Picture the scene, the editorial office of The MotorCycle in autumn 1961, a couple of weeks before the 36th International Six Days Trial, which would be held in Wales. In those far-off days before we had keyboards, computers, delete and over-write facilities the only sounds would be the clacking of typewriter keys as a feature was being written, its writer conscious of time constraints which accompany any weekly publication. Like journalists the world over, a finger on each hand would press the keys and all the crossing out would be done on the notepad to one side of the writer.
Then the quietness was disturbed by a strident bell of a telephone, no fancy ringtone in those days nor any caller ID to allow the choice of answering or not.…