Shrubland Park near Ipswich is the track, looks like a National event. Rider at 37s with badge on hat is Jeff Smith. Rider #16 at 48s, yellow shirt is Freddie Mayes. #73 & #74 are Rickman brothers, although #74 being a Greeves is unusual (1m57s). Leader at 2m47s is Dave Bickers, Jeff Smith 2nd, Freddie Mayes 4th. Pat Lamper is also in there somewhere. Great video!
Brilliant footage, thank you for taking the time and trouble to share it with us. I love showing these to my Father; they never fail to put a smile on his face.
My dad did scrambling back in the late 50's ...and pretty much all the way until he got married in 65. His mind is going, and a couple of years ago he wanted to start doing this again. I'm sure he could still throttle it the whole way, but he would never make even the first turn I doubt.
I was 12 when I went to my first scramble at Shrublands in 1961 as I lived in Gosbeck which was about 3 or 4 miles away (I think) and of course Dave Bickers became a hero as he lived in Coddenham which is almost next to the Park. They held the Motocross des Nations at the venue in those days and we were privileged to see all the greats of the day such as Bill Nielsson, Sten Lundin and Torsten Hallman. Bickers always did well but I remember him being beaten by Hallman cos his Greeves seized. RS
I went to shrubland park just once back in the sixty's Dave Bickers won everything, but I couldn't remember what the track looked like. Thank you so much for the benifit of your great knowledge. :-) Most of the scrambles I went to were at Hadleigh in Essex.
I was saddened to hear that Dave Bickers had died recently as he was my hero when I was just starting to take an interest in scrambling at the age of 12. I used to race around the garden on my bicycle thinking I was on a Greeves (probably like every other bike mad kid who watched scrambling). Bickers had a small practice track in Coddenham which was on a piece of land where his brother Geoff's bus service garage was situated (I went to Stowmarket Secondary Modern School on a Bickers bus) and I remember cycling down one evening to watch him practice on his Greeves and I think he had a mate called Pete Smith who also rode a Greeves who was also there - does anyone remember him? I don't know why Shrubland Park stopped being a motocross venue as it was a really great track and, in some ways, not unlike Hawkstone Park near Shrewsbury where I moved to after Suffolk. I remember going to a national motocross meeting at Hawkstone somewhere around 1968 and Dave Bickers was a late entry and rode with the number 157 (he was normally No1) - he rode 250 and 360 CZ machines and he wiped the floor with the rest of the field. Thanks for posting the video - happy days and all the best - Roger Spurr
Dave Bickers moved on - I seem to recall - to stunt car building. He provided the entertainment at a Coventry BRISCA F1 stock car final by blowing a saloon car in half whilst it was racing around the track. Back to scrambling, I saw Dave on his Greeves many times at Tunnel Hill, Pirbright. Off early Sunday mornings on my trackbike, (having kicked the choir in touch), with my bottle of Cydrax and Smiths crisps in a gas mask bag, I had many a glorious day. When I finally got home at 7pm smelling of Castrol R and hot dog onions and covered in yellow dust, ( or yellow mud), I got a damn good walloping before chewing my way through a delicious dried up Sunday lunch and some solid baked rice pud.
i think Namsomnia is correct with his location & the fact the "chairs" didnt do the bombhole...i would have only been about 4 or 5, my uncle lived with us but didnt drive so my dad drove the Thames van with Jobys Matchless 500 & DOT 250 in the back & me mum & us kids up front & my uncle & big brother in the back with the bikes, every weekend was a different track, Matchams pk right down near Bournmouth, Canada Heights in kent or Bramley near Guildford (our closest track) what a childhood wandering around the pits mixing with all the other riders kids....shame you cant upload a still on here..i've got a great one of him on the Matchbox at Pirbright Boxing day scramble .....so cold he's got his donkey jacket on !
That brings back memories of the 50s & 60s. Before we had motorised transport cycling to Bramley, Pirbright and Twesledown. I often used to get further afield with one of my uncles. Later it was in the back of either a J2 or J4 van with my mates bikes and tools.
Mk 1 Rickman Mettise plus a pair of early 1960's Greeves square barrel hawkstones plus JEFF Smith with no peak on his helmet must make it very early 1960's.
