This Archive copy is individually Numbered to identify where any Copy came from, any released from here carry code LI1324.   We shall try to keep this online as long as possible.    Head on in to wander around images of actual days gone by.  Automobiles, Land Speed records, LSR, World Speed Records, Motorcycle Land speed records, TT Races, Short Circuit Races, Rallying, Rally, Rallies, Reliability Trials became the Terms applying when Racing & Sprinting on Sand would be held, Scrambles, Autocross, Jalopy Races, Speedway Races, Grass Track Races, Dirt Track, Long Track Races, Moto Cross Team Europe Moto Cross, ISDT for International Six Days Trials soon became Enduro with Six Days International Enduro all Powered Vehicles competitions needing a term.  This takes Insurance, Tyres Chains protective Helmets, outer Garments Racing Boots leathers, Oils Accessories Lighting Systems, Suspension Systems, Spark Plugs Garments land to compete upon, Circuits, Motor Clubs, Organisations such as ACU FIM plus much more along with Magazines online & off of the sport past present & future. Where there is a hobby or interest an Industry is supporting plus relying upon it, with advertising reporting plus photographic aspects, cameras , the lot!. ... bearings, seals, gasket compound, grease, paint sprayguns, fasteners, tools, the list goes on. 

One of Dave Martin's collection, big thanks to Dave! Alexander, NOT QUITE IN WALES!!! but thought to be across the Severn at Weston Super Mare 1913, nothing to justify inclusion other than I'd hate to leave it out!. It gets better from here on in.

Further from Wales> Just one from 1920? or so, a World away at Otaki Beach in New Zealand, found by Dave Martin, just to show what went on worldwide.  'Could not resist it.    

W Edwards (Edwards Towy Garage!) whose name you see re Trophies plus prominent involvement with Carmarthen Club activities won the Cardigan Club's 2 1920's Pentre Cwrt nr Lampeter Hill Climb events, plus took a Gold Medal in the ACU Six Days Trial in 1920, (believed the International Six Days Trial) plus a Silver Medal in the Scottish Six Days Trial. Plus took part in events at Pendine in 1920, His Great Grandson Stephen has kept the picture & medals safe & returns them to Wales after over 20 years in Australia, thanks to Stephen for permission to use the following images,  (we wd also like to identify the machine shown here). This appears to be Pendine, though we wd like confirmation before adding to the Pendine Section itself.

Dr. Alex Lindsey Snr., on second machine from the left, Handel Davies second from right, & on the right is Albert Lewis of Henllan, all on Sunbeam machinery

C E Edwards is listed as the Driver of this Brough Superior Combination, picture from Dave Martin, a Programme from circa 1930 could show whether this is the specialist Sidecar racer from Cirencester as found by my good friend Noel Knight, plus is this at Pendine or Oxwich?  

Another sent in picture of the same subject with better facial view of them both, it seems to be Pendine but which year etc, much to be found about this before we can add to the Pendine Section with certainty.

The great Handel Davies refuels, a man that recorded well over a hundred races wins in his career.

Here is Handel Davies's Oakland Stores at Glannant, which later became the Dodds family Tyre depot.  Handel Davies, a superb racer of his day later opened a large Motorcycle Emporium at Oxford St. Swansea, later bought by Glanfield Lawrence. (Handel is buried near his Daughter's grave at the local Chapel). 

 This same wooden front is still in situ to this day, however the Shell & Colmans Blue & Robin Starch signs decorated building to its left was removed & in Bob & Nan Dodds's Motor Tyre Depot time it became a driveway  to allow large vehicles reach the building's rear. The Dodd family saw Bob become Welsh 350cc Grass Track Solo Champ in the final round at Coldra Farm, Newport, whilst John Mills & I watched Bob then around the 40 yrs. of age mark & despite a fall take the Championship, his son Colin also became a top Grass track racer.

Handel Davies, his daughter, & mechanic Jack. On the Brough Superior SS.80 De Luxe!, one of very first 90 bore  Broughs bought new by him from the works & sent by by LNER Rail, 30/5/1927 & later sold to a Mr. Bush on 12/5/1930!. Engine no 81994 KTCY, frame  No 591  Gearbox No 115066, above data thanks to Dave Clarke of the Brough Superior Club.  

That Cup shown below we believe well after 1936! Eddie Stephens with 'specs. to his right Elwyn Rees and behind him Noel Knight Snr. Carmarthen's great organizer of so many events.

Jack Davies of Carmarthen Motor Club obtaining Freddie Frith's Autograph by chance when Freddie broke down in practice we believe near Kate's Cottage, to Jack for display to the lads, on a par with the Holy Grail

Carmarthen (& Builth's Gallery) of Dragons awarded for Eppynt TT & elsewhere, Wilmot Evans won the very first for the 1948 Lightweight 250! at Eppynt against a very fast Moto Guzzi ridden by Maurice Cann (the number of shields you can see on the plinth/bases upper chamfer tells us that this pic was at least post 1951. The shields continued clockwise on that level, Wilmot won again in 1950.

Wilmot's 1948 TT Silver Dragon Trophy which he won again in 1950, I had the pleasure of having this here for 6 months or so. 

These small replica Tropies  on wooden plinth bases are seen in the pics above. Awarded for when a Main Trophy was returned, those smaller Silver Dragons originate from Tom Norton's Automobile Palace at Llandrindod Wells where from 1922 where they sold as Motor Decor Emblems & see who else carried one on his vehicle!.> Lloyd George, who was actually called the Silver Dragon & not Silver Fox as latterday journalists cared to describe him, a little more research could have provided far more interest?.  2 of these as Wilmott Evans's Eppynt TT Tropies Replicas were recently sold in Auction at Carmarthen for a total reputedly to amass to over £2000, hopefully they will be on display?, here is where they stemmed from.

Pendine Races around that period became hugely supported to around the same extent Gower & Oxwich Bay Broughton Bay Aberavon Beach & Pembrey (Cefn Sidan) events, this shows the Race banner actually on the Beach.

A 1950's view of a marked out Pendine Race Circuit taken from a point on the headland protruding from right to left in the preceding pic. above.

Carmarthen Council Cup presently safe shows it was stamped with winners names from1936, Donated by County Councillor Will Edwards whom all locals shall recognize as Edwards Towy Garage, did this follow on to similar silverware presented by 1931 officials of the Carmarthen Sports & Attractions Enterprises Association?.  1936 winner was F Whitehouse, 1937 J D Daniels (Jack Daniels, see his section on this website) 1938 Eddie Stephens whom you see with it above, 1939 M G Taylor, WW2 war years gap, 1946 T H Edwards, 1947 N Treseder, 1948 Wilmott Evans, 1949 N Treseder Snr., 1950 Nobby Treseder, 1950 Sam Seston who rode the Jap engined specials of Ernie Earles in 350 form at Pendine plus the 500 engined version at Lydstep Hill Climb that year, 1952 Len Nicholas, 1953 Gerhard Heinz, 1954 Len Nicholas.  since all were into Hill Climb plus Sand Races we await further info from visitors on whether it was a Hillclimb or Sand Races award or a combination of such events. 

Stalling Down not Stormy Down, second RIDER from right appears as one of the Welsh ISDT Team.

The Welsh team which competed in 1937 International Six Days Trial, P C Sivell on left with his New Imperial, centre is I believe, Archie (Arthur?) Colcombe, & dad of an old friend, Austin Colcombe of Builth Wells, then at right is Sand racer E G (Gordon) Bennett of Gorseinon & Swansea Motor Club you will see more of Gordon in the OXWICH section of this website. Austin rode in Grass Track races into the 1960's & at Llanbadarn Park nr Aberystwyth I rode a 250 BSA he made at his Builth Wells shop, to compare it against the TRIBSA I had taken there. P C Sivell also rode a 250 BSA in the 1938 event, sadly retiring on the second day, Pete Harding now has that very 250 BSA!. (Photo from the Mike Evans Collection)

Carmarthen Club out on a run pause with Eddie Stephens seated on the white Sidecar nose, at the ANGEL INN, but where is it???, can anyone identify others?.

