Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2021 i Scootering

First and foremost, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers both near and far. If ever we were in need of Christmas cheer, now is that time! Moving on from the festive greetings, I want reflect for a moment on three particular articles in this edition: Tina’s Legacy (Teaspoon Racer), Cornish Legends and Godspeed, Papa. These three articles, for me, epitomise the absolute sentiment of being grateful for what (and who) you have in life. As the editor I always try to take an upbeat approach to the magazine, as I do generally in life, so even though I consider these three articles to have that ‘tearjerk factor’ about them, I salute them individually more in a way of positive respect for those involved in the…

This information is provided by Stephen Hattersley, of WildWood Legal, a firm of solicitors specialising in claims for injured scooterists. Stephen, a qualified solicitor for 25 years, has been riding scooters for more than 30 years, and has acted for injured riders across the UK. He knows the tricks and pitfalls that insurers use and pulls no punches in his dealings with them. He rides to work every day and understands the challenges you face out there. Q: My solicitor is dealing with my injury claim on a no win, no fee agreement. He wants to take 25% of my compensation at the end of the case. Is he allowed to do that? A: Most cases these days are dealt with on a no win, no fee basis, otherwise known…

Author: Stephen Riley Publisher: Aureus ISBN: 9781899750450 Subtitled Unpacking The Myths, Stephen Riley’s overview, initially only available in Kindle format, is now also in paperback via Amazon. Stephen these days is based in Somerset working as an artist, photographer and author, keeping links with his past via a monthly internet radio northern soul show from Pappa D’s studio, as well as DJing at his local bi-monthly soul nights at Bruton Soul Club. He grew up in Greater Manchester; too young to go to the Twisted Wheel, he cut his musical development teeth at his local club The Moon, which proved to be a launchpad for many years spent attending various northern soul events, including allnighters, among them The Torch in Stoke and Wigan Casino. As a young teenager, he embraced…

Both personally and professionally, and certainly in our scootering world, none of us could possibly have foreseen what lay ahead and what has happened. For starters, look at end-of-year BSSO race presentations… pictures of riders wearing masks holding trophies. If you’d shown me that picture at the start of 2020 I’m sure that there would have been much head scratching and bemusement. Life has certainly changed for all of us in the last year! It’s very easy to be pretty depressed about everything which is going on around us: economic doom, lockdowns, missing the pub, missing restaurants and hugging your family and friends… or even just seeing them. But in among the heartbreak and the misery there are some things that in the long run will come good. We have…

Name: Jon Pudney. Scooter club and town: Back to Basics – Peterborough. First interest in scooters: Around the age of 12, just passing through my punk/Mod phase and moving into ska/ northern soul. Scootering magazine was my new monthly read, having advanced from the Beano and Shoot. A guy called Sam Wragg lived in the village and he would repair/build scooters for a hobby, there were often custom scooters turning up at his house. I decided there and then that this was something I wanted to do myself one day and it was then in 1983 that I decided a Sex Pistols tribute scooter was the way forward. First scooter: A family friend was a year or so older than me and he had a smallframe Vespa 50 Special, we…

Issue 500 – calamity in waiting Dear Dan, Within the broad church of the scootering community there are certain members who are quite fastidious, paying careful attention to detail and ensuring that each nut, bolt and washer is genuine, original and model specific. Some also read Scootering from cover to cover, carefully imbibing each and every word of this esteemed publication. I hasten to say that I am not such a person and employ a far more slapdash approach to my scooters… ‘that should hold’ being my mind-set and packing an extra roll of electrical tape just in case it doesn’t. However, it is on behalf of the former souls that I write. In the pile of Scootering magazines which litter the worktop in my kitchen I was horrified to…

Name: Kelvyn Wearne. Job: HGV driver. Scooter club & town: Section 8 SC – Truro. First interest in scooters: In the 80s when I left school most of the skinheads had them. Got my first scooter in ’83. First scooter: Vespa PK 50. Favourite style of custom scooter: I do like a well-built Lambretta chopper. First rally: Exmouth ’84. Name of scooter: Cornish Legends. Scooter model: LML. Date purchased & cost: 2016, £900. Inspiration for project: Penlee lifeboat disaster December 1981. Time to build & by who: About eight months by Darren, owner of DL Scooters. Any specialised parts: Gilera runner front forks done by Steve Rowe. Paintwork & murals done by: Jack Dunstan (family friend) for the paint, Perran Signs for the pictures. Overall cost: £2400. Thanks to: DL…

