RECENT heavy rain did not seem to affect the sections at Butser Lime Works where Farnham Motor Cycling Club held the annual Phil Mellers Classic Bike Trial.

With no ties and single-figure winning rides in each class, clerk-of-the-course Pete Smith and his team considered they had achieved just the right severity for this type of trial – a view shared by many of the riders who enjoyed three laps of 12 sections in the sunshine.

Just two riders contested the class for the oldest, girder fork machines with no rear suspension. Adrian Mountain took his 350cc Triumph through all 36 sections without loss and Arthur Frearson lost just five on his 250cc AJS.

Riding the same route, Richard Talbot (350cc Matchless) lost a single mark to take victory in the class for later machines with telescopic forks and no rear suspension from runner-up Doug Mummery on eight.

Other classes rode a more challenging route. In the class for the iconic machines from the 1950s and 60s with separate engine and gearbox, Philip Wiffen, riding a beautiful 410cc Matchless, demonstrated that he can ride classic bikes as well as modern ones by posting a zero score.

He was one of only two riders to master the steep, cambered climb of section two. Three marks behind, Tom McCabe guided his 410cc AJS to second spot with the only other single-digit score in the class.

One mark separated the two contenders for honours in the class for four-stroke unit construction machines. John Dismore lost three on his 200cc Triumph Tiger Cub, while Shane Stalker, succumbing on every lap to the challenge of section two, had to settle for second place.

Both riding very special BSA Bantams which would have been unrecognisable as such in their day, Bob Hampton and Graham Barton finished on six and seven respectively in the British two-stroke class.

The biggest entry was for the twin shock class for the mainly Spanish and Japanese lightweights which filled the trials entries following the demise of the British industry. Best of these was Mike Vincent on a 250cc Bultaco with three marks, two ahead of Mick Ratcliffe on a 250cc Honda.

Full results and more photos can be seen at www.farnhammcc.co.uk