Colin Bell’s tribute to Martin Lampkin

Tribute to H.M. Lampkin – By Colin Bell (former Irish Trials Champion)

In 1977-78 I found myself living in Silsden, It was not by accident that I wanted to live and compete in Yorkshire with some of the best trials riders in the world.

Martin knew I was coming from Belfast so it was a great relief when I arrived late one evening in the dark that Martin was there to soften the transition and get me settled with digs.

Although we had only met a few times at a couple of events we immediately hit it off, he was so generous to give me the time to show me the ropes . I got to know Ping, Sid and Martin who pointed me in the right direction, I was soon learning the local dialect and was introduced to words I had never heard before like beck, fettle, Buffs, Tetley’s and Geoffrey Boycott – it was a crash course in Yorkshire-isms for an Ulster man.

I was soon trained to say- ‘All right lad’- and I was given the nickname ‘To be sure’.

1977 was an amazing year for Martin he seemed to win everything that year The Scott, The Scottish and The British Experts and more. I remember the morning after the British Experts, I hadn’t heard the results but met Martin outside the engineering workshop in Silsden washing my bike when he came up with a smile on his face and congratulated me on a 6th. That was typical of Martin even though he had won the event he still had time to say well done and offer encouragement. Martin was a larger than life person, a true and proud Yorkshire man for whom I had great respect and admiration. I send my sincere condolences to all the Lampkin Family and the wider Trials Community – He will be sorely missed – Colin Bell

Colin Bell in 1978 at the SSDT, SWM mounted. – Photo: Jimmy Young, Armadale.