In 1978 I designed and patented a successful TT-Simulating Board Game whilst recovering from a serious accident which put me completely hors-de-combat for six months. (It was suffered at work when I slipped on ice carrying a large 16mm film projector...)

The game concept came out of a marketing exercise associated with "Business Studies" in which I was involved at that time. (I was instructed by the course organiser to think of something unusual, unique and different to market ! What else could I choose but the TT !)-The finished product went on to sell literally world-wide and recently it has been updated to take us into the years 2000+......

Prospective sponsors please note...

(The first run of games featured my good friend DOUG RANDALL, at that time a top privateer on a Suzuki, now proprietor of BEST OF BIKES in NEWBURY)

It was financially supported by Manx Line, Motor Cycle Weekly, The IOM Tourist Board, G.A.Bambrough Transport Ltd (My Uncle George who came with us in 1947), Ferodo and BBHMG.

(IF YOU EVENTUALLY GET TO THE LAST PAGE ON MY WEBSITE, YOU CAN SEE HOW TO MAKE A TT GAME FOR YOURSELF)

During the 1980s I was invited to write some of the TT Programme and predict the winners. For example, I "spotted" Roger Burnett, (TT winner in 1986 and now leading light in the KAWASAKI RIDERS CLUB and head of Roger Burnett Promotions Ltd) to mention but one--, also related some of my many personal experiences and told the programme-buying spectators where the best vantage spots were situated and how to get there. I delved into my vast collection of photographs and was soon thrilled to see them reproduced in the programme.....

I also "appeared" in an article given a whole page in the same programme headed "The TTs Number One Fan" (thank you for this completely unexpected accolade, journalist Brian Crichton), designed a huge TT crossword puzzle, wrote a verbal quiz and set up a photo quiz (which came from my embryo "Vast Collection").

As a consequence, I was invited to contribute to a number of magazines, papers and the like (this is STILL part of my involvement in the T.T.), and was contacted on a regular basis by the newly emerging video companies who were finding old promotional films.... Late at night I would get a call, " Ian,--who was number X in the 19XX Senior TT ? " If I did not know immediately, (and often, I knew immediately------it's all in me head, you see !) all I had to do was go into my loft where all my collection is laid out in "years" and find the pack relevant to the year to retrieve the needed information within minutes and then call the person back with ALL the data.

Nowadays, I still compile and store packs of souvenirs, press releases and results, though most people have them to hand from one website or another, so in reality my old "job" is defunct.

However, I still love to be part of it all, offering my vast knowledge, accurate information and personal help to new journalists, riders and visitors from all over the world in and around the press office.

(My sincerest thanks to Peter Kneale and Harry Martland who have granted me press office facilities for a good number of years---I am honoured to have worked with the cream of motorsport journalists--including Leslie Nichol (Express Newspapers) George Turnbull (Telegraph), Ted McCauley (Mirror), Norrie Whyte (MCN), Denis Parkinson (BT Phone results), Annie Briggs ( CEEFAX ), Nick Harris, Fred Clark and John Brown plus countless foreign media representatives--

Thanks to them for showing me the ropes and acknowledging in their different ways the knowledge and experience that I have accumulated and then shared with them over all these years whilst at the TT----

" Right Ian, who was number 13 in..........."

Nothings changed..................

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