The BMCT trustees are delighted to announce two new appointments to our trustee board. Both just happen to be Scott enthusiasts and are pictured here on the 2022 Kingdom of Mourne event in Northern Ireland.
Lewis Onions (on the left) lives near Coleshill and is a Solicitor and Insolvency Practitioner. His interest in British motorcycles began when he acquired a 1971 Triumph Daytona and joined the VMCC to take part in the Coventry to Brighton Run with a group of friends. Over time his interest in older bikes developed and he became afflicted with the “Scott virus”, to the point where he now owns several of them, as well as a Silk 700S. Other machines in the Onions collection include a Triumph Tiger Cub and BSA Thunderbolt. Lewis also has a soft spot for classic cars, owning a 1966 Hillman Minx and an ex-Paris-Dakar Range Rover.
Martin Heckscher (right of photo) hails from Hertfordshire. For 52 years he was part of the family piano business and since 2011 has also acted as a consultant for Bonhams Motorcycle Department. A lifelong motorcyclist, he estimates he has owned some 70 ‘bikes over the years and now has a collection of mainly Scotts and Velocettes along with a veteran BSA and a modern BMW. A member of the Sunbeam MCC and the VMCC, Martin enjoys touring at home and overseas and takes part in the Banbury and Pioneer runs, vintage track events and hill climbs.
BUSY WINTER FOR SAMMY MILLER MBE
No sooner was the ink dried on the RAC award than Sammy was on his way to Switzerland to be among the first four inductees into the newly established FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) Hall of Fame in Lausanne on 6th December, recognised for his outstanding lifetime contribution to motorcycling.
On Saturday morning, after a walk down to the lake shore, Sammy and Museum Manager Sharon Bumpsteed attended rehearsals for the evening’s event at the Swiss Convention Centre before heading to the FIM Headquarters for a light lunch and the official opening of their new motorcycle museum in Mies, dedicated to the rich history of motorcycling. It’s the first time the annual celebration of motorcycle sport has been staged in Switzerland, despite the FIM being based there.
Sammy and the other inductees were invited to make handprints, which will be cast in stone and permanently displayed outside the new FIM Museum building. Our photo [right] shows Sammy with friend and fellow inductee Giacomo Agostini accompanied by reigning Moto GP World Champion Marc Marquez.
Working with the Canton de Vaud, the City of Lausanne and backed by Swiss Moto – the Swiss Motorcycle Federation – the event took place in the Swiss Tech Convention Centre, a modern venue with a sustainability focus, which suits today’s global motorcycle racing circus: fast, futuristic, and powered by quiet efficiency. Sammy was proud to have his iconic 1947 AJS Porcupine motorcycle on display in the entrance to the FIM Museum complex [inset].
The Royal Automobile Club Historic Awards Dinner was held on Thursday, 20 November 2025, at the prestigious Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London.
In addition to announcing the winners across eight award categories, the Royal Automobile Club revealed that the recipient of its 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award was Sammy Miller MBE. Sammy was deeply honoured and delighted to receive this distinguished accolade, recognising his remarkable contributions to motorcycling and engineering excellence. Sammy was presented with the trophy at the motorcycle museum in New Milton by Jeremy Vaughan, RAC Head of Motoring [photo left].
BRISTOLCLASSIC MOTORCYCLE SHOW
Thanks to Roy Osborn for these snaps from the recent Bristol Classic Bike Show at the Bath & West Showground .
The unique Lawrie Watts-designed 1955 Royal Enfield Dreamliner (left) was a star attraction. Based on a 350 Bullet it was reported that the Dreamliner was some 7 mph faster than a standard Bullet and 25% more economical, despite being 45 lbs. heavier.
Sadly, the Dreamliner never made it into production. Ahead of its time, perhaps...
NEWS FROM DOVER TRANSPORT MUSEUM
DOVER’S FEBRUARY BIKE OF THE MONTH - 1932 SCOTT FLYING SQUIRREL
A 600cc two stroke watercooled twin, with a hand change, three speed gearbox. This is a recent barn find along with another similar Scott Squirrel from 1948. These were just left to rot, along with a 350cc AJS motorcycle and an old Austin car. Genuine barn finds are becoming increasingly difficult to come across, so we are particularly lucky to have found this group of vehicles.
