In the first few months of 1979, Tom Herron was at the dizzy heights of his chosen profession.

Partnering Barry Sheene and Steve Parrish in the Texaco Heron Suzuki GB team and riding superbly in the 500cc World Championship, his already widely held reputation as one of the Grand Prix world's top riders was growing with every race outing, and the prospect of another factory contract for Tom was virtually assured for 1980 and beyond.

Away from the battle for the Blue Riband World Championship, the talented Ulsterman had also come to the attention of the movie world and was approached to take part in a new motorcycle racing film. 

Silver Dream Racer starred musician, singer-songwriter and actor David Essex who wrote the music for the film, and himself a bike enthusiast, as Nick Freeman a motorcycle racer who, following the death of his brother, inherits a revolutionary prototype motorcycle (a starring role for a Barton Suzuki two-stroke,square four cylinder).

With action sequences due to be filmed during the middle part of the 1979 season at Donington Park and the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the film also featured such stars as Beau Bridges (son of Lloyd Bridges) as Suzuki rider Bruce McBride, Cristina Raines, Clarke Peters and the popular British actor Harry H Corbett of Steptoe and Son fame.
It was for Bridges that Tom was lined up to provide the stunt riding in the film.

However, the tragic events at the 1979 North-West 200 would dictate that it wasn't to be.
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In 2012 David Essex told Tom Herron - An Appreciation:

'It was a great tragedy Tom was killed, he was one of the world's best riders.'  







Main Photo
Cristina Raines and Beau Bridges in a scene from Silver Dream Racer.
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With thanks to David Essex.
Tom'TW'Herron.com
November 2012