READING AND WATCHING
infamous concrete bowl in issue 67, but that
barely scratched the surface of this track’s short-
lived but controversial existence. While largely
concentrating on the car side of the sport, this
book does cover in detail the incredible
machinations behind the commercial side of the
venture, which at the time, was an enormous
undertaking. What followed the circuit’s opening
were scandals, fatalities, political chicanery and
more, plus of course, racing. As well as the facts
and figures and detailed description of the events
year by year, this book is profusely illustrated with
photographs from the era, posters, programmes
and other memorabilia. It is an invaluable addition
to the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in
Sydney’s chequered history of motor sport. JSAll The Burning Bridges
by Steve Bisley
Echo Publishing
245 pages soft cover
ISBN 9 781760 400842
RRP $32.99
Available at most bookstores
For many baby boomers Steve Bisley will forever
be Jim Goose, the Kawasaki Z1000 wielding Motor
Force Patrol rider in the cult classic ‘Mad Max’.
Bisley’s first bike was a WLA Harley outfit he
bought for ten bucks over 50 years ago and,
30 bikes later, he’s now aboard a 2003 BMW
K1200LT. In between times he was once clocked
at around 300 km/h on his Hyabusa but,
after autographing a bunch of memorabilia
for the troop of Highway Patrol officers who
raced to the scene of the crime, Steve was
given a cheery bon voyage. Motorcycles are
incidental to Steve’s second memoir which
is as fast paced as his eclectic career – and
a bloody good read about the era before
the wave of political correctness dampened
our spirits. Peter WhitakerFrom the Inside
BSA/Triumph’s Umberslade Hall
Research Establishment Revealed
By Brad Jones
138 pages hard cover
ISBN: 978-1-912009-82-4
Compass Publishing
Available from author; email [email protected]
Price: AUD $45.50 + AUD $14.00 P&P
More information: http://www.bsa1971.com
As if there weren’t enough mystery and
intrigue going on in the ‘sixties to keep
Britain’s most venerable motorcycle brands
alive, then there was Umberslade Hall,
sometimes cruelly referred to asA Maroubra Speedway
Scrapbook
By William Boldiston
308 pages soft cover
ISBN: 978-0-9757212-9-2
Bol d’Or Publishing
Available from Automoto Books (02) 9231 6713
Pitstop Books (www.pitstop.net.au) and the author
240 Leura Mall, Leura NSW 2780 (02) 4784 3868
Price: Standard edition – $80.00. Leather-bound limited
edition (50 only, price on request).
Author Bill Boldiston has ten previous books to his
name, all on historical themes, but says that with
his 90th birthday approaching, this will be his last.
It’s a huge tome, in both size and content, and a
credit to Bill and a small team of helpers that
includes Brian Greenfield who contributed the
motorcycle details. We briefly told the story of the
Slumberslade Hall. It was BSA Managing Director
Harry Sturgeon who pushed the idea that the
combined BSA/Triumph group should have a
dedicated Research and Development Centre, but
following his untimely death in 1966, it was his
successor Lionel Jofeh who decided to lease the
grand mansion originally built between 1690-
1702 for this purpose. BSA/Triumph took up
residence in the spring of 1967 after a lengthy
series of negotiations with the council over
extensions and extra buildings that were needed
to convert the property to its intended use. Brad
Jones’ previous book, BSA Motorcycles – the final
evolution’, traced the road to the grisly end of the
marque, but this one focuses on the inside story
of the management and decision making that
ensued in what was a turbulent period. As the
author says, “many time-worn myths and
inaccuracies have been put to bed by speaking to
some of those that were actually employed there
(at Umberslade Hall)”. Jones has been able to
access many previously hidden or thought-lost
documents which contain details on the
development of many of the motorcycles that
resulted from the R&D centre. These include the
DOHC 350 twins, the B50 range, the planned BSA
and Triumph versions of the venerable parallel
twins, and the Wankel rotary project. For the
student of British motorcycle industry history, this
book is an absolute must, for it raises as many
questions as it answers. What might have been?
Like the British industry itself, Umberslade Hall is
now a shadow of its former grandeur, having
been converted into apartments in 1978. JS■FOOTNOTE: Most of our review titles come via
local distributors and we encourage readers
to support the retailers noted with each review.