Restoration work will commence soon with the group of museum volunteers known as ‘Team Friday’ keen to add the restored Scott Squirrel to their collection of reworked bikes which include a really impressive Triumph Bonneville 650 also on display in the museum.
2026 RAFFLE BIKE
Win a 2020 125cc AJS Tempest in our annual raffle, which will be drawn at the museum’s Classic Motorcycle Show to be held on Sunday, September 13th 2026.
A cash amount of £1000 can be taken by the winner of the first ticket drawn as an alternative prize. Second and third prize tickets will also be drawn.
Tickets are available from the museum on any day it is open or from any one of the many events which the museum attends around the county throughout the year.
Tickets cost just £1 each or £5 for a book.
MUSEUM EXTENSION NEARS COMPLETION
The museum’s collection of Ashford made Norman motorcycles and cycles is currently displayed in a recreated shop carrying the name of a once well-known Dover motorcycle dealer and repairer. The available area is cramped and no longer able to accommodate the still growing collection. There is no space to expand inside the museum so with the aid of a generous grant from the British Motorcycle Charitable Trust we have commenced work on an extension that will double the size of the existing Norman display area.
The new Norman Gallery will be opened on Thursday April 16th by Brian Norman, President of the Norman Cycle and Motorcycle Club. We’ll have a full report in our next issue.
BARBER MUSEUM FOUNDER PASSES
George W. Barber, Jr., founder of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama USA died peacefully on Sunday, February 15, following a brief illness. He was 85 years old.
Following graduation from Auburn University, Barber enlisted in the Alabama Air National Guard, serving six years with the 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. He took the helm of Barber Dairies at age 29, guiding it into a leading provider in the region.
His legendary competitive drive first manifested on the racetrack, where he dominated the Southeastern sports-car circuit. With 63 victories to his name, George was regarded as a leading talent of his era.
Motorsport remained a driving force throughout his life. After the sale of Barber Dairies in 1998, Barber merged his various ventures to centralize the management of his diverse investments. In the 1980s, he envisioned a way to give back to Alabama through this lifelong interest.
Today, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum houses the world’s largest collection of motorcycles and Lotus racing cars. When the collection reached 1,000 vehicles, Barber was asked if they should stop. “Heck, no,” he replied. “We’ll keep going.’”
Located in the southeast corner of the 880-acre campus bigger than New York City’s Central Park the museum is a 230,000-square-foot architectural marvel, a global hub for restoration, preservation, design, and education, inspiring more than 4,000 students annually.
R I P PAUL HOLT
We were touched to receive a donation being the proceeds of a collection in memory of the late Paul Holt, who had a long career at BSA, including a spell as a tester. Paul is on the left of the photo below, taken from the BSA Scrapbook Series by James Robinson and reproduced by kind permission of Mortons Media. Our sincere condolences to Paul’s family and grateful thanks for nominating the BMCT as a beneficiary.
DRIVEN: BRITAIN’S MOTORING STORYTO BE OPENED AT THE NATIONALMOTOR MUSEUM
One of the most significant changes to the National Motor Museum since it was built is about to be unveiled at Beaulieu. A new look entrance hall and upper gallery will house “Driven: Britain’s Motoring Story”, a contemporary museum display interpreting the development of motoring in the UK.
The new exhibition will be officially opened by wellknown TV presenter Jon Bentley at an event attended by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu and invited guests on Thursday 26 March 2026.
“Driven: Britain’s Motoring Story” will have five distinct areas focusing on how Britain has changed over the decades, delving into the social and cultural impact of motoring. It will feature stories to surprise, engage and inspire. There will be spotlight loan vehicles and fun interactive displays, previously unseen items from the Museum’s collections, along with opportunities to watch and hear videos and sounds from the Museum’s archives.