Name of scooter: Jackpot No. 8 Scooter model: Spanish Li150 frame and Spanish small-block engine Time to build & by who: Two years six months with the help of Jason Frost. Any specialised parts or mods: Not much is standard! The back-pod is a Suzuki petrol tank cut and shut, Peugeot front end/Shona forks, handmade petrol tank welded into the frame loop, too much to list! ENGINE SPEC Kit: TS1 225-230cc. Crank: 60mm GT. Carb: 30mil Dell’Orto. Exhaust: Modified JL3. Clutch: AF Cassette. Gearbox: GP200 – 19 x 47. Porting work by: Jason Frost. Dyno done by: Jon Gilbert. What brand of oil do you run: Rockoil racing 3%. CHASSIS SPEC: Tyres: Heidenau K80SR. Rims: SIP tubeless. Suspension: R1 rear. Shona front. Grips: Kawasaki. Levers: MB dog-leg clutch. Fireblade brake.…

This year marks Vespa’s 75th anniversary and I’ve vowed to ride as many of their landmark models as I can. There’s no doubt that the 50 Special fits into that category, but riding a standard-engined example wouldn’t be any more interesting now than it was back in 1981. Fortunately Alan stepped into the breach and offered a ride on his beloved smallframe. Having emerged from Andy Bedwell’s workshop fitted with a 112cc Malossi kit, it’s a very close approximation of my Pinasco-engined teen machine. I’ve accepted that I’ll never be 16 again and by that I mean shirt collar size. That, and the fact that I’m 6ft 2in in bare feet, forced me to a conclusion that smallframes aren’t for me. Nevertheless I’ve very happy memories of the time I…

Name: Mark Kendall. Scooter club & town: Banbury SC, Banbury, Oxfordshire. First ever rally: Disc ’86. How did you get there: Two-up on a PX125 all the way from Wolverhampton with my pal Barnesy on the back. Pissed it down all the way. Any funny stories: Scooter build of many moons ago building Dave Turnbull’s War of the Worlds. Charlie connected the gears up wrong and Dave nearly stoved it on the maiden voyage. Favourite rally & why: Weston, the locals are great and the weather has always been great over the years. What do you dislike about rallies: Getting ripped off as local towns climb on the bandwagon. Favourite custom scooter of all time: Shock. Which insurer do you recommend: Carole Nash. Which breakdown company do you recommend: AA.…

Name: Neil Barratt. Scooter club & town: Ant & Aardvark. Suffolk/Norfolk. First scooter: Vespa PX. Favourite rally: Mersea Island. Fantastic atmosphere and all in one place. What do you like about rallies: Different variety of scooters, the atmosphere and the occasional beer! Your most recommended scooter security item: In a garage or chain and padlock and a shotgun! Name of scooter & reason: Twisted Orange because it’s got twisted parts and accessories and it’s orange. Date purchased & cost: April 2018 – £1100. Any specialised parts or mods: 6in extended twisted forks, side stand, rear sprint rack and custom fuel tank by Simon Aldred (aka Aubrey). Custom seat by a local upholsterer. Aftermarket LED rear light and indicators. Thanks to: Mark Trotman for his help and support throughout, Lee Gooderham…

The various news announcements over the success relating to the development of a number of coronavirus vaccines can only be seen as good news for the scooterist scene. And while they will be initially rolled out only to the older generations (many of which still ride scooters), the effects of this revelation will inevitably filter down the pecking order. Although this is only one of many influencing factors of the ’Rona pandemic, it does provide us all with a glimmer of hope that 2021 could actually turn out to be a relatively normal year for scooterists (although that said, it is likely to be a different sort of normality). Some organisers have already started making their event plans, many of which take a long time to administrate. Let us all…

While the future's uncertain for many events, some have already been announced, but as we went to press, the indications were that the Government’s tier system is likely to stay in place until Easter; so bearing that in mind, we've only shown events planned to happen after that date. This is not a complete list and is subject to change – PLEASE CONTACT EVENT ORGANISERS BEFORE BOOKING ACCOMMODATION OR TRAVELLING: MORTONS SHOWS Although not strictly scooter events, most Mortons shows have some relevance, being attended by scooter display entrants or punters searching for elusive scooter parts. Stratford Autojumbles will take place on the following Sundays: May 9, June 13 and September 5. Bristol Classic Bike Show will move from February to July 24-25 (for one year only). Classic Dirt Bike…

