Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'

Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'
[ Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum' ]

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91 years ago in Newcastle

Posted by Norman Dunn on 3/4/2026, 9:40 am

Re: 91 years ago in Newcastle

Posted by Joseph on 3/4/2026, 9:42 am, in reply to "91 years ago in Newcastle "

Fabulous photo.

Re: 91 years ago in Newcastle

Posted by Jackie W on 3/4/2026, 9:49 am, in reply to "91 years ago in Newcastle "

Another great photo! I could just step into it. I’d have to avoid that traffic though 😄

Re: 91 years ago in Newcastle

Posted by Mac Hardy on 3/4/2026, 11:23 am, in reply to "91 years ago in Newcastle "

Is that The Haymarket ?

Re: 91 years ago in Newcastle

Posted by Joseph on 3/4/2026, 11:49 am, in reply to "Re: 91 years ago in Newcastle "

Forgot to say that's me left hand side on the bike, happy days 😃😃😃😃

Re: 91 years ago in Newcastle

Posted by Liz Dance on 3/4/2026, 12:14 pm, in reply to "Re: 91 years ago in Newcastle "

Looking quite dapper Joseph!!!

Nice photo Norman.

Re: 91 years ago in Newcastle

Posted by Norman on 3/4/2026, 12:21 pm, in reply to "Re: 91 years ago in Newcastle "

Yes thats looking along towards the Haymarket Mac.

The Haymarket Massed Start

Posted by George on 3/4/2026, 2:57 pm, in reply to "Re: 91 years ago in Newcastle "

It's The Haymarket Massed Start. Looks like Sterling Mess is facing the wrong way.

I'm just waiting for the AI chaps to drop the flag to get them all going.

Re: The Haymarket Massed Start

Posted by Malcolm on 3/4/2026, 5:45 pm, in reply to "The Haymarket Massed Start"

Great sense of humour George!

My money's on the lad on the bike, with what look like "drop" handlebars..WAY ahead of their time, gotta give him an edge over the bus!

Re: The Haymarket Massed Start - Cycle Race

Posted by George on 4/4/2026, 10:57 am, in reply to "Re: The Haymarket Massed Start"

Hey Malcolm, not a lot of people know of this but:-
During the late 1940s through the 1950s, a cycle race was held each year from the Haymarket Newcastle to EDINBURGH AND BACK - before the day was out. The race was against the clock. It began at midnight. Many of the local cycling clubs took part but the first back was usually from the Ridley Cycling Club (probably one of the Batey Brothers who won just about everything in which they competed). I never took part in this spectacular but did race as a member of the Barnesbury CC

Re: The Haymarket Massed Start - Cycle Race

Posted by Malcolm on 4/4/2026, 11:36 am, in reply to "Re: The Haymarket Massed Start - Cycle Race "

Hi George. No, I didn't know that fact, but a little before my time (born 1956).
But that's quiet a ride; 240 miles round trip.
How fast does a bike go? say 15mph?
At that speed, that's 16 hours, add a few rest breaks....
So they'd get to Edinburg at say 8-10am, back to Newcastle by tea-time?

Re: The Haymarket Massed Start - Cycle Race

Posted by George on 4/4/2026, 4:00 pm, in reply to "Re: The Haymarket Massed Start - Cycle Race "

A competitive rider in a 12-hour time trial can cover 220 with ease and up to 280 with miles with a bit more effort. Some riders have been known to cover as much as 300 miles and more, with top men sometimes reaching over 320 miles. Time trials of 25 miles often produced under the hour results way back in my time and with similar speeds, managed under 2 hours for a 50 mile time trial. It was common to produce speeds of 50 miles per hour in sprints. Prolonged speeds in excess of 20 MPH was and still is normal for the experienced cyclist. My personal best in a 25 mile TT was mediocre at 1 hour 6 minutes 48 seconds which was just over 22 miles per hour back in 1954. Don Taggard of Hebburn Vics.CC frequently broke the hour in 25 mile time trials - AND HE RODE WITH A FIXED WHEEL GEAR. I think his chosen gear ratio was a grinding 72.