The display of bikes was an excellent fit among the museum’s restored buildings, workshops and unusual artefacts. The majority of bikes were from the classic era, with no less than 85 BSAs entered, more than double the number of representatives from Meriden. The Small Heath entry was boosted by strong support from the Bantam Owners’ Club.
The more unusual bikes did not take much finding. Jennifer Farrell was the entrant of a barn-find, Brockhouse Corgi work-in-progress that had been out of use for 50 years. Tony Dymott’s 1925 350 Neracar attracted much attention and nearby John Buckingham’s 250 FN demonstrated shaft drive was alive and well in 1909.
Mick Sobalak’s Norton Vincent was a constant magnet for spectators. This superbly crafted special had all the bells and whistles, including electric start, 1200cc capacity and a superb paint job.