Stu Smith Vespa and Lambretta owner, scooter obsessive, amateur home mechanic, rally-goer, Mod sympathiser, music lover and general all round good egg. He writes your rally reports, be nice to him. Nik Skeat Vespa Cosa sympathiser, well-travelled rally rider since the ’80s, founder of the notorious Scooterboy World forum. He’s also a brilliant beer-brewing bearded Scootering feature writer. Paul Green Our Paul has a long history of scootering both on the road and on the track, with the breakdown bills and crash scars to prove it. A Vespa and Lambretta enthusiast, BSSO professional and general good egg. Stuart Owen Scooter rider, rally-goer, restorer and author. Reaches the parts other scooter journalists just can’t reach. LCGB ‘life member’, 100mph Lambretta Club owner and scooter restoration expert to boot. Rik Bardsley More…

We’ve had Tino Sacchi’s Lambretta brake shoe cutter in the workshop for some time but until Stan’s end-of-season maintenance programme kicked in we’ve never had an opportunity to try it in anger. In very basic terms it’s a rotary cutter that fits on to the axle of any Series 1, 2, 3 or GP Lambretta. When turned it trims any high spots or out-of-square surface on the rear brake shoes. It’s not a new idea, Innocenti and SIL produced their versions but as these now fall into the category of collectables, Tino’s reinvented the tool for use in a modern workshop. Fitting was easy; hub off, leave the cone on and fix the cutting tool using the rear hub nut. A hex screw key is supplied to adjust the blade,…

Lanoguard Moto is a new waterproofing treatment for scooters, motorbikes and other road vehicles. An environmentally friendly alternative to traditional protection, this totally natural product provides quick and easy waterproofing and paint protection. Non evaporative, it doesn’t trap water and can take relatively high heat. Salt water runs off it, pressure washing at less than 200psi doesn’t remove it and it’s safe to use on electrical and rubber components. As it’s based on established marine waterproofing, none of that should come as a surprise. Lanoguard is based on lanolin, the natural chemical that keeps sheep’s wool waterproof, and who ever saw a rusty sheep? It’s a surprisingly thin material when sprayed at room temperature, and to be honest I was a little cynical when I initially applied it to my…

Erik Grigg’s book, Mods: a concise history began life a few years after he opened his Mod record shop/boutique in Lincoln, Ed’s Music in 2001. There were four incarnations of the A5-sized booklet, which was, as the title suggested, a concise history of Mods. Each one was updated, slightly expanded, from its predecessor. In total around 100 copies of the booklet in all its versions were sold. After five years running the shop, he decided to close it down; the notes and paperwork for his booklet were tucked in a drawer and forgotten about for around 10 years. Browsing a well-known internet site at some time during 2016, Erik saw one of his booklets, one of the 100 or so sold, had recently changed hands for £40. Instant realisation of…

Much of our journey to Scarborough ’83 was on the A1, and in the 80s the road changed from a single carriageway through many small towns and villages, all of which have been bypassed now, to a dual carriageway, to a motorway, and back again, a much more interesting ride than you’ll get today. There was one old fellow who wouldn’t forget that weekend in a hurry; he was riding his pushbike through one of these villages as a couple of dozen scooters passed him. When half of us had passed by, an arm shot out from the group and took his bobble-hat off his head, like a plastic fork swooping over a tightly held bag of chips, dipping then rising, having speared the plumpest chip in the wrapper. I…

Least crap snap…

A few days preceding the Penlee disaster a mini-bulk carrier ship, Union Star, left Denmark on its maiden voyage. Its cargo was fertiliser, being transported by sea to Arklow, Ireland. Setting off with a crew of five on board, Union Star made an unscheduled stop at the Essex coast en route, where the ship’s captain’s wife and two teenage daughters got on board, increasing the number to eight. A short number of miles from Wolf Rock, off Cornwall’s south coast, Union Star’s engines failed, the cause of which was later found to be seawater contamination. Although the crew were unable to restart the ship’s engines, the captain didn’t make a mayday call. Assistance was offered by a tugboat, which was initially refused by the captain of Union Star. After consulting…