Daniel Morgan Thomas, of Llangrannog, Vincent HRD Works tester and rider at the same time as John Surtees was an apprentice there & Phil Heath George Brown  & George Rose too Dan raced at venues all over Wales & England, Winning at Pendine in 1951, latterly he retired to be a Milkman at Llangrannog.  David Bowen, a Vincent employee who was born at Pontypool has contacted us to advise that he was with D M Thomas at Pendine, plus was involved testing with D M Thomas at MONTLEHERY when VINCENT went for the World Records in 1952.  Many thanks David, invaluable info when from those involved.  D M Thomas's son Dai is presently compiling a scrapbook on his career so if anyone has data please contact us.

Bob Burns used the sort of development Pioneered by the above to achieve a record listed in the Vincent Ad here! what was the film featuring BB as a crank, the fastest Indian on Earth?

Here we see a top sandracer, Jimmy Lanyon of Jersey, Mrs Lanyon remains bright as a button & Jimmy raced Bill Green's AJS plus his 350 Triumph single spectacularly on road race plus Sand tracks & in 1952 he rode a 499 Norton #016 at Eppynt TT Circuit on his way to compete in Isle of Man, Bill Salmons &  Channel Islands restorers traced this pic for us.  His next door neighbour Ian advised us that Jimmy was one of a bakery operating family & one of the family was caught by the occupying German Force during WW2 for copying & distributing the BBC Broadcasts to the Channel Island, which of course was verboten listening.

Phelon & Moore (Panther's 1913 ISDT Team)

Sign from the 1936 ISDT Event!

Some of the British Team that passed that sign by in 1936, with BSA stalwart Freddie Rist centre, Fred came to be a dealer in Wales after being raised, son of another 'Fred', a garage owner from Stokesley an elegant town in lower parts of the Cleveland Hills through which the river Leven flows. (Frederick Maurice Rist)

Fred Rist on the BSA & Alec Jeffries or ? on the Triumph & is that one of the Brittain bros. on the Royal Enfield a rare Pic. at Llandrindod Wells of a 2 days team selection for the 1948 ISDT event to be held in Italy, Petrol shortages 'somehow' overcome & 'Mercury' first to press carrying the selection news!.

This still unused book of petrol coupons could have been part of what enabled that 1948 ISDT 2 days selection trial to 'run so smoothly'!.

Llandrindod Wells Start point of the 1937 ISDT 1948 Trial,1949, 1950 & 1954 ISDT.

American rider & writer Ed Youngblood provided us with the story of how a determined a New Yorker, Tom McDermott just 18 years old was hardly noticed or given the accolade his Gold in the 1949 event deserved in his article 24 Karat Memories. Tom McDermott is now a prominent Harley Davidson dealer at Fort Ann. Thanks to Ed who is behind many of the finest books on Motorcycles & people & who is behind http://www.motohistory.net I was advised that Tom did not appear as a Brit. since the BSA Team helped him to process his ACU Int. Licence.

The bustle at Llandovery Town Centre preparing for the day's stage, this place was used in all the 1948, 1949 Plus shown here here in  1950 & also the 1954 Trials events.

 Des James, still of Talybont.  A top scrambler too Des took Gold in the 1949 ISDT on a rare 250 Class Royal Enfield Clipper, we can tell this pic is of the 1950 event, since Des has a Triumph Single with it's dynamo in place, 1950 had some nighttime sections requiring lights!, Des IS STILL a great Character too. Des became the man to get a 'works' Trials HJH, from Harry J Hulsman & design Associate & superb engineer Hedley John Vickery at Windsor Rd. Neath factory. (Thus no Doubts over the HJ parts of HJH) What to his surprise he actually received was a pile of components, part of which was a fairly exhausted scrambles trim power plant for him to build plus register.  Again, Des sorted it plus used it to great effect.  Des now a late Octogenarian rode his 1911 New Hudson in the Isle of Man in 2006 & were it not for a cutout motor at first the Gooseneck & then Creg ny Baa his actual on Circuit times would have won him a past veteran TT by miles, a wonderful character, Des still ensures there are 8 of his machines in the Banbury Run each year and for many yrs Des has taken the Perry Wheeler award for combined age of machine plus rider & who knows?!.

1950 ISDT number 187, D D Jones we believe it to be Douglas, a staunch protestor, for human & animal rights, plus other decent causes & yes he was the chap who brought ball end levers to be stipulated by the ACU to be used on competition machinery.?

Upper pic shows Fred Rist in 1949 ISDT final Day rounding Dixie's Corner at Eppynt.   The centre pic shows the layout /encampment of the organizers viewed from the so named Burma road region looking at Dixie's Corner & down Llewellyn's Way.....That Lower picture though is more than simply a little bike, it is the little bike which won the Six days trials finest award for its makers in the Eastern Europe 'bloc' & actually showed they led the world in two stroke development.  The Czech team  E Marha, F Blaha, & J Kremar mounted on CZ's of 98cc to 125cc in spite of Marhar's stop for a spark plug change romped away with the ISDT TROPHY Britain's team of P Alves 500 Triumph, C M Ray 500  Ariel, F Rist 500 BSA & Hugh Viney 500 AJS unable to reach the far far higher than possible speeds required by the final day & whilst the oil, tyres, sparking plugs & chains representatives from their mobile supply bases provided lavish support on the Course planned by ACU's Harry Baughan it was the Czech team who won easily even wearing the required crash Helmets provided FoC by Feridax who had supplied the British teams. Llandrindod Wells had seen Foreign flags of 93 foreign riders out of a 237 rider entry to end with presentations at The Pavilion Hotel where Lord Lieut. of Radnorshire & Piet Nortier, Pres. of Commission Sportive Internationale (F.I.C.M.)   By September 29 1949 INTERNATIONAL "GOLDS" appeared at the foot of a page in Motor Cycling showing George Brown on the 1000cc 'Gunga Din' Vincent beating the outright Motor Car Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb Record whilst craftily launching the Grey Flash Vincent 500 racer, all it stated was that following amendments the recent ISDT Gold Awards were to also be received by C. Clegg, (125 BSA) & K. Rykr, (248 Jawa). 

N.B. Epynt in Welsh & Eppynt in English, plus Epona was the old term for the Pagan Goddess of Horses & Epynt it is said was the origin of the Welsh Cobs Ponies, plus a farmer stopped me me in my tracks one day when he told me " 'well where do you think the word PONY actually comes from boy?".) I had not really thought!.

Italian team & machines smartly almost in formation going thru Dixie's Corner which is still there at Epynt.

1949 ISDT Italian team exit Dixies, 500 SV Sertum machines at Epynt TT Circuit on the last Day, 6th Day Speed Trials, Murray Walker rode to 'Gold Medal & breaking his only specs. 'second day on a Norton 500.  

Clynderwen Grass Track 1953? from the Left Sand Racing expert Llwyd James 500 BSA then of Maenclochog with Len Bastian, 350 BSA Gold Star, Jack Phillips of Swansea who competed at anything to do with Motorbikes & on the far right is Swansea's 'Hoppy' Hopkins on his JAP based special.

