THE BEST B40S

In the early 80s I was in the RAF, stationed on the Rock of Gibraltar. The RAF did not have a dedicated telephone technician trade, so abroad our phone problems were looked after by the Army. A new Sgt brown job was posted in and asked for some transport to ease his job, which ranged from the airfield to Rock Gun and the Aerial Farm on top of the rock. There was no chance from the RAF, so he was sent to the Navy transport section that did all the deep maintenance of vehicles on the Rock.

After a swift brush-off, he discovered two B40s in very poor condition languishing at the back of their big shed, and after an ‘Army bikes… I’m Army... my bikes’ conversation a deal was struck whereby if he did the work, the Navy would supply fuel, oil, tyres and limited spares. After a short while he would be seen roaring around the Rock for free, having a whale of a time, the object of much jealousy.

So what is the best B40? Someone else’s of course! PS: Rumour has it that when he was posted somewhere else, the bike disappeared never to be seen again…

Andy Loosemore, Member 1713

Thanks for this, Andy. Great story! Frank W