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Old School BMX 1980 - 1988 => Old School Race (riders ready, pedals ready... GO!!) => Topic started by: mike pardon on July 18, 2006, 06:23 PM
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Alans Woods dad has just passed away. i think it would be best if i just post some words from alan regarding his dad and a brief outline of the life he led.
Arthur Woods
1930-2006
As much I knew this was coming, it doesn't make it any easier to write. Arthur passed away in the early hours of morning on Thursday 13th July, the official cause of death was motor neuron (which he had been diagnosed with for many years) & pneumonia. He had been in hospital for about a month. Here is a little bit about him, purely from my own perspective.
Speedway
Not everyone knows this but Arthur was a top Sweedway rider who rode for Belle Vue in the 40's and 50's. As he was in the Army at the time so he rode under the pseudonym of Louis Lawson. In 1949 he finished third in the World Championship:
From: http://www.exeter-falcons.demon.co.uk/1949.html
"The big event of the year was of course the re-introduction of the World Championship after 10 years, the British Riders' Championship having provided three very good substitute events in 1946, 1947 and 1948. The story of the 1949 final is now a proud part of English speedway history, Tommy Price became the first Englishman to win the title, Jack Parker and Louis Lawson filled the 2nd and 3rd places for an England 1-2-3. The final certainly created some interest for the capacity 93,000 crowd who found tickets as hard to obtain as F.A. Cup Final tickets, such was the popularity of speedway in 1949".
Work
Arthur ran a Haulage and Breakdown Recovery business in Lowton, Lancs and then at Stephen’s Way Wigan. Certainly not fazed at a career change, he fancied a hotel and after almost buying one in Scotland, he took on the Globe Hotel in Whitehaven, Cumbria. I guess this didn’t work out as about a year later we were hauled back to the North West where he tried his hand at running a Fish and Chip shop. He finally settled at his car repair garage in Hindley which ran until his ‘retirement’ in the late 80’s.
Schoolboy Motocross
At the end of 1975 we saw a piece on Schoolboy Motocross in a national newspaper and he encouraged me to find out more. From what I remember we got ahold of Ralph Venables’ book 'Schoolboy Scrambling', knowing no-one in the sport we headed to Doug Hacking's in Bolton, bought a Kawasaki KM90 trail bike with the lights removed and I learnt to ride it the next day. One week later we did our first race with North West Schoolboys at a track in Nantwich. From then on we raced almost every weekend from 1976 to the beginning of 1981.
BMX
Towards the end of 1980 we became aware of BMX. He contacted Peter Lee (father of John) and helped to launch the Chorley track in 1981. In 1982 Arthur became chainman of UK BMX, a representative of the IBMXF, and ran the association from his premises in Hindley. Around the same time he campaigned for and built almost single-handedly the famous track at Three Sisters, Ashton in Makerfield. This track went on to hold National event every year until the early 90's and hosted a round of the Channel 4 televised Kellog’s BMX series in 1984 and there are currently moves afoot the get the track rebuilt to it’s former glory.
Motocross again
By the mid 90's there became an increasing amount of interest in older motocross bikes, both restorations and racing them as well. This suited us down to the ground, and I think these were the times I look back on with the fondest memories. He loved working on the bikes and he did such a great job he restored a number of bikes which we sold on - mostly YZ's and CR's, the majority of which are being raced at Vintage motocross events to this day. His attention to detail was amazing, he was able to build his own wheels and did all his own painting and engine work.
Helping others
Arthur helped so many people in so many ways without ever thinking about recognition or reward. Countless people came to for his advice and his engineering knowledge. He will be missed.
Funeral details
WIGAN CREMATORIUM
CEMETERY ROAD INCE WIGAN LANCASHIRE WN3 4NN
01942 866 455
1.30pm Thursday 20th July
respects to the woods family from all......
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r.i.p
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Condolences and best wishes to Alan and his family. Always a very sad time, even when it's anticipated.
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Condolences to his family R.I.P.
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arthur will be sadly missed
our thoughts are with the woods family
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Terrible news.
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arthur has served me gear for years bmx stuff skateboard gear bauer skates i remember going to there shop at hindley mill la before they moved to wigan i still have stickers from that shop he always ran the shop when alan wasnt around .
R.I.P
MR A WOODS
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Sad news and my thoughts are with you and Yours Alan
RIP Arthur
Rich
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Alan,sorry to hear the bad news,my thoughts are with you.
Regards Dave Brick
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r.i.p mr woods thoughts with his family
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My condolences Alan, my thoughts are with you and your family.
R.I.P Arthur.
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My thoughts are with you all, a true gentleman..R.I.P.
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Our thoughts are with you.
Bren.
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Very sorry to hear that news Alan. Must be a very difficult time. My thoughts are with you.
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God bless ! and good night !! thoughts with alan and his family at this very sad time ....... lee
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Our condolances to Arthurs family.He was a truly great man who inspired many from the early bmx days until the present. The pioneer for Robinson Bikes in the UK. A comfort is that he is with the Late Chuck Robinson who I know had great respect for Arthur and his family.
No words can describe what the woods family are going through but to know that Arthur was loved and respected in the BMX world must make them very proud to be a part of his life.