@raqdog You made me think with your comment, so I looked at the origional footage which is a lot clearer than the youtube film. The reg number of the Anglia is actualy YMR392 but as the camera swings round the 2 blurs and looks like an E By the way "E" was from Jan 1st to July 31st 1967 (I have an "E" reg Triumph Vitesse) Thanks for taking such an interest in my film, I love this sort of commemt
This was in the days when motorcycling was fun, before the attitudes and throttle wankers. My first bike for scrambles was a 49 Harley 125cc, knobby tires and oversize rear sprocket. I was just 12 years old.
I remember seeing the Rickman bros # 73 & 74, Don & Derek in Lulworth, Dorset, you had to go through the Castle grounds to get to the field, we lived in the Gatehouse , at the main road, smug we didn't have far to go. The Sharp bros? But the star was the older fat guy who was amazing, in the side-car division. I think he was called Tubby, often had a handicap start but always made it up, especially in the corner sections, though he was so big that on the long straights his bike was so slow..
As many have said, definitley Shrublands Park, Great Blakenham Ipswich, and the awesome bombhole, me brother and dad would always go to this meeting in the early 60s, perhaps im wrong but i think the sidecar outfits didnt do the bombhole?
Yes Scrambling is just the old (English) name for motocross, I don't know when the name changed, but as these are old films I thought I would use the old name.
Great looking footage! please in detail how did you capture old film? I have cans and cans of my dad's racing footage but 8mm digital conversion is spendy! thanks for your time!
Shrubland Park near Ipswich is the track, looks like a National event. Rider at 37s with badge on hat is Jeff Smith. Rider #16 at 48s, yellow shirt is Freddie Mayes. #73 & #74 are Rickman brothers, although #74 being a Greeves is unusual (1m57s). Leader at 2m47s is Dave Bickers, Jeff Smith 2nd, Freddie Mayes 4th. Pat Lamper is also in there somewhere. Great video!
Brilliant footage, thank you for taking the time and trouble to share it with us. I love showing these to my Father; they never fail to put a smile on his face.
My dad did scrambling back in the late 50's ...and pretty much all the way until he got married in 65. His mind is going, and a couple of years ago he wanted to start doing this again. I'm sure he could still throttle it the whole way, but he would never make even the first turn I doubt.
I was 12 when I went to my first scramble at Shrublands in 1961 as I lived in Gosbeck which was about 3 or 4 miles away (I think) and of course Dave Bickers became a hero as he lived in Coddenham which is almost next to the Park. They held the Motocross des Nations at the venue in those days and we were privileged to see all the greats of the day such as Bill Nielsson, Sten Lundin and Torsten Hallman.
Bickers always did well but I remember him being beaten by Hallman cos his Greeves seized.
RS
Great stuff, oh to be back in those wonderful days.
Takes me back to my scrambling days.
I went to shrubland park just once back in the sixty's Dave Bickers won everything, but I couldn't remember what the track looked like. Thank you so much for the benifit of your great knowledge. :-)
Most of the scrambles I went to were at Hadleigh in Essex.
I was saddened to hear that Dave Bickers had died recently as he was my hero when I was just starting to take an interest in scrambling at the age of 12. I used to race around the garden on my bicycle thinking I was on a Greeves (probably like every other bike mad kid who watched scrambling). Bickers had a small practice track in Coddenham which was on a piece of land where his brother Geoff's bus service garage was situated (I went to Stowmarket Secondary Modern School on a Bickers bus) and I remember cycling down one evening to watch him practice on his Greeves and I think he had a mate called Pete Smith who also rode a Greeves who was also there - does anyone remember him? I don't know why Shrubland Park stopped being a motocross venue as it was a really great track and, in some ways, not unlike Hawkstone Park near Shrewsbury where I moved to after Suffolk. I remember going to a national motocross meeting at Hawkstone somewhere around 1968 and Dave Bickers was a late entry and rode with the number 157 (he was normally No1) - he rode 250 and 360 CZ machines and he wiped the floor with the rest of the field. Thanks for posting the video - happy days and all the best - Roger Spurr
Dave Bickers moved on - I seem to recall - to stunt car building. He provided the entertainment at a Coventry BRISCA F1 stock car final by blowing a saloon car in half whilst it was racing around the track. Back to scrambling, I saw Dave on his Greeves many times at Tunnel Hill, Pirbright. Off early Sunday mornings on my trackbike, (having kicked the choir in touch), with my bottle of Cydrax and Smiths crisps in a gas mask bag, I had many a glorious day. When I finally got home at 7pm smelling of Castrol R and hot dog onions and covered in yellow dust, ( or yellow mud), I got a damn good walloping before chewing my way through a delicious dried up Sunday lunch and some solid baked rice pud.
