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Nacelle Report – Mar 26

Below is the report published in the March 2026 issue of Nacelle, which covered Branch activities in January 2026

With snowdrops and daffodils blooming on verges and in gardens, these sentinels of spring promise winter is in the rear view mirror and warmer roads ahead.  Weekly ride-outs are still well attended even though the weather, at times, remind us that it’s still well and truly winter.

Mid-winter rides call for many layers and God bless heated grips!
 

From a recent committee meeting I was actioned to relay the following advice:  A branch member was in need of a special tool for his Meriden twin and spoke to a committee member regarding the purchase of the tool for the branch’s use.  Well it was assumed by said committee member that the branch member had consulted the tooling register for an existing tool and/or contacted Mike Ryall, Tooling Registrar and subsequently gave the “go-ahead”.  On presenting the tool and receipt for refund it was discovered, you’ve guessed it, the tool already existed on the register, so now we have 2 off.  The lesson to learn here is, please check the register on the branch website, Go Menu, Resources, Tools, here, TOMCC Berkshire Club Tools (latest version shown); or, of course, check with Mike Ryall.  Please, before you purchase a tool on behalf of the branch, check, because you may well be disappointed…. Action complete.

A typical register page of branch tooling that members can borrow for free!

Now coming up on 5th March, at the BCSA, is a presentation by John Bottomley: “The evolution of the motorcycle”.  John was well received with his presentation last year and we asked him back.  This time he chronicles inventions and innovations necessary for the development of the motorcycle (including cars), starting in 3400BCE.  My first thought was that must refer to the “Flintmobile” that Fred drove!  However, I could be proved wrong…

Ride fast and safe

Bibendum 

Ride to Departure Lounge – Feb 26

Setting of for the ride from 3 Mile Cross

On a cold, but dry February morning, six members rode out to the Departure Lounge Cafe near Alton, the only cafe we know with an aircraft fuselage attached. Here are some photos of the ride.

With their bikes at the start of the ride
Our bikes in the lounge car park
Outside the cafe
In the cafe

John Bottomley – Evolution of the motorcycle

John Bottomley will be giving a presentation to the TOMCC Berkshire Branch and invited guests on Thursday 5 March 2026, starting at 8pm at the BCSA.

John will chronicle the Inventions and Innovation necessary for the development of a motorcycle starting in 3400 BC and finishing in early 20th Century when the audience can then add their own knowledge and motoring experience . It is focused on motorcycles but does apply to cars. John will use a few examples of machines, but it is not a chronology of early bikes , or cars.

John is a former engineer and has ridden motorcycles off-road and on the track all his adult life. He also started the motorcycle team at Brooklands Museum. 

John gave an excellent presentation to us last year on GP Racing Development which was well attended and everybody enjoyed it. So we’re looking forward to another great evening with John.

Nacelle Report – Feb 26

Below is the report published in the February 2026 issue of Nacelle, which covered Branch activities in December 2025

Well, I hope everyone is settled into 2026 and haven’t broken any resolutions made (rashly in some cases, like my own) on NYE!

December 7th saw a cool, damp, Reading Toy Run.  This was well attended by branch members who were either marshalling or joining in the fun on the run itself.  Well done to all who made the effort to make a difference to under-privileged children across the region.

Branch members meeting prior to the Reading Toy Run.

On the final club night of 2025, at the BCSA, we held our annual festive Christmas buffet.  An event gratis to branch members + 1.  Quite simple cuisine was served by BCSA’s new caterers and feedback from those in attendance would be appreciated.  Just make your comments (sensible please!) known to any committee member.  These will be reviewed at the next committee meeting to seek improvements for this year’s event.  Whatever your thoughts, there was the usual raffle with great prizes, were you lucky enough to win one?

Christmas festivities underway at the annual FREE buffet!

Just because the weather can be rather inclement, Sunday ride-outs continue, so if you need to blow some cobwebs out of either you or your bike why not join in the fun…

The Magnificent Seven warming up at Court Hill Centre on 2025’s final ride-out.

Get your diaries ready to note the date of the Branch AGM on 12th February.  Please consider joining the committee, we’re short of members and some are currently covering more than one role.  It’s your branch so why not join the committee where you can influence its future.

Ride fast and safe.

Bibendum

Ride to Army Flying Museum – Jan 26

High chairs provided a handy place to put our helmets

A cold, foggy morning saw 6 members set off for the Army Flying Museum in Middle Wallop again.

In the cafe
In the car park

We have often ridden there and just gone to the cafe. This time Graham went round the museum as well and found some bikes amongst the flying machines as you can see from the photos below.

Here is a video of the ride shot with multiple on board cameras. Take a look.

Joining the Branch Committee

We need new people to join the Branch Committee to enable the Branch to continue when existing members step down, where existing committee members are covering more than one role or just because having new people join from time to time helps to keep things fresh.