God bless.
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I'm so sorry to hear this news. Although I haven't spoken to Arthur for some years, he has often been in my thoughts. He appears many times in our photos and cine film, and I have very fond memories of him.
R.I.P. Arthur, you will always remain in my thoughts. The memories I have of you, you will always make me smile. God bless you and sincere condolences to your family.
Lou
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Our thoughts are with alan and his family R.I.P.
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Can I just say how touched I am by your kind words and flowers from the oldschool community, my mum was here tonight the day before the funeral, and we read through your posts. Again many thanks, Arthur would have been chuffed you all remembered him so fondly. Thanks again.
Alan.
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my thoughts are with you and your family Alan.
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Alan ,
My thoughts are with you & your family at this time .
R.I.P. Arthur
Matt
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Really sorry to here this sad news Alan.....sincerest condolences to you and your family.
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Sad news, condolences to Alan and his family at this trying time.
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Its hard to know what to say about Arthur,
he was my first point of contact on entering the bmx emporium that was Alans in Hindley when i was a 14 year old boy on my dinner break from school. Me and my mates Dave Westwell, Andy Bennett used to go and gaze through the window and drool over the fantastic bikes in the showroom.
He always greeted us with a friendly "hello" and listened patiently to our clueless questions.
Covered in oil after crawling out from some car bonnet to listen to a bunch of schoolkids ask "what does this do mister?
"how fast can it go?"
He walked with a limp, and his limp was caused by excelling in a hardcore sport like speedway. I wish we had known this then maybe we could have respected him even more..
I never knew that our relationship would grow to me being sponsored for many years by his son (Alan). The start of a professional BMX career which now ends up 25 years later, again being sponsored by ALAN..
So many happy memories i hold dear, are down to Arthur, races in Belgium, Holland, travelling all over the country in his smoking diesel wagon.
The races at Chorley and three sisters are always special times.
His legacy will long be remembered and now iam sure he wil look down from up above and laugh as it heads into the olympics
and shout "pedal lads pedal"
see ya later Arthur and thanks for your friendship,
from Mike Pardon
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My thoughts go out to you and your family at this hard time.
God speed Arthur
Mark
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My thoughts are with you and your family Alan.
Dave
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my heart is very heavy today...
i'll always remember him being such a big big part of bmx in the early years .... and traveling to the races in the back of the owd blue van ..... happy memories at such a sad time
R.i.p Athur
and my condolences to Alan and family
Tony Law
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My condolensces to Alan and his family.Arthur Woods did an enormous amount for BMX in this country,taking it from an underground hobby to a fully fledged
sport recognised by the sports council.
Thankyou Arthur for all the hard work you put in,and also for giving us Alan who is still working in the sport,helping kids after 26 years.
RIP
Simon Hayes
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Sincere condolences to Alan and his Family in this difficult time.
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My thoughts are with you and yours Alan.
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RIP ARTHUR . THERE WAS NO CHRISTMAS IN WIGAN IF IT WAS NOT FOR HIM HE MADE THOUSANDS OF KIDS DREAMS COME TRUE.
ANOTHER GREAT MAN OF THE BMX WORLD GONE.CONDOLENCES TO ALAN AND FAMILY. DAVE OWENS
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Thoughts are with the Woods family, very sad news.
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my thoughts are with the woods family , absolutely gutted to read this . this man made my birthday and christmas dreams come true every year , would go out of his way to help my mum make me happy with what she bought me . used to be made up to go into the old shop and see him sat in the back room building a bike up , rest in piece pal . ( gutted ) m wilcock
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I know its late but I have only just found out . Arthur Woods was a great bloke and looked after Terry and myself bitd. We stayed at the Woods house countless times when we rode for Alan and he really was a great bloke. I was gutted when I saw this thread and my heart goes out to Alan and his family.
I remember we were going down the motorway on our way to do a Torker demo and we had been going for about an hour towing the ramps on a trailer when Alan said that looks like my dads car behind us , sure enough it was Arthur and he was telling us to pull over (no mobiles then) anyway on the hard shoulder it transpired we had driven 70 miles on the motorway with the trailer just balanced on the towbar as Arthur had found the locking pin on the floor after we had left. How it stayed on is a mystery but Arthur saved the day and a serious pile up for sure.
I last saw Arthur a few years ago and he looked just like he did bitd so this news has come as a big shock to me .
Rest in peace Arthur me old mate.
Andy Irwin
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My apologies for the delayed response but I just got an email from Andy about Authur Woods passing away. As Andy explained this has come as a shock. I can't say that I knew him that well but I do recall all the times Andy and I spent with the Woods family Arthur was always happy and enthusiastic, encouraging and guiding Alan towards his dreams.
What more could a son want but love and encouragement, and what more could a father expect but to see his son succeed at what he loves most. Alan was very fortunate to have such a great father, and I know all too well what it is like to lose one. My thoughts go out to Alan and his mum during these difficult times.
Deepest sympathy
Terry Jenkins
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Mike. Please pass on my regards to Alan and the rest of the Woods Gang.The sport wouldn't have been what it was without the old man.
Pete Middleton.