1931 Carmarthen Sports & Attractions Enterprises Association held races at Pendine on 3rd August with the following officials, Judge J Jones, Chief Steward Trevor Hopkins, Starter J Jenkins, Honorary Secretary W H C Tew. Events & Results follow:

Now Back in Time! to view what was repeatedly & superbly recorded for posterity by the photographic skills of J.F.Lloyd, Carmarthen Park & the town itself was a regional Centre for Athletics, Fairs, Military Displays, Cycles & Motorcycle Racing & even Hot Air ballooning as well as its Rugby & Football.  With the kind efforts & assistance of Pat Davy plus VMCC Library & staff we can identify at far left a 1903 Humber, next a 1903 Matchless or Excelsior, on to a 1903 BAT & on the right a 1903 Riley 2 3/4 hp. What has seemed to have been overlooked previously is that since Professional foot racers & professional cycle racers were always star attractions, & that CARMARTHEN PARK was amongst if not as many claim to have been the very first venue at which a motor cycle was used as a Pacer! ie ridden in front  of a high speed setting attempt by a cyclist who rode very close behind it.  Pacing is claimed to have been frequently used. So very much more can be discovered when visits can be made to what is after all the National Cycle Museum at Llandrindod Wells (base of several ISDT Events) in the care of David Higman & his colleagues, available data plus displayed contents are breathtakingly comprehensive from the earliest bicycles to latter day racing machines & unique materials & construction methods used, it is the largest Cycle Museum in UK whilst a great many claim it to be the largest in Europe, a visit to their excellent website can be made from here by clicking on www.cyclemuseum.org.uk

This shows the earliest Prog portion we have located whilst from a 1901 Carmarthen Park Sports Programme we can grasp 1901 was the 7th Event. Mansel Athletic Grounds Progs preceded Carmarthen Park Events.  Lord Cawdor Presided at the 1901 event, an assembly of Councillors Mayors plus VIP's would all be listed. PROFESSIONAL FOOT RACES, were advertised at an Event Graced by Cwmmawr Brass Band conducted by T. Harris. (also available for dances!) High wire act Pereni can be seen in some following pics, plus the Balloon Ascent, followed by 2 Parachute decents made by Miss Winnie Mansfield & Mr Henry Spencer.  Veldenos was a Gymnastic Marvel team. Horizontal Bar Gymnastic entertainers were easily noted to have the same letters as Denvelos.  Silver prizes plus money rewards flowed in Foot Racing events & the secretive nobbling & betting concerning favourites is said to have been prevalent then too, nothing unearthed in that respect re pedal Cycle Races.   6 Old Pennies for admission, or 2/6p 'half a crown' allowed the affluent to reserve a Grandstand Seat.  I had raced pedal Cycles here Played Rugby, Raced solo Motorcycles plus Methanol fuelled Grass Track Sidecar racing machines here <> AND I never knew what had gone on all those years ago.

So Back in Time again at a new looking Carmarthen Park.

Back again, another of J. F Lloyd's appreciated pictures. the very balloon from which in 1901 those parachute descents were made, Carmarthen Museum seems to have a little place in an outlaying district from where little of a great Carmarthen past seems seldom made evident.

Look at the crowd! at the park.

Athletics too

This is an old circa 1908 postcard view of Carmarthen Park with the Old Town Coat of Arms & motto we have seen offscreen to be RHYDDID (freedom), HEDD (peace), LLWYDDIANT (success). National Cycle Museum has one posted in 1908

Motorcycle Racing at Carmarthen Park! the banked Velodrome Track & Stand remains there in use.  On left we see a c1903 Riley 2 3/4 hp, & centre a machine using a Perry Victor frame & Forks set, a 3 hp Humber is set to start from the right of this pic.  Huge thanks are deserved by Pat Davy & staff of the VMCC Library without whom we could not have traced what seems to stem from a century ago.

Carmarthen Town Quay, viewed towards where Tesco is today. The Castle can be seen in the top right of pic. this was 1912 with the vessel Merthyr alongside of the same era as that ill fated Fry's Cocoa ad.

1931, Later at Carmarthen Park, Carmarthen Sports & Attractions Enterprises Association on the evening of Monday August 3rd held races in that very same park we see the Speedway Races in 1963. Officials:- W Edwards Chief Steward, P J Kelly Clerk of the Course, Judges  Alderman D J Davies, Alderman J O Morgan & Mayor W Jones & Mr H N Evans, Starter Tom Evans.

Events were1:The County Race!, Open to Riders in Carmarthenshire, we note the winner was listed to be not! 1/D Hathaway Bridgend & 2/W L Hughes of Llanelly. 2:One Mile Open, result 1/R W A Zeal of Newport 2/Y Davies of Bridgend....3:Two Miles Open, result 1/R W A Zeal 2/George Gregor of Mumbles. (George on his Douglas machine can be seen on the Oxwich 1931 Races page) 4:Grand finale Mile R W A Zeal. He rode at Cardiff's Speedway in 1928 along with George Gregor & Nick Carter. Can anyone find other info re races there, pictorial or results please?

In following years at virtually all the locations listed on this page inc Pendine & Carmarthen Park appeared a spectacular rider crowds were drawn to see, Windy Rees of Llwynhendy Nr Llanelli, not related to the Elwyn & Roddy Rees of Windy Corner Garage Pencader.  Ex Aberavon Sands racer John West-Jones recalls at Christchurch New Zealand avoiding a 'ticket' from a Traffic Warden!> Mrs Windy Rees! who accepted a plea from a Welshman 11000 miles from home

This is the folklore linked Merlin's Oak, Welsh Wizard & Magician stated "when this Oak is fallen down, then shall fall Carmarthen Town!.   It's remains still stand in the largely unnoticed Glangwili Museum. 

Back towards 1900/1910, Merlin's Oak stood firm & less affected by traffic's movements or emissions.  

Wooky Tippy' was Bryn Edwards's nickname, taken from the family home name.  It was only when I finally spoke with Bryn's Schoolmaster son John after Bryn had passed away on May 29 2004 following a long illness that his nickname origin became clearer. In the 30's, Grandfather Edwards was on a tea Clipper type vessel foundering in   the East Indies, he as the resourceful radio operator had made up a rough device to continue transmitting their distress calls for at least a further 24 hours, & that call was heard, responded to & eventually rescuers found them, picked up survivors & landed them at a Malaysian Port Wooky Tippy which translated to 'Sweet Home' & all were extremely glad to arrive at.   That Port name name was applied to the family house & Bryn naturally picked up his unusual nickname.  (A touching tale of unsung heroism & suffering plus determination). Wooky was an absolute stalwart of Carmarthen Motor Club, a firm motorcycling enthusiast & a friend of Eddie Stephens, you may note Eddie's E  323 telephone number on that Vincent 1000 registration, 'another of Eddie's niceties> to his friends.   Eddie seemed to have a way of getting that number on quite a few vehicles.    In those days when the Vehicle Tax & Registration Office was in Carmarthen!!!! & along with the legendary Merlin's Oak which if was ever was to fall down would see Carmarthen town submerge.......Wooky is seen here at Eppynt TT Races in 1949 when he became thereafter termed the Race Herald after as Travelling Marshall finally checking the track & when all else was silent Bryn toured down to the start of the long Gardiner's Way straight & could not resist opening his 1000cc unsilenced Vincent machine up fully & that unsilenced machine's roar reverberated, booming plus echoing around surrounding mountains bringing a wholly enthralled band of around 35000 spectators to their feet to catch a glimpse of his high speed solo lap.  An absolutely tough strong character about whom volumes could be written & he was of a band of Carmarthen Motor Club Characters who made it possible for talentless wannabe riders such as muself to have motorcycle races well run & readily available.(With thanks to John Edwards for his kind & patient assistance, we shall be altering this plus the caption on www.silverdragons.co.uk  accordingly)

Carmarthen Park Speedway Races, Organiser & a pretty good rider himself, John Powell is wearing a cap, to the right of Kenny Morris (who later competed himself using my Ariel SQ.4 powered sidecar outfit) stands behind the third machine from the right on which Racer Lloyd Tucker sits, Bill Bridgett is to his right  & far right is George (gearbox) Bewley of Pershore on the 500 JAP which I later raced & copped a fair 'whack' at Stepaside when the frame parted when going down the straight there..(shortly after I started racing sidecar outfits!)..Carmarthen Town Dignitaries to the far left & standing to the right of the third from left machine & wearing No 3 number vest is yrs truly, to left of that machine stand Roddy & Elwyn Rees. ACU steward 'Big Eric' Williams an ex competitor from Llanelli is the tallest figure in the group.

