OLDACE

I think we should be concerned about what will be the next step on the road to a totalitarian state, for there will be more restrictive laws passed in the name of fighting terrorism. I do not believe I will be killed or injured by a terrorist act, much more likely to die of a hospital aquired infection. If the state is so concerned about our well being, I would think they would do something about H.A.I.s, but then the politicians care nought for us the people, much more concerned with increasing their power and feathering their nest. Most on this forum can remember times of relatively full e

Who will have access to this information? The police cannot be trusted with it, there are far too many corrupt members of the police as the News of the World scandal has shown, many of them are very senior indeed. The excuse of 'if you've nothing to hide' etc, does not hold water Mick, the fact that you are law abiding will not protect you from those in positions of authority who are not. It would seem that in spite of all the evidence to the contrarary, you still trust the police. Even if you trust the police, surely you do not trust the politicians.

I've presumed that Big Brother is listening to our phone conversations for years, same goes for internet and all electronic gismos. Their survailence centre is at GCHQ, and the system is called Echelon. The fact that I mentioned GCHQ and Echelon means this email is flagged at GCHQ, whoops there go three more. I believe that to be a successful politician one has to be totally ruthless, (Stalin et al), a consumate liar, (Blair), and as devious as Mandelson. These people are beneath contempt, and of course they want total control over all aspects of our lives. I can't say I agree with George G

Were there two Kingstons. One was diagonally opposite Remayne and Todds at the Canal Street, Carrington Street traffic lights. The other bike shop was where the Canal tavern is (was). As Mudgie says, there was a yard at the side, I took a 1931 Ariel outfit there to be MOTed, also in the yard were some other businesses, IIRC one was Needham and Jackson engineers. nearby back along Canal Street was a coffee bar (Brief Encounter?).

I seem to remember one at Pearsons in the 50's.

If you noticed a snap of a guy with a studded cap and a stupid grin in the left foreground, and coppers in the back of the field, thats me. BTW many of the mods in the programme were from Nottingham too. The Trent side clubs getting many mentions.

I never had any dealings with Kingstons Ash, but I'm sure one of our lot worked there driving the sidecar outfit.

The bridge connected the two building of James Snook & Co Ltd, wholesale soft furnishers, milliners, drapers etc. I worked there for a few months in 1962.

1 Don't know looks like a lark, but for the bill I'd say Calandra Lark. Little Egret. Ruddy Duck. Griffon Vulture?? Lesser Kestrel. Ostrich.

Limey, you are right, it was the Kona cafe, but for some reason we called it the Kona Bar.

Babs, tell us all what he says.

That's right Babs, the Cona Bar at Long Eaton was a regular venue for a short run out. On Saturday nights at the El Toreador, after a night at the Turf Tavern, we would decide where we would go, mostly it would be the Robin Hood cafe on the A614, then on to the Blue Star? at Blythe, and sometimes on to Doncaster, I can't remember the name of the cafe in Donny. Other times we would head south, we would join the M1 at Rugby and travel maybe 40 or 50 miles to the end. Then it was a fair distance to the Busy Bee cafe, arriving at 2am or so. From there we would go to the Ace Cafe on the North Cir

IIRC there was a number 1 school bus in Bridgford colours. It left the terminus at Adbolton Grove, Lady Bay at 8.30am and went to Loughborough Road via Davies Road and Musters Road. It reurned at 4.00pm.

I was following Sambo round the island at the south end of Trent Bridge once. His footrest dug in too hard and off he came. He slid feet first on his back until he hit the kerb with his feet, (he was trying to stop himself) this had the effect of spinning him head first towards the stone wall. He missed heading the wall by inches, but he did break a foot. We all laughed, except Sambo of course. BTW we knew nothing of adrenaline addiction in the 60's. The feeling after taking a corner faster than intended, and getting away with it, was tremendous. Nowadays I stick to the speed limits, I know

Albino sparrow?

They were great times Compo. BTW after Sambo did his knee in, he got a Vespa. He used to ride it around with his leg sticking out straight, when cornering he scraped the plaster. After a few weeks he soaked the plaster above the knee so he could bend his leg a bit and got back on his G9. Trouble was he was still scraping his his plaster when cornering, only this time it was the metal hoop that they used to put on the bottom of leg plasters that was hitting the road. Eventually he scraped so much metal off that it was no longer a hoop, but two spikes. This made it very difficult for him to

Ashley, Sambo's real name was Eric Sammons, like many of the Aces he lived in Lady Bay, first on Rutland Road and later on Holme Road. I also lived in Lady Bay and often we would give each other lifts to Jack's cafe, when one of us was off the road for some reason. Mudgie, for most of the time Sambo had a Matchless G9, and could only keep up with the faster bikes by taking big chances. He was one of the fastest in town, but on the open road his G9 had it's limitations. When he got caught by PC Shirley and booked for racing on the highway, (University Boulevard) I was the one he was racing

Is it in or near Dunkirk?

You'r right Babs, It was at the Blidworth Junction with the A614. The car came out of the Blidworth road. Bomber went through the side window.

The owner of Pompador hair lacquer was a Mr Barron, he lived on Harrow Road, Wollaton Park. The factory was on Wollaton Street, (I think). He was a character, he would go for his fish supper at the chippie next to the White Horse late at night, his XJ12 parked outside. My wife was good friends with wife Muriel, she was a nice lady. Sadly both have passed on now.

Andy with the Ariel Arrow, traded it in for a Rocket Gold Star, then he was really quick. I remember he was the first to have triangular tyres, and nobody could touch him in the wet. Quite a few of the Aces took up racing, Tony Starkey was named Motor Cycle News newcomer of the year in 1973. Charlie Grafton raced a 750cc BSA outfit with Willie Wyre in the chair. There were others, but most of us stuck to racing on the roads. The A614 was my favourite, I had relatives in Worksop, and used to ride over there on Saturday afternoons. I would practice the racing lines and braking points, always try

The late PC Shirley rode a Police Triumph TR6, not as fast as our bikes, never mind all the equipmnet it carried. He was not respected by us. PC Metcalfe on the other hand was well liked, he was motivated by his concern for our survival, he did not always book us,and when he did, he did not perjure himself in court. One morning we were returning from and all night run along the A614 and points North, PC Shirley was on Mansfield Road Arnold towards Carrington, at the bottom of a hill. When we were a few hundred yards from him,he walked into the road with his hand up. As one we accelerated, an

Can't add much to that, to me Billy Gilbert was Bonnie Bill. It was rumoured that he had his bike professionly race tuned, and since he weighed less than 10 stone, he was always hard to pass.

Re your post #8 Ashley, are you thinking of the crash when Bomber and his pillion died. It was at the junction a couple of miles or so south of the Robin Hood cafe. It was in '63 or '64, the front seat passenger in the car also died, and those at the scene said the driver was drunk. I remember he was fined £400 and banned for 4 years. BTW Bomber was running in, so would not have been speeding. This was exactly the same sentence as one of the Aces got in the same month for speeding (admittedly at 100mph) along Bridgford Road.

Nice one.