Anyone that used to go to Skyways in the 60's??

[ginettajoe]

...... Just wondering if any of the more mature BB people like myself, used to hang out at The Skyways coffee bar, near Manchester airport in the 60's???

[ginettajoe]

srob said:

I didn't (as I'd have been minus 20 years old ), but love the cafe racer era. What did you ride - anything exciting?

..... a BSA 500 Gold Star, DB34. What about yourself??? I have a TT600 now, .. what about yourself??? Howard

[ginettajoe]

srob said:

ginettajoe said:

srob said:

I didn't (as I'd have been minus 20 years old ), but love the cafe racer era. What did you ride - anything exciting?

..... a BSA 500 Gold Star, DB34. What about yourself??? I have a TT600 now, .. what about yourself??? Howard

Gold Star - lucky sod!

I ride a '63 Velocette Venom most of the time. It's got the tls front brake and exhaust from the clubman, but normal bars/footrests. I've got either a Triton/TriBSA project - I've got a Featherbed and an A10 rolling chassis but only one Triumph engine! Once I've decided which one to do (and got some money together) I'll get started on it again. Can't decide between a Rocket Goldstar replica but with a pre-unit Triumph engine, or a Manx replica, but with the Triumph engine. Quite fancy doing both and just swapping the engine between the two for a bit of variety!

Wish I'd lived in the 60's!!

Yes, I have to admit, life in the '60's was far different. No breathalysers, no Gatso's, no average speed cameras and more importantly, no maximum speed limit!!!! Very few bikers wore helmets, or any form of protective clothing, but that is one big important move forward! I can't imagine now, riding a bike without all my gear on.

All those bikes you have mentioned were the mutts nuts then, and if I can scan some photos in, of my bikes etc, I will post them on here .... but no laughing at the ice blue skin tight jeans, winkle pickers & regulation brush stuck out of my back pocket!!!!

[ginettajoe]

huckster6 said:

srob said:

ginettajoe said:

srob said:

Wish I'd lived in the 60's!!

The 1960's?
Most thinking people were convinced we were all going to die in a mutually assurred destructive war with Russia...there was polio from swimming in the river...bad teeth...unreliable cars and bikes with no rust protection...dreadful food, bad beer, universal smoking, crossply tyres, greasy hair, class hierarchy, 405-lined tv pictures, early closing, the light programme on the radio, inner city bomb sites, holidays in indifferent bed 'n' breakfast accomodation in gruesome seaside resorts, all foreigners were to be feared and despised, racism was an unquestioed fact of life.
There were also plenty of exciting things, too.

....... mini skirts??

[ginettajoe]

huckster6 said:

Wish you'd lived in the 60s, with ally-tanked cafe racers and the mini skirts?

...not if you were a shy teenage boy in Portsmouth, where the greasers rode frightening but unreliable bikes like Gold Stars or Tritons, and their girlfriends didn't look like Twinkle...either group could easily beat you up, if they thought you looked at them in a funny way. Biker birds often wore drain pipes and smelled of chewing gum and chips.

I remember that there seemed to be quite frequent road deaths amongst the bikers at the local cafe, The Milano in Southsea. I'm sure that while traffic density is now hugely greater, mortality rates are possibly lower for modern bikers. Safety gear was rudimentry, 1960 helmets were pathetic, tyres were narrow and offered less grip, people has much less disposable income.

God, it's FAR better right now...crikey, I never had to do national service and the government even helped me give up smoking.

And the reliability of my Triumph Bonneville is unquestionable, with great handling, brakes that work without fade and engines that don't leak.

On the other hand, the music really was infinitely more exciting than now.

Edited by huckster6 on Saturday 21st February 12:35

Well I'm glad I didn't live in Portsmouth in the 60's!!! Northern girls were fit, & feminine, slim,, sexy & built for speed. The Portsmouth lot have obviously moved north now, they are all big, brawling, tattooed drunkards, smelling of chewing gum & chips around Manchester!!

Those bikes were "MENS" bikes, no namby pamby starter motors, it was a proper kickstart aided by a de-compressor on those big singles, ... they hurt when they kick back!!!!! Unreliabilty, leaking oil, brakes that didn't work, ..... that was the exciting part, they'll be fitting all new bikes with stabilisers soon, to ensure no one falls off & grazes their legs!!!

