SCOOTER
riders are revving up to tell their stories as part of a new history project.
As work on a
history-focused Conwy app moves up a gear, scooter riders have opened their
photo albums to share unseen photographs which show Colwyn Bay’s days as a
mecca for mods.
Drawing
admiring glances and crowds of enthusiastic devotees during the early 80s,
scooter groups would descend on the town’s old coal yard near Station Road.
These get-togethers would attract people from across the country, sparking a
lifelong love affair with two wheels for some.
Now, for the
first time, those heady days are being explored in a new app dedicated to
capturing the history behind famous landmarks, stories, events and places in
Colwyn Bay and beyond.
The app is
Called Imagine Trail and is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. It is
being pulled together by a range of partners, including TAPE Community Music
& Film, Colwyn Bay Heritage Group, and Conwy County Borough Council.
Frank
Allison, 63, of Llanfairfechan, got his first scooter aged 17 but said it was
the release of the film Quadrophenia which sparked an explosion in the number
of mods.
He said: “In
the early 80s, national scooter rallies were a massive thing in Colwyn Bay with
thousands of scooter riders down at the old coal yard or up at Eirias Park. The
rallies were opportunities to meet likeminded people, share tips on looking
after your scooter and enjoy the northern soul music scene, particularly at
Colwyn Bay pier."
Opening up
his picture album publicly for the first time, Frank said the Colwyn Bay
rallies were good-tempered affairs, something not always experienced outside of
the area.
“There has
always been talk about the conflict between mods and rockers, and it very
definitely wasn’t an urban myth,” he added.
“Sometimes it
was terrifying. In the early days, I was chased out of one North Wales town by
bikers - or greasers as we called them – wielding chains, and on an outing to
Frodsham, I had to ride into a poor guy’s garage to escape.
“To this day,
it’s hard to say what the animosity was about – clothes, music and bikes, I
guess but at the time, it was terrifying. We were young lads, and the greasers
were often much older than us. Fortunately, the Colwyn Bay scooter rallies were
better tempered, although the police still came out in force. To have the
memories, sounds, and stories captured on the Imagine app means important parts
of Colwyn Bay’s cultural history won’t be forgotten.”
Frank’s
gallery of pictures shows the Colwyn Bay rallies through the years and trips to
neighbouring resorts.
Also sharing
memories is Towyn’s Derek ‘Degzy’ McFee. When he is not helping as a volunteer
at a Covid vaccination centre, Derek, 71, is out and about with fellow riders.
“Covid
stopped us getting together, and only now are we starting to meet again,"
he said.
"The
Skull Snaps has around 70 members aged 30 upwards showing just how popular
scooter riding still is locally.
“For many of
us, it is about enjoying the camaraderie, the clothes and the music. We still
wear Parkas or Harrington jackets, have the haircuts, and enjoy the music. It’s
the North Wales roads that draw people from outside the area so we’re lucky to
have them on our doorstep.
“Scooters are real conversation starters; people come over to see you and want to chat. I’ve still got a scooter – a 300cc blue Vespa - but also a Honda 500 Rebel motorbike, and am happiest on two wheels. To recreate some famous scooter moments for the app, such as the noise as the scooter rallies travelled down Station Road, brought back great memories. Those people who didn’t experience that time are in for a treat."
https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19506254.scooter-rider-frank-shares-memories-history-project/
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