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Double Zero Club

B

Brookfields Lad

master brummie
Are there any old motorcyclists out there who remember The Double Zero Motorbike Club?

The club was started in the late sixties by the Rev. Dave Collyer (whatever happened to him) at a church in (St. Basil's?) Heathmill lane Digbeth.

I used to attend until about 1969/70 when I sold my bike. Now after 30+ years I am back in the saddle and reliving old memories.


Bob Johnson
 
Les,

I was never a member of the DZ but I know quite a few who were. My mate, Rod Evans, who helped the Rev David (very appropriate title, eh?) run it, still rides a Yamaha Virago 1100 and calls round to see me quite often.

Until couple of years ago, David Collyer was Vicar of our local parish church, St Andrews, Handsworth. At one time he did a radio programme for some independent outfit based in Aston. I did a sort of phone in thingy with him once. He then went on to greater heights, taking on some new role for the Bishop. Before he left, I rolled home from the pub one night to find a bunch of flowers left in the porch for my wife from him. She reckoned they were a thank you for altering the new stole he had been given to go with the new job. :lol:
 
Double Zero

Thanks for your info Paul,

Glad to hear that dave Collyer went on to bigger things. Can't say as I remember your friend but glad to hear he is still a Biker. I have some pictures hidden in the depths of the loft of the DZ club and quite a few of the members, I will dig them out and post them in the album.

Bob
 
Hi Rob, The Double Zeros, ha, what great memories I had of that place, remember the snack bar across from the hotel, where we used to hang out and race up and down the freeway, the police where not happy with us, and the only time we where allowed to speed was when we where carring blood for the hospitals then the police would let us through,.
Do you remember a guy who's mom and dad ran a pub on the corner of Rea St and Bradford St, he had a younger brother called John, I cant remember his name now but he was a quite guy and friendly, did'nt have the mouth like most of had, ha,...........John 2000 :uglystupid2:
 
I remember attending dz with my hubby, then my boyfriend around early 70's possibly 1970.

I sure went on the right day. It was the opening page of Dave's book. The day the guys from Wolverhampton came down along with a gun or two. Yet we all lived to tell the story, even if it was slightly different from the book. ;D

There were so many characters there. Mad Mick and his misses Zeb. Fanny B who i think is no longer with us and loads more. Yet i guess they are all on pension now or very near. Bloody hell i was only a teenager in the 70's so many of the guys and girls there will be mid 50's to late 60's now. :-*
 
hI

iN THE 60'S AND FOR A SHORT WHILE I WAS A MEMBER AND REMEMBER THE REV. I WAS RESCUED A COUPLE OF TIME WHEN I BROKE DOWN ON MY MOTORCYCLE BY THE CLUB.
I REMEMBER THE PEOPLE BUT NOT THEIR NAMES AND I REMEMBER THE FILMS SUCH AS GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE.
DAVID WAS A PLEASANT PERSON WHO ALTHOUGH DISCUSSED RELIGION DID NOT PUSH IT ON TO YOU IN AN UNPLEASANT WAY. I ENJOYED THE TIME SPENT IN DIGBETH ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT AS MANY AS I WANTED.
I BELIEVE MOTORCYCLING IS BACK TO WHAT IT USED TO BE BEFORE THE MODS AND ROCKERS AND THAT WHATEVER ONE IS RIDING. YOU CAN ALWAYS GET A WAVE AND IF STATIONARY A GOOD CONVERSATION.
 
"Do you remember a guy who's mom and dad ran a pub on the corner of Rea St and Bradford St, he had a younger brother called John, I cant remember his name now but he was a quite guy and friendly, did'nt have the mouth like most of had, ha,....."
You must mean the Anchor. The Keanes ran it when I used it, and the older son Gerry owns it now. He's on the left in the first picture on this site:
https://www.the-anchor-inn.fsnet.co.uk/
 
Book about Double Zero

Father David Collier wrote a book about the Double Zero probably in early 1980's; Possibly in library. I have a copy somewhere and will get back with details of publisher etc

Steve C
 
Did you meet my Dad

Did any of you motor cyclists from 60s have occasion to 'meet' my Dad and his BSA Gold Flash.
 