I didn't have to do National Service, .... I just missed it, so managed to spend most of my teens, doing everything we weren't supposed to do ......

....... definately better in the sixties than present day!! We didn't have Gordon Brown to govern our every move!!!

[ginettajoe]

huckster6 said:

I remember the greasers at the Milano in Southsea kick-starting their bikes. Milano had teeny little glass expresso cups, a pin table and a Wurlitzer jukebox at a tanner a play. If you were a bit flush you could get beans on toast, or even a cheese sandwich.

The greasers used to line their bikes up outside, and they looked great. I'm sure they must have seen themselves as Marlon Brando in the Wild Ones: "Whattya rebelling against Johnny?" "Whaddya got?"

There was a smallish bloke called Titch, I think. He had a huge barrel chest and curly blond hair, and absolutely doted on his Big Brit Bike. He worked on the footplates of the steam engines down at Fratton shunting yards. He used to have to leap up onto the starter at a great height to try and get momentum to start his bike. He always seemed to have to take several swings to get it going. He had one of those peaked British Railways caps with a chin strap passed over the top. The last time I saw anything like that cap was on the head of one of the Village People. That's another entirely diffent discussion thread.

My other current bike has a kick start. At my age the knees can get really sore on a bad day, trying to get it started. Thank god for poncey southern electric starts, especially if you stall with a police car behind you.

Apparently, Triumph was hoping to top 50,000 sales last year. I have many very fond memories of the sixties, but I think this is probably the golden age of British motorcycling right now. Especially if they start making something called a Norton, which looks like a classic British twin...

Back to Manchester Skyways...what was that like? Any characters you remember?

Well, the Milano sounds very similar to the Skyways, and all the bikes would be lined up outside, just the same. Styal Road where the Cafe was situated was a very twisty road that lead to Wilmslow where there was another coffee bar. There were regular races along there, which although I don't think anyone died, they did sustain some serious injuries. Inside Skyways, it was just the same, Wurlitzer juke box, fruit machines, pinball tables, cona coffee, & beans on toast etc. Everyone in studded leather jackets, winkle pickers or brothel creepers, skin tight jeans. The bikes I remember mainly were Tiger Cubs, BSA C15, Ariel Arrow & Leaders, Velocette Venoms, AJS 350 & 500 singles, AJS 650 twins, Bonevilles which were rated along with the 500 Gold Star, as the quickest bikes of that era, Norton Jubilee 250, Norton Commando, Manx Nortons, Tribsas, Triton, Norvin( Norton featherbed frame & 1000 Vincent engine )I remember some of the more exotic Italian bikes, 200 Ducati, Bultaco, MV Augusta

My mate, who unfortunately, 5 years ago, aimed his car at Military Tank parked in a layby, & topped himself, used to go to the Skyways straight from work on a Friday afternoon, & put every penny of his wages into the fruit machine, ..... he was convinced that he would crack the system to win fortunes, all he did was loose fortunes!!!!

[ginettajoe]

root 666 said:

What was the name of the cafe in/near Daisy Nook(!) which was somewhere near Failsworth?
We went to Skyways now and again but felt it was a bit posh.

I was once overtaken by a "caffed-up" Honda Dream (about 1962) who was clearly unaware that he was 50yards from a 90 left which skirted a lake.

He went across the rough like Dougie Lampkin and his brake-lights only went off when the bike (and him) were totally submerged.

How we all laughed.

Hondas really weren't popular owing to their ability to humble much bigger British bikes.

I didn't really care as at that time I had a Ducati Elite followed by a Daytona both of which visited Skyways several times.

Brilliant!!! The coffee bar near Daisy Nook was one I didn't go to, but I know there was one there. It mustn't have been "posh" enough for me!

When I listed the bikes in the previous thread, I forgot to mention the Hondas, the 125 Benly, the 250 Dream, and the 50cc with the High level exhaust. I used to work in Altrincham, and a friend that had a brand new Triumph Trophy with a high level exhaust, & ape hangers, used to pick me up in the morning, always insisting that I rode his bike with him on the back, ....... he wanted me to race everything in sight, and me being totally devoid of any brain, did as I was asked!!!

What size engine did those two bikes have, the Elite & Daytona??

[ginettajoe]

srob said:

root 666 said:

Elite was 200 and Daytona (how did Triumph manage to nick the name?) was 250.
Both looked and sounded bigger and could see off 350s. All Daytonas (there weren't many in Britain) could chamfer footpegs better than an angle-grinder.

