Founded 1925 |
| Affiliated to: BCF, RTTC, BCCA, ECCA, ECRA |
|
|
Club
Clothing supplied by |
Friday & Saturday 9th & 10th August 1975
|
After a Civic departure given by the Mayor of Dagenham and the MP for Barking, Jo Richardson, on the Friday evening, Brian drove the 12-seater Ford Transit overnight to Lands End Youth Hostel, arriving at 8am. A short rest and a bite to eat and by 1.00pm we assembled at Lands End for the departure. More than a hundred people were there to see us off possibly due to the coverage given to us on H.T.V the previous night. Plenty of cameras around now and after an extended photo call we eventually got started at 2.15pm with a following wind and plenty of sunshine. A steady ride to lunch at Roche with only the 1 in 6 hill through Redruth really stretching the legs! |
After lunch, Bodmin Moor loomed and proved very hard with a crosswind and very exposed but we arrived at Launceston (80 miles) on schedule and in time for dinner and a few beers (for medicinal purposes.)
Todays Total 80miles
Sunday 11th August, Launceston to Bristol (120 miles)
A fast, straightforward ride to Bristol, with Norman feeling ill, due to eating too much! The 600ft c1imb in the rain over Redhill, just before Bristol, really tested the legs.
Total 200 miles
Monday 12th August, Bristol to Whitchurch (125 miles)
The first thing to do was to call at the offices of Mr A C V Telling and thank him for the sponsorship that Tony had encouraged him to offer. It was then on through Gloucester, to lunch in Worcester. Shortly after, it was hard climbs into Wellington where we found Mr Herman Van Laar (a representative of our sponsor), who had been asked to entertain us when we got to Whitchurch. He promised a pint to the first one to get there! A race then ensued for the next twenty miles with Alan Sanders passing Herman in his car at 35 mph, to claim his prize. Herman, and his fellow Directors, entertained us in style and they probably, by the end of the evening, had discovered that the Becontree Wheelers, were really Becontree Lager louts! Especially as we had arranged to stay overnight in Whitchurch at the "Horse and Jockey".
Total now 325 miles.
Tuesday 13th August, Whitchurch to Kendal (105 miles)
Flat Shropshire soon cleared the heads and we were quickly passing through industrial Wigan and Preston, where the Lake District hills loomed ahead. Steady climbing brought us into Kendal in the evening, to the Youth Hostel where we were to stay. Representatives of our sponsor, Rob Noble and Geoffrey Fairhurst and his family had driven down from Carlisle to meet us and we dined together with them. A superb meal was an ideal finish to the day. It gave us time to think about the 13 miles of Shap Fell that lay out there ahead of us, that we were going to have to climb in the morning.
Total now 430 miles.
Wednesday, 14th August, Kendal to Biggar (120 miles)
|
Only half a mile covered and it started to rain! Twelve and a half miles later, eight cold wet figures emerged at the top of Shap Fell. Brian, our driver brought his continental experience to good use and had somehow managed to get hold of hot coffee to which he had added small quantities of brandy. It rained all day and after a visit to Border Television, taking some twenty minutes or so, we continued on over the 1000ft to Beattock Summit and struggled into Biggar in a howling gale and still raining! Mr Martin Thom (our sponsor’s representative) met us in Biggar and took us to the Crinkltie Hotel outside Peebles to sample the food and the malt whisky. |
Total now 550 miles.
Thursday, 15th August, Biggar to Kingussie (160 miles)
After stocking up the transit with food and drinks, we got started at 9 am on a real marathon day of 140 miles, which developed into 160 miles. We were plagued all day with several punctures, our first real problem, caused by the overnight rain. The group broke up in the early miles and this together with the increasing number of climbs, delayed our arrival in Perth until 2pm. The only navigation trouble occurred there with several riders taking the wrong road, causing us to slow and not re-group for another 15 miles.
Turning into a strong wind and increasing climbs meant arriving in Pitlochry for a halt and time to recover at 5pm. The worst part of the whole ride so far, now commenced with a climb from Pitlochry into the Grampian Mountains and the Passes of Killiecrankie and Drumochter, into the teeth of a strong wind in a very exposed position.
More aid from the coffee and brandy pot was sought and some 30 miles later, very wet, we arrived in Kingussie at 8.30pm. Mr Douglas Stewart (our sponsor’s representative) had driven 140 miles from Aberdeen with his family to meet us, and after a live interview with BBC Radio Scotland (well, we were almost alive!) he looked after us in splendid style, before we collapsed into bed.
Total now 710 miles.
Friday 16th August, Kingussie to Carbisdale castle YHA (105 miles)
The weather was getting noticeably colder, the further north we got and Friday morning was no exception, with 52 degrees being recorded on the town thermometer. The undulating road through Aviemore and on to Inverness soon warmed us up though, and the thought of only 100 miles through such dramatic scenery helped the time pass very quickly until lunch at Dingwall.
The afternoon brought more rain and it became more and more exposed as we climbed over the moorland to Struie Hill and then descended 1000ft in 2 miles to Carbisdale Castle Youth Hostel.
Scottish hospitality was evident immediately and the warden thrust mountains of food on us and directed us to the local Inn where we could sample a wee dram or two. On our return he organised an impromptu Cellidh in the Baronial Hall. All the hostelliers were invited and calm wasn’t restored until 2 o’clock in the morning.