We tend to forget what was probably the last Motorcycle made in Wales....this is the 'works' HJH being raced at CLAYFORD Nr Tenby......... Rider was Roddy Rees then of WINDY CORNER GARAGE Pencader who was a superb rider & still an absolutely great character too.... The Machines were built at Harry J Hulsman's & his Associate & design Engineer Hedley John Vickery factory at NEATH. (between them HJH was compiled) however for all purchases of Villiers Motors MP Wheels etc.& all Managing aspects came via Harry J Hulsman himself many frames arc welded by aptly named Terry Sparks, who rigged up a welding supply from spuriously obtained HUGE Submarine DC batteries!, the machine with square section frame tubing was a successful design but emerged when Sun, Cotton, Greeves, Ambassador, James Francis Barnett, DOT, DMW, Norman, Tandon & others basically made trading difficult. Sadly Harry stopped production & left to open a shop in Morriston which was positioned back to back with the premises now used by Kaymac Diving Ltd........... Some square section tubing was there when they acquired the premises this sadly became shelving!.

Few seem to recall Hedley John Vickery &, Harry J Hulsman's efforts in Motorcycling, the DRAGON model machines & others using Villiers & JLO motors, plus his involvement with Cyril Kieft the 'Bubblecar Intended Producer' & various project of theirs such as Midlands produced scooters.    Harry also had 4 firsts in 4 Events at Pendine alone on his BSA 125 Bantam!. This 197cc 3 speed 1955 Super Dragon for sale on eBay from Wells in Somerset late Nov 2005 is an example.

A better view of Roddy Rees & that Works HJH 250 Villiers powered machine at the Clayford Tenby Scrambles circuit in 1956. (pictures from Rees family collection)

This very same type Harry J Hulsman produced & Hedley John Vickery designed machine with 8H Villiers power unit was set up & raced at his home Dundrod Circuit by a determined Tommy Robb. Tommy even bought a large sheet of Alloy & with a bag of sand beat & formed a great full frontal fairing of the type used on the NSU Star Machinery.  In 1956 at Dundrod Tommy lapped at 58.63 mph some 18 mph less than Sammy Miller in the Works NSU, but what a good performance out of a Villiers 8H?. . .Tommy Robb whom we all recall later racing superbly on Honda works machinery

Carmarthen Motor Club lived on circa 1967 & thanks to Terry James for this John Powell 2nd right right Norian Leach bearded Gethin Evans with Terry to the right of him in the pic.

Now for an old bike which started with a cautious £5 investment, gave great fun in many guises and still lurks in our garage!

Out of our depths at a Hillclimb at Maesteg using road race tyres on a grass track machine set up for Clockwise racing!, A pic we never expected, taken by top motorcycle action man Alan J Torry. those forks!!! were built overnight in a Bryn Terrace Llanelli shed after we had ruined a pair cartwheeling thru a chicane along with 5 other outfits at Much Marcle in a Saturday meeting on a Bank Hol. series of events.   a BSA rear swinging arm fork was used & an old Greaves Invacar Invalid carriage forks became blended & strengthened in & all this was done still in racing leathers & we loaded & travelled back during the night as far as Strensham Services & exhaustion set in & we called for Dave Lynes of Great Barr & Pete Harding of Erdington who tore thru the night down M5 & took over Driving to the Midlands with muggins 'ere asleep in a car to Great Barr where I was pushed into a posh bed still in old dusty leathers, a sleep & a great breakfast from those Brummies & we were able to get to West Bromwich races just in time to practice & those make-do forks with 'negative trail' managed to get a 'few bob' towards our trip. Next day at Kidderminster Races a fully blown up motor fright (which left only bits of alloy crankcases bolted in the engine plates where the motor had been) followed a missed change down when heading towards a chicane. (such is life) NB> Peter Harding's solution of the common in those days front wheel understeer problem on Chairs was "fit a 400 x18 rear tyre on  the front then!", he always stuck to Norton twins engines too in days I looked down my nose at them!.  Those were days when I did not have money over to provide packed nosh & I was a virtual refugee at Ken Jones's food parcel in his Volkswagen, mooching fascinating combinations of sandwiches with ingredients ranging from cheese & pickles to Fussels condensed milk!, his wife Mair & family & my wife Janet & I passed in a "boot sale" at Singleton Swansea recently, it was only after we exchanged greetings in Welsh that Mair commented that she never knew I spoke Welsh!, 'times & folks change.  

That 'fiver' machine No 10, rigged to race 'left' (anticlockwise) Tracks at Llannon Nr Aberaeron with Eifion Jones in hot pursuit, life after all is probably what happened to me waiting for something to turn up!.  Halls of fame that day were full, some got in by the door marked PUSH, 'others by doors marked PULL!

Carmarthen Park again in 1967, myself Lynn Isaac & the late sidecar wizard Ken Jones #36 on our last race together, & Alan Artus 33 with Lawson Crisp in the dark helmet.... 12 years ago the old bike frame was found with John Reeve at Blaenporth....John gave it back to us for nothing & I said nothing to Kenjo until I placed it on his lawn at Pontyates, with one of the pair of Cups we won in '65 at the Royal Welsh Show....Then I called him from a nearby telephone kiosk & asked him if he fancied a sit on our old bike again on his lawn?.... the old lad looked out then emerged with his share of silverware that day & we laughed & sat on the old thing once more...Childish in extreme.....Since the machine itself was bought as a crashed & bent frame for a fiver at Meyer Davies's Nevilles Dock Llanelli & Jacked straight with a 20Tons Tangye Jack & wooden Railway sleeper blocks. Smokey Dawson gave us an OK to use his acct. to fetch offcuts of tubing from Wolverhampton's Monmore green Tubing Co.....A visit to Rugby to measure Mick 'Wrecker' Adams's set up racing outfit & then back to Owen Greenwood's at Thurmaston where the incredible plan gelled!. Jeff Nunn dispensed with his Norton teles on his lightweight JAP Outfit so these had to do for us....A 3 piece 1949 Triumph motor was placed before Owen Greenwood & when he advised that it was far too old a type to live with top Grass racing tears welled & he quickly added how much have you got for US to get bits?.........Twentyseven pounds and ten shillings was my faltering reply & Owen said the top road racers motors had end of season race parts to dispose of & if we nursed them & used sparingly we could go and have a bash at good racing......with a single Carb we went into the fray & after a couple of lucky places & results in rained/wet meetings realized we needed the big twin carbs & swill pots too...... As the M50 opened Midlands became reachable & an aged A55 Austin Pick-up truck was acquired, tatty on the outside but with far larger diameter than standard rear wheels & tyre dealer Bob Dodds pitying us, giving us a USED commercial tyres our gearing began to like motorway runs & survived, after weekends racing & return to Llanelli for use as my daily transport.   Nobody in South Wales at least seemed certain what I had actually been up to & I found elegantly dressed young ladies understandably looked horrified when an apparently battered racing transporter arrived driven by a usually 'broke' date!.    My transport of those days currently would justifiably have been 'hauled over' & banned from the road.   I would never regret the events of that period, racing developments were rapid & within 4 yrs my state of the art outfit was an obsolete old type outfit, larger capacity Triumphs were coming to the fore, one option was update to the racing type needed NEXT year or pack it in.    I had begun to spend more time as a Diver, in summer out around the Islands off West Wales, always earning at it!.   Winning had become far harder, my decision to walk away was taken & done with relief, amazingly to me without any regrets at all.   Passenger, Kenjo immediately grabbed by West Walian Eifion Jones who acquired a far more modern outfit.   Diving, became easy, work at it easier to find too, my path towards Offshore Oilfield Diving opened up & was to become an amazingly unpredictable Professional Journey.   Whilst at Dubai the earlier Iran V Iraq war erupted, escalated & shipping suddenly became expensive Political targets, harsh, cruel & irrespective of Crews Nationalities seldom reaching UK Media Coverage.   Delegated to be involved at several casualties I unknowingly & gradually became the only (preferred) idiot who could (Since their Surveyors could not do the Underwater bit!) under approved Direction Conduct War Damage Surveys to Approvals of Lloyds Register of Shipping ABS DNV BV NKK etc even USN which came as a surprise.  'using Underwater photography plus reporting on Maritime War damage incorporating structure, missiles, mines underwater photography, marine growth etc. travelling to war zones locations, I just happened to be a guy Classification Societies & Salvage Assoc & Underwriting bodies found to be handily fluent on site.  My Samsonite travelling case furtively carried Surveyors handbooks, Arabic improved, Imperial & Metric surveying terms flowed, war damage and collision plus In Water Surveying of Vsls in Lieu of Dry Docking became in demand & I proved that anyone can be trained to do anything!.    Lost ships, deliberately lost Ships for Insurance value, cargo losses ULCC lost Super tanker loss, COMPLETE OIL CARGO LOSSES deliberate sinkings of expensive Hi Tech goods Cargo Vessels, it all came to light in my 'works'.   Company cars I used then then became posh things which had been beyond my reach as a racer!.   It brought home to me what had been hit, by which & where they came from, how they were transported, under which flag and cargo manifest, who supplied which arms to both sides & how Europe UK & USA supported sides the leader of one which they lately had executed, Asia plus Orient supplied all  'World is a devious place.     ALWAYS when watching or listening to News items plus reading Newspapers, stop & think first why they are telling us this NOW, look at all the other factors plus what could be the unknown yet reasons, News is released to us, edited first never to harm the releasing party, I hide away now as an extreme pacifist & carer of Wildlife, I know which type of me I prefer!.   You seldom see a Politician near actual wars, Army Navy Air Force get that thrust at them, Corporations steer well clear as well but make their funds on what goes on.

