80s MODUCEL pro cycling team

[Midlife]

I think Phil Corley is on one of these, sorry about the link but pics are few and far between, the title is incorrect IMHO

https://www.flickr.com/photos/69692904@ ... 330186162/

 

[Fifthgrace]

Re: Re:

I vaguely remember Rourkie p4oviding Moducel frames. I worked there when I left school. The yellow frame looks very much like a Rourke to me and they were 753 accredited. They have good records of frame numbers still

All confirmed! https://moducel.wordpress.com/the-frame/

Did you ever meet any of the riders and what was the name of the actual frame builder at Brian Rourke? (I know Brian did not frame build).

 

[Fifthgrace]

I think Phil Corley is on one of these, sorry about the link but pics are few and far between, the title is incorrect IMHO

https://www.flickr.com/photos/69692904@ ... 330186162/

So, to summarise, we would have for Moducel 1981-82 possibly:

Mick Morrison (Stoke) riding a Rourke
Dudley Hayton (Bradford) riding a Pennine
Phil Corley (ex Falcoln Elswick) on a Falcon

Thanks for all your comments!

 

[JSH]

Re: Re:

I vaguely remember Rourkie p4oviding Moducel frames. I worked there when I left school. The yellow frame looks very much like a Rourke to me and they were 753 accredited. They have good records of frame numbers still

All confirmed! https://moducel.wordpress.com/the-frame/

Did you ever meet any of the riders and what was the name of the actual frame builder at Brian Rourke? (I know Brian did not frame build).

There were lots of famous faces through the shop in that period - Les West, Barry Hoban etc.
Frame will have been built by Washo (Paul Washington) who before frame building, was a glass blower. It was said that his heat control was brilliant (I dont know if that was true or not tbh)

I have a few Rourkies and I can say that all are well finished, the chrome lasts well and they are always a talking point when you ride them. I've had a geed few re-finished by Jason Rourke too, always going for retro colour schemes from my era.

 

[Fifthgrace]

Re: Re:

I vaguely remember Rourkie p4oviding Moducel frames. I worked there when I left school. The yellow frame looks very much like a Rourke to me and they were 753 accredited. They have good records of frame numbers still

All confirmed! https://moducel.wordpress.com/the-frame/

Did you ever meet any of the riders and what was the name of the actual frame builder at Brian Rourke? (I know Brian did not frame build).

There were lots of famous faces through the shop in that period - Les West, Barry Hoban etc.
Frame will have been built by Washo (Paul Washington) who before frame building, was a glass blower. It was said that his heat control was brilliant (I dont know if that was true or not tbh)

I have a few Rourkies and I can say that all are well finished, the chrome lasts well and they are always a talking point when you ride them. I've had a geed few re-finished by Jason Rourke too, always going for retro colour schemes from my era.

Thanks = Roger Kowalski is another name that comes up a lot for Rourke frames, and is the name Jason and Brian mentioned in respect to my frame: do you know the period when these guys worked in the shop?

 

[JSH]

Re: Re:

Roger was earlier than Washo I think - before my time. Framebuilding was never done at the shop, always in the builders own workshop or garage.

Washo was building from mid/late 70s and the frames went probably to Liverpool for paint. I can’t remember who did chrome.

Jason is Brian’s son and he now builds frames - you can probably find “meet the maker” videos on the web for the UK hand built shows. I think Jason talks about Washo teaching him the craft. In any event, when your frame was built, Jase was a little kid so I would bet on it being made by Paul Washington. Jason is a well respected builder now and does special project for Guy Martin’s speed attempts (bikes, balloon gondola). As well as my retro Rourkies, I had a Tigged 953 build a couple of years ago and it’s a beautifully built thing.

I had a conversation with a frame builder at George Longstaff - they call him Tig. He claimed that BR outsourced to them at some point. I don’t know if that was true.

Brian is still knocking about and is up at the shop regularly and I occasionally see Washo riding a bike blowing out of his arse.

 

[JSH]

There’s something about Rourke in here

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=TM4 ... es&f=false

 

[Old Ned]

Roger Kowalski came to work with Brian when the Clive Stuart shop closed and Brian opened on his own. He was the local CS builder also Harry Hall's builder at one time. I think he taught Paul and in turn Paul taught Jason. I didn't know Paul was still riding. I raced against him a few times, at the 'old' Newcastle track and in local TT's and RR's.

All such a long time ago...................

 

[Fifthgrace]

Re: New pics added

18 new pics added: thanks to Phil O'Connor photography
https://www.philoconnor.com/

 

[Midlife]

Runners? Is it the correct link?