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Posted for tommo- great look see! Thank-you for the story.
A LOOK INSIDE MY TOY BOX
Recently several people have enquired as to my background with regard to Vintage motorcycling and because at this very moment I have a tutor trying to hone my computer skills we both decided that there was no time like the present to outline my motorcycling background, so here goes.
My father, Alfred Andrew 'Andy' Thomson, a lifetime motorcyclist, was called up for WW2 service at aged 19 and in uniform he was involved in the impressing of motorcycles, from civilian ownership, for army use.
This and the war-time scrap metal drives that further depleted the stocks of early motorcycles led him to decide to try and preserve what he could of New Zealand's Motorcycling Heritage when he got out of the Army.
Very little value was put on that 'Old Junk' and with so many men not coming back from overseas such a lot of what would be valuable today either went to the local scrap metal dealer or to the local tip. Getting rid of 'Bad Memories' I suppose but it was into this sort of climate that Dad started his quest to preserve our motorcycling history.
Starting in the late 1940's he initially collected any pre 1920 motorcycles and any pre 1930 Harleys he could find. Harleys were his passion, and he soon became known as that man from Palmerston North who will pay you for that old motorcycle that nobody wants anymore and is just cluttering up your back shed. He now had the proverbial 'Tiger by the tail' and boy-o-boy was that tiger moving at a furious pace.
The collection expanded at a great rate but it must also be realised that over 50% over what Dad collected was destined for either scrap metal or the tip.
One episode saw him calling into the North Island H.D. Importers, 'Jones Brothers' in Wellington, to find them loading new old stock spares into trucks and sending them to the Rongotai airport reclamation for burial.
Dad was in Wellington in a 7 ton truck to deliver some of our wool clip to the wool stores for sale and consequently enquired if he could load his empty truck up with some of this redundant stock. He was given the ok and bought home about 4 tons of Harley spares returning the next day for a second load. By the time he got home and rang up to see if he could go back for a third load he was told, "Sorry, too late, it's all gone now." but at least he saved about 6 to 8 tons out of something like 100 to 150 tons that went for burial. Not all of it was Harley spares but it was a crying shame that so much NEW stuff was just dumped.
This is the sort of atmosphere that in 1948 I was born into, so consequently all my life has been spent in and around vintage motorcycles. At age 12, with the help of my father, I purchased my first motorcycle, a 1934 VL Harley, for the princely sum of 5 pounds, (Equivalent today to $5.00 N.Z. dollars) and still have that motorcycle today.
Over the years much of my spare time has been spent seeking out motorcycles of one sort or other, both in the company of my father, on my own and with Jennifer, my wife of 36 years. The stories about the people I've met and the sheds I've been into would fill a book and if my two children are to be listened to, I should write a book about these hi-jinks. Who knows? Maybe one day.
Into the 1980's and by now myself and my two brothers started to influence Dad as to the type of motorcycle we would like to preserve and this resulted in the collection expanding into the machines of the 1950's, 60's and 70's.
In 1990 with the collection now numbering close on 300 machines it was decided to build a purpose built shed for the collection and this was completed in 1992 much to Dads delight.
All too soon, it seems, in 2002 Dad was killed in a motor vehicle accident and suddenly he wasnít there anymore. All the knowledge that he had stored away up top was gone and yes we did try on many occasions to try and get him to record it either verbally or written but he was just one of those people who would have none of that.
After a lot of negotiations with my brothers the collection came totally into my ownership and care, so it's down to me to ensure the legacy of Andy Thomson lives on.
Here are a couple of photos that will give you a 'LOOK INTO MY TOY BOX' and anybody visiting the area is more than welcome to come and look in my Toy Box.
In memory of Alfred Andrew Thomson, 1921 to 2002
A LOOK INSIDE MY TOY BOX
Recently several people have enquired as to my background with regard to Vintage motorcycling and because at this very moment I have a tutor trying to hone my computer skills we both decided that there was no time like the present to outline my motorcycling background, so here goes.
My father, Alfred Andrew 'Andy' Thomson, a lifetime motorcyclist, was called up for WW2 service at aged 19 and in uniform he was involved in the impressing of motorcycles, from civilian ownership, for army use.
This and the war-time scrap metal drives that further depleted the stocks of early motorcycles led him to decide to try and preserve what he could of New Zealand's Motorcycling Heritage when he got out of the Army.
Very little value was put on that 'Old Junk' and with so many men not coming back from overseas such a lot of what would be valuable today either went to the local scrap metal dealer or to the local tip. Getting rid of 'Bad Memories' I suppose but it was into this sort of climate that Dad started his quest to preserve our motorcycling history.
Starting in the late 1940's he initially collected any pre 1920 motorcycles and any pre 1930 Harleys he could find. Harleys were his passion, and he soon became known as that man from Palmerston North who will pay you for that old motorcycle that nobody wants anymore and is just cluttering up your back shed. He now had the proverbial 'Tiger by the tail' and boy-o-boy was that tiger moving at a furious pace.
The collection expanded at a great rate but it must also be realised that over 50% over what Dad collected was destined for either scrap metal or the tip.
One episode saw him calling into the North Island H.D. Importers, 'Jones Brothers' in Wellington, to find them loading new old stock spares into trucks and sending them to the Rongotai airport reclamation for burial.
Dad was in Wellington in a 7 ton truck to deliver some of our wool clip to the wool stores for sale and consequently enquired if he could load his empty truck up with some of this redundant stock. He was given the ok and bought home about 4 tons of Harley spares returning the next day for a second load. By the time he got home and rang up to see if he could go back for a third load he was told, "Sorry, too late, it's all gone now." but at least he saved about 6 to 8 tons out of something like 100 to 150 tons that went for burial. Not all of it was Harley spares but it was a crying shame that so much NEW stuff was just dumped.
This is the sort of atmosphere that in 1948 I was born into, so consequently all my life has been spent in and around vintage motorcycles. At age 12, with the help of my father, I purchased my first motorcycle, a 1934 VL Harley, for the princely sum of 5 pounds, (Equivalent today to $5.00 N.Z. dollars) and still have that motorcycle today.
Over the years much of my spare time has been spent seeking out motorcycles of one sort or other, both in the company of my father, on my own and with Jennifer, my wife of 36 years. The stories about the people I've met and the sheds I've been into would fill a book and if my two children are to be listened to, I should write a book about these hi-jinks. Who knows? Maybe one day.
Into the 1980's and by now myself and my two brothers started to influence Dad as to the type of motorcycle we would like to preserve and this resulted in the collection expanding into the machines of the 1950's, 60's and 70's.
In 1990 with the collection now numbering close on 300 machines it was decided to build a purpose built shed for the collection and this was completed in 1992 much to Dads delight.
All too soon, it seems, in 2002 Dad was killed in a motor vehicle accident and suddenly he wasnít there anymore. All the knowledge that he had stored away up top was gone and yes we did try on many occasions to try and get him to record it either verbally or written but he was just one of those people who would have none of that.
After a lot of negotiations with my brothers the collection came totally into my ownership and care, so it's down to me to ensure the legacy of Andy Thomson lives on.
Here are a couple of photos that will give you a 'LOOK INTO MY TOY BOX' and anybody visiting the area is more than welcome to come and look in my Toy Box.
In memory of Alfred Andrew Thomson, 1921 to 2002
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