Many big big thanks to the late Smokey Dawson who was THE DMW's man & without his kind help we could not have afforded those bits of tubing for good old Owen Greenwood to build us that machine!, only when researching the Eppynt TT races did I find that Owen used to ride his 350 BSA there to race.

Owen Greenwood who honestly helped me far more than someone should, he could see that myself & collier Ken Jones were desperate to have a go at the fast top guys we could only read of in the MotorCycle News, he gently and quietly helped.   He built our machine, made motors for me out of old Junk which I had brought to him.  (I should have paid silly sums for such).   Thanks to him we had a go & had to race hard too, since it took some winnings to have enough petrol to make it home to South West Wales from meetings in the Midlands.  Owen even spared me a verbal clip around the ear when I brought a minicar bootfull of better tubing back from Monmore Green Tubing Co. to build my dream machine lighter than I had ever imagined.   However, the lightweight assorted offcuts with varied sections were Chrome Moly which neither bends or gets welded, my triangulated & brazed sections & joints looked impressive, we won 'quite a few bob' raced against all I had read about, beat most, there is little more an apprentice can do with a frame for a fiver!, I never appreciated how brilliant that old Collier sidecar passenger was, 'Kenjo' Ken Jones, I never even thought how brave the old git was.  'yet he kept us upright in stupidly unforecasted unpredictable passing attempts over parts of track which I felt the guys wd never expect warranted an attempt over.

OWEN GREENWOOD with Terry Fairbrother in that first Mini Race at Mallory in 1965 Another view of a man that needlessly helped a lad from far away.  Owen developed it to win all he entered.

Cyril Watson kindly found & sent along this pic of Roger Maughfling & passenger Larry Gough circa 1963 when I would probably been in Luciano Rotondo's BSA Chair in this race, when you view the handlebar layout with Roger here you can see that style on my leading links forks made by him on a friday for me to race them over the weekend, Roger Maughfling, 'other half of the team which helped a rather dim wannabe racer to get going for very little outlay when spending was beyond him.   Smokey Dawson the DMW Factory Owner just gave us the OK to get the tubing on his account, again he did not really need to do that.

After 'the Cups win'..our first! at 1965 Royal Welsh Show, brilliant engineer & one of the most stylish sidecar racers I ever saw, Roger Maughfling towered over my muddy self & Ken Jones in RWS paddock & quietly said "I can get you to go much faster!"..... Disbelief & how? followed & the offer of leading link forks designed & built by the weekend to be picked up en route to a weekend of 'Midlands Circus' races. it came about. Sheer luck plus kind help from brilliant very able people along with the greatest sidecar passenger allowed me to race against speedmen whom I had only used to read of in MotorCycling, the Motor Cycle then along came Motor Cycle News. (Top photo by John Powell) "If your dream is big enough, not even your enemies can stop you." & no it's not some great quote, I choked laughing when I saw it on a Harper Collins Publication Cover, 'As the crow flies' after all it was written by Jeffrey Archer, for whom a period in Belmarsh brought things to the buffers!. a little decency & thought for others is a far better outlook.

This Website was put together to help us recall that many others inc. Builth Wells Motor Club with Carmarthen Motor Club combined organisational skills plus resourcefulness stemming from long experience organising Rallies, Trials, Scrambles, along with Pendine Sands racing, to present a six year span of true Tourist Trophy racing on what remains the largest circuit on Mainland Britain.  temptation to use cliché ridden text describing skills that were to be combined is difficult to resist.  It all started following Charlie Rossiter witnessing WD motorcycles being driven ‘competitively’ normally out of sight of officers on sections of Eppynt Artillery range roads his idea and foresight grew via Builth Wells Motor Club who invited Carmarthen Motor Club to join them in a large scale project.  The plan quickly reached ex racer, & Motorcycle dealer Eddie Stephens who felt it to be a marvellous idea worthy of enlarging.  He led a huge number of people who became involved, putting immense efforts into creating a colourful portion of motorcycle racing history.  Fate after all is what is handed to you, destiny is what you do with it.

