The pictures on this page belong to veteran Top Fuel
Motorcycle rider Steve Woollatt,
I
am most grateful to him for allowing me to reproduce them here.
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Click on any image to get the bigger picture |
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Pat O'Neal was involved with Steve Woollatt in the early days of The Dealer top fuel bike. These three pictures were taken in the snow in Pat's garden and feature what is arguably the most innovative drag racing motorcycle ever created. |
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The 'bike' was Kawasaki-powered and featured what can only be described as a two wheeled dragster chassis complete with hub centre steering. Stability on the start line was provided by twin outriggers which were designed to swing up when under way. There were concerns that these two extra wheels might contravene the regulations so the machine was never raced. Click here to see another picture of this truly unique device. |
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Enter another very free-thinking individual this time in the form of Angus 'Ag' McPhail with his 1200cc Ford-powered 3 wheeler which I think was called McPhail's Nail. Del Boy had nothing on this! |
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'Daddy' Dennis Stone is strolling past in
the background on the left. |
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Left - The three wheeler may have
lost a back wheel but the one that is left sure has attitude! No outriggers
required there. |
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Jim Balchin's 350cc single cylinder BSA was unique in being fitted with a 'dustbin' fairing which jim is making full use of in this shot. This bike was the fastest BSA-powered drag bike in the world and one of the fastest single cylinder machines as well. |
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Do you notice a slight difference in stance to the last picture. The design of Robby Dobby's machine does not allow him to get down low as possible and cheat the air resistance. This shot was taken as he prepared to make a pass down the Long Marston strip back in the days when it was run by the National Drag Racing Club. |
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Steve could not identify this bike or
rider and neither can I. |
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No ID problems here, this is definitely Jonny Munn burning out at Long Marston. Jonny went on to ride John Hobbs' Hobbit after John's retirement from riding, he now lives down under in Australia. |
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Two pictures for you of Ken Gee on board his Flying Cornishman again at Long Marston. It was listed in a programme I have as being powered by a Morgo-Puma-Triumph engine. |
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My thanks to both Jim Broome and Ian Coote for identifying this rider as Paul Andrews. |
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I should think the chances of getting an ID for this Suzuki street bike rider are slim - no competition number or other identifying features except the number plate which is WGP558V. |
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This is Terry Revill tucking in on The Assassin on a lap at Santa Pod Raceway. |
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Does anyone know who the rider of DPS 234 was? |
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Brian Johnson in stage at Long Marston on The Imperial Wizard. This bike was state of the art in Pro Stock when this picture was taken. |
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We saw Barry Eastman assisting Ag McPhail earlier, well here he is getting in a bit of track time on his own, rather more conventional, bike. |
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Steve is convinced that this is an early picture of the original Flying Dutchman - Henk Vink. I think he is right, the competition number is a clue, it says Kawasaki on the fairing, and the colour points to Holland. Henk's later bikes were almost all green so this is indeed a rare shot. |
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This little piece of history was scanned
from a laminated photograph which is used as a place mat! |
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John Hobbs built this blown 500cc Triumph which he called Olympus. By the time this picture was taken he had sold the bike to Charlie Harrison. |
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This is a fitting way to conclude this page with this absolutely stunning picture of John Hobbs riding The Hobbit. The clarity of the original photograph is simply superb and I take my hat off to Brian Clark the photographer. |
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All material on this site is copyright and should not be reproduced without permission |
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Steve Woollatt was inducted into the |
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