RICHMOND Motor Club has gained a reputation as an all-round club over the years.

It took on the mammoth task of running the legendary Scott Trial from Darlington Motor Club in 1991, when Hilda and Norman Waters called time on behalf of the Darlington club's legendary period.

The days of British motorcycles as supreme ended with influx of Spanish, Italian and Japanese machines. With the parting of the Iron Curtain, the door opened for CZ machines as well.

Richmond Motor Club really upped the ante, and the Scott Trial underwent a facelift.

The Gerald Simpson Memorial brought in the sidecars in large numbers, as did the Reeth Three Day Trial. There were major changes in many areas, but the introduction of the Mintex Youth Trial really hit the high notes. A Scott Trial in miniature in Arkengarthdale gave the boys and girls a taste of just what a Scott Trial was all about, with authentic timing and observation.

Nathan Stones and his team wisely applied for a national licence and that move opened the floodgates. With the increasing numbers of youngsters on two wheels the club saw the potential, and an annual youth training school began.

Cogden Hall became the training venue, with Laurence Allison's excellent acres providing woodland, streams and rocky climbs – ideal for the carefully segregated age groups.

In some ways the club is a victim of its own success, as all the events are usually oversubscribed. The Mintex Trial and the Youth Training School are the real success stories. World Enduro champion Billy Bolt was a training school pupil and showed his thirst for speed on the Cogden acres. The Wallsend champion returned to tutor the youngsters and present training certificates.

  • The current virus situation governs what and when any motorcycle sport will take place this year. It may be next year before any wheels turn, either motorcycles or cars. Patience is the word.