Branch Number 191 of the Vespa Club of Britain           

Bedford Vespa Club

Branch number 138 means that the club was formed around the same time as Luton no. 136 which we believe was in 1957. We are investigating the history of club. If anyone has any knowledge then please contact us. No cog badge is known to have been made/designed. The club probably finished about 1964 when a couple of former members joined the Luton club. We believe some former members joined forces with local Lambretta riders to form a mixed makes club.

(Extract from Vespa News June/July 1963) Competitors from Cambridge, Colchester, Hackney, Hitchin, Ipswich, Luton & Nottingham gathered in the car park of 'The Swan' at Bromham Bedfordshire on Sunday the 28th April for the start of the Bedford Road Trial. The route to be followed was quite an interesting one and was to be covered at an average speed of 22 mph. which provided one kept on course was not difficult. The whole of the trial was marked out by a simple route card which was easily followed provided of course that instructions were adhered to. Check points of both the open and secret variety were scattered over the course, at which questions mainly on the highway code were asked. At one point the course followed a road which ran a short distance down one of the runways at the Royal College of Aeronautics at Cranfield, causing some consternation amongst some competitors. The organisers had also used the old trick of getting the course to run in a circle doubling back on itself, thereby causing competitors to travel back in the direction they had come wondering whether they were in fact on the right road. A break for lunch had been arranged in Ampthill park, which gave competitors time to relax and examine their machines carrying out running repairs! During the lunch break competitors were told of the misfortune of one of the Nottingham competitors who received ankle injuries when one of his tyres 'blew out' shortly after the start of the trial. The afternoon section was similar to the first half with the inclusion of a roughly surfaced section which had to be covered at some considerable speed which proved rather difficult. The results were calculated in time to present the awards soon after the finish of the trial and were as follows: 1st R Pearson Cambridge VC, 2nd P Rose Luton VC,3rd T Whittle Hitchin VC, 4th M Garrett Luton VC. The trial was well organised particularly considering the small number of organisers but they managed to provide competitors with a most interesting and enjoyable day.