One advantage of Retrospective’s kit is the ease by which it can be adapted to suit different frames. Although efforts have focused on Innocenti and Piaggio products, Niall has also brought some rarer machines back to roadworthiness. My own favourite is an NSU Prima. Here the combination of a luxurious standard saddle and the electric motor’s vibration-free running made for the most opulent scooter ride I’ve ever experienced. However Niall’s a man who practises what he preaches and his daily ride is far more exotic. “I bought this at an Italian autojumble for £30,” he laughed. By ‘this’ Niall means a 1962 Guizzo 150. Built in Bologna, this scooter is a rare survivor of the little company’s final model, one of less than 2500 built before production ended. With a…

Name of scooter & reason: The Teaspoon Racer, it’s a tribute to my late wife who was known as ‘Tina Teaspoon’. Scooter model: Jet 200. Inspiration for project: I told my wife I was going to build a tribute scooter to her before she passed away. Time to build & by who: Three years in total with help from my little grandson Jay and help from the master and best pal, Jason Frost. Any specialised parts or mods: Front brake hose routed through the handlebars, by the man himself, Jason Frost. Keith Newman rear frame badge and mud-flap. ENGINE SPEC Kit: RT225-230cc. Crank: 60mm GT. Carb: 30mil Dell’Orto. Exhaust: My original RS 48mm from the early ’80s. Clutch: Five plate. Gearbox: Original Jet. Ignition Timing: Variatronic. Porting work by: Jason…

Vyatka were Russian scooters manufactured by Vyatskiye Polyany Machine Building Plant from 1956-1979. The name came from the area of the plant’s location and a breed of horse found locally. In essence, the VP-150 was an unlicensed copy of the Vespa 150. It was built of thicker steel to cope with the poor Russian roads and agricultural areas. The tyres were 400 x 10, rather than the 350 x 10 we are accustomed to, and also let’s not forget that these massive Soviet factories were mainly military-based operations and therefore finesse was not one of their finer points. The VP-150 had an adjustable headlamp, a glovebox under the front seat and also an ingenious oil measuring device built into the petrol cap! About 300,000 Vyatka VP-150s were made before production…

The Kendall Motor Oil company is still in business today, only a few years shy of 150 years’ existence. In 1875 the Jackson Walker well struck oil. A trio of entrepreneurs, Loomis, Willis and Childs, put together a funding package to open Bradford refinery in 1881. It claims to be the world’s oldest functioning refinery. The Kendall name was taken from Kendall creek which runs through the Pennsylvanian town. It was the top American oil distributing town in 1881. A few years after opening the refinery, the trio of early investors each filed for bankruptcy. Rival oil tycoon Lewis Emery, then of Emery Refining Company, led a campaign to sue the trio, the intention being to totally close down a rival company. Instead, Penn Lubricating Co bought the ailing Kendall…

No Future – The Complete Singles Collection (Captain Oi) After the initial explosion of punk around 1977, the flame burned brightly but quickly, and by 1980 seemed destined to be a shattered scene, devolving into a myriad of sub-genres that often showed little resemblance to the fury of the bands that had spawned it. There were bands out there that still carried that torch though, and through the work of Chris Berry and Richard Jones many found a home on their No Future Records label. Although undoubtedly a punk label, many of the bands were considered a part of the Oi! movement, with nearly all of their releases carrying an ‘oi’ catalogue number. An advert in the music press looking for submissions for consideration led to demo tapes by…

Vladimir Kharitonov (‘Papa’) almost single-handedly kick-started the official scooter scene in St Petersburg, Russia. I was first made aware of him via Butcher Garage; I wanted to do a feature on the Russian scooter scene and they put us in contact. I was in Moscow and mentioned to the No.1 of the Moscow Vespa Club I was to meet Papa for a couple of hours’ chat and a coffee. He laughed and repeated back to me: “Meet Papa for a ‘couple’ of hours?” He then came out with a stream of Russian which I had no chance of catching and everybody else laughed. I should have been warned. Papa’s a well-known character, always at the international Vespa events as well as organising runs around Italy, Germany, Croatia and beyond too.…

