What shop?

[Les Howard]

Just a quick teaser...the shop below is the same premises that a very famous London AJS/Matchless dealer had....now long gone...anyone recognise it?...clue there is a large pub opposite.

shop.JPG

Les

[56G80S]

Looks like Joe Francis Motors old premises to me. Those trees are beautiful when in blossom.

My father and mother in law lived at Footscray a bit south of Sidcup. It was he who led me to purchase the Matchless and there were many trips from North Yorkshire to visit. Inevitably there were also repairs that needed doing and a short trip to New Eltham was a godsend.

Hope I'm not wrong or I'm going to look a proper mug -- not for the first time.

Johnny B

[Les Howard]

Well done Johnny...yes it was Joe Francis's old shop....340 Footscray Road.... I thought I had a long journey to get there from the other side of the Thames (Tottenham) but all the way from N. Yorkshire...incredible.

I was just hunting down a few old bike shops on Google Earth and before locating No. 340 which was their advertised address, I was absolutely convinced it was a shop on the corner a little way along, especially as it was recently a car spare shop (also now gone) I really cannot remember going in and out of the shop from a door set in the middle....maybe it was further along some time before? (around 1969) I'm convinced the doorway was on a corner?

I really did not like the old bloke there, an absolute pig in fact. In typical motorcycle practice of that time I took in a G80 crank for a new big end. After waiting a week or so and revisiting the shop, I got it home and closely examined the bearing only to find the old punch marks on the crank pin showing that all he had done was to fit new rollers and even refitted the original nuts but he'd charged me for a complete new bearing...I bitterly complained but cannot remember the outcome, but pretty sure he never gave me any money back, but that's what it was like in those dark days.

Thanks again for guessing Johnny.

Les

[saltbox alf]

Oh memory lane! I don't really remember the trees so big, if at all! Then I suppose as a teenage oik I really was not bothered about trees much!
The frontage is as I remember it, although it looks cleaner in the picture. There used to be a couple of for sale bikes out on the pavement and always when I went there, at least a couple of dreamed of bikes parked on the road.
I suppose I was fairly lucky and had at the time a 'Domi99' all be it a bit long long in the teeth.
I worked in the city then and rode it there as daily transport, so I was often at Joe's for bits to keep it going. I suppose he was a bit gruff (then I thought everybody over 25 was), but he helped me to understand the bike a bit better.

cf.jpg

While the quiz is being fixed where's this?????????

[Janet]

Catford

[Rob Harknett]

Sorry no time to think about it right now, I'm reading this months Jampot. PS why could quiz master not post the pic here and you just ad your name and answer. We could see who got it right and wrong. Or maybe just for a change when it gets up and running , only those that got it wrong are listed, that would be even more fun. The winner at the end of the year gets a cone shaped hat with D on it. To be presented at the Jampot rally, then made to sit in the corner at the far end of the bar for the rest of the evening

[saltbox alf]

Yes Janet, correct, perhaps I should have written 'and what was the name of the shop'


Well that's one point towards my D hat!!

[JimFitz]

Deeprose in Brownhill Road of course - just round the corner from where I used to live. You could get your wheels rebuilt just over the road in Ron Compton's.

Jim

[Stuoyb]

I think everyone would wait for you to put your answer in Rob and then .......... All answers would be correct!

[SPRIDDLER]

..... then made to sit in the corner at the far end of the bar for the rest of the evening

Good idea! I could do with some company.


Billy.
(Guillaume sans Amis)