Most 81-year-olds would be pottering around or just sitting with their feet up, but not Barrow veteran Malc Cookson.

Apart from his interest in motorcycles and boats, he’s just completed a four-year project on his three-wheel hill climb machine, along with organising the regular jazz nights which he now runs at the Malt Kiln in Bardsea.

He’s been ably assisted by his brother Richard from Garstang, who prepared the engine and his good friend Bill Spry from Swarthmoor, who constructed all the bodywork panels.

They did give the project a try a couple of years ago, but were fraught with supercharger/carburation problems.

With help from historic three-wheeler racing exponent Sid Ormrod from Silverdale, who brought a vast amount of welding knowledge with him that he’d gained racing his own three-wheeler.

The trio seem to have resolved the problem and recently had the engine running a lot cleaner.

Sid himself, who we featured recently on this page, has had a fantastic season with his new Mini Cooper-engined three-wheeler, winning Vintage races and Hill Climb events all over the country.

I for one am looking forward to see the duo going head-to-head on the Leighton Hall strip on Sunday.

For the technically minded, the chassis is built on the Morgan V twin design with the difference being Malc`s engine is located at the rear.

It sports a mini front end powered by a 1972 980cc supercharged parallel twin shaft drive BMW engine with a five-speed gearbox from a motorcycle, making it eligible for Vintage and Classic events.

Whilst developing the BMW, he has been racing his 250 MZ motorcycle at other events and not without success either - earlier this year at the Hoghton Tower Hill Climb near Preston, he collected an award for second place in his class.

If things go well at Leighton, he intends to contest the Catterick Speed Hill Climb next month.

The Leighton event has got bigger every year and organisers tell me the course, which has been extended, has attracted a good entry of solo machines, with many local competitors taking part.

There are the usual displays from various motorcycle clubs, onsite parking and the £8.50 admission charge admits you to the gardens and tea rooms at the hall too. Just follow the signs on the A6 a couple of miles south of Beetham.

Due to the nature of the course layout, spectators can’t be admitted until 9am, so don’t arrive too early and, for obvious reasons, no dogs are permitted. Practice starts at 9:30 am with racing from 1pm. See you there.

*The Bootle Scrambles Club held round four of their championship on the Fell Green Courses near Bootle last Sunday.

Club stalwarts had marked out several courses for competitors. Thankfully, the rain that threatened held off apart from a couple of showers.

The closest finish took place on the Experts Course, as local rider Jake Gowan took the win from Grasmere’s Stephen Dixon by just one mark.

Results

Experts Course: 1. Jake Gowan (Beta, Bootle, 11), 2. Stephen Dixon (Scorpa, Grasmere, 12), 3. James Johnson (Scorpa, Coniston, 19).

Normal Course: 1. Jake Dixon (Scorpa, Grasmere, 21), 2. Luke Furness (Beta, Kendal, 24) 3. George Armstrong (Gas Gas, Silecroft, 30).

Clubmans Course: 1. Pete Blowers (Scorpa, Walney, 15), 2. A Southward (Vertigo, Grizebeck, 30), 3. Paul Anderson (Montesa, Barrow, 37).

The club would like to thank all the volunteer officials who made the event possible.

*I attended the Millom Car & Motorcycle Show on the Thwaites Village Hall playing field last Sunday afternoon.

Sadly, the overcast weather deterred many would-be visitors and exhibitors. However, those that did attend were treated to an excellent display of classic cars, motorcycles and tractors of all marques and ages.

Barrow’s Harry Hawkins had two of his home-built three-cylinder Yamahas that he’d converted from twins on the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club stand, alongside an immaculate four-cylinder 1,000cc GS 1000 Suzuki that picked up an award in its class.

Nearby, a good selection of Velocettes, Nortons, BSA`s and Triumphs shared the display area with both vintage and modern machines.

At the end of the day, former TT and Manx Grand Prix winner Frank Whiteway presented the awards, having himself ridden there on his recently restored Classic T200 Suzuki.

*My congratulations to Flookburgh’s classic racers Bill and Derek Butler.

Derek retained his lead in the Preston and District Motorcycle Club’s 500cc Classic Championship with two more wins on the tight Three Sisters circuit near Wigan recently.

Only 0.274 seconds separated Derek from the runner-up and it puts him in the running to retain the title he won last year.

It’s good to see his brother Bill back on the tracks and he came away with two creditable second placings in the 250cc Classic races after a season-long lay-off.

Looking for somewhere to go tomorrow night with like-minded motorcyclists?

The Charity Bikers Group are holding another party night at their HQ at 100 Church Street here in Barrow starting from 7pm til late.

There’s free admission with free hot dogs and disco. A donation to the charity tins on the bar would be appreciated.