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Scrambling back after 45 years at Burwell

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  • Scrambling back after 45 years at Burwell

    Scrambling (now called Motocross) is returning to the village of Burwell after 45 years when the Pre 65 Motorcross Club are running a meeting on Sunday 12th September at Browns Farm, Anchor Lane. Scrambles were previously held at Spring Close in the 1960's & 70's by the Cambridge Centaur MCC. The last meeting being in 1976.
    Whilst the Centaur Club still ran trials in the village at the brick works, scrambling never returned until this year. Back then scrambles attracted a large paying gate with several 1000 spectators watching. Whilst Sundays event wont see those numbers, it will be a chance to see bikes from the early years, including Greeves, out again in anger. Spectator entry is £5 including a programe
    Last edited by John Wakefield; 08/09/2021, 06:20 PM.

  • #2
    Thanks for posting, John.
    Of course, the Burwell meeting is not the only classic Scramble organised nowadays by the Pre 65 Motocross Club. They (we!) put on a full programme of scramble meetings throughout the riding season, and have been getting back into the swing, post-lockdowns, with meetings this year at Marks Tey and Maylandsea in Essex. Burwell as a venue will be a "new" venture for us.
    If any of you are interested in riding (and have the necessary AMCA licence and Club membership), there is time, still, to enter for their last scramble meeting of the season at Marks Tey on 10th. October 2021 (see their website to download an entry form), but you'd all be made very welcome to spectate, or perhaps to offer up your services as a course marshal for the day (for which you would be well rewarded!)
    Volunteer marshals may be needed on the day at the Burwell meeting, incidentally.
    See you all, perhaps?
    John R
    Last edited by johnrunnacles; 08/09/2021, 09:34 PM.

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    • #3
      Never done scrambling John and am not starting now at 78. In any case I dont have a scramble bike. Ironic that scrambling has come back to Burwell, as the Spring Close venue was popular in the day. No doubt you rode there.

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      • #4
        Wouldn't have ridden there 45 years ago, John. I retired from scrambling-proper in 1967. I do have a good Hawkstone you could borrow, though, if you'd like to give Pre 65 scrambling a try sometime?
        Last edited by johnrunnacles; 10/09/2021, 11:40 AM.

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        • #5
          Thanks for offer John but I will stick to the road now.

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          • #6
            Are there any videos of the event that anyone knows about?
            I still have a program from the 1961 Bank Holiday meeting at Burwell.
            It's on Flickr and I'll happily post the link if anyone is interested in seeing it.

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            • #7
              This is the program. There were possibly cine films of original Burwell scrambles, Claude Scott the local dealer took cine film of local events and used to show them at local motor cycle clubs. What happened to them I am not sure, but I think some have been put on You tube
              Attached Files

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              • #8
                There is a short video of Sunday's event posted on the Pre 65 Club Facebook page, Bampah.
                It was a very dusty affair, run on an almost dead flat dry stubble field. The marshals needed face masks!
                That 1961 event was open to South Midland Centre ACU, John. My Club was affiliated to the Eastern Centre ACU. The Burwell event clashed with the National Shrubland Park scramble held on Bank Holiday Monday, which was where I would have been.
                John R
                Last edited by johnrunnacles; 14/09/2021, 08:56 PM.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by John Wakefield View Post
                  This is the program. There were possibly cine films of original Burwell scrambles, Claude Scott the local dealer took cine film of local events and used to show them at local motor cycle clubs. What happened to them I am not sure, but I think some have been put on You tube
                  Yep. That's the one I've got John.
                  Last edited by Bampah; 14/09/2021, 07:20 PM.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by johnrunnacles View Post
                    There is a short video of Sunday's event posted on the Pre 65 Club Facebook page, Bampah.
                    It was a very dusty affair, run on an almost dead flat dry stubble field. I needed a face mask to marshal!
                    That 1961 event was open to South Midland Centre ACU, John. My Club was affiliated to the Eastern Centre ACU. The Burwell event clashed with the National Shrubland Park scramble held on Bank Holiday Monday, which was where I would have been.
                    John R
                    When I saw the advert for the event, I wondered where they would race as that's a very flat part of the fens. As I said on another site, it looked more like grasstrack with the addition of opposing bends
                    I always check on wind direction before I decide where to spectate but as a marshall, you wouldn't have that luxury. Well done.

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                    • #11
                      Back in the days when the Summer Bank Holiday was first Monday in August

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                      • #12
                        This pic is the old course location at Spring Close seen in 1906, now an ancient monument so no chance of scrambles back there.

                        This is it in 2016 (Google) https://www.google.com/maps/@52.2709...7i13312!8i6656
                        Attached Files
                        Last edited by John Wakefield; 14/09/2021, 08:43 PM.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by John Wakefield View Post
                          This pic is the old course location at Spring Close seen in 1906, now an ancient monument so no chance of scrambles back there.

                          This is it in 2016 (Google) https://www.google.com/maps/@52.2709...7i13312!8i6656
                          That's in my Flickr collection too John. Have you been raiding? ;o)

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                          • #14
                            Yes I copied it from your Flickr site

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by John Wakefield View Post
                              Yes I copied it from your Flickr site
                              Aha. Well done

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