Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
In the 50's, at the age of 14, my first new cycle was a Hercules 'Harlequin' bought on the 'never never' for £14 at Rogers Cycle Shop on Stoney Lane, Sparkbrook. This was my magic carpet, one that would take me anywhere I asked it too. One evening I wrecked it and the next day carried it, wheels wouldn't turn and were bent in figure of 8's, back to Mr Roger's shop asking him if he could salvage anything. He said "you have no worries, the HP terms include insurance". To this day I still don't know if he was telling me porkies but a week later he gave me a new bike. On this bike I often made 100 mile trips, a few years later my favourite was Birmingham to Heathrow plane spotting. It took me about 5 hours to get there and the first time I spent so much time watching aircraft that I forgot the time and slept the night in a ditch at the back of B.O.A.C. hangers were the whole new fleet of Boeing 707's was on engine test, it was music in my ears!
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