Eiighhttttiiiies YYarmooooutt utttthhhh Outside our B&B at Great Yarmouth – ’87 I’m guessing – with the Doncaster lot if I’m not mistaken. Also Mag (Paul Richardson) from The Wearside Wanderers and Cleevy (Iain Cleeve) from Durham. One of, if not my favourite rally of the year... Simon Collings s Not a mirror in sighht Picture taken in Queens Road, Southend-on-Sea during 1979, outside the bespoke Mod clothes shop. The bloke on the left was ‘Sully’, a Southend Mod. And three buttons done up – what a disgrace! Neil Curtis Back to the Eighties Steve Kerry Turiccki pictured with his cracking-looking Nothing But Heartache GP. Andrew Mackay OOnn thh thheeeeeeee Sollee Solllleeeennnntttttttt One big happy family... 1970, a GP going to the Isle of Wight. David Jack MacFarlane Seventies Southend Maybe…

MB Scooters is now offering two types of Lambretta drive gaskets. The one on the left of the photo is the company’s remade copy of the original Halite gasket with a steel mesh sandwich. “They work perfectly fine providing everything is correct in the drive bearing department,” Mark explained. But as most of us know, these days not all casings are perfect. “Bearings have been knocked in and out umpteen times. Bearings have been knocked in on angles, have spun in casings and casings have distorted from welding; the list goes on. Also casings on the drive side in particular can be a pain due to drive seals leaking. I’ve seen perfectly good casings with a new bearing leak around the outside of the bearing. “Then throw into the pot…

Name of scooter: Something Else – since I was 13 I wanted to build a Sex Pistols tribute scooter, decided a few years ago that it was definitely going to happen before I was 50 (nearly made it). Time to build: Just over 14 months to complete, however this was totally down to backorder of front disc brake which took a year to get – well worth the wait though. Engine Kit: TS1 225. Crank: AF 58x107 race. Gearbox: AF Clo5e ratio – 35T fifth gear. Chain: IWIS 82 link. Tensioner: Casa X44 pulldown. Clutch: AF cassette clutch. Ignition: Casatronic. Carb: Mikuni TMX 35mm carburettor. Pipe: Casa Performance. Overall cost: There are two overall costs, the cost that I promised my wife I wouldn’t exceed which is £14k including purchase…

Down Under G’day Dan! Just a quick email from down under to say thank you for the great mag you and your team put together. While the scooter scene in Australia is not all that big compared with the UK, what we lack in size we make up for with passion. While I try to catch every issue through my local paper shop, sometimes an issue or two slip through the cracks, it is what it is I suppose. Just makes the issues I do get all the more enjoyable. Anyway mate, once again a huge thank you. Mark Richards Formula 1 Gilera Hi Dan, After reading about the Jaguar themed PX in the September edition, I thought readers may like to see one of the original Formula 1 team’s…

Name of scooter & reason: Golden Oldies, it’s a tribute to Berry Gordy and Motown music. Scooter model: Vespa PX (Disc). Date purchased & cost: In 2000 from Rafferty Newman (£2000). Inspiration for project: After my Clockwork Orange custom PX I just wanted to complete another custom with a different theme. Time to build & by who: The rebuild after the spray job by myself took around six months. Then there’s been other more recent additions. Any specialised parts or mods: Driver screen, custom seat and front hub microphone. What brand of oil do you run: Putolene. Describe engine performance and scooter handling: It runs on a Pinasco 177 and it runs sweet. Paintwork by: Si Clark in 2001. Overall cost of work and components: Around £5000. Thanks to: Buzz…

Name: Christian Fitz. Scooter club & town: Kelten Ostholstein RollerClub. First scooter: Vespa PX 80 Lusso. First ever rally: Kelten Run 1994. Funniest experience involving scooters: A friend repaired his scooter and we put on an electric fence from the horses. He searched for a long time where the current came from. What do you like about rallies: Meeting friends, riding scooters and escaping from everyday life. Favourite custom scooter of all time: Davidhoff Lambretta Racer from Austria. Your most recommended scooter item: TS1. Favourite scooter dealer: Scooter Center Cologne. Name of scooter & reason: Kelten chopper, Kelten is the name of my club. Scooter model: Lambretta Li150. Date purchased: 18 months ago, it was a gift from my wife for my 40th birthday. Inspiration for project: I always wanted…

Barn finds are certainly less common these days but back in the Nineties gems could still be sourced, as in the case here. Head down, diligently getting on with the job in hand, Iain Wilkins heard the immortal words “I’ve got one of those in my shed” and, taking his wallet in hand, made the journey across town to investigate what was hidden. Pulling back the sheet, the old gent revealed a crumbling but complete Series 1 Lambretta; a nice enough find but with the extra fork dampers and rubber floor mats Iain knew he was on to a rarity, a Series 1 Turismo Veloce. Obviously, this wasn’t one to be left behind, a deal was struck and the scooter was loaded into the back of the van and off…

