Last night I was at the AGM of the Oxford branch of the IMI of which I am a member.

The speaker was none other than Ken Sprayson who spoke without notes for nearly two hours about "100 years of the TT" starting with the history of the TT from 1905 ( before the TT started) up to the present day and then talked about the different courses and all the changes in the TT over the years..

He had some rare slides (especially of 1963, the return of Gilera) taken by himself and they covered the years he has attended, especially the time he has been the "Welding Man" looking after works teams and privateers over the years, installed in the garden hut in Nobles Park.

His lecture should be heard by more people.

However it is sad to report that this year his welding facility will not be there and he is now the TT Technical rep.

Ken started visiting the TT in 1953 and worked his socks off for many years. No holiday for him.

Another Legend in his own lifetime.

Ian, did you show Ken around in 1953

"Ian, did you show Ken around in 1953 ?"

No, but we have met up on numerous occasions while on the Island and at mainland meetings and shows and at all the major functions.

However on the Island, I used to spend a lot of time at his welding unit because not only did the also-rans turn up for help but also the works bikes, without the fairings, turned up, so I could get unique photos of the innards.

Not a lot of fans knew of the Sprayson Unit, placed each year in various venues in Nobles Park so I guess I was one of the privileged few who knew where he was, so was able to get some very interesting photos with his permission of course.

I was there when Scuderia Duke turned up in 1963 with the Gileras to be ridden by Hartle and Read and their frames were given a good going over by Ken. After only half an hour I had blatted off a whole 36 roll of colour film. (No digitals in them there days).

I couldn't wait to get them back from the processors and was able to have some of them published !

Ken and I were both pleased to be presented with tankards in 2007 by Adrian Earnshaw for our "Love of the TT" and the tankard takes pride of place on the top of my tele !

I have taken beer from it a few times but really it is a souvenir of "60 years a TTFAN" rather than an implement from which to imbibe alcohol ! I prefer a long pint glass of OKELLS myself ! I don't even mind plastic from the beer tent behind the Grandstand !)

Not long to TT 2009 - see you all soon........................

I am now preparing my website and webcams on http://www.ttfan.co.uk and http://www.ttfan3d.co.uk so I hope you will visit them, giving precedence to http://www.ttwebsite.com OF COURSE....

2009 is a special year for me because it is yet another anniversary.

We missed a TT because of the "foot and mouth" ( I still came over to keep a sequence going) and in my first year 1947 more time was spent on the beach than at the bikes, so this year in really my full out-and-out 60th anniversary of being a TRUE TTFAN. More anniversaries to come yet !

Let's hope we have a GREAT TT in 2009.

Few people have given more service to the TT races than Ken. I would have thought that his talk, delivered in his laconic Midlands accent, would have been fascinating. I hope that it was recorded!
So many riders have benefitted from the his experience and know how. I bet Ken has saved many a rider from an unfortunate accident aound the TT course. If I remember correctly, he could even weld a fuel tank FULL of petrol, working on the theory that it's only the fumes that ignite!
A lovely man, and surely worthy of some National recognition?

Indeed, Sprayson is one of those names, isnt it?
Synonimous with frames and welding

I am jealous of you and your talk Ian

But, then again, I am quite jealous of a lot of your memories though very happy with my own!

I second all that is said here ken helped me out with his skills on numerous occasions and is still very much involved in the racing scene having a very nice Royal Enfield GP5 (well he had to as he made the chassis and forks for them)
Ian did not Ken also operate out of a workshop on the road which comes up from Quarter bridge towards the harbour,on a V junction if my memory serves me right.Sure I went there for some welding in 1967 and what reminds me is a young Mick Boddice came belting up the road for some welding on his outfit. Law and officials did'nt bother us too much in those days.
Yes Ken Sprayson MBE sound about right.

"Ken also operated out of a workshop on the road which comes up from Quarter bridge"

Oh yes Arthur, Ken did have a number of sites where he welded for many daylight hours and sometime on into the night.

I have often tried to list these but I think even Ken has forgotten some of them. He also was in the garage up behind the Falcon Cliff Hotel for a few years but I think most people remember his years in Nobles Park. After all it was more central for the racing and easier to find. He helped to re-design Hailwoods 500cc Honda-4 frame by the way and produced a number of special frames for other factories and for the common man !

I must add that Ken talked pure TT last night and made little mention of his welding contribution so I was please to have it mentioned almost at the end of his lecture. The part I enjoyed most was the reminding me of events I had almost forgotten, and at my age one can forget things I'm told (God Forbid)

Ken IS writing his memoirs I'm pleased to say and should be about the size of "War and Peace" by the time it comes out. I, for one, will purchase one. In the meantime Ken has two books of photographs which have been published by the VMC.. I had him sign my copies last night which promoted them to the people attending (PR)

I hope some of you will have him at a club night so you can hear him relive some of the TTs that have gone by.