Vic Eastwood

[Cjay59_LAPSED]

The great Vic Eastwood RIP........

9217001450_3d8c133c77_n.jpg

Vic Eastwood Halstead 1971.jpg

[Eamonn]

Being an East Anglian, I remember watching Vic competing in events and on the TV (World of Sport was it?). The clothing looks so minimal compared to today's riders...

[SPRIDDLER]

No, not much protection. I rode my Greeves in the 60's at meetings (my daily ride was a 15 quid Lambretta) where many notables were entered. The course was usually marked out with pointy chestnut fencing leaning at all angles or iron stakes with the 'U' shaped hook at the top to hang a paraffin lamp. Waist height coarse rope sagged between them and lassoed anyone forced wide or plucked off anyone unavoidably going 'straight on' at a bend. The scrutineers' requirement was just an ACU stamped helmet (I think everyone still wore the 'pudding basin' type), 'thick' gloves, heavy cotton ACU approved shirt, waist belt/corset and 'strong' trousers and boots. Fireman's boots were very popular.
If memory serves me right (it was 50+ years ago), major events attracted 20 or 30,000 spectators and were shown on 'Grandstand' with Murray Walker commentating.

[Cjay59_LAPSED]

Here's one with chestnut fencing and a mean sound track, for a smile on a sad day....

[Cerberus]

PICT0022.jpg

Taken at the 1969 GP Event at Farleigh Castle. I remember it as being very wet!

[ajsm18]

Very sad news to hear that Vic has died. Growing up watching scrambling on Grandstand, he was always my favourite rider and in later years when I was lucky enough to see him thrashing the works CCM around Farleigh Castle and Matchams.
RIP

[P10]

Sad news. Vic used to build his bikes at the front end of the AMC race shop and made special Sif-Bronze welded frames for them. He is well remembered on and off the track.

[P10]

The first photograph posted is captioned 'Halstead'. Does anyone know if this is Halstead near Sevenoaks in Kent and, if so, exactly where the scrambles course was located near the village please?

[Stan Palmer]

Pretty sure it would be Halstead in Essex. Wakes Colne is better known, used for international events, but I seem to remember there was a club venue at Halstead. The Eastern centre tracks tended to be very fast, probably why they produced a lot of good riders.
Stan

[Plugsnpoints]

Don't tell anyone, but we used to sneak over the fence at Little Lovenley Hall (Wakes Colne) to watch the scramblers in the mid 1980s as my mate's aunty lived next to it. Very entertaining