up.

[dan williams]

Condolences on your loss John but thank you for sharing your dad’s piece of trials history. I’m sure there were many amazing stories that came with those photos.

[andrewmorpeth]

Sorry to hear your bad news.Great memories.Do you still have the bike?

 

[spen]

Fantastic....

[turbofurball]

Sorry for your loss, your Dad sounds like a true pioneer and must have been quite the rider to be in the SSDT so many times!

[faussy]

Great story. And then they say bultacos arent pre65 

Edited January 3, 2018 by faussy

[mrtmartinp]

Sad to hear your news. My uncle, Ken Martin also worked for Anelays, some years later I had an ex-SSTD 199a from my cousin. So the story went my uncle made call to Spain to get a new 199a for my cousin.

Sold it many years ago, and been looking for it for the last 15 years. So if anyone has 199*6452, or the remnants of it please let me know.

Not sure if you've seen this Sherpa N write up.

http://www.bsaotter.com/the_dan_shorey_bultaco_sherpa_n_trials..html

 

[section swept]

 Pommyjon I hope that you and your family can accept the condolences of complete strangers, me included, but I wonder where Bultaco would have been if your father had not got involved with modifying the 196cc trail bike! Your father is a part of history and possibly a legend for what he started. Maybe a club would honour your fathers memory and create an award for innovation or some such contribution to trials. To me Tom Ollerton is just as famous as many of the other well known names in this sport. 

[manchester uk]

Late to this but I am reasonably sure my Dad (Jim Crossley) introduced Tom to me at Barbon hillclimb. Dad was a founder member of Darwen MCC and rode one of John Anelay's motorcycles in the TT. At the time when I met him I had just got my first Sherpa and there was much discussed re the development that Tom and John had provided Bultaco for a certain SM to then claim as his own. I think the understanding they all had was engineering is engineering but business is business!   

 

[HARR]

Sorry to here about Tom, only just seen this, my mum and dad knew Tom when he lived near the Strawbury Duck, we bought a new Yamaha XS250 from Anelays in 1978 and Tom did the deal, what a gentleman Tom was to deal with, my mum was the first for a pillion ride on the bike and we visited Toms house that evening to say thanks.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Bob from Darwen

Edited March 28, 2021 by HARR
mistake

[frozenlatino]

Sorry for your loss....

If time exists in heaven,
Do you still rise with the sun?
Do you and Mom share breakfast
Before your day has begun?

Can the heavens hear your laughter
As you sit and reminisce
About the time we had together
And other people that you miss?

And Daddy, do you still take walks
Along heaven's seas?
And when you gaze upon the surf,
Do you remember walks with me?

Are your standing with those brave young men
Upon its perfect shores?
Finally by their sides again,
Your comrades from the war.

Do you gather with your family
Beneath heaven's glow?
And gaze upon those mountains still
That once you called your home.

Is music all around you,
All those songs you held so dear?
Do you and Mom still sing together,
The way you did when you were here?

Do you ever have long talks with God
About those left behind?
Do you tell him all the stories
Of all our grand and treasured times?

I think that heaven must be grateful
To have you there each day,
To bring your easy laughter
And your silly sense of play.

And I'm sure that God already knows
The special father you had been
And how I wish that you were here
To guide my way again.

But I carry you inside my heart.
You are never far from me.
I see you in my smile
And in who I grew to be.

And I'm sure that on this Father's Day
God will help you celebrate
All those dads who changed the world with love.
What a party that will make!