The £600,000 project – funded thanks to support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, the Wolfson Foundation, and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation – will create a new welcoming space, alongside a full redevelopment of the upper galleries where the BMCT will be involved in the redisplay of the motorcycle collection.
Dr Jon Murden, Chief Executive of the National Motor Museum says, “This exhibition will herald an exciting new look to the Museum from the Spring of 2026. Creating new displays with the overarching story of motoring from its earliest times to the present day. Britain without cars and motorcycles would be unrecognisable”.
THE SAMMY MILLER COMPETITION COLLECTION
The latest addition to the Sammy Miller Collection titles is a revised edition of the Competition Collection. Compiled by respected classic motorcycle journalist and author Roy Poynting, this soft back book of 228 pages gives an overview of 105 motorcycles from the Museum Trust’s collection that have a competition history or could be said to have inspired a successful competition machine. Lavishly illustrated, this book is available from the Museum bookshop by mail order, priced at £16.00 + £4.00 P&P.
To order phone 01425 620777 or email museum@sammymiller.co.uk
BOOK REVIEW
Hilde & Tommy - review originally published in the Brooklands Member’s Bulletin January 2026.
“Hilde & Tommy - How the English motorcycle racer Tom Bullus became a legend of Germany riding for NSU but then put love before laurels” has been a joy to read, bringing a fresh and unique perspective to international motorcycle racing during the interwar years. I will be honest, a biographical novel would not normally be the first category of book I would reach for, but Susanne Schartel has done a wonderful job bringing a family archive to the page.
Susanne is the great granddaughter of Fritz Gehr, Director of Neckarsulmer Fahrzeugwerke AG (NSU) and tells the story of Hilde Gehr, youngest daughter of Fritz, and lead works rider
Footnote:
Tommy Bullus. Using family photographs and documents, she has also imagined some conversations and events to skilfully fill in some of the gaps for the reader, revealing their blossoming relationship. The book, translated into English in 2025, begins with planning of the family Christmas of 1918. Little six-year-old Hildegard and her siblings are disappointed that they are unable to carry on the family tradition, with the girls dressing as Princesses for the family play, following the abdication of the German Emperor Wilhelm II. It provides a very rare insight into this period as well as the run up to the Second World War from a German domestic perspective. The story also charts the successful career of the young Yorkshireman Tommy, including being only the fourth person to win a Brooklands Gold Star on a 500cc motorcycle before moving on to his phenomenal success across Europe with NSU, winning prestigious events such as the 1930 Grand Prix of Nations at Monza.
There are also wonderful historical technical insights such as a briefing from Dunlop as Tommy moved from beaded edge to wired-on tyres. This is, of course, a love story, but one interwoven with racing history and characters such as Walter Moore, the designer of the Norton Model CS1, who moved from Norton to NSU in 1929, developing a series of very successful bikes piloted by Bullus. There is drama on and off track, and a sense of impending jeopardy as the reader observes the years ticking slowly towards the inevitability of the Second World War. The economic crisis of the 1930s and the induction of Hitler as Chancellor in 1933 also provide more fascinating insights into a period of history that is rarely ever told from a German point of view. The book is packed with many previously unpublished photographs, bringing the reader closer to the Gehr family, NSU, and the history of inter-war period motorcycling. What will become of our German heroine and the English hero, who is happy to give up racing for love but can’t marry her until he stops; and a father who depends on his racing results to keep the family business afloat? You will have to read it to find out, and I recommend you do. - Martin Gegg
“Hilde & Tommy - How the English motorcycle racer Tom Bullus became a legend of Germany riding for NSU but then put love before laurels” by Susanne Schartel is priced £24.99. Hardcover, 676 pages. Published by Tredition GmbH: ISBN 978-3384574893
I recently got an opportunity to chat with Susanne Schartel following my review of her book “Hilde & Tommy - How the English motorcycle racer Tom Bullus became a legend of Germany riding for NSU but then put love before laurels”. It’s a fascinating story and one worthy of a Netflix mini-series. Mark Jarman of Brooklands Members TV has also included several previously unpublished images that bring the story to life. The interview is now live on YouTube and available as a podcast via Soundcloud, just scan either of the QR codes below with your smartphone and follow the links.
