Beryl Burton's 1967 Otley 12-Hour Course

[Breezin]

Does anyone have a map of the 1967 Otley 12-hour time trial course? Beryl Burton rode 277.285 miles here. Apparently it was a 200-mile zig-zagging loop through Yorkshire, from Wetherby to Northallerton, followed by a 15.87-mile finishing circuit south-east of Boroughbridge.

--Joe

 

[Old Ned]

What's with all the interest in Beryl, Joe? I was a clubmate of hers in 1977 but although I saw her quite frequently at events I was never very close. 1967 was before I moved to Yorkshire so didn't know the courses that well - but I might know a man who does. But don't hold your breath. Many of the officials and riders from that era are sadly no longer with us. However, I do know the 100 course (it is painfully engrained in my memory!) that probably used many of the same roads.

 

[Breezin]

Sorry. Never mind my tangent.

I'm still hoping to learn Beryl's 12-hour course.

--Joe

 

[jim haseltine]

From what I remember, in the 1980s the Otley 12 hour used a finishing circuit that used roads around Cattal, Tockwith and Long Marston. That's from 40 year old memories and following extensive re-routing of the A1 a lot of the roads between Wetherby and Boroughbridge have little resemblance to how they were back then so trying to trace it on Google Maps is a non-starter - a year or so back I rode out to the west side of the A1 to meet up with some guys from West Yorkshire and it was sometime before I clicked that one of the roads we were using actually used to be the A1 on which I rode 25 mile TTs at stupid o'clock on Sunday mornings.

 

[Breezin]

From what I remember, in the 1980s the Otley 12 hour used a finishing circuit that used roads around Cattal, Tockwith and Long Marston. That's from 40 year old memories and following extensive re-routing of the A1 a lot of the roads between Wetherby and Boroughbridge have little resemblance to how they were back then so trying to trace it on Google Maps is a non-starter - a year or so back I rode out to the west side of the A1 to meet up with some guys from West Yorkshire and it was sometime before I clicked that one of the roads we were using actually used to be the A1 on which I rode 25 mile TTs at stupid o'clock on Sunday mornings.

Thank you, Jim. I figure there have been many "improvements" over time. Maybe 1960s-vintage Ordinance Survey maps would be helpful. I was riding in England in 1971, but my OS maps are from Stratford-upon-Avon and south. I'm surprised the Otley Cycle Club doesn't have a map online of Beryl's historic ride.
--Joe

 

[Old Ned]

the roads we were using actually used to be the A1 on which I rode 25 mile TTs at stupid o'clock on Sunday mornings.

Better at 7.00 pm on a Thursday for the Yorkshire RC 'club' events. Harder contested than some opens! People came from all over to ride but the timekeeper only allowed around 30/40 riders max as she had to do both start and finish. I remember a guy came down from Cumbria one evening and was to late to 'sign on'. He was not pleased at being refused a ride!

And Joe - a '12' on a tandem! I know it is a recognised thing to do over here but the longest tandem TT I ever did was a 50 and I could hardly walk for several days after!

 

[Breezin]

Better at 7.00 pm on a Thursday for the Yorkshire RC 'club' events. Harder contested than some opens! People came from all over to ride but the timekeeper only allowed around 30/40 riders max as she had to do both start and finish. I remember a guy came down from Cumbria one evening and was to late to 'sign on'. He was not pleased at being refused a ride!

And Joe - a '12' on a tandem! I know it is a recognised thing to do over here but the longest tandem TT I ever did was a 50 and I could hardly walk for several days after!

Maybe you hadn't noticed your stoker's feet up on the bars.

 

[jim haseltine]

I'm certain that there will be a full set of 1970s/80s Yorkshire OS maps somewhere in my parent's house, I'll take a look later this week.

 

[Old Ned]

Maybe you hadn't noticed your stoker's feet up on the bars.

He'd have had to be a contortionist to do that. The bike probably didn't help as it was made of 2 solo frames welded together and wan't perfectly straight. Great for going round right hand bends but left hand ones not so good The next year we bought a new M&B one which was great.

Here's the original in full flight nearing the finish in a club 10 in 1984. It was still going a few years ago back in the ownership of the guy we
bought it from. It may still be on the road as I think it may have been passed on to a local blind cycling charity.



My young mate Eric on the back went on to be a very good 1st cat roadman. I went on to be an average middle aged tester.

Photo by another clubmate Chris Witham.

BTW, we never managed to get out of the saddle together, even on the new one!

 

[Breezin]

Sorry, never mind my tangent.

I'm still hoping to learn Beryl's 12-hour course.

--Joe