Now that posts on Pat Hennen/Tom Herron have ceased here is one on a lighter note for Pykey.

The true story of how his hero John Williams first learned the T.T course.

John lived in Heswall on the Wirral. There was also another very experienced T.T rider in Heswall, Len Williams, no relation to John and not a super star but well respected clever engineer, good runner and rep winner, won his last silver in the 71 Senior his last race at 55, we started together and he beat me by 11 seconds He had a remarkable knowledge and photographic memory of the T.T.

Len mapped out the T.T for John on one of those old stiff toilet rolls, it carried so much detail of every bend where to peel off etc even down to the manhole cover on the approach to the 13th.

John spent weeks with Len unrolling and re rollng the toilet paper and going through it with him again and again in Len's workshop.

It's a true story I know, I have seen it and been through it myself with Len.

They were both on the square, perhaps that explains it.

Tom, can I call upon your long memory?
I know you still remember the large bottle of Scotch I promised you
next time I am in Ireland, but this is on another matter.
This is to do with the 1978 Junior TT that I know you competed in.
As I am a great admirer of that great Australian champion, the late
Kenny Blake, do you have any memories of him?
The results of that race show the following placings:
11 J. Dunlop
12 M. Hailwood
13 K. Blake
Someone else may have the time gaps but it seems to me that might
just have been a pretty good race.
Oh, was that Scotch or Mineral Water that you drink?

Now Tom, isn't that a coincidence!!

Mike finished 6.8 seconds adrift of Joey, Kenny was a further 13.4 seconds back. We have a photograph of Joey, Mike and Takazumi Katayama peeling off for Ballacraine in that race; how many world championships between them! Pat and I are off to Canada tomorrow to liase with the usual gang, Michelle, Harold Cosgrove and to make the acquaintance of another TT rider Dave Wildman. Back to the Road Race Capital of the World (and Web) in five weeks.

Have a great time, you two, and give my love to Michelle.

Nice one Tom i thought Smithy was supposed to be the comedian?

Tom, there's a book in you on Cheshire, Merseyside and Road Racing.

Please write it afore ye go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could do an even better one on Brummie/Black Country and Midlands road racers, because I am a Brummie.

Albert Moule, Tony Rutter, sponsor Gerald Brown and many more plus Bob Heath, now he's worth a write up on his own, his antics in his teens and early twenties defy belief.

What a great pity a lot more old racers, winners,stars and the not so famous don't visit these boards to tell us their tales instead of just a few of us.

Tom if we got Steve Murray on here we would never get our twopence worth? another brilliant character who still rides around on his Bantam.

Come on, guys, encourage them to get on here...I'd love to hear their tales.

Now there's a man who never ran out of breath, Knows more about the early days of Bridgestone and Honda racing machines at the T.T than anyone.

Fourty years a T.T rider, can't you get him on line Pykey? He could stir the pot to some tune

Tom i will phone him but he will talk all night about his experiences but its still mindbending and your right he never runs out of breath.

I presume your refering to Bill Smiths right hand man.Is it right that Steve threatened european human rights court action when an age restriction was suggested?

Yep - Steve and Denis Gallagher went to war against the Manx Motor Cycle Club.

That's when their maximum age limits disappeared.

Too late for me though - the MMCC caught me telling lies about my age just before the 1983 Manx and that finished my MGPs.

Had to go to the TT but it wasn't the same (and I wasn't good enough!!)

I think Steve was 70 when he did that. The Officer and a Gentleman road racer Albert Moule kidded them all though. I pretty positive he was well into his 70s when he rode his last Senior in 1967 when the age limit was 55.

George Paterson also consistently reduced his age as the years passed. I didn't mind that until he was presenting as younger than me! George died racing 4 years ago this weekend, and was found to be 69. Had he not had the initially trivial accident, I am sure George would still be competing in, and winning classic races here.

"The Officer and a Gentleman road racer Albert Moule kidded them all though. I pretty positive he was well into his 70s when he rode his last Senior in 1967 when the age limit was 55."

And then a travelling marshall for some years after that, on the Trident.

Esso Gunarsson used to tell this tale. One TT he fell off at the Graham Memorial, and was convinced he had gone to heaven. Then he saw Phil Read and realised he hadn't reached that immortal station!

Oh, no! He must have thought he was in the other place! I am sure Esso IS in heaven, and Readless!