Wednesday, 9 November 2016

A Visit to the Bike Shed




The Bike Shed Visit

Another interesting day at the Museum with more visitors from South Africa. I am always amazed how people find us and just keep turning up from all corners of the world. I was a bit more comfortable this week as the heating has now gone on and I don't need two extra layers except when I go into the little barn where Bill Bragg’s sprint bikes are displayed. Yellow Peril has been rechristened “Brown Peril” in respect to Henry Coles efforts at Santa Pod on the Motorcycle Show. 


Just to keep me out of mischief I was out and about the other Thursday and being around St Paul’s I dropped in to the London Tourism Office to leave some fliers. The last time I was there was for the Olympics in 2012. We were quite busy during the Olympics and this prompted us to open for another day a week. It was quite difficult to be open 4 days a week then needing all our Volunteers to do extra. Still in London I headed off to the Bike Shed, Bike display, Shop Restaurant and Bar. It is quite a place under the railway arches near Shoreditch. I had been prompted to visit by an article in the MAG magazine “Road”. 



I have followed them on Facebook for ages with their reports on bikes that have been created in “one's shed” show casing peoples' dreams. They have a show from 11th to 14th November. It is an interesting place as the bar has an amazing selection of wheat beers and the shop has just the right stuff if you have a fair bit of spare cash. Even so a place to visit.



 One of the guys there runs his own bike club, MC Forum and they are always looking for places to go. I had to leave and missed out on the live performance as it was about to start. One side of the arch way under which is the Bike Shed sits is an alley that is used for parking your bike, right next to the entrance. What a bonus for those who a) don't like walking and b) keeping an eye on your bike. I have to go again. On the Monday at the Museum we had a couple from France who like British Triumph bikes and cars. They were talking to someone who likes French Bikes and cars. Strange world this? This Monday another question was asked and that was about the capacity of the Wooler flat four aero engine that was to power a folding aircraft. It turns out to be an over-bored 500cc making it 600cc. I think that would have been a lump to satisfy the sidecar guys. 

There have been some changes in the line up of bikes displayed with a few of the old ones moving on for various reasons and being replaced by others new to visitors. Time to pay us a visit again. Geoff has been working hard at getting some of the history of the bikes down on paper and there will be a short video on Youtube at some point. Peter has been ill and is now better and back with us. His enthusiasm for Ducati remains undiminished and he has passed on to me some information about the racing 50cc Cucciolo. A 60mph moped!!!


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