- Martin Gegg
THE BRITISH MOTORCYCLE CHARITABLE TRUST
A Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Registered Charity No. 509420
Trustees:
Peter Wellings (Chairman)
Dennis Frost (Hon. Treasurer)
John Handley
Mike Jackson
Mike Penn
Lewis Onions
Martin Heckscher
Honorary Life Member
Ian N Walden OBE
Secretariat:
Holly Cottage Main Street
Bishampton Pershore WR10 2NH United Kingdom
Secretary & Editor
Andy Bufton Mob: 07754 880116
Email: editor@bmct.org
The British Motorcycle Charitable Trust (BMCT) was originally formed in 1979 to facilitate the building of the National Motorcycle Museum at Bickenhill, near Solihull in the West Midlands. Since 1995, however, the BMCT has been an entirely separate organisation, a grantmaking Charity dedicated to the promotion of British motor cycle engineering heritage through a network of affiliated transport and local interest museumsinEngland,Wales,Scotlandand theIsleofMan
Associate Membership is open to all, and allows entry concessions at all nineteen of the museums in our affiliation scheme (listed right). Our funding comes from membership subscriptions, bequests, donations, and income from our investments. Please direct any enquiries to the secretary at the Secretariat address on the left.
www.bmct.org
Our affiliated museums are:
Black Country Living Museum, Dudley Brooklands Museum, Weybridge County Classics Museum, Taunton Coventry Transport Museum
Dover Transport Museum
Gloucester Life Museum
Grampian Transport Museum, Aberdeen Haynes Motor Museum, Somerset Internal Fire Museum of Power, Tanygroes Isle of Man Motor Museum, Jurby Jet Age Museum, Gloucester Manx Museum, Douglas, Isle of Man Museum in the Park, Stroud National Motor Museum, Beaulieu Royal Engineers Museum, Gillingham, Kent Sammy Miller Museum, New Milton Silk Mill Museum of Making, Derby Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset The Norton Collection Museum, Bromsgrove
DATES FOR YOUR 2026 DIARY
Thursday 16th April Exhibition opening at Dover Transport Museum
The official opening of the new Norman Cycle and Motorcycle display by Brian Norman at 11 am
Sat/Sun 25-26 April The Spring International Classic MotorCycle Show at Stafford County Showground Club stands, autojumble, GP paddock, concours entries, Bonhams auction. Plenty to see.
23rd - 25th May
Sunday 24th May
Saturday 6th June
Sunday 7th June
Sat/Sun 13-14th June
Sunday 5th July
Sunday 5th July
Sunday 19th July
Spring Bank Holiday Event at the Internal Fire Museum of Power, Tan-y-Groes Steam and diesel engines running (steam from midday on the 24th)
Norton Owners Club Day at the Sammy Miller Museum, New Milton
Beaulieu Bikers Day at the National Motor Museum
No matter what the age, make or model of your motorbike, the Beaulieu Bikers’ Day is open to all. So pull on your leathers and ride into Beaulieu for a great day out in the grounds of the National Motor Museum, with the chance to chat to other riders, admire the bikes on display and enjoy all of the features of the Beaulieu attraction.
76th
VMCC Banbury Run and Autojumble at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon
The world’s largest assembly of pre-1931 motorcycles. First riders leave start line at 10.00 am for a scenic regularity run round Warwickshire and Oxfordshire lanes, returning to Gaydon for prizegiving.
Brooklands Relived – Festival of Motorsport weekend.
Featuring Sprints on Mercedes-Benz World track, Autotests on the Finishing Straight, Pride of Brooklands Concours, race starts and Test Hill ascents – the site will come alive with the roar of engines.
Brooklands Motorcycle Day. Brooklands Museum, Weybridge. Admire a vast display of motorcycles plus Test Hill ascents, race starts, food stalls and entertainment.
British Bike Day at the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, New Milton
VMCC Founders Day Rally at Stanford Hall. Lutterworth, Leicestershire
Organised by the Taverners Section. Arena displays, autojumble, club and BMCT stands.
