The legend of British biking that was Vale Onslows shop on Stratford Road Birmingham is being pulled down. It has had scaffolding round the property for many years but as i drove down past there today I saw the corner part of the building was no more. To anyone into bikes in the 70s a Saturday morning waiting for them to open to avoid the queues was not to be missed. I worked about 10 mins away and used to wag time from work if the boss wasnt coming in. You used to see many of the same faces week in week out. I had BSAs then and they were so knowledgable, knew all the part numbers without looking them up, all the family seemed to work there too. Gutted, another part of my history wiped out. Pic taken while stuck in traffic, please excuse quality and my mirror,lol, but if you ever went there you will see what I mean, the boarding to the right of the pic is where the corner of the shop used to be basically, on Kyotts Lake Road where the chippy used to be
Seems to be the way things are going these days. We used to have 2 bike shops in our town(used to pedal up there on our push bikes to see the latest model in the window) both long gone now. The internet doesn't help,with people not supporting their local bike shops.
Sad to read this There was a great article on Vale Onslow (and a few other 'old school' parts dealers business's) in Bike magazine last year (I think). Lots of great pics that transported you back in time.
Must be a bit like Nelson & Fords, (Nick named Hudson & Ford at the time after the pop group) Whitmore way, Basildon where I bought my Suzi GT250, Tickets in Queens road Southend where I bought my Honda 50, & Costins, London road Westcliffe who were a Honda dealer, I think H&F & Costins still exist but Tickets went but building still there, also the Kwaka shop at Cuckoo corner, all haunts of the latter day saints! (Some bleedin' saint I was!) Nearly bought a Bonneville Silver Jubilee or a Norton Commando in that beautiful red from N&F, but at £1050 the repayments were just out of reach for me!
They had to demolish the old shop because of the fire. Its really sad its happened but that's life. I remember going there myself to get some parts for my Honda CB50. They disappeared in the back and then reappeared with the parts, they always seemed to have anything you asked for. The Shop and workshop is over towards the Birmingham City football ground. So not too far away. They get some good reviews too. Lee
Stevethegoolie. Greedy people having two. They could give me one for Christmas. But aren't they beauties. Ride Safe Joe.
We'v'e got Westgate road in Newcastle, in the bygone years it was full of bike shops, there's a few left now but it's a pretty run down gloomy place , the new game round that area is spot the white man lol. Billy Connolly meets fans at the Kawasaki Motorcycle Store on Westgate Road, Newcastle