Sorry to hear that Alberta, I spent some time with Tom on the Area cars. He was a very friendly person and very helpful to us newbies.
 
i,m sure i did

Alberta said:
Did any of you motor cyclists from 60s have occasion to 'meet' my Dad and his BSA Gold Flash.
Click to expand...
i got stopped one night in birmingham on the ringway,i,d just left alex,s opp the albany hotel,as i pulled out somone walked in front of me,i snatched the front brake and the cable broke,i did,nt run anyone over and no one had a solderless nipple to repair it so i took a chance and headed off home.
guess what happened next i got stopped by a motorbike cop,by moor street station,and :shocked: he would,nt believe me so i got done fine,ed and an endorsment,i,m not sure if it was your dad they all looked the same way back then,perhaps because i was on a triumph and he was on a bsa.
just my luck.. regards dereklcg
 
I knew Dad Moore

Alberta said:
Did any of you motor cyclists from 60s have occasion to 'meet' my Dad and his BSA Gold Flash.
Click to expand...

Alberta I joined Birmingham City Police in 1962 and was stationed at Victoria Rd & Bloomsbury Street where I met "DAD" He was probably known as DAD because he always had time for the young Probationers. I remember that he was often posted to "Gaffers Driver" which meant he chauffered the Divisional Chief Superintendent. lived in Single Mens Quarters at ilton Road & Bloomsbury Street.
Roger
 
Roger Baker said:
Alberta I joined Birmingham City Police in 1962 and was stationed at Victoria Rd & Bloomsbury Street where I met "DAD" He was probably known as DAD because he always had time for the young Probationers. I remember that he was often posted to "Gaffers Driver" which meant he chauffered the Divisional Chief Superintendent. lived in Single Mens Quarters at ilton Road & Bloomsbury Street.
Roger
Click to expand...
do you remember a bobby on the beat,named derek( babyface) they used to call nickname i suppose?he used to know my dad we lived in cromwell street just up the road from bloomsbury street.
he took me to my dad the one day because i was having a pee in the gutter,our toilet was up the yard and it was dark and scarey to a youngster as i was.
i got a clip round the ear for my trouble,
happy days regards dereklcg.
 
Alberta

Unusual Christian name (If it is)

Do you have a Alberta Morgan in your tree?
Married a Clissold?

dib44
 
Dad Moore

Hi Roger, Yes Dad loved to drive the 'Gaffer' it meant that when 'Aston Villa(oh it is painful typing that) were at home,he would get to see the match.
In his later years he was 'vehicle controller' at Queens road.
When he died ,there were dozens of retired policeman at his funeral.
One of them was Tom Somerville,who had the sad distinction of being the first Birmingham policeman to be shot whilst on duty.Although he survived he never returned to full duties.He and Dad had joined in 1947 and he wrote a book and told me he had mentioned Dad in it,but I have never been able to find it.
 
Christian name Alberta

Queen Victoria gave her daughter Princess Louise,Alberta as her 3rd Christian name,therefore hundreds of Victorian babies were called Alberta.
It was my paternal grandmothers name.
 
Princess Louise Caroline Alberta married the Marquis of Lorne, eldest son of the Duke of Argyle, he became the Governor General of Canada and in 1882 named the province of Alberta after his wife.

My grandmothers elder sister was named Alberta (Morgan) and on most of the censuses (splg) she was put down as a male >VBG<
 
Tom Somerville

Alberta
I don't recall T Somerville writing a book. Jock Murray rescued Somerville after he was shot!! I think Jock is dead TS is still alive. I am knew to his site and trying to work it out !! Who is dereklcg ?

