CLASSIC COMPETITION

1978

Forty years ago in the April the prestigious Inter Centre Team Trial made its way to the Lake District in the north of the country. Many older riders who read this article will know that the hazards were located on the old Lakes TwoDay course as opposed to what is ridden today, but still based around Broughton in Furness. The old course would take in hazards in the Duddon Valley and its surrounding area, Walna Scar and Ulpha, which is situated just over four miles from Broughton. A tough but fair singlelap course laid out by the late Bill Birkett, Nigel’s father, would take in forty-six hazards using the varying terrain found in the area which includes rocks, rivers and steep wooded climbs, making it an ideal trials location. With the Yorkshire Centre team manager Tom Ellis chasing an eighth consecutive win who would have betted against the ‘Yorkies’ continuing with their winning streak. Tom Ellis was a very well-respected Yorkshireman and ex-BSA works rider. He was very proud of the team’s achievements and respected by all who knew him.

With the World and British Trials Championships well under way, the main focus of attention was the forthcoming Scottish Six Days Trial in May. The national Traders Trial was the day before the Inter-Centre Team competition and it threw up some surprises for the entry of just over ninety riders, which might have affected another Yorkshire victory.

TEAM CASUALTIES

The first casualty was Martin Lampkin and his Bultaco. This was a brand new machine he had practised on and the one he would ride in the SSDT, his number one machine. The machine, prepared by Reg May, was in excellent shape but he had a new modified air filter box he had been trying that he had fitted in readiness for the six-day event to make sure in the heat of the competition it was okay. Unknown to Martin it had started to let a small amount of mud and water enter, causing the carburettor slide to jam wide open, and he looped the machine down a waterfall hazard breaking many parts in the subsequent crash. After some pretty handy spanner work, he soon had the Bultaco up and running but was not happy with how it was performing. At a two-thirds distance, he retired and rushed back to his Yorkshire base to affect some repairs for the Inter-Centre event the day after.

Held at Pontilas, Herefordshire, the Traders Trial turned into a four-way battle between current British Champion Rob Shepherd (Honda), Malcolm Rathmell (Beamish Suzuki), Rob Edwards (Montesa) and eventual winner Nigel Birkett (Montesa). Riding a heavily modified machine as he tried to adjust to the Beamish Suzuki after many successful seasons on a Montesa, Rathmell was in with a shout for the win until three hazards from home when a wooden branch hit him in his right eye, affecting his vision as the damage around the eye swelled up. He finished the event but had to take a three on the last hazard as he could not see clearly.

An on-form Nigel Birkett won on 48 with Rathmell next on 49, Shepherd on 50 and Edwards with 54 marks lost. Rathmell travelled to the Lake District but pulled out of the event as the eye closed. A late-night phone call to Alan ‘Sid’ Lampkin had him pulled out of bed to compete with the team in place of Rathmell!

Rob Shepherd (Honda): This was one of the last outings for the three year old long-stroke 306 Honda that had taken ‘Shep’ to the 1977 British Trials Championship. He was informed by Honda in Japan that a new, even longer stroked, four-stroke model...

Allen Collier (Honda): This 200cc Honda that Allen is seen on here has a very interesting history. His friend John Banks, of motocross fame, was building some special Mugen Honda powered machines. When the engines arrived in mid-1977 there were also...

Norman Shepherd (Bultaco): The younger of the two Pateley Bridge based farmers he was supported in all national trials by the UK Bultaco importers Comerfords where he scored some impressive results.

Nigel Birkett (Montesa): After riding the 325 Suzuki for a few seasons with some success, which included the highest place world championship finish ever for the Japanese manufacturer, in Switzerland in 1975, Birkett moved to Montesa in 1978. He was a...

Martin Lampkin (Bultaco): After a late night ‘fettling’ from the previous day’s Wye Valley Traders Trial Martin was back on form and looking good. The new machine he had ridden the previous day was parked up for the Inter Centre and he rode the...

Alan Lampkin (Bultaco): With Malcolm Rathmell forced out of the event with his damaged eye, a late night phone call had ‘Sid’ dragged out of bed to replace him. His Bultaco was loaded up and he travelled to the event early on the Sunday morning.

John Reynolds (SWM): Priced at a wallet-breaking £1,048.00, the new SWM trials machines from Italy had arrived in February for both Colin Bell and John Reynolds to ride. With Rotary Valve induction they produced a unique engine noise and ‘JR’ was...