Another
Ray of Sunshine.
It
has been a little while since I did a presentation about the London
Motorcycle Museum and this one resulted from doing some fund raising
at Kempton Park last March. George Smith took my details and after a
week or two I received a message about arranging a date. What was
months away arrived on one of the warmest days of the year. At last I
am going out on the bike with no threat of rain!! Perhaps, at last,
the honour of Rheinmeister has been passed on and I can get a bike
ride done in the dry! It is Monday 18th July and I am on
my way to West Kingsdown and the village hall to meet the guys and
gals from the Sunbeam Owners Club. They are the business as they are
the people who organise the Pioneer Run and the London to Brighton.
Within the club are experts on pretty much anything. Would my meagre
knowledge cut the mustard? I had left plenty of time to get around
the M25 but a Tomtom failure to recognise the location left me 10
miles from where I should have been with 20 minutes before the
meeting started. Fortunately I arrived just in time loaded with
laptop, back-up memory stick and lots of fliers. All turned out well
as I set up the laptop and projector, Screen arrived and within a few
minutes I had launched into my presentation. I spoke a little about
what I do for the Museum, all voluntary, representing them at events
and shows and, when possible get out to bike clubs to promote the
cause of getting people to visit us. The most recent thing is to try
to raise funds to keep the Museum doors open for as long as possible.
So far we are good until the new year. On this evening I was talking
about the bikes at the Museum and some of the historic events that
influenced the types of motorcycle produced. The presentation covered
1902 to 2003 starting with our 1902 Ormonde and finishing with Bruce
Anstey's 2003 Super sports TT winner and lots of stories around some
people who influenced the motorcycle industry like Harry Ricardo and
Granville Bradshaw.
1092 Ormonde
Bruce Anstey's 2003 TT winner
It was a very good evening with contributions from many people. One of the motorcycles, the 1930 OHC Triumph racer, that had expired at Brooklands a few weeks before was now running and I played the video of it being started.
1930 OHC Triumph
A couple who had visited the Museum just the day before had a treat as Frank had had a modern technology failure and was not able to show them the clip on his phone. What an evening as each person in the club had something to talk with me about even down to the former owner of the 1915 Calthorpe that he used to ride regularly. I had a great time and I think everyone who turned up enjoyed it too. Their collection for the Museum added another £74.50 to keep us open a bit longer. I am amazed how generous the Sunbeam Owners Club are and more people have promised to pay us a visit especially on a Monday!
1092 Ormonde
Bruce Anstey's 2003 TT winner
It was a very good evening with contributions from many people. One of the motorcycles, the 1930 OHC Triumph racer, that had expired at Brooklands a few weeks before was now running and I played the video of it being started.
1930 OHC Triumph
A couple who had visited the Museum just the day before had a treat as Frank had had a modern technology failure and was not able to show them the clip on his phone. What an evening as each person in the club had something to talk with me about even down to the former owner of the 1915 Calthorpe that he used to ride regularly. I had a great time and I think everyone who turned up enjoyed it too. Their collection for the Museum added another £74.50 to keep us open a bit longer. I am amazed how generous the Sunbeam Owners Club are and more people have promised to pay us a visit especially on a Monday!
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