30th Anniversary Celebrations at the National Motorcycle Museum.

Can it really be 30 years since the National Motorcycle museum opened its doors?

I remember going to the opening day in October 1984 as a young greaser with my mates.

The Saturday for the 30th Celebrations was a sunny day and entrance was free, the staff also very friendly and well organised. Although very busy on the day it was great  to see such

wonderful and rare  machines on display, plus an Auto jumble in one of the halls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Talyllyn Run

Its not every day you get to take your favourite Motor Cycle on a good run to  the Sea Side, so when the chance came I jumped at the opportunity. And the run in question was to North Wales to visit the Narrow Gauge Railway at Talyllyn. Organised by Alan Bailey the run  started on the road to Stratford on Avon  and utilised a wonderful route that Alan new very well, taking in Kidderminster, Bewdley, Leominster, Cleobury, Newtown, Machynlleth, Dolgellau and finally arriving at our overnight stop at the Tynycornel Hotel overlooking the lake.

 

 On Sunday morning after Breakfast it was photo opportunity time, all the machines looking very impressive against the back drop of the lake, this is Dave Sketchley's  immaculate CX 500 Honda. 

 We were joined on the run by some members of the Triumph owners Club  ' Meriden Branch '  all machines helping to wake up the sleepy villages on our early morning run to see the Steam Trains  at Tywyn.

 

After our overnight stop it was of to Tywyn station to watch the first train of the day take on Coal and Water and of course its first passengers of the day. My friend Simon and myself decided not to travel on the train that day, we both had work the next morning so decided to start our return journey while the sun still shone.

1014 Cassington Bike night

 Although the Summer is fast fading like a Lucas 6v headlamp beam, I thought I would share these images from this years Cassington Bike night.  The small Village near Oxford once a year gets visited by hundreds if not thousands of Motor Cyclists and their machines, most are directed through the village centre to a nearby school car park. However for those who arrive aboard a Classic British machine the Red velvet rope is pulled aside and a lump of wood is thrown at you....for your stand of course!  This year I took my friend Simon on his Speed Twin to see the bright lights beyond Leamington Spa and he was very impressed at the evenings organisation and number and variety  of Classics  on the Green. This remains one of my favourite events of the year, being a Monday night means escaping work early for an evening with like minded individuals and later a ride home in the warm dusk on deserted country roads aboard a Norton Single with exhaust notes resonating off Cotswold stone walls....Happy Daze!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Coventry Festival of Motoring