It was utterly beautiful in metallic blue with a dinky fairing.

Mind you the electrics were effing apalling, and while I admit to almost pissing myself when the
Honda became a submarine, the fact that his lights were on for about a minute after he went in irritated me quite severely given that mine fused every time it drizzled

I always wanted an Elite! They must have the best looking petrol tanks ever!

I've got a 1967 Motobi like this:



It's only a little 125 but the handling is amazing thanks to it's low centre of gravity.

Afraid I still wish I lived in the 60's, there's just no decent caff's to line your bikes up outside these days!!

Yes, I think it may have been an Elite that a friend had, ..... I was always envious, ... my Tiger Cub didn't compare!! That Motobi looks good, but that is a bike I've never knowingly seen. I 1967, I had my sensible head on, and drove a car!!

[ginettajoe]

mrtomsv said:

ginettajoe said:

Well, the Milano sounds very similar to the Skyways, and all the bikes would be lined up outside, just the same. Styal Road where the Cafe was situated was a very twisty road that lead to Wilmslow where there was another coffee bar. There were regular races along there, which although I don't think anyone died, they did sustain some serious injuries. Inside Skyways, it was just the same, Wurlitzer juke box, fruit machines, pinball tables, cona coffee, & beans on toast etc. Everyone in studded leather jackets, winkle pickers or brothel creepers, skin tight jeans. The bikes I remember mainly were Tiger Cubs, BSA C15, Ariel Arrow & Leaders, Velocette Venoms, AJS 350 & 500 singles, AJS 650 twins, Bonevilles which were rated along with the 500 Gold Star, as the quickest bikes of that era, Norton Jubilee 250, Norton Commando, Manx Nortons, Tribsas, Triton, Norvin( Norton featherbed frame & 1000 Vincent engine )I remember some of the more exotic Italian bikes, 200 Ducati, Bultaco, MV Augusta

Wow, always interesting to find out about local history. Where abouts exactly were the two cafes situated? I can't imagine treating Styal road in quite the same way nowadays, what with it being a 30 all the way through Styal.

Skyways was what is now "the Moss Nook Restaurant" and is still owned by the same couple, Derek & Pauline Harrison, who also own an hotel in the Lake District. Styal Road was the road that the Moss Nook & the Tatton Arms, across the road are on, & travelling toward Manchester there were some fast bends before arriving at The Heald Green Hotel, ....... part of the old road is still there, but now called Irvin Drive, & where the Restaurant is it is called Trenchard Drive. Going towards Wilmslow, the original road is now called Tedder Drive, and the layby off the new Road, slightly further along, with a few cottages there, is also the old road. Soon after you pass there, the original road went through a very tight "S" bend, not dissimilar to Doningtons chicane, and that claimed numerous casualties, the worst being a chap called Frank Higginbotham, who lost it exiting the bends, hit a lamp post which came down across the road, & several others who were all racing, ended up hitting it! The road now, after that section, is pretty much as it was then, with the same bends on the approach to Styal, and towards Wilmslow. No-one slowed for Styal, although there was a "30" limit, but all the Police had generally, were the old Velocette LE 200, which couldn't pull you out of bed!!! So it was flat out all the way to the Church at Wilmslow, and the coffee bar was 50 yds past the Church, on the right hand side!!

Hope you enjoyed your lesson in local "Rockers" history!!

[ginettajoe]

mrtomsv said:

ginettajoe said:

mrtomsv said:

ginettajoe said:

Well, the Milano sounds very similar to the Skyways, and all the bikes would be lined up outside, just the same. Styal Road where the Cafe was situated was a very twisty road that lead to Wilmslow where there was another coffee bar. There were regular races along there, which although I don't think anyone died, they did sustain some serious injuries. Inside Skyways, it was just the same, Wurlitzer juke box, fruit machines, pinball tables, cona coffee, & beans on toast etc. Everyone in studded leather jackets, winkle pickers or brothel creepers, skin tight jeans. The bikes I remember mainly were Tiger Cubs, BSA C15, Ariel Arrow & Leaders, Velocette Venoms, AJS 350 & 500 singles, AJS 650 twins, Bonevilles which were rated along with the 500 Gold Star, as the quickest bikes of that era, Norton Jubilee 250, Norton Commando, Manx Nortons, Tribsas, Triton, Norvin( Norton featherbed frame & 1000 Vincent engine )I remember some of the more exotic Italian bikes, 200 Ducati, Bultaco, MV Augusta

Wow, always interesting to find out about local history. Where abouts exactly were the two cafes situated? I can't imagine treating Styal road in quite the same way nowadays, what with it being a 30 all the way through Styal.

