I've only ever been interested in all things mechanical whether on two,three or four wheels.
Does anyone else remember being in the city centre on a Saturday morning-near the Gaumont cinema I think-and waiting and watching for the Ariel factory riders to turn up at a cafe on Square Fours? The sounds and the smells, Oh, Heaven!
Or waiting outside the Norton factory in Bracebridge St. hoping to catch a glimpse of a Manx 500/Famous Rider?
I bunked off school on a couple of occasions to go York Rd. in Hall Green to drool over Velocette's.
When a school trip to the BSA factory was organised I was like a child with two lollipops! As we were being shown round the assembly lines I saw a Gold Star being wheeled off and without thinking I asked if I could sit on it."No problem son". That was me gone for the day.
Excelsior at Kings Rd. Tyesley, James in Gough Rd.Greet.
All great names. All sadly gone from Birmingham.