Defunct Speedway Tracks

 


 
 
The John Chaplin
Photographic Collection
 
John Chaplin is a much respected speedway historian, author and collector.  He has decided to share some of his Photograph collection with us on this page.  Thank you very much John
 
High Beech  Female Riders    Sprouts Elder  Wal Phillips  Tiger Stevenson  USA Pre War  Lionel Van Praag  Tarmac Starting Area  Bluey Wilkinson  Oliver Hart  The White Ghost  Vic Huxley  Goffe & Lloyd   Harley Davidson Peashooters
 
 

High Beech

 1928

 
 
High Beech pits.  Photographed from the hotel This picture shows High Beech on the first day, February 19th 1928
 
 

High Beech 1928 This picture shows High Beech on the first day, February 19th 1928

 
 

High Beech 1928

 
 
High Beech 1928 This picture shows Billy Galloway taking a tumble, again on the first day
 
 
High Beech 1928 The fifth picture shows turn four at High Beech but I have no idea who the rider is
 
 

 
 
 
Promoters
 
 
Johnnie Hoskins (left) and Jack Hill-Bailey at High Beech in 1929
 
 

 
 
Female Riders
 
 

Fay Taylour (left) and Eva Asquwith at Wembley in 1929 both mounted on Douglas DT machines

 
 

 
 
Harley Davidson "Peashooters"
 
 

Roger Frogley on his Harley Davidson Peashooter

 
 

1928 Golden Helmet Winner Frank Arthur aboard a Harley Peashooter

 
 

Jack Bishop at White City aboard what appears to be a Harley Davidson Peashooter

 
 

 
 
Sprouts Elder
 
 
USA's Sprouts Elder is shown in action at Crystal