The Huddersfield Scooter Club ...... Established 1984

The "Huddersfield Scooter Club" as we know it now, was formed back in September 1984 following an amicable split from the Delirium Scooter Club.

 

But, as a recent (2009) article in the Huddersfield Examiner details, the club's history started in the 1960's. and will be added to this page.

 

 

 

The earlier "Huddersfield Scooter club" which was formed in late 1973 changed to the "Untouchables" in 1975.

 

 

 

This was to prove to be an unpopular choice as the club split in 1975/6 with the majority of the membership forming the "Colne Valley Luddites" and the "Untouchables" assuming a lesser role on the rallies, but continuing with the noble art of scooter racing .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As usual , scootering friendships survived and the two clubs decided to reform as the "Huddersfield Scooter club - The Revival " in 1978

 

 

About this time  word was spreading within the scene about a certain scooter related film which was being made on the South coast. Northern scooterists were being drafted in as extras for the new film "Quadraphenia" which was released in 1979. The film generated a lot of interest in the scooter scene, but suddenly everyone who rode a scooter was a "mod" . This began a backlash within the scene and as opinions divided the scooter club changed its name to the "Huddersfield Luddites" in 1980. A club with a new attitude. This club carried on untill about 1983 with a small offshoot club the "Suicide squad" appearing briefly. The "Untouchables" also resurfaced from  about 1981/2 with an influx of new, young members.

New scooterists and old began meeting up on rallies and new frienships formed between the scooterists from Huddersfield  and other towns. They had their own history of scooter clubs : suchas the Heckmondwike "Red Lion" , Dewsbury "Fugitives" and Batley "Phoenix 500" . 

 

From this meeting came the "Delirium Scooter club" : the bastard offspring of the clubs from Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley and even 2 dodgy blokes from Halifax.

 

 

  After about 18 months of havoc the Huddersfield contingent decided there was enough support within Huddersfield to start a club in their own right and the club started with eight members which included "Stan" "Hammy" "Batesy" "John A." "Kato" "Shutz" "Routy" and the main instigator, and the first number 1 , a young lad called "Dukesy" , who many of you know as he is still prominent on the scene today.

 

 

The " All New " HSC 1984 Left to right- Routy, Dukesy, Hammy, Stan, Batesy, John Ashcroft, Steve Cato. ( our token Mod ) ....picture taken by Shutzy ( I think )

 

 

 

          Through '84 and '85 the club's numbers waivered, new members came and went and numbers were made up by friends and some "in between clubs" Bradford riders and of course the remainder of the Delirium. The club attended most national rallies and many other more local events as well.

In October 1985 "Dukesy" left the club and Paul "Routy" Routledge took over as number 1, it was around this time that a new load of reprebates including "Snelly" "Wilky" "Philys" "Mick" "Yogi" "Beever" and "Jez" joined the club. They were given the previous members' patches as one of our club rules is that our patches are the property of the club and if anyone leaves they must be returned, which we think makes us even prouder to wear our colours because they are not generally available like some other club patches. When it was decided that all members must have blue and white ( "Town" ) coloured helmets , a common design could not be agreed on, so it was agreed that you could have any design you wanted, as long as it was the same colour of blue and white.

          By 1987 the club had about fifteen members including "Hubbard" "Braif" "Nick" "Scotty" "Russfish" "Kenny" and "Gabriel"  and we were  attending nearly every national rally with full club turnout to rallies including...Scarbrough, Morecambe, Great Yarmouth, Girvan and Dunbar. In fact if you didn't attend a rally you were guaranteed a right bollocking and a serious amount of piss taking at the next meeting. The club once organised it's own rally to the Lake District, as an alternative to a south coast rally.

In 1990 Routy left the club and Snelly took over as number 1, but by 1994, like many others the club was dying on it's feet and at one point we were down to just 5 rally going members, they were...Myself,  (Snelly ) "Wilky", "Pants", "Woody" and "Sid", but we soldiered on and slowly but surely the membership started to increase again.

Snelly stepped down as number 1 in 1999, but is still a member of the club. Jason Taylor took over as number one and he introduced a few changes to the club, including : an annual membership fee, rather than subs with all the money going back to the members either in subsidising B+B’s or T.Shirts or whatever, we also now have a club newsletter every couple of months, legshield banners, our very own-very large club flag and of course this web site, we also had our first yearly shin dig at the end of November 2000 which was a huge success.

During the last 25+ years the club has had many ups and downs, but I think if you asked any member, past or present, they would all say that they have had a  right good laugh while being in the club.

Some of Snelly's personal memories that spring to mind are:  Woody grass-tracking across a  roundabout on the way to Great Yarmouth (no one had told  him he was meant to go around it!!!!). Wilky being threatened with expulsion from the RAC for abusing their relay recovery service. Myself overtaking 4 other scooters (showing off) only to slam into the back of a car on the way to Morecambe. The back up van to Girvan containing a full 3-piece suite (!!!!), 40 gallons of .....erm rather dodgy diesel and various hitch hikers picked up along the way.

Having a bit of a row with another local club at Morecambe which was starting to get nasty when some local lads started to take the piss out of us, where upon all arguments were forgotten as we grouped  together to give the locals a kicking, those were the days.

Originally written by Snelly, ( HSC's longest serving member ) ammended by John Ashcroft  2009 and historically aided by Roman Boryslawski )

If any member ( former or present of any of the clubs mentioned ) would like to add to this history of the club, the please e-mail me at the new address H.S.C@hotmail.co.uk