Tom McCall, Festival RC

Tom rode in the Festival team pursuit  team with John Froud, Jim Wheeler, and Chris Gray. In the 60’s, they won the All-London team pursuit championship, and gained two bronze medals in the National team pursuit championship. Tom’s own track Carpenter was finished in purple, half chromed rear, full chrome forks, blue anodised l/f airlites,  Milremo cottered cranks, Lyotard pedals. Originally fitted with single TA ring, but latterly with TA adaptor – purchased in 1960 or 1961.

Photo: Reminiscing, Herne Hill 2017, on #5071.

This was taken in the early days of the Surrey League – probably 1983 or 4, at Ellens Green. Des Keenoy and Dave Matthews on the left are first claim Festival members. Andy Swanson and myself on the right were allowed by Keith Butler to ride as Second Claim Festival members, as our own small clubs were not in the Surrey League. Only riders of affiliated clubs were permitted to ride in the Surrey League, and part of the deal was that each club had to promote a race. However, the following year the BCF put a stop the convenient second claim facility, and I had to affiliate my own club Streatham Velo to the Surrey League. Even with only three members, we managed, with friends, to put on a decent road race promotion each year. As the Surrey League grew, and more clubs affiliated, Keith Butler allowed some of his founder members to become private members, which suited my fine, as, by then, my two team mates had retired, and I would have had to join another club First Claim (probably Festival RC) to continue riding in the Surrey League.