Planning sessions up at Eppynt in snows of 1947 are not covered!, our intention is to mark history in motor sport.  Eppynt Road Circuit Racing Committee thereafter emerged.  Eddie Stephens had a secretary at his showrooms whom people were to claim dealt wholly with Eppynt matters.  Loans were the order of early days for funds to advertise a massive event.  Several large marquees were naturally obtained ‘on loan’.  Most motor Clubs in mid and south Wales supplied members as Marshals or Stewards, a race weekend with a journey to Eppynt eagerly looked forward to by all.  Eppynt adopted this motto :The Red Dragon Creates a Stir, and so it did.!  I was lucky enough to attend several 1999 Rugby World Cup games at the Wales Millennium Stadium Cardiff. There, around the halfway line point on its East stand wall at eye level in letters over a foot tall I saw this very same motto. 
1948 Eppynt TT was followed by speed trials for Britain’s ISDT team.  1949 the ISDT was held nearby at Llandrindod Wells with Speed Trials Day at Eppynt.   Mainland TT became what Eppynt TT Circuit racing was proudly dubbed.  When a tall Skylon  stood straight in London on 1951 Festival of Britain centenary Eppynt TT quickly became Festival of Britain TT.  Crowning of Queen Elizabeth in 1953 saw it termed The Coronation TT.   AUGUST 15th, a Sunday!, soon to attract protests from religious folk, Eppynt had its Mainland TT. Following years saw race day switched to Saturday, in deference, whether this was the true motive has been debated ever since. Nearest chapel to Eppynt was Llwyn under Reverend Joss Davies who was also Curator at Brecon Museum, in his place I imagine I would feel similarly that use of another day would not be too much to ask for.   Open exhausts with megaphones echoed thundering roars around hills of a hitherto solemnly silent region. Strong Army presence was evident in the forms of Lt. Commander Kidston along with Officer Commanding the Royal Artillery practice camp at Sennybridge Major Stackpoole. Builth Wells Motor Club along with Carmarthen Motor Club shared prominence. Stewards, Marshals, First Aiders came into view, along with laden charabancs plus all forms of transport carrying eager supporters to settle down as witnesses to a massive inaugural event.   Eppynt circuit, 5.2 miles per lap, wound across open moorland, undulating, with humps, over which speeds of 90 to 95 mph had been estimated during a Saturday Senior practice session, such speed there was amazing to even contemplate at that time. Rife rumour plus tittle-tattle brought a mass of motorcyclists to observe such feats. "Acknowledged experts" was an attracting term, coupled with "works riders", "factory machines", creeping into popular dialogue eager to dispense with Ration books, Petrol coupons, Powdered egg and Utility furniture were expressions of that era.   Magazines plus media coverage brought names like L.R. Archer, Les Graham, Italian Moto Guzzi machine rider Maurice Cann to be household names. A possibility of seeing those which one could otherwise only read about proved irresistable, add Clubman’s Senior TT winner Jack D. Daniels with runner up Phil Heath to such a field to set a very fine stage. Syd Barnett failed to turn up this time only. So did Roy Evans, L.G. Martin arrived late from Spain too late to practice, still having too much clutch trouble to take a worthwhile part in tussles.  Kenny Dixon rode a rather old Norton 350, recurring clutch trouble caused him to retire masking a young Dixon’s potential. Phil Heath confided that he too arrived late and could not contribute his usual ferocity due to machine problems throughout his ride. Bob Foster had competed in Moto-Cross des Nations in Belgium on a weekend prior to Eppynt TT, he said he had taken a fall and was forced to withdraw to rest a painful back injury. However it was rumoured he was to ride the Grand Prix of Europe in Ulster the following weekend and felt it unwise to compete at demanding Eppynt Circuit so close to the Grand Prix.    End of a horrible war seemed to have hardened Britain’s survivors, improved skills, having provided training in organising mobility on a large scale.  All aspects of talents, improvisation, erecting campsites to cater for hurriedly mobile throngs of people who were now able to afford a means of individual travel to places or events which could be visited as and when they wished.  Closer scrutiny of the Photo section views of officials, spectators, plus non competing folk on site brings trench coats, well groomed hair, even poise with hands joined behind in an "at ease" attitude, rather than in pockets portrayed.  Berets which had brought honour for their parts in saving a World were jauntily sported along with flat ‘Dai’ caps and titfers while wearers could enjoy turning swords into ploughshares.  
Machinery had improved, developed, society had changed, factories had finished producing weaponry on a wartime scale, means of progressing in a peacetime market beckoned the staid plus entrepreneur alike.   Mechanically trained in unexpected skills, planners, all had emerged to confidently confront a rapidly developing a facility of leisure which had been denied to all by cruel ravages a mechanised war had brought.   People had been brought into contact with travel, driving, repairs along with riding on a ‘needs must basis’ this had left men and women alike with a fascination for forms of transport, its operation and progress.   Carmarthen town could pride itself on its banked oval Cycle racetrack itself, a World'sfirst Concrete one anyway! in the town Park to standards accepted by the British League of (cycle) Racing.  Mass starts on highways were illegal hence Pendine and Eppynt found themselves venues for well supported Cycle racing on dates around TT events for Motorcycles. nything mechanical or sporting was accommodated, and people over a wide area could support whatever interested them.  Cyclists and sport prospered, Eppynt was to be one venue for racing events under a then governing National Cycle Union, (NCU).  Railway enthusiast Don Rees would cycle from Carmarthen to Eppynt on his pride and joy Raleigh bike!, not even an up-market Lenton model!.  When the raised surround with amenities of this track, for spectators is considered along with changing rooms, showers plus a grandstand, its rugby pitch cum athletic stadium uses Bank Holidays its easy to see why it became a central grass track venue all could reach by bus.  Racing was advertised as Speedway, attracting curious plus serious enthusiasts, bringing many to try their hand at racing which would otherwise simply be read about.  Thus a vast band of enthusiasts, volunteers and helpers gladly gave their skills and energies to convey efficiently place stakes, mesh, fences along with ‘facilities’ to rapidly lay out an area within and about a 5:2 miles mountain circuit parts of which reach 1500 feet above sea level. Regardless of weather conditions every foot of Eppynt race track had to be swept clear of loose chippings.  Noel Knight Snr.  Always took charge of all this and what a fine achievement, without such enormous efforts events simply could not have taken place. 
World Champions were to emerge from those that raced on Eppynt Mountain Circuit for coveted SILVER DRAGON Trophies.  Replicas in plaque form would be issued to winners when they returned their hard won Trophy statuettes.  Programmes have become testament, those listed therein along with all that were involved or even watched or read of, have been drawn to be part of a Great venture to merit some touching words of George Eliot :-Our deeds still travel with us from afar,  And what we have been makes us what we are!