Skyways was what is now "the Moss Nook Restaurant" and is still owned by the same couple, Derek & Pauline Harrison, who also own an hotel in the Lake District. Styal Road was the road that the Moss Nook & the Tatton Arms, across the road are on, & travelling toward Manchester there were some fast bends before arriving at The Heald Green Hotel, ....... part of the old road is still there, but now called Irvin Drive, & where the Restaurant is it is called Trenchard Drive. Going towards Wilmslow, the original road is now called Tedder Drive, and the layby off the new Road, slightly further along, with a few cottages there, is also the old road. Soon after you pass there, the original road went through a very tight "S" bend, not dissimilar to Doningtons chicane, and that claimed numerous casualties, the worst being a chap called Frank Higginbotham, who lost it exiting the bends, hit a lamp post which came down across the road, & several others who were all racing, ended up hitting it! The road now, after that section, is pretty much as it was then, with the same bends on the approach to Styal, and towards Wilmslow. No-one slowed for Styal, although there was a "30" limit, but all the Police had generally, were the old Velocette LE 200, which couldn't pull you out of bed!!! So it was flat out all the way to the Church at Wilmslow, and the coffee bar was 50 yds past the Church, on the right hand side!!

Hope you enjoyed your lesson in local "Rockers" history!!

Certainly did

Good, I'm happy about that!

[ginettajoe]

tonyc6400 said:

I hate to drag up an old thread, BUT..
I was a Wilmslow lad in those great days.
The coffee bar in Wilmslow was the Bamboo... The bikes we parked outside on the road and in the car park across the road.
The target was to run from the Bamboo to skyways and back (or the other way around) with an average speed in excess of a ton.
bikes: Tiger Cub, Norton Dominator, upgraded Lambretta LD150 etc
Several mates got severely damaged on those roads over just a few years.
One mate broke just about every bone in his body when an old guy reversed out of his drive into the middle of the road, just as my mate was arriving. He spent almost a year in hospital.
I think that my first prang was on Hawthorne Lane in Wilmslow. Smacked into a car that suddenly decided he wanted to turn right in a hurry and I did my 'superman ' imitation - flying over his bonnet! Must have been about 1962.
Yes Skyways was a nice atmosphere as well as the Bamboo.
I spent more time in the Bamboo days and evenings - expresso coffee and jukebox heaven.
Those were the days - tough but full of fun!

Drive safe and be happy.

Edited by tonyc6400 on Friday 10th February 19:37

...... I'd forgotten that I started this thread, .... Three years ago!!!!!, ....
Yes, the Bamboo, I couldn't remember the name! Did you go to The Creole Club, above the Rex?? That was my alltime favourite hangout, playing James Brown, Procul Harem, ...... they definately were the days!!!

[ginettajoe]

tonyc6400 said:

I vaguley remember something like that, .... I definately remember the fit birds that were in there!!!

[ginettajoe]

Stone Cold said:

+1 I cant' believe Fleegle and BN havent been on here sharing memories and old sepia photo's

..... it's because we are talking about the sixties, not the "Middle Ages"!

[ginettajoe]

cjb1 said:

..... I remember a Ducati 200 cafe racer, and it was the one 'bike I aspired to owning, but never did!! One of the lads that knocked about in our group, built an Ariel Arrow 2 stroke twin into a Tiger Cub frame, with a Ducati style race tank and race seat. It had expansion boxes on it, and the noise was horrendous, .... it was a flying machine. I remember going to Blackpool with him, I was on a 500 Goldstar, and the scream from his bike gave me a real headache!!!

[ginettajoe]

lancs lad said:

Suppose I better own up to Officer. Cool spot Knutsford, Royal Oak Alderley Edge, Spinning Wheel Wilmslow,[ few fights in the Swan] grown out of it now.Skyways,TEN TEN, Ranch House, Great times with great people DBD34,and Very first Honda Cb750 Ko at Skyways, and the racing on kingsway was getting furious then. Myself, Dave with the first Kawaski triple I had seen, just ballistic, Frank Velo Clubman, and many many more great guys. I would now gladly swap a couple of years of my future life, to be in there company again, just for a few hours.I went out with the lassie who worked for Derek at Skyways her name was Jenny I am certain you guys will remember her? and I am still in contact with some of those that are left, God bless them all.

