Hilary has once again worked his particular brand of magic with his latest offerings..
The Henry Burton track frame is, as Hilary states, a very attractive one..and it looks even better in its all-chrome livery. I am a particular fan of Henry's frames...There's not too many about, but everyone I have seen has had something special to recommend it.
Take this track frame..OK Prugnat plain long-points..nothing to get ecstatic about ..but it is a track frame after all and these tend not to be too showey...But look at the wrap-over top-eyes..sheer class. Another Burton frame turned up a few weeks ago..another gem..and yet another variation on the top-eye theme...very long and very deeply fluted..or should that be furrowed.
A couple of years or so ago I had a natter with Ernie Witcomb whose company in Tanners Hill London made frames for quite a few companies including EA Boult and..Henry Burton...or so the story went. However about six months ago I was on the phone to the Burton offspring who currently runs this family-orientated shop. I was seeking some transfers for a couple of my Henry Burtons. Evidently the business did make a lot of its own frames..and the jig and some tooling have only just be sold ..or cleared out to make room in the backroom for more Chinese carbon-fibre c**p. It seemed as though the family had just parted with a loved-one..
The Hawkes of London frame is another attractive frame from this small-scale artisan builder. The company..or its builder liked to tweak ie reprofile Nervex Pro l,ugs, particularly the MK ll versions..and the fork crowns. Hilary had a very pretty frame a year or so back that was bought, I think by someone on the List..Hilary couldn't be quite sure as to the maker as the frame had no transfers..but I suggested that it probably was either a Hawkes of London..or a Wally Green...or one of my early efforts from the 50s..as many of us tweaked lugs such as Nervex..but more so Oscar Egg ones.The lugs on this frame are Mkl ones, untweaked I think, but the work on the crown is definitely in typical Hawkes style..or should that be Wally Green style..Does anyone know if Wally built for Hawkes at any time?
Just to confirm that Hilary did not put me up to this marketing exercise..it was purely voluntary as I think that more Listers should know and appreciate Henry Burton and Hawkes frames...far more interesting than many of the much-vainted and over-egged better known marques.
Norris Lockley
Settle UK