Name: Robert South. Scooter club & town: WideBoys Lambretta Club, Sheffield and LCGB. First interest in scooters: In the ’70s I used to go to a youth club, which was in the peak of the Northern Soul era. I liked the music and the scene, and then in 1979 I went to see Quadrophenia at the ABC Cinema in Sheffield. First scooter: Jet 200 in 1980 when I was 18 years old. First ever rally: Skegness 1981. Any funny stories: I lost a lens out of my glasses in Northern Ireland; I had to ride with no glasses and very poor blurry vision to the ferry in Dublin in the dark following a club member’s rear light. The journey was 252 miles! Needless to say I’ve had my eyes lasered…

It doesn’t matter whether you own a Vespa, Lambretta, or any other make of two-stroke scooter for that matter, one thing they all have in common is that they need the correct oil to run properly. Without it, or with the wrong amount, the cylinder and piston will seize up. Not only does it lubricate the top end, but also the crank bearings too; any problems here could mean significant and expensive damage to your engine. All two-stroke engines use a petrol/oil or ‘petroil’ mix which is combined (atomised) in the carb before entering the cylinder/combustion area. It doesn’t matter whether you have an autolube on a modern Vespa, or pre-mix it manually by pouring it into the fuel tank, like on a Lambretta, all you need to remember is…

Name of scooter & reason: Kendall Motor Oils… my American namesake. Scooter model: Li125 Series 2. Date purchased & cost: August 2019 – £ £1600 from Carlos Time to build & by who: Six months by me Engine spec: TS240 Pro Porting tune on a 71mm bore plated by Aptec. 60mm crank on MEC black webs with RD 110mm rod, welded pin by Pro Porting. Variatronic with welded flywheel. SX200 gearbox with 16/47 sprockets final drive 4.6. CamLam six-plate clutch. Mikuni 35mm TMX JL4 pipe 26hp & 20ft-lb. Porting & dyno by: Alan Terry. Rims: SIP Tubeless. Suspension: R1 rear shock, BGMs on the front. Paintwork by: Simon from Southam did the initial rust treatment and lacquer with Paul at Roadrash doing the panels. Overall cost of work and components:…

Neil has been riding bikes for over 35 years. Throughout that time he’s known friends who’ve had scooters; and during the more recent years he began to lean more towards the scooter scene. In 2014, realising that if his affair with fast bikes continued for much longer (and he might not see his next birthday) Neil decided to sell his Kawasaki Z1000 Streetfighter. “I knew that if I kept on with the performance bikes it might not end well. So I sold my bike and got a Vespa PX with a T5 engine; I honestly wish I’d have done it years ago. I love the scene and I love the music.” As Neil’s involvement in the scooter scene developed he became friendly with his now best pal, Mark Trotman (aka…

THINGS OF INTEREST YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED ELSEWHERE BAKED JAM ROLL & CUSTARD Since publishing this article in our December issue, we’ve had a couple of responses. First from article author, Jon Stanley, apologising for inadvertently flipping the ‘Lambretta washing line’ image (no, we didn’t notice either). Secondly, an update from Hastings, courtesy of Michael Wotton, who informs us that the Seagull Cafe is still there, despite the ’Rona situation. BRYAN OGLE, RIP Popular North Lincolnshire scooterist, Bryan Ogle, passed away on October 24, 2020. His funeral service took place at Woodlands Crematorium in Scunthorpe on November 11, 2020; it was attended by his wife of 32 years, Sue Murgatroyd and son Rob. The funeral procession was escorted by scooterists from the Scunthorpe scooter scene, including members of the Pathfinders,…

The Sixties was the decade of free love, flower power, the Beatles and the first man on the moon. Back then, the UK led the way in the fashion industry, mini skirts and, of course, the wonderful and original Mini Cooper S. However, for me, 1966 was the greatest year that money could buy. Racing high in the charts during 1966 were the likes of Tom Jones (Green Green Grass of Home), The Beach Boys (Good Vibrations) and the wonderful Four Tops (Reach Out I’ll Be There). And above all, 1966 was the year in which England lifted the Jules Rimet trophy! I was born in 1960 as Mark Jackson; however after a normal upbringing, it was in that particular and special year of 1966 that I was first introduced…