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.
See also: Classic Time Trial Photos Part 2 – more from same album
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.
Related
- Classic Cycling Photos from Cycling’s Golden Age at Amazon
35 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!
[...] Not from this year – Cycling from the 1960s (when Time trialling was a spectator sport – see: Classic Time Trial photos) [...]
great photo’s , i’m an ex Birchfield c.c. member , & these photo’s really show time trialing as it was a club sport rather than a team sport; early morning t. t. & afternoon club run, good memories,, thanks
Several messages indicating nostalgia. Join the FCOT
(Fellowship of Old Time Cyclists) & get all the nostalgia you want.
Bernard Thompson did great work, we miss him.
[...] have posted a collection of classic time trial photos at my other cycling blog – they are certainly evocative of a different era of [...]
Great pictures that really show the passion in cycling. It makes me really appreciate my disk and aero bike after looking at these guys.
Pure grit.
Thankyou
We really enjoyed these photos. What memories they brought back. Os was in the Watford Roads (now gone) but joined my club, The Redmon CC in 1955. We are both still members – Os rode the Catford 24 and the North Road 24 on dozens of occasions -= probably why he has had to have two hip replacements!
Really enjoyed the photos. Just a note that I think your wording re the CD should be royalty free rather than copyright free as presumably Bernhard’s heirs or those bequeathed the collection’s copyright will like to retain their copyright? (they do so for 70 years after his death).
I work as a photographer myself and am a keen cyclist hence my viewing in the first place and my interest in dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s as regards copyright licencing.
excellant photos. brought the atmosphere of the time flooding back. Ex barnet cc & photographer. now fishing. alan shorter nearby.
excellent photos. brought the atmoshere of the time flooding back. Ex barnet cc & phtographer. now fishin!.
Alan Shorter near by
more of same please
Greetings from NZ! Wonderful pictures, so evocative of the era, some of the names mentioned I’d forgotten. There are others that I often recall: Ken Craven, Dave Dungworth, Paul Bennett, Joe Mummery, Trevor Morgan to name a few. Great lads all. Many thanks for posting.
Great Photos. My Dad, JOHN MORLEY cycled for Tooting Cycling Club in late 60’s early 70’s and trying to locate any photo’s details I can as he lost his memorabilia many years ago, he’s fast approaching 60 and I wish to present him with replacements as a gift. Any help or information would be gratefully received.
Colin is living in Canada (Manitoba) I beleive. I grew up with his boys as they lived across the street from us. One of his sons (Tony) became an outstanding cyclist in his own right.
[...] photo from cycling info [...]
What a wonderful collection of photographs! It really brought back so many great memories. I was a member of Surrey Roads CC in the 70’s and remember Horace Mouatt very well. I hope he’s still cycling?
Hi Alf Engers and I also Terry who posted earlier all grew up together… Alf and I were together from about 7yrs old went fishing with his dad he had the first car in the area elthorne rd …we used to compete in swimming and running he would rather die than let you beat him
[...] year I published some classic time trial photos, by Bernard Thompson which were very popular. So this year I’ve found another 30 to publish. [...]
Hi, peter deacon, where are you now? leave your email address, and ill get in touch. terry
Great piccies. Have you any of Mick Ward? He tuned to running as a vet and picked up a few champonships (world; national ; european) Now at 75yrs is still running and has got a new bike; he’s as competitive as ever.
Amazing vintage photos!
love the truth of expression on their faces…
keep on cycling!
great photos of top men, the one of Eddie and Griffo in the rain is superb. Alf was the boss! I rode for the Unity for 10yrs when Alf was there, it made me go a minute quicker with Alf as a team mate.
Sir my wifes uncle was a keen time trialist in his younger days, he is now in his late 70s. I have written to Mr. Whitfield requesting a CD, but have no reply I wonder if you have a phone number or any other option for contact I would very much like to buy him one for christmas. thank you. Brian Lowe
Leave a Comment