Charge of the Bike Brigade

[belfastguzzi]

For those of you with satellite (sorry Joe, probably UK advanced civilization only ) BBC1 NI is showing a 4 part series of 1970's road-racing film footage. (In contrast to the positive, inventive, celebratory 'ordinary racing fraternity' mood, 1974 was the same time that the troubles-bombings-assasinations-Ulster Worker's Strike were bringing the Province to its knees.) Last week was excellent intro to NI road-racing developmentand the start of the legendary 'Armoy Armada' and 'Dromara Destroyers'. This week – Wednesday 10.45 – will be picking up from that, with Joey coming to the fore. The battles of Mervyn Robinson, Tony Rutter, Joey Dunlop and Ray McCullough come to a head at the 1975 Kirkistown final. Lovey stuff. Channel 943, I believe.

 

Newspaper > "Fast and furious footage of the Armoy Armada and the Dromara Destroyers is the focus of a new BBC series on motorbikes.

 

The Charge of the Bike Brigade will show never before broadcast film of the glory days of Ulster's motorcycling superstars.

 

The series was shot by brothers Colin and Alwyn James and starts tomorrow night. It features coverage of the sport by turning the clock back three decades, with action showing the Armada, led by a young Joey Dunlop, going handlebar to handlebar with the Destroyers, led by Ray McCullough.

 

The poignancy of the racing world will not be lost on the viewers, as the Destroyers are all still alive, whereas none of the legends from the Armada remain.

 

Alwyn James explained that the project was as much of a passion for the film-makers as for biking enthusiasts of the sport: "Colin and I wanted to make a tribute, not just to Joey, but to all those amateur racers who were his friends as well as his rivals, and who raced purely for the thrills."

 

Colin himself describes the Bike Brigade series as a portrait of the love-affair between Northern Ireland and motorbike racing: "Alwyn and I made a number of motorcycle films during the '70s, including The Title Trail and Racing Champions that were shown around local motorcycle clubs.

 

"Charge of the Bike Brigade is the story of the leather-clad heroes, the girls who love them, the mothers who worried for them and the wives who lost them."

 

Tomorrow night's programme features the 1974 season, when the Armoy Aramada was being established, and features the pioneering recording by the James brothers of the first-ever on-the-bike rider's view around a racing circuit.

 

The film-makers were unique in their glimpse into the high-speed history in 1974 and 1975, according to Alwyn: "In those dark days politically, the television companies couldn't seriously cover the big race meetings because their camera crews were out covering hard news."

 

Colin James relates that the brothers' passion for bikes was fuelled at an early age, when their father took them along to races: "Once I had the whiff of Castrol R racing oil, I, like so many others, was hooked for life - this was a sport that had everything - heroes, speed, colour, excitement, smell and noise - life could not get any better."

 

Charge of the Bike Brigade, BBC1 NI, tomorrow at 10.35pm."

 

NB: although I've seen this advertised in a couple of places for tomorrow, Tuesday, it is actually on at 10.45 pm on Wednesday. (It was on Tuesday last week.)

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

And you will, of course, be recording this and making it available to the rest of the forum, correct?

[joe camarda]

Thats nuthin dude. We got "Coppers on Choppers". Aint life grand and pass the beer :!:

 

Oh yeah...meant to tell you. You keep misspelling "program". One "m", no "e".

 

Joe

[Martin Barrett]

Oh yeah...meant to tell you. You keep misspelling "program". One "m", no "e".

 

 

Metric spelling as part of Europe

[tikkanen]

Metric spelling as part of Europe 

55573[/snapback]

 

 

Bear with our US friends, Martin. They only had five hundred years to learn the language...

 

Søren

 

PS: I was working with a mad Glasgwegian and he always gave our American co-workers a lot of stick.

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

PS: I was working with a mad Glasgwegian and he always gave our American co-workers a lot of stick.

55590[/snapback]

Are not they all mad Glaswegians?

 

Us Canadians tend to humour the Americans by not noticing their spelling.

[belfastguzzi]

Thats nuthin dude. We got "Coppers on Choppers". Aint life grand and pass the beer :!:

 

Oh yeah...meant to tell you. You keep misspelling "program". One "m", no "e".

 

Joe

55571[/snapback]

 

got me there: we got coppers but we ain't invented choppers yet, though we're hoping Helicopter Jim will visit soon.

[Guest Nogbad]

 

Oh yeah...meant to tell you. You keep misspelling "program". One "m", no "e".

 

Joe

55571[/snapback]

 

Actually both spellings are widely used. We now differentiate a TV "programme" or a construction "programme" from a computer "program" by using the alternative spelling a lot of the time.

 

After all, whatever that grinding cronking valve filled thing at Bletchley Park was, it wasn't really a modern computer. I don't think it unreasonable to give the Americans credit for inventing the modern computer, so it seems fitting to use their spelling to describe software.

[big J]

Are not they all mad Glaswegians?

 

Us Canadians tend to humour the Americans by not noticing their spelling.

55602[/snapback]

I say,old bean, us Glesga boys are noted for our culture, debonaire style,wit and haute couture. Our sense of humour is simply a tad more robust than the other chaps. The myth of the mad Glaswegian is one instilled in us by our finishing school mistresses to add an air of mild over exuberance to overcome our natural shyness so that strangers are immediately put at ease in our company. That, or rendered unconscious.

[Martin Barrett]

Seems tomorrow (wednesday) is the one to go for, tonight its a programme about an African supermodel going back to her roots. I going back to VH1 Classic Best 40 One hit wonders.

[belfastguzzi]

And you will, of course, be recording this and making it available to the rest of the forum, correct?

55551[/snapback]

only to the deserving poor

[Orson]

"Once I had the whiff of Castrol R racing oil, I, like so many others, was hooked for life

 

I know "the whiff". It's amazing how smells can rekindle memories.

 

I'd almost kill to watch this show.

[jrt]

Please sir....

[belfastguzzi]

*Its that porridge thing again. What way do your cylinders really point? You're clearly a BM boy at heart and, ipso facto, not deserving.

 

 

* not it's

[jrt]

"BM" ??

bimota? big macho? brainy n' manly? buncha mustard?

 

BTW, I'm a single cylinder kind o' guy. A thumper, you might say. And you have two, eh? Doesn't sound good.