Trials and tribulations
With regard to the enquiry from Col Farmer, YWA, March 2022, and the Commerfords Triumph, in this case the TR20. Former friend and MCN reporter Pat Braithewaite ordered a new one direct from the Triumph factory in 1962. He entered the Hampshire 100 Trial in Bordon, which was ‘Army country.’
When Pat made the announcement one club night, I offered to be his ‘back-up crew’ (of one). My Velocette Viper was only a matter of weeks old when we left Kettering heading for Northampton, Oxford and Newbury. Pat set a pace of around 70mph on a brand-new bike with trials gearing!
Somewhere around Oxford I was quite happy with the pace, but all of a sudden I was violently sick. It happened so quickly I had no chance to turn my head towards the kerb and it went all over the front of the bike. Of course, I stopped and sat on the kerb while Pat carried on, with me saying: “I’ll catch you up.”
No chance, of course, and I hardly knew where I was heading for anyway. I eventually found the Army HQ and asked where he might be. I just sat in the sun waiting for Pat to finish, which he did, but can’t remember the result. We got home quite late and the little Cub ran perfectly all day.
The picture shows Pat on the trial at a marshalling point.
Jeff Waller, Alicante, Spain.