I am 58 years young and originally from Epsom, Surrey. My Birth Certificate says ‘Howard’ but I’m known by many as ‘Bob’.

My working life began as a car mechanic, but I quickly became bored by the job. For a while I worked as a welder at a sheet metal company. But I aspired to have my own exhaust centre, and I achieved this in 1977 but struggled for five years with the massive South London overheads. Moved to Wisbech in 1984, and started a lawnmower repair business. Unfortunately the onset of rheumatoid arthritis forced a change of occupation and, desk-bound, I was employed by two Local Authorities for ten years until I began working for Stewart at SRS Norton at the beginning of last year. I still have the pernicious RA, but bench work is not too difficult for me. I now describe myself as a ‘Metal Worker’. My work with Stu is predominately fabrication and welding.

I’ve been involved in motor/motorcycle sport (off and on) most of my adult life. Cars: hill climbing; sprinting; grass track racing. Motorcycles: 1/4 mile sprinting. My current sprint bike is a 97cc Yamaha, which I built in 2005 (see attached photos)and am still developing. Quickest time over the quarter mile is 15.28 and my fastest 1/4 mile terminal speed is 85.7 mph. I build my own frames and most of the cycle parts, and I also tune my own engines.