Mynydd Eppynt itself (pronounced munn eeth epp innt) is steeped in Celtic History, can be seen from Cilmeri where an obelisk Memorial to the last Prince of Wales stands, Llewellyn the last, slain in 1282.   The original spelling Epynt stems from the ancient Pagan Goddess Epona, Goddess of horses, some say wild horses, ebol being a Welsh word for foal. (‘pony’ too is a term claimed to have emerged thus).  Across Epynt lay high tracks negotiated by long past Drovers with livestock, particularly Ceredigion folk (Cardi’s) en route to cattle and pony fairs at Llangammarch plus well beyond.  A stark desolate hilly region which an expression "Haunt of the Horse" has been long used to describe.  Here is a region where Princes, folklore plus historic cult figures roamed, those since involved have rubbed shoulders with legend.   Brecon’s hills, peaks, valleys are covertly cloaked in mist most early mornings, expanse in silence has to be witnessed to understand or experience such timeless presence. Higher points bluntly protrude like stern clerics with ‘cu-nim’ collars, Falcons plummet, wildlife remains stealthy and still unaffected or disturbed by industry, urban development or city traffic.  Eppynt Racing Circuit itself still silently remains.  Graziers with Forestry Commission based Committees nowadays help military controllers to evaluate environmental aspects.   Wildlife plus agricultural matters, ancient camps of Britons, Romans and nineteenth century farms, villages, churches/chapels of their days remain fairly intact, hopefully not to be denied to archaeologists of the future in near unspoilt form.  Eppynt should not simply decay without care.   Security can ensure vandalism limitation.  Skirting restoration of standing buildings too should not be for balance sheet gain.   There is no need to express an outsider’s feeling, simply pause, reflect on a way of life being ended.  Commandant Major Stewart RA. took charge immediately, he was relieved for 1940 to 41 by Major Gestenburg RA.  Next, Major Turner RA. For 1941 to 42.  In came Lt. Col. H. Hamilton-Gardner MC . RA. until 1944, he was replaced by lt. Col. S. Williams through the 1944 year.  1944 to 1948 saw Lt. Col. R. H. Stackpoole MC. RA. assisting Eppynt Racing Committee in every way he could. Late 1948 had Major D. Davies MBE. MC. RA. Again a fine helper of those involved.   Farms adjoining Eppynt originally had fringe grazing rights at cost of one shilling per annum, per acre, control was difficult, entry to fenced areas became awkward and time consuming, hence a licence was introduced, holders would be termed Epynt Graziers for a fee of initially Two Shillings and Sixpence each.  1948, the first Eppynt TT event was held on a Sunday, following years saw it changed to Saturday in deference to a local protest!, The nearest ‘House of God’ was at Llwyn with Rev. Joss Davies its minister, by week he was curator of Brecon Museum.  Competitors had long finished their practice laps, tuning and adjusting, charabanc convoys plus individual motorcars, sidecars and solos had all been directed to car parks, a strange stillness settled upon Eppynt mountain as an estimated 35 000 spectators settled at their chosen viewpoints to witness opening of the largest race circuit on UK mainland!. All had left rural Wales roads with place names such as Llangammarch, Llanwafyd, Llandulais, Llandovery, Brecon, Builth etc. to then open programmes to relate immediately with the start onto long Llewellyn’s Way straight, then Piccadilly Corner, next Gardiners Path, Copse Corner, then the alternative finish line!  near Dixie’s Corner now no longer known by its Welsh term of Llwyd Bwlch y Groes.  Next Check-Points 1 to 4, No2 reachable along the Burma Road, part of a road network constructed by German and Italian prisoners of war.  Stewards and marshals each carefully issued with a flag, a pack of sandwiches plus a cold drink had long left for their specified posts after early refreshment at a central canteen tent, commentators in 1948 settled down to keep spectators advised throughout.   Dixie!?, the name stemmed from a nickname, for a labourer from Ystradgynlais, real name Daniel Walter Davies who had seen service in the first World War, winning two army boxing titles.  Later Dixie fought in fairground booths in Wales and Border regions.  Famous for his terrific single punch power, the expression "a Dixie" is still used in Welsh Valley areas to describe a punch.  A tough well liked character, he started as a labourer working on the Epynt Range ‘Dixie’ was later placed in charge of a workmans hut on what seems to be ever after known as Dixie’s Corner.  Or so I was advised by a Rev. Jones.  However a version widely circulated and likely to retain credence in Neath Valley is of a terrific boxing bout staged there between Dixie and a younger fitter challenger for an impressively accumulated financial purse plus heavy wagers of a vast and previously bored audience.  Inscriptions on structures worked on by POW’s still remain, around the range inc. 573POW 1945, 5731 PW, and the ‘1944’ The Italian POW Company.  Those interested in Rallying only seem to know of Eppynt now, off road or all round competition machinery do not seem to recall after 1948 Eppynt TT stay on to follow the British team trial for Trophy, with vase A & B teams to later compete in the International Six Days Trial schedule to be held in Italy during September1948.  Manufacturers of machinery, accessories, spark plugs, electrics, tyres, chains oils fuels entered this for its World-wide effect on a fast moving market for all their products.   1949 saw Alun Williams of BBC Radio Wales on location for his first sport involvement of such a nature with Murray Walker’s father and later Murray as a young man.  The day prior to races coverage Alun, like a gentlemanly Pied Piper, took bored racers that had ridden their intended racing machines to Eppynt, (many had camped in Marqees to be used by organisers during the race day).  Plus stewards, marshals and those with ways to transport others, from a desolate, still, mountainside course, to spend a well-orchestrated evening at a local Llandovery Inn, The Castle Hotel, with a piano! savoured Alun’s famous repertoire of tales, music and jokes.  Ex WW2 Pilot, motorcycle racer and superb vintage restorer David Watkin James of Saundersfoot recalled the popular ditties of the days being hilariously churned out by Alun in Army, Navy and RAF variations!.  Revellers returned in high spirits to their desolate ‘Marquee’ encampment.  Fond memories of widely different people enjoying life together provided an atmosphere of esteem to Eppynt in general never equalled by Britain’s other racing circuits.  Camping and B+B facilities could be booked on a section of the entry form for rider plus mechanic.  3 good meals per day was listed, to be served at the riders and officials canteen.  Memorable and chilly mornings!.   Dave James chuckled relating that at circa 1500 ft above sea level height visitors could take their pick of several streams.  Good natured banter galore during Toiletries, followed by a superb and eagerly awaited breakfast in a Marquee!.  Luxury camping.   Newport (Gwent) Club used two red Western Welsh buses to run members to Eppynt, rider members such as H E Roberts would take family with machine there each year by car, ending up with an Austin A40.  Newport lady members had acquired a rather ancient green van with Artillery wheels from which to dispense a variety of refreshments at Eppynt plus other race venues.   Harold started ACU/RAC rider instruction in East Wales area along with his son Ken who still has his Certificate, the very first to be instructed and qualify.  Ken Roberts now is a major motorcycle dealer in Newport and related so much of his impression with memories of Eppynt that had provided him with an urge to race and compete firstly on pedal cycles then later on anything with power or wheels!.   One of the only places where Sidecars and solos had been sent out at the same time in practice periods was Eppynt TT.  Harold Roberts Snr. bought his machine from and had it prepared by Newport dealers R J Ware and son.  A photo in scrapbook section shows them enjoying a pint together in later years together with Harold’s mechanic Lionel Powell.  Lionel’s best recollection of Eppynt was Leo Starr’s hilarious 2½ hours entertainment in a remote canteen Marquee in 1950, his worst was forgetting his ‘30 bob pair’ of shoes left behind in the sleeping tent when 30 shillings was a substantial sum!.   RJ Ware immediately obtained an AJS 7R in 1949 swapping machines and trading even a Vincent 1000 with another dealer to obtain his AJS 7R which he felt was the greatest machine available.  He and son Arthur would travel to Eppynt, in convoy to ensure their old Panther Sidecar outfit carrying it could conquer any steep stretch of approach road.  Practice time R J Ware himself patiently sat astride his 7R  awaiting the off to practice with his gloves tucked in his leathers, later he came off on a lower course corner, no gloves on!, to be picked up by a well known Newport rider on marshal duties (Bill Barnard).  Back at the paddock WJ’s injuries to hands prevented him racing so with the machine largely undamaged his son Arthur was quickly nominated and set out on his practice lap wearing that same helmet and leathers, on the prized AJS 7R.  Arthur determinedly approached Bill’s corner at speed – only to go down in virtually the same spot again.  A surprised Bill had rescued both Ware riders, amazed to find the young Ware’s hands were also bleeding badly, since he too had omitted to don those tucked in gloves.  Those hard lessons were discussed in the paddock with a certain famous Les Graham.  