For 25 years I ran my own engineering company in Derbyshire, Materials Handling Products Ltd, specialising in spillage control and wear resistance for the quarrying industry. We manufactured rubber screens for grading stone; if you travel by rail, most of the track ballast will have been graded through our screens. I am a Fellow and past President of the Materials Handling Engineers Association, and a past President of the International Solids Handling Advisory Board, set up to advise government on materials handling matters.

When I retired in 2016, I moved back to Northumberland and opened a workshop in Berwick-upon-Tweed. I set up Design and Prototype to return to my early interest in engines and machining. I now specialise in Velocette motorcycle repair and engine rebuilds, having run Velocettes myself for over 50 years. Over that time I’ve built up a clear understanding of the typical issues these engines develop and the best way to deal with them. I also manufacture Velocette tools, components and usability improvements, along with machining work for other classic motorcycle engines. With turning, milling and welding facilities, I can take on a wide range of engineering and repair tasks.

Earlier in my career, I began as a student apprentice at Rolls Royce Aero Engines in Derby, one of the finest engineering environments of its day. I completed several physics and engineering courses, though I always preferred practical work. I spent time in the motor racing industry building F5000 V8 engines in Derby, worked in the machine shop at Cosworth Engineering in Northampton, and rebuilt a vintage Birdcage Maserati for the owner of JCB. The car later achieved championship success and was sold last year in America for over $6M. My pay at the time, in 1971, was about £50 a week.

I am now Chairman of the Northumbrian branch of the Velocette Owners Club and continue to provide technical advice and support to its members, particularly on Velocette maintenance, repairs and engine work.