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 Post subject: Article on Brian Thompson in this week's MCN
PostPosted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 9:49 pm 
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Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 3:08 pm
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I know some of you have seen this, and made kind comments about it, for which I thank you. Sadly, the text as reproduced was not quite as supplied...and I didn't write the 'off-road' caption.

Anyway, to set the record straight, the text I supplied is reproduced in total below:

Hero of Motorcycling: The Trail Riders Fellowship

By Richard Simpson: PR contractor

The Trail Riders Fellowship was started in 1970 by a group of motorcyclists who shared a common interest in preserving and using the large network of unsurfaced roads that exists in England and Wales. While in those early days many TRF members used (then very cheap) old British trials bikes to explore the countryside, the appeal of trail riding was soon widened considerably by the arrival of reliable, ridable and affordable Japanese trail bikes such as the Suzuki Trail Cat and Yamaha DT175.
It’s very hard for me to pick out one TRF member as a hero of motorcycling, but the late Brian Thompson would have to be top of the list of nominees. A founder-member of the TRF, he was successful in lobbying for the preservation of vehicular rights on thousands of miles of green lanes by the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981, and later, when working full-time for Northumberland County Council’s rights of way department, got Byway Open to All Traffic status for 500 miles of green lanes in the county!
Brian was still campaigning for the TRF until weeks before his death in 1991. Others have picked up the baton, and the organisation continues to fight for the preservation of vehicular rights of way in the countryside.
Since the start of this year, the TRF has engaged in five High Court actions to protect specific green lanes from unnecessary closure to motorcyclists in locations ranging from Durham and North Yorkshire to Hampshire and East Sussex, and saved many more by patient negotiation behind the scenes. Local TRF Groups, of which there are around 40 across England and Wales, have also worked in partnership with Councils in Hampshire, Devon and other areas to physically restore lanes which have become out of repair through flooding and lack of maintenance.
While motorcycle trail riding remains under some threat from the selfish and misinformed, the TRF continues to preserve the rights of all trail riders…and we still find time to go riding ourselves too!


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 Post subject: Re: Article on Brian Thompson in this week's MCN
PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 10:11 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 5:11 pm
Posts: 226
Location: Bradford
Not sure that he died in 1991, I went to his funeral, and I didn't start trail riding until 2002. I'm not sure, but I think he died around 2010/11.

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 Post subject: Re: Article on Brian Thompson in this week's MCN
PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 10:14 pm 
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Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 3:08 pm
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You're right...THAT WAS MY MISTAKE!


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 Post subject: Re: Article on Brian Thompson in this week's MCN
PostPosted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 10:33 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:45 pm
Posts: 91
Location: Budleigh Salterton
There was this obituary article of Brian in the Guardian of Wednesday 2 December 2009:-

https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian ... n-obituary

I knew Brian when he gave a talk to Northumbrian VMCC at which I first met him.
With Brian's help I ran the Colonial Run for the Nortumbrian VMCC using a map given me by Brian.
He used to ride his scooter on the trails just before his demise.
He was a true gentleman.
Martyn

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