Finding a Catchpole trials car... in a marine salvage warehouse!

It was nice to read about the innovative John Catchpole and his trials specials. Back in the 1990s I was the managing contractor for transport and installation of the 5 x 130 tonne Mirrlees 16MB430 10 megawatt diesel generator sets in the then new Pulrose power station in Douglas on the Isle of Man.

Knowing of my involvement in motorsport and, in particular, car trials, one evening I was invited over by a Manx friend to look at a trials car stored in a marine salvage warehouse, either in Peel or Ramsey – my memory fails me slightly. The car in question was built to the RAC National Trials Car Formula, but the wheelbase of only 6ft 3in meant it had been built specifically for an engine of under 750cc capacity. The little trials car was expertly built with some clever weightsaving ideas incorporated. When I viewed it, someone had installed a three-cylinder 850cc Saab two-stroke engine, the salvage yard owner told me more. Yes, you guessed it, the designer and builder of this unique trials car was none other than John Catchpole and he had also built his own engine, which was constructed using the barrels off an old ‘pogo stick’ whacker plate; apparently the capacity had been circa 600cc. At the time I had no use for the JC trials car so I left it where I had viewed it. I wonder what finally became of it?

David Alderson, Eastcote, Towcester, Northants