WOW! Thank you so much for the info, I was given this footage with very little background infomation so I really appreciate your input.
i think Namsomnia is correct with his location & the fact the "chairs" didnt do the bombhole...i would have only been about 4 or 5, my uncle lived with us but didnt drive so my dad drove the Thames van with Jobys Matchless 500 & DOT 250 in the back & me mum & us kids up front & my uncle & big brother in the back with the bikes, every weekend was a different track, Matchams pk right down near Bournmouth, Canada Heights in kent or Bramley near Guildford (our closest track) what a childhood wandering around the pits mixing with all the other riders kids....shame you cant upload a still on here..i've got a great one of him on the Matchbox at Pirbright Boxing day scramble .....so cold he's got his donkey jacket on !
That brings back memories of the 50s & 60s. Before we had motorised transport cycling to Bramley, Pirbright and Twesledown. I often used to get further afield with one of my uncles. Later it was in the back of either a J2 or J4 van with my mates bikes and tools.
The year is 1961 - I have all but one of the programmes since 1950 and the race nembers correspond with 1961.
I really appreciate you posting these vids keep it up
Mk 1 Rickman Mettise plus a pair of early 1960's Greeves square barrel hawkstones
plus JEFF Smith with no peak on his helmet must make it very early 1960's.
@raqdog You made me think with your comment, so I looked at the origional footage which is a lot clearer than the youtube film.
The reg number of the Anglia is actualy YMR392 but as the camera swings round the 2 blurs and looks like an E
By the way "E" was from Jan 1st to July 31st 1967 (I have an "E" reg Triumph Vitesse)
Thanks for taking such an interest in my film, I love this sort of commemt
LOOKS a bit like Shrubland Park, Near Ipswich !!
great film!,looks like a nice track,should be resurected.loved the plod on the scooter.
This was in the days when motorcycling was fun, before the attitudes and throttle wankers. My first bike for scrambles was a 49 Harley 125cc, knobby tires and oversize rear sprocket. I was just 12 years old.
I remember seeing the Rickman bros # 73 & 74, Don & Derek in Lulworth, Dorset, you had to go through the Castle grounds to get to the field, we lived in the Gatehouse , at the main road, smug we didn't have far to go. The Sharp bros? But the star was the older fat guy who was amazing, in the side-car division. I think he was called Tubby, often had a handicap start but always made it up, especially in the corner sections, though he was so big that on the long straights his bike was so slow..
My brother Frank did scrambling in the 1950s: looked exactly like this.
proper cars, proper bikes and proper health & safety rules. Good times :D
Could be anywhere, but I have photos of a scrable at Wansford, near Peterborough dating from 1958/59. Could easily have been there.
As many have said, definitley Shrublands Park, Great Blakenham Ipswich, and the awesome bombhole, me brother and dad would always go to this meeting in the early 60s, perhaps im wrong but i think the sidecar outfits didnt do the bombhole?
Wonderful! thats the reason I uploaded these videos.
Better days. People looked alot happier then.
Yes Scrambling is just the old (English) name for motocross, I don't know when the name changed, but as these are old films I thought I would use the old name.
at the beginging theres a young lad, thats my dad!! next to by grandpa :D
Great looking footage! please in detail how did you capture old film? I have cans and cans of my dad's racing footage but 8mm digital conversion is spendy! thanks for your time!
great days as a boy
If tracks stayed like this even i could be sx champ.
Thanks for uploading your old cine films of these races. I take it scrambling and motocross are one of the same or are there subtle differences?
shrubland
1920s ???? much to modern