CIDER SLIDING ON SAND

The ‘Cider Slider’ article in RC212 stirred happy memories. One of the Triumph flat-trackers sponsored by Bulmers Cider competed in a sand-race meeting on Redcar beach in 1977. I don’t recall it having any success.

The sand racing on Redcar beach was organised by the Tees-tyne Motorcycle Sand Racing Club, which was founded in 1962. It held race meetings monthly from April to September for solos and sidecars, and continued annually for 20 years. No prize money was given, but riders gained points at every meeting and trophies were awarded to the rider who gained the most points in each class.

Pictured is the Slider I built and used in 1977 to win the 501-1000cc Club Championship. I used a

Bonneville 650 engine running on methanol, housed in a KSS frame from master engineer

Keith Stephenson. I competed from the inception of the club on various bikes, and always felt grateful to the club volunteers who gave their time freely to organise these race meetings, especially the late Ernie Crust. Dave Bell, member 9565

Congrats on winning that championship! Also for giving credit to the club’s volunteers. Frank W