From riding his 500cc Gold star around the streets of London in the early 1960s to winning the
TT on a works Triple, Ray Pickrell has always been one of the lads, a real biker in every sense.
One of Rays famous quotes was "I used to just aim them up the road" - this summed up the style that
would make him admired by all who knew him and saw him ride.
|
Like most natural riders Ray was not too bothered about the racing side of bikes until
a friend took him to Brands Hatch for a practice day. Ray took the lights off the
Goldie and crashed it straight away into Paddock Bend, not a good start but he was hooked.
Like his riding, some of his crashes were just as spectacular, like the time his Manx
Norton swinging arm came off. The bike managed to stay together by just the drive chain,
but not for long.
Amongst other bikes Ray rode was a 250cc Greeves Silverstone, a Monard and a six-speed Bultaco
250cc. After this period Ray got a ride with Paul Dunstall on a 500 Lowboy built with an ex-works
Domiracer frame, this being an early frame and remarkably still being raced in 1969. 1970 was not
a great year for Ray; he had to retire in the Thruxton 500 mile race after leading Paul Smart,
then third in the production TT on a Norton.
|
In 1971 Ray won the Production TT on Paul Smart's Triumph wearing Percy Tait's Helmet. Percy wore
a visor in favour of Ray's goggles but at high speed Ray could not clear the dead flies fast enough
to see the circuit, hence the change. For the rest of that season Ray was always in the first three
finishers along with Paul Smart and Percy Tait, Ray was there in 3rd Place behind John Cooper and
Ago in the now famous race of the year at Mallory Park.
The 1972 TT saw the peak of Ray's career, but by this time Triumph were too poor to race so it was
on the Boyer team Triples that Ray contested the Island, his speed trap at the Highlander was 140mph,
for the production race he rode Slippery Sam. Paul Smart's mechanic rode Sam to the island from
Coventry just in time for Ray to have one practice session…then produced a record lap.
Ray's last race was at Mallory Park in September 1972, after a session of close racing with Tait
and Jefferies all on Triples the gearbox seized, he was thrown up the circuit at the Devil's Elbow
only to be hit by Tony Jefferies at over 90mph.
Ray was named Motor Cycle News man of the year in 1972, and after making a living driving lorries
was finally retired off by his doctors. As an Honorary Member of the TR3OC Ray still loves to
reminisce with the old crowd and have time to chat to everyone at functions such as Beezumph,
and the TT riders association…always with that big grin on his face even though his injuries all
those years ago have taken their toll.
John Atkins
|