Yes, I remember Jenny, and would love to see Pauline and Derek again!! Maybe we should try and arrange a reunion?? That what I had, a DBD34, but crashed on a left hander, where the original turning into Renolds was! Although I was a little younger than those I was friendly with at the time, .... Rex Watchorn, Frank Higginbotham, Lol & Kenny Fisher (raced outfits), Dave Brocklebank (topped himself about seven years ago), and I can't remember their names, but two brothers who lived on Ack Lane, Bramhall who were genius's, building some very odd bike's, one of which was a Tiger cub frame, with an Aerial Arrow engine which was well tuned, and screamed through the expansion boxes it had fitted!!! I bumped into one of those I was friendly with in that era, Danny, and he still has his Norton 250 Jubilee that he rode then, which must have been 1966/67. Where did you live?? What is your name? Best regards, Howard Hunt, lived in Heald Green.

[ginettajoe]

ginettajoe said:

Yes, I remember Jenny, and would love to see Pauline and Derek again!! Maybe we should try and arrange a reunion?? That what I had, a DBD34, but crashed on a left hander, where the original turning into Renolds was! Although I was a little younger than those I was friendly with at the time, .... Rex Watchorn, Frank Higginbotham, Lol & Kenny Fisher (raced outfits), Dave Brocklebank (topped himself about seven years ago), and I can't remember their names, but two brothers who lived on Ack Lane, Bramhall who were genius's, building some very odd bike's, one of which was a Tiger cub frame, with an Aerial Arrow engine which was well tuned, and screamed through the expansion boxes it had fitted!!! I bumped into one of those I was friendly with in that era, Danny, and he still has his Norton 250 Jubilee that he rode then, which must have been 1966/67. Where did you live?? What is your name? Best regards, Howard Hunt, lived in Heald Green.

..... sorry, Just looked at your profile, and I remember your name well, and I think I can put a face to it, .... I recall black leathers, a scarf, and black curly hair!!! Is that my imagination playing tricks?? I also seem to recall a Velocette Venom!!

[ginettajoe]

srob said:

See, this is a proper thread!

Lancslad - is that your KSS in your profile? I did 90 odd miles on one on Sunday - lovely bikes

.... I agree Simon! I keep forgetting I even started it four years ago, but I love nostalgia, and would love to meet those that survive now, that used to arrive a Skyways at night, or on a Saturday afternoon, with that common interest ...'bikes! Most of which were "Café Racer" concoctions, and were a credit to the versatility of some very young people!

[ginettajoe]

srob said:

Ginettajoe, have a look the classicbikersclub website, and into the forums/discuss bit. There's some very good threads in the bikers chat bit about that era, maybe worth posting in there too.

Sadly I can't paste a link at the moment, a quick Google should take you there though

Thanks Simon, I'll do that and let you know what turns up!! The power of the internet!! .... fantastic!!

[ginettajoe]

Uncleloz said:

New member. Just come across this thread on the Skyways coffee bar which I frequently used with friends. Another place not mentioned was the Turnpike in Cheadle. I had a Royal Enfield Crusader sports and mates had Tiger cub, Ariel arrow, Ariel leader, Gold star, Norton dominator. I came off on Styal road into the hawthorn bushes. Not good for the facial skin.
I believe the owners of the Skyways ( now Moss nook restaurant) still live in the flat above and I heard a rumour it will re-open.
I think it should re-open as a biker café. My current bike is a Yamaha mt-03. Uncleloz.

Laurence, I've never seen you going past my house on your Yamaha, Howard

[ginettajoe]

Pwig said:

One from my Dad

'The cafe in Wilmslow l think was called the Bamboo. Police used to wait opposite the Skyways to chase the cafe runners. Never remember them catching anyone as it was only a job to them, not worth risking their lives.
One young boy looked at a girl "in the wrong way" and had two hands thrust under his rib cage and was lifted up on top of a nearby postbox! Apparently it was very painful !!!'

Ha ha, sounds about right!! The only things the coppers had were Morris Minors, and Velocette LE's which were 200cc and wouldn't pull you out of bed!!!!