Total now 815 miles.
Saturday, 17th August, Carbisdale YH to John O’Groats (105 miles)
Scottish air and hills are a great head clearer! Soon we were climbing up the 1 in 5 hill up to Helmsdale into the inevitable rain,
which persisted up the 5-mile climb of the Ord of Caithness over moorland. Down and up the 2 mile (1 in 6) climb to Berriedale and along the exposed coast road into Wick for a break.
The final twenty miles were among the hardest owing to the wind. It was approaching 30 mph most of the way, and the weaker of us were slowly slipping off the back to re-join later when we stopped. Alan Sanders once again proved he was the best sprinter, but we were all soon "collapsed" around the John O’Groats Hotel, with the Aberdeen post reporter taking details.
Total ride 920 miles.
It was then decided that the best course of action was for us all to drive back to Carbisdale with the bikes and enjoy the hospitality offered at the Hostel which would enable us to prepare for the 700 mile drive home tomorrow. (Sunday)
Statistics worth noting!
The tyre and puncture problems that plagued us all day Thursday, was due to us choosing to use tubular tyres and not able to stick them on properly. Tuesday, Les and Andy punctured. Wednesday, Frank punctured outside Biggar. Thursday, Norman punctured south of Lanark and the spare rolled off North of Lanark. Derek punctured at Cumbernauld. Norman punctured south of Perth. Charlie’s tyre went soft at the top of the Pass of Drumochter. Saturday, Derek had tub trouble at Helmsdale and Lybster, not being able to stop the tub rolling off the rim.
Apart from the normal three meals a day, consumed on the route were:
62lbs of bananas
72 Milky Way bars
36 Mars bars
2 large fruit cakes
12 slabs of Kendal Mint cake
30 tins of creamed rice
1 gallon of black coffee
4 bottles of fruit squash
2 bottles of vitamin pills
2 dozen peaches.
************************
PROFILES
(Reproduced from the event programme issued 1975)
Norman Bonham
A member for almost 20 years, having joined the Club shortly after leaving school. Born in Dagenham, Norman is a devoted Clubman whose attention to the function of the less glamerous club activities has contributed immensely to the Club’s success over the past decade. Now living in Romford he is at present the Club General Secretary and is married with two children.
Les Charnley
A schoolboy in 1964, when he joined the Club, it took him only two years to become Essex Schoolboy Road Race Champion and Junior Time Trial Champion. The following year he was the Junior 25-mile champion and then in 1969, the Junior and 50 mile Champion. He recently married and is now living in Cheshire but still remains a member of the Becontree Wheelers and is looking forward to rejoining his clubmates for the celebration.
Tony Dewerson
An experienced rider having, joined the Club in 1963 as a school-leaver. Tony was born in Barking and has raced mainly in time-trials and in company with two other end-to-end riders, Les Charnley and Andy Hale, he holds the Club 100-mile team record. The Club 100 mile Champion in 1969, his strength and knowledge will be a great asset in this venture. Married with two children he now lives in Aveley and is the Club Road Race secretary.
Andy Hale
Quickly established himself as a capable rider becoming the Senior Time Trial Champion just two years after joining the Club in 1965. Since then he has won the Senior Track Championship in 1968, promoted many road races for the Club and is at present the Club social secretary. One of the Becontree’s top all-rounders, Andy is married and lives in Forest Gate.
Derek Jennings
The ride organiser, he was for 16 years the General Secretary and is now the Club Chairman. Joined the Becontree after leaving the army in 1947, he was six times Club 12 hr. time trial champion during the 1950’s. Married with two children, he lives in Hornchurch and has cycled to and from the City daily for 26 years, which he hopes will make the need for any special preparation for the End to End ride unnecessary.
Charlie Jepson.
Another long established member, Charlie was born in Dagenham and joined the Becontree in 1948. He won the Club Senior Time Trial Championship, six times during the Club’s time trial heyday of the 1950’s. He was Club Treasurer from 1958 to 1970. Charlie now lives in Reading and is married with two children and is currently Vice-President and a Life member. Participation in this ride is a demonstration of his loyalty which, continues despite the distance that now parts him from the Becontree.
Frank Ryan.
Joined the Club in 1966, the year Les Charnley became Essex Schoolboy Champion. After winning the Club Junior Time Trial Championship in 1968, he emulated Les’s performances and himself, became Essex Schollboy Road Race Champion in 1969, adding the Club Schoolboy and Junior Time Trial Championships the same year. In 1971, there were more titles. Now a junior, he made a clean sweep, taking the Junior Road and Time Trail Championships and Junior 25-mile Championship. Frank lives in Romford and now competes in Senior competition.
Alan Sanders.
Prominent ever since joining the Club whilst still at school in 1964. Born and resident in Dagenham, Alan comes from cycling parents and his two brothers are also Club members. At one time Eastern Counties Junior Road Race and 2 mile Track Champion, he was also Club Junior Road and Track Champion in 1968, Junior Road Champion in 1969 and Senior Track Champion in 1971. He now competes regularly as a first category rider.
Brian Moran.
The Club Road Race Champion in 1972, he also won the Hill Climb Championship in 1969 and 1972. In the intervening years he was racing in Italy for a trade sponsored team. Brian will be driving the support vehicle, his extensive experience will be invaluable whilst acting as the team manager and mechanic throughout the ride.
