Paddington Recreation Ground was the centre for west London cycling not so long ago.
The young Bradley Wiggins had half a dozen pedal turns to get there from his Dibdin House home in nearby Maida Vale.
And before the 2012 Tour winner had really got going, it was the home of top cyclists from all over the globe, particularly Down Under, competing under the Archer Road Club banner.
The club was founded in 1926 as a breakaway from Bayswater Wheelers. Original members met above Teddy Barnes' cycle shop in Archer Road, now 285 Westbourne Grove.
One cycling fan so enamoured with the place recently Tweeted that if she could ‘marry a shop, it would be this one.’
When Archer moved to the Hillingdon Cycle Circuit in Hayes sometime in the late 70s, it ended a tradition of racing around the old track at the Rec.
It was the stomping ground of 1974 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Steve Heffernan as he roared around the outside of a cinder running track where Roger Bannister trained to break the four-minute mile in 1954.
Archer won the British Championships team pursuit in 1973 (bronze), 1974, 1975 and 1976. Heffernan won medals in 1972 (20 km, gold), 1973 (800m grass, gold; 80 km madison, silver), 1974 (individual pursuit, silver; 20 km scratch, bronze), 1975 (individual pursuit, gold; 80 km madison, bronze) and 1976 (individual pursuit, gold; madison, gold).
Other prominent track riders include Malcolm Hill (1974 sprint champion), Robin Croker, Maurice Burton, Dave Le Grys, Dave Brotherton, Shaun Fenwick and Keith Pettican, and not least Gary Wiggins, Bradley’s dad, which made it the obvious club of his choice.
