A
ccording to figures published in 2018,
Northern Ireland contains 28.3% of
the total population of the UK, which
equates to around 1.871 million people (the
total population of Ireland as a whole is around
4.86 million). Compared to the UK mainland,
t ays be
scootersofallmaesandstyles,whichrange
fromthelate 40 sandearly 50 srightuptothe
presentday.Sadly,notmanyexampleshave
survived,mostlyduetothewetclimate,which
helpskeeptheislandgreen,butdoesnothing
topreservethesemetalmodesoftransport.
Fromtimetotime,thatrarebarnfindturns
upfortheluckyyfew,butfortherestofusmere
mortals,itwouldbeeasiertofindthatpot
ofgoldattheendoftherainbow!However,
thereisonemanwhodoesseemtohavethat
MidasTouch– 68 - year-oldFrank,whohasbeen
restoringallmakesofscootersforwellover
30 years.Hefirstdevelopedaninterestintwo
wheelsasa 16 - year-oldladwhenhepurchased
hisfirstVespa,a 125 ccmodel,togethimto
workinhislocalwoolmillinNorthernIreland.
DuringhisfirstwinterasaVespaowner,Frank
wasridingtoworkonemorningandwhilst
descendingasteephillwhich,unknownto
him,wascoveredinblackice,heappliedthe
brakes.TheinevitablehappenedandbothFrank
andhisscooterwentslidingdowntheroad.
Unfortunatelyabuscarryingthelocalworkforce
wasbehindhimandittooslidoutofcontrol
andwasheadingstraighttowardsthehelpless
youngscooterist.Closinghiseyesandfearing
theworst,Frankwaitedfortheimpact,butluck
wasonhissideandthebusnarrowlymissed
him.FromthatdayonwardsFrankneverrode
hisluck(oraVespa)again!SPARKINGANINTEREST
Fastforwward 20 yearsandFrankwasnow
marriedwithteenagechildrenandrunninghis
ownbusiness.Torelievethestressesofwork,
hebegantolookforahobby.Whilstvisiting
alocalvintagecarshowhegotchattingtoa
manwhowassellinganoldscooter.Frank
rememberedhisfirstandonlyVespaand
decidedtotakeuprestoringscootersashis
newhobby.Overthenext 30 - oddyears,Frank
travelledthelengthandbreadthoftheEmerald
Islebuyingallsortsofscooters;thispurchasing
frenzyincludedHeinkelTourists,NSUs,Puchand
themorecommonVespasandLambrettas.
AlltherestorationsarecarriedoutbyFrank,
includingthemechanicalworkandpaint.Parts
thatarebeyondrepairarereplacedthrougha
networkofsuppliersthathehasbuiltupover
theyears.Hepreferstouseoriginalpartswhere
possible,ashefindstheyareofttenabetter
qualityandfitcomparedtoreproductionitems.
Eachrestorationtakesbetweensixand 12
monthstocomplete,andFrankcan’tbringhimself
topartwithanyofthemduetothelabouroflove
heputsintoeachandeveryoneofthem.His
currentprojectisaTriumphTigress,whichhehas
juststartedandhopefullythisscooterwillfeature
inafuturearticleinClassicScooterist.
ManyIrishscootershavebeensavedfrom
arustygravebythistalentedman–let’shope
thiscontinues.
RodGillan