A serious point emerged that changed all for the Ware riders along with many others. "Cut an inch off the end of those standard footrests right away" came LG’s instruction, everything later seemed a lot better on corners, their AJS 7Rs could be laid over further, so just about everyone else was furtively given such treasured pearls of wisdom.  Paddock noise became quickly filled with shrieks of hacksaws being wielded as if the great man had read out a freshly discovered commandment. (10 Commandments would not satisfy us Welsh riders, 200 would be more impressively observed.)   F P(Phil) Rothwell was another Newport man who adored Eppynt.  Recently he smirkingly admitted that the Rudge he pitted against Moto Guzzi and Velocette development machinery along with Ray Petty’s sleeved Norton plus Lewis, Ellis and Foster’s LEF in ’49. ’50.  and ’51 had initially cost him "just a fiver"to acquire.  Records list him plus photos show him using that machine with verve and style at road and grasstrack events.  Its people such as Phil who experienced so much that seems denied to modern youth.  Eric Davies of Newport would travel to Eppynt in his Austin7 Ruby with the forks of his Velocette bolted to a rear bumper frame, and still go home to Newport at night after practice.   Riders attending were often competing as result of a market being established for Clubmens machines, Fast, exciting machines which could provide travel to competitions after easy on-site conversion, also used to reach workplaces during the week.  "Any Suggestions for improvements" page in 1948 programme had seen potential competitors plus ‘Clubmen’ spot this niche, Eppynt & race related Clubs were joined, prospered and quickly expanded, manufacturers responded with multi purpose steeds which could actually compete,  the sport grow hugely more reachable than now.   1948 2 ‘bob’ programme contained inviting ads. To join either Builth M.C. for 5 shillings per year or Carmarthen motor club at 6 Shillings with a stylish badge obtainable at 7/6!. Legend of the sands and any surface he graced, Handel Davies therein advertised his Swansea Emporium of Motor Cycles and cars with a heading stating he had won at least a hundred open events as if here was a sales outlet of proven high performance plus reliability.  Programmes in years after 1948 became available at one shilling each only.   
Graham Walker, a pre-war International motorcycle Grand Prix Champion, then editor of the green magazine Motor Cycling and Alun Williams became firm friends, set their stalls out together at Eppynt to became a marvellous team.  Murray Walker is Graham Walker’s son, he too was to ride at Eppynt in 1949 International Six Days Trial where its final day was at Eppynt conducting Speed Trials.  Murray fought bravely after smashing his spectacles in a heavy spill midway through a second day finishing that day unpenalized.   1949, Start time approached, final pre race check on Eppynt circuit made, a solitary travelling marshal toured gently round until he arrived at the start of long clear Gardiners Path straight.  Temptation proved irresistable, he opened up his 1000 Vincent HRD, a deep thundering roar echoed around Eppynt’s  hills as he blasted along on full throttle.  John Powell, later to be Secretary at Carmarthen Motor club recalled an entire crowd’s attention being completely drawn, each individual craning to see.  An audience thus drawn to this piece of sheer enjoyment, many had hitherto never even seen such power unleashed in peace and with enthusiasm.  A wonderful character riding that Vincent HRD, Bryn Edwards of Carmarthen Club, nicknamed Oakey Tippi, unknowingly became The 1949 race Herald, alerting the converted to expect speed, skill and competition to follow such a grand opening.   Oakey Tippey had been the safe Haven which a family member had managed to transmit SOS to from a sinking vessel off Indonesia to get saved & brought back to health, even his house had been named Oakey Tippey as a result.  
1949 entry, was impressively larger, spectator interest and attendance larger, machinery improved constantly, ‘the Green Un’ Magazine inside cover had a full page in colour showing only Vincent HRD’s wondrous development, Girdraulic forks.  George Brown was to use a 500 alloy engined development machine to race at Eppynt, not Vincent HRD’s  previously successful 500 but a forerunner of their Vincent Grey flash on which a certain J Surtees Jnr.  became noticed.   1950!, Mainland TT, Clubmans race was firmly established. Gerhard Heinze, a German ex POW worked wth Eddie Stephens, raced a Vincent this year, in  the programme as letter ‘B’ in a list of reserves, entered by guess who? Eddie Stephens. Gerhard was also to ride in IoM plus several times at Eppynt.  Sidecar racing became established, practising simultaneously with solos, starting sidecar races at intervals a la Isle of Man.  
1951. Festival of Britain TT, When a famous ‘Skylon’ stood straight in London, to mark Centenary year of the 1851 festival of Britain. Dickie Dale set Eppynt outright lap record using only a Norton 350, he had been accompanied by Geoff Duke with a very slick Support team from Norton.   1952, 500cc motorcycle engined race cars had become a most popular Formula racing mode of that period, many Marques still exist with racing pedigree stemming from those.  One, called the Kieft designed and built by Cyril Kieft of Langland Bay, was to be demonstrated and driven by him at Eppynt.  Kieft racer had been tested and raced at Fairwood Aerodrome on the Gower Peninsula by the likes of Stirling Moss.  At the Strand area of Swansea the Showroom section of Welcombe House was used to display and market Kieft machinery.  Cyril wished to produce a people’s sized bubble car eventually, Welcombe House with its showroom remains intact at 1999.  Geoff Duke’s appearance on course with his wife, caused comment perhaps due to the Austin A90 Atlantic in its greeny blue livery.  GD was in the officials’ canteen for lunch chatting to ex Beaufighter pilot Dave James who still sported a plaster of Paris on a broken forearm following a scrambles fall.  Naturally Geoff Duke’s autograph soon appeared on Dave’s plaster.  Followed by his of comment of "you wouldn’t catch me doing that" which was a classic double entendre soon jocularly pointed out by Dave.  The Red Bugatti that frequently appeared on a piece of concrete well inside Dixie’s Corner was a massive discussion point for all, though no one really ever proved it was Eddie Stephens’s own.  
J. Surtees Jnr. appeared in the 1952 programme and my approach brought an explanation from a polite, helpful now Sir John Surtees.  He chuckled and explained to me that his dad Jack was still then a force in British Motorcycle racing.  Also he had been told at Vincent HRD Stevenage factory where he worked that it was George’s job to be the works rider and he was just an apprentice on two pounds ten shillings a week.  I think we all get the point.   1953 the Coronation TT.  In early practice, Wilmott Evans approached a lower area flanked by a peat bog, clouds of steam billowed from one point, well off racing track, Wilmott stopped, leaned his bike safely then investigated, to find a young rider pinned beneath a 350 BSA.  He helped the lad to get his bike to safety and carried on.  When Wilmott was giving a talk to a Vintage club meeting in Carmarthen many years on he referred to that incident.  In the bar later, Henry Adams chirped up "that chap you spoke of was my brother"! the same JR Adams of Tenby, that had gone to Eppynt with over a coachload of supporters all those years ago to encourage him.  His bike carried race number 32. nostalgia itself warrants our scrapbook section carries visual record of such entourage and transport.  
Compiling this stems from collected data C.B.Jones (Bryan) has accumulated and diligently researched to guard as an archivist for Eppynt.  Bryan used to cycle as a schoolboy to those races to watch in awe, he still has a vintage motorcycles collection which somehow includes a racing Norton of that period!,  Another aspect of interest is land ‘appropriated’ in 1940 by the War Department had been an area where villages, churches, farms were compulsorily bought and occupants were moved out over a short period, something that would not be acceptable in this day and age.  Bryan was a farmer’s son on one of those very farms through which Eppynt course ran, and remains visible today along with remains of those buildings aquired. 
Noel Knight Jnr. of Carmarthen recalls his father’s strong and long involvement on Eppynt Race committee in charge of ‘Equipment’ each year, a vast range of equipment too.  Leading from the front to prepare a circuit in a very short space of time each year, his brother Gordon too, we can see entered as G. Knight listed to ride a Rudge in 1952, and Royal Enfield in 1951.  Noel has also laboured to locate much, submit and research some treasured pictures and facts that enrich all. 
My own interest stems from getting luck on my side to take part in winning 2 Cups from Builth Wells Club’s collection at the Royal Welsh Show in 1965. Our original methanol fuelled sidecar racer ridden by myself & Ken Jones, (passenger who has his well deserved ½ share of the 2 Cups), has been found, badly corroded, but lovingly restored now to an ordinary road race Norton itself, it remains in my garage, like Eppynt, awaiting that call!. 
When receiving our Cups at the 1965 Royal Welsh Show, with a fair bit of mud spatter, an old chap wearing a forerunner of the Columbo designer mackintosh & told me quietly in a low voice to Guard these Cups my passenger Kenjo (Ken Jones were to receive) since they had not been awarded since Eppynt TT.

 

I knew nothing of Eppynt at all, & my Diving/Survey profession saw me living at Dubai for 10 years, only when I returned did I find my bike again and begin to wonder what was the chap on about, where is Eppynt, now I know from others & his description that the chap was the man who had provided those Cups. I still have mine & I do know a little more of Eppynt.