Born in Northam in 1945, Phil Bristow-Stagg showed early talent for cycling and in 1960 joined Evan Strudwick and Dave Melvin as WA representatives at the Australian Schoolboys Championships in Adelaide. Finishing school, Phil relocated to Midland to take up a fitter and turner apprenticeship at the Midland Railway workshops. He was reunited with Strudwick, also apprenticed at Midland. The duo often left their ‘Flashs’ in the bike racks and trained together on the Fremantle or Greenmount Hills loops after work.

Phil dreamt of getting a place in the 1966 Commonwealth Games cycling team which was only open to amateurs. This dream required single minded determination as well as family and employer support. Evan on the other hand, needed to ride as a professional to supplement his apprenticeship wage.

Phil was primarily known as a track rider, winning Track Champion of Champions in 1964, 65 and 66. He was also a brilliant road rider winning many road events including 25mile, 50 mile and 125 mile Road Champion in 1965.

Phil gained a place on the Australian team by taking unpaid leave to travel to Adelaide. When lack of finance threatened fundraising by Floreat Park Cycling Club, and a flagpole meeting organised by Midland Workshops shop steward and firebrand Communist, Jack Marks, saved the day. The money combined with extra leave (plus more leave without pay!) granted by the Commissioner of Railways saw Phil achieve his goal of representing his country.

Phil, riding his Flash in the Kingston, Jamaica Games, took Silver in the 1000m Time Trial, second only to Trevor Gibbon, an unofficial world record holder.

In 1966 Phil returned from Jamaica and married his fiancée Jocelyn Perks and was also drafted under the National Service Act into the 8th intake in 1967, being 20 Platoon D Company based in Puckapunyal Victoria, bound for Vietnam.

On returning from to Perth Phil started his hydraulics career in 1969 with Hydraulics & Pump Service Co. (HAPSCO) and progressed through the company to the position of Service Manager. HAPSCO was taken over in 1979 and integrated with Sandmac Engineering. In 1986 Phil left Sandmac and started his own business, fluid power consultancy P.B.S Engineering.

Phil Bristow Stagg died in 2014 leaving his wife and three daughters.

Viv Cull and Evan Strudwick.
Images courtesy Pat and Bevan Barron