We are a very active Branch and there are a lot of things to organise each year. See this video for a summary of what the Branch does in a typical year or check out the Events page on this website to see what we are doing this currently.

All this takes some organising, and a lot of Branch members contribute in various ways, but there are usually some key people who are critical to making something happen. Some things need continuity, like managing the Branch’s accounts or looking after the Branch’s collection of tools and they really need dedicated effort from one person. The point of having a committee is for the main people organising things to communicate with other, coordinate their activities and collectively agree on what to do. See this description of the current roles on the committee. However, those roles are only a guide. The way the work is divided up has changed in the past to reflect what different people are able to contribute, so we could do that again if needed.

We typically have about six committee meetings a year, which last about two hours each and are held at the BCSA, usually on a Tuesday evening. In addition, the committee has a dedicated Whatsapp group and we also communicate with each other by email.

So if there is something that you could do and you can come to committee meetings, why not stand to be on the committee? You need to be a Full Member of the Branch and must be nominated by two other Full Members at any of the Thursday club nights leading up to the AGM on the nomination sheet that is on the notice board by the bar. There is then a vote at the AGM when the committee is elected. If that all sounds a bit daunting, have a chat to one or more of the existing committee members on a Thursday night and they will be able help you.

Bring & Buy Sale 2026 – photos

We held a Bring & Buy sale at our Thursday Club night on the 15 January 2026 . There was a good turnout of people and a wide variety of motorcycle related paraphernalia on sale from: motorcycle parts, tools, books, magazines and clothing. Some old motorcycle magazines dating back to the 1930’s and 1940’s one sale raised a lot of interest. It was fascinating to read through the advertisements from so long ago. There was hot food and drinks as always, an opportunity to chat to other members. Plenty of people came end enjoyed browsing and seeing if they could grab a bargain.

Here are some photos of the event.

First rides in 2026

Very cold weather meant that we did not have a Branch ride on New Year’s Day this year. A ride was organised for the first Sunday, the 4th of January, but the day before, the forecast was showing as low as -8C in the night and -2C mid Sunday morning, so most members were reluctant to venture out on their bikes. In the end, two hardy members did meet up for a ride down to Lasham Gliding Club Cafe, and ended up enjoying themselves.

Two members’ bikes in sub-zero conditions at Lasham

The following week it was cold, but at least it was above zero, and five members went for a ride to the Spitfire Cafe at Popham Airfield and a sixth went by car and met them there.

In Popham Cafe
In Popham Cafe
In Popham car park

At least we’ve started the 2026 riding season and we hope for some milder weather in the coming weeks.

Review of 2025

Our stand at British Superbikes at Thruxton – August 2025

As 2025 comes to a close, lets look back at some of the great times Berkshire TOMCC members had together this year.

  • Our Bring & Buy sale for motorcycle stuff
  • Our first ride of the year in the freezing cold
  • Talk from TOMCC Registrar
  • First ride to a new location
  • Talk on MotoGP technology
  • Ride to Cherry Tree Lane
  • At the start of the Easter Egg Run
  • Our stand at Bulldog Triumph’s season launch
  • Blood bikes at our May bike meet
  • Enjoying the sunshine on a Sunday ride out
  • Thruxton 70’s themed retro event
  • Wednesday ride-outs become a regular feature
  • Winner at out Old Motorcycle Gathering
  • Our summer BBQ
  • Presenting the award for Best Branch Members Bike
  • Ride out to Triumph Day at the Ace Cafe
  • Start of another ride-out
  • Triumph Day at Sammy Millers Museum
  • Our stand at the BSB at Thruxton
  • Another Sunday Ride-out
  • On parade at the Swallowfield Show
  • Our September Bike meet
  • Displaying our new video at the club
  • Autumn Sunday ride out
  • Riding Route 66 talk
  • Another ride out to Thruxton
  • Prize winners at our quiz night
  • Winter ride out to Army Flying Museum
  • Reading Toy Run
  • Christmas Buffet
  • Last ride of the year

We’re looking forward to more fun on our Triumphs in 2026 with more rides, lots of events at the BCSA and trips to others shows and events during the year.

Click on the video below for our wishes for the New Year.

We’re planning lots of fun things for next year and they’ll be added to the events page on this site once they are confirmed. See 2026 events for the latest confirmed events.

Rides in 2025

We had a really good year’s riding in 2025 with a record 79 organised Branch rides made up of 43 weekend ride-outs, normally Sunday mornings, and 36 midweek ride-outs. We also had more people leading rides, We ride all the year round whenever the weather is reasonable. All members are welcome to come on any Branch ride which are arranged through a Whatsapp Group.

See the video below for some highlights of our rides in 2025.