Alf Engers finishes to a large crowd.
These 30+ photos come from a collection by the late Bernard Thompson. The photos are taken mostly in the period 1960-1985. You can buy a CD of these photos from Peter Whitfield. Details at the bottom.
Eddie Adkins Phil Griffiths in a 2 up Time Trial in the Rain
5 young spectators line the road.
Beryl Burton, the Greatest Female Time Triallist of all time. (Beryl Burton)
Taking your Bike To Race
Start of Catford CC Hill Climb. (Catford CC is probably the world’s longest running race)
Alf Engers. Alf dominated the sport in the 1970s. He was the man to beat at 25 miles. In 1978, he set a sub 50 minute time for 25 miles - 49.24, before tri bars and disc wheels. (25 mile Time trials)
Before Changing Rooms. Many early time trials had no changing facilities. Riders would improvise by the side of roads.
Frank Southall, doing a dead turn during a race in the 1930s. Many early time trial course simply went 12.5 miles in one direction, then riders would do a turn in the middle of the road and come back. This was at a time when traffic volumes were very low!
Unfortunately, doing a dead turn in the middle of the road at high speed wasn’t always so easy!
Ann Horsewell. A great female time triallist, often coming second to Beryl Burton
David Duffield. There’s only one David Duffield. Later became cycling commentator for Eurosport; David has tremendous passion and enthusiasm for cycling (some quotes of David Duffield)
Time Trialling - A family day out.
David Lloyd. One the top British riders in the late 70s and early 80s.
The Road goes ever on…
A feeding station on the Bath Road
Hill climb on Winats pass. Probably a national championship by number of spectators.
Jon French displaying the height of 1980s fashion and aerodynamics. A good tester will do anything to save that extra second.
Jim Ogden receiving a prize.
Funny Bikes, with upturned handlebars, were all the rage in the 1980s. Graeme Obree (not person above) had the last laugh though when he broke the World Hour record on his own very unique design.
John Woodburn. National 25 mile Champion in 1961. Still racing into his 70s - John Woodburn
Mick Bowen. President of Oxonian CC for over 50 years.
3 On a Bike. Maybe the inspiration for Monty Python’s cycling tour
Chris Coleman Maureen Wroe
Jon Bayliss grits his teeth as the spectators enjoy a cup of tea. Tea is usually in plentiful supply at most time trial races.
Norman Maggs smokes a pipe during a 24 hour time trial.
Road through countryside. A scene from any number of sporting courses (away from the dual carriage dragstrips)
A wheel Carrier. Horace Mouatt of the Surrey Road CC
A classic starting scene. Eddie Stagg, then of Old Portlians CC and now Bournemouth Jubilee Whs
Early morning race.
Reg Randall, riding a Moulton, passes Jamaica Inn on his unsuccessful end to end attempt.
“Keep peddling” “I can run faster than you!” “I’ll give you 2 bob for your bike sir”
It’s the pits.
Mike Potts. - You can’t beat the feeling of finishing a race.
About Photographer Bernard Thompson.
Bernard was born in Southfields, West London in 1924. He was interested in photography from an early age. He also began cycling just before the war, aged about 14. Interestingly, he says that his parents refused to let him have a bike because the roads were so dangerous - even though there were hardly any cars. As Bernard said
“As a matter of fact the roads were more dangerous then than they are now, even though there wasn’t a fraction of the traffic that there is today. The standard of driving then was abysmal, you didn’t even have to take a test until 1935, anyone could just jump into a car and drive it around. A road accident was just that - an accident. If a cyclist or anyone else was killed by a car, no one was ever to blame, there was no sense of safety or responsibility.”
After the war, Bernard got more involved in time trialling and began racing himself.
You can buy a CD (there are over 280 pictures) from:
Peter Whitfield
Wychwood Publishing
Tachbrook House
Charlbury
Oxfordshire OX7 3PS
for £10.
Note on CD: In commemoration of Bernard Thompson’s lifetime’s work as a cycling photographer, these images are presented copyright free for the use of any individuals or institutions furthering the interests of cycling.
13 comments ↓
Great photos with losts of memories! Jim Ogden is still racing & organising events. Alf Engers -The Legend. I was caught by him in a 25 in 1973.
Thanks for posting.
Great post!
The guy walking with small girl in his left hand and his bike in his right is Dave Bowman, Leicestershire Road Club.
Dave now lives in France with his French wife.
If anyone wants to contact him, I can put you in touch.
[...] The old timer will never fail to mention how much better things were in the ‘old days’. No matter that bikes weighed 15 kilos and punctured twice as often. Things were much better in the old days, not least because everything was in black and white. (old photos) [...]
[...] Classic British Time trial Photos [...]
hi, alf engers was my best mate, at the time he lived in north london, upper hollway, n19, we lived oppsite each other in elthorne rd, he work there in his farthers barkery, i use to pase him on my moter bike, a macthless 350cc,and if i never went fast enought he would pass me, we also played guitar together, and played in some soho coffee bars, alan shorter, had his bike shop just a few doors away, i went into the r.a.f. and alf married jance, i now live down by the coast, west sussex, i would love to get intouch with alf, if any body knows his email address, i would be greatfull. thanks. terry hicks.
Thank you so much for the great pics. I’m 61 and ride lugged steel frames, like those made in the golden age of British manufacturing, and which all of the riders seem to be using. The photos bring me back to a time when the purity of the sport greatly outweighed the money.
[...] Classic time trial photos [...]
What a superb and not least important social document of people who were n’t wasting their lives in isolation. The Corinthian ethos shines through as does a sense of social equality and community which is much less apparent today. I started cycling in the late 1970’s so I experienced the purity of cycling as it was, but now I often envy those older cyclists whose years coincided with those of Britains cycling golden age. Burton, Messanger and West et al are a worthy legacy which British cycling should always remember.
Great photos
Trying to locate Colin Ward who cycled in london in the mid 1950’s. Any info is appreciated. Cheers, Adele
Brilliant photos. Often saw and chatted to Bernard but so did thousands of other cyclists! First took to the bike in the early 1950’s with the Broadway Wheelers (Stoke). Would like to chat to former members of the now defunct Club … anyone there?
Cracking photos, thanks for posting!
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