You can contact me direct if you wish. IU had a lot of time for DAD

Roger
 
My husband told me his memories of the Double Zerro in the mid sixties

I was working on the new Scout Shop being built across the road from the Crown Pub on the corner of Hill Street and Curzon Street in Birmingham. On the days I when I was working late I used to go to Alex’s pie stand behind the Crown Pub for pie and a mug of tea and it was here that I met a great bunch of biker lads who were later to join the Double Zero Club. Many of them rode bikes and some worked at the BSA or Triumph factories.
 
Double ZeroClub

Hi Lou
Ive Just Been Reading Your Article On The Zero Club
And It Brings Back Memories For Me ,
And I Can Recall The Very Reverend Dave ,Very Well And Some Of The Lads
WhomCame From Aberdeen Street Winson Green There Bikes Was Terrific
The Lccal Lads Would Some Time Come To The Peel Pub And Park Out side
There Would Be A Great Line Of Them
And Me And My Mates Would Do An ALL Nighter Down In The Tow ROPE
It Was The Days To Be Around ,That Was The Night Life In Them Days
They Was The Good Old Days
Best Wishes ASTONIAN ,;;;;
 
DZ

I was also a member of the DZ in 70/71
I was also there the night the guys from Wolverhampton paid us a visit.
It was an amazing place. The coffe bar, the TV room, the Gym, the Workshop,the outside Loos, the hugh car park.
It was sad when it was all over. Does anyone remember Brian the vicar?
I can remember several people, members at that time. It was a good time to be a biker, lots of "British Bikes". Hardly anyone had Jap at that time. I had a Triumph T110 with sidecar, and several more after that. Am still a biker now!
Amanda
 
Double Zero club members might be interested in a re-union at St Basils. I work at St Basils and have relished the DZ connection as a motorcyclist myself. In the early '90s I organised a small re-union. Would any of you Birmingham DZ history buffs be interested if I organised one. I plan for October 2008 and then if that goes well to do one more regularly.
I will monitor the feedback at this site on a personal level. I do have the abilty to make this happen at work. I have done it before!
 
I think a Grand reunion would be an excellent idea, please keep us informed.
 
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we went to the double zero a couple of time,s
we spent most of our time at Alex,s
happy nights we had a few.
posted a pic of my old bike when you could have
a650cc if you had a chair on it was the only way
i could keep up with my mates. or a box as i did, could get the wheel in the air we used to go to Mallory when we came out you thought you were Chris Vincent or the hanks or bodices, great times though..
regards dereklcg.
 
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Derek clg I use to live in cromwell st by is that neechels where you live. I also used bsa a65 with sidecar, watsonian from around 1970's onwards with a few tales to tell!
 
Hi all,

My uncle Mick Casey used to go to the DZ all the time along with his girlfriend Linda Tatton (later became his wife) they took me there once or twice but I was very young (11 - 12 yrs of age ) and I used to sit outside and guard Casey's BSA 650 Road Rocket for a modest fee and a bottle of Vimto and a packet of smiths crisps with the blue bag of salt!!:D:D:D

Oh happy days

Dianne
 
catherineclarke said:
Derek clg I use to live in Cromwell st by is that neechels where you live. I also used bsa a65 with sidecar, watsonian from around 1970's onwards with a few tales to tell!
Click to expand...
:) hi ya, yes i lived in nechells was born there in fact in the late forties,
3 Cromwell st off grt lister st.
my dad always had bikes worked at the triumph,so it was in the blood so to speak,had my first bike when we moved (slum clearance) to south Yardley had a 1939 triumph speed twin with a box on it ,was a shared thing with me and my dad at first, then i had the thunder bird a gold flash b31 c15 trials bike then i discovered girls warmer in a car.
had some great times though went everywhere on the bike and all my mates had then from beezas to triumphs royal enfields the whole nine yards.
happy days regards derek.
 
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