Alan Lee 1945-2023
Alan Lee (right) and Ken Morrisey (left)
This is a collection of memories of Alan that I have set down after talking to his lifelong friend Ken Morrissey. Alan, his elder brother Trevor and Ken started flying together in 1960, learning to fly control line with Keil Kraft Champs powered by ED Bees. They joined the Sharston Model Flying Club which thrived in Northenden Greater Manchester at that time. They met regularly in the old Hall which had a control line flying site at the back and was also roomy enough to permit indoor round the pole flying too. As their flying skills improved they flew combat and team race and went on coach trips to model flying rallies around the country, Driffield and Church Fenton being a couple of remembered venues.
Alan became very interested in the engines and started repairing them for Club members. His first job was in the engineering department of the North West Electricity Board and that allowed him to start making engine parts too. Around this time the Lee – Morrissey Speed Team was born and their first model was powered by a Dooling 29. Around this time Alan began to make small diesel engines for club members and he also embarked on a science and engineering degree at John Dalton Polytechnic as it was then, Manchester Metropolitan University as it is now.
Alan went to the World Championships at Swinderby in 1966 and met Bill Wisniewski and saw the TWA engine which was a watershed moment for him and he determined to build competition engines, particularly for speed. Some of his earlier engines were the Rattlers that he built for Derek Heaton and Malcolm Ross to use in class B team race. He followed up with a bar stock TWA design with a magnesium pipe which he and Ken used to come 4th in the team trials behind Bill Firbanks, Brian Jackson and Alan Woodlow.
By the 70’s Alan had made record breaking piped 29 and 40 motors for the team. He also built a bar stock piped 60 motor which took the record at the Church Fenton Nationals at 193mph. Over the next few seasons the Lee – Morrissey Speed Team set National records for 049,open 2.5cc, 5cc, 40 ,60 and Jet.
Alan had completed his studies by now and had taken a job at UMIST in the engineering department which brought him into contact with leading edge technology, engineers and scientists. His interest in engines continued unabated, helped by the innovative ideas that surrounded him every day. It was at this time that a couple of things happened, firstly the Sharston Club got permission to fly at the Bellvue Speedway and Stock car track on a Sunday and secondly Alan acquired a Juggernaut pulse jet. A model was built which ran on petrol, Trevor manned the air pump, Ken was on the handle and Alan would start and hand launch the model in spectacular fashion. Alan would be wearing an old trench coat with a layer of asbestos sewn on the front, a pair of welding gloves and a helmet. Often the trench coat would catch fire which was then put out by Trevor with a fire extinguisher. The whole noisy spectacle would draw a crowd from round about (the Zoo was next door) which one time included the manager of the Speedway, who far from being horrified asked the lads to fly the model on speedway nights in the interval for £25 an appearance. As you might imagine this was quite a hit with the crowd and the team were a regular attraction for several months until the attrition rate of models and pulse jets just became too much for Alan to repair. Nevertheless the sight of Alan dramatically hand launching the jet with his trench coat on fire then to be put out by Trevor with the extinguisher was a lasting memory for many. Sadly Trevor passed away in 1979.
Not many people know that Alan also made the prototype Irvine 40 engines for Ron Irvine. Ron saw their potential and with Peter Halman hired, the Irvine Engines team began a long and very successful UK engine manufacturing business.
Alan had other passions too; darts, fishing and motorbikes. After the Sharston Club meetings many of the members would go to the Tatton Arms nearby for a pint and a game of darts. Alan made his own darts and played regularly for many years, in fact he met Polly in the Little Bee in Sale where he was on the men’s team and Polly was on the ladies’ team. Alan also loved to go coarse fishing on the Bridgewater canal and spent many happy hours there. As for motorbikes, Alan rode around Manchester for many years most notably on a Norton Commando.
Alan is survived by his wife Polly and their children Abigail and Joel.
As told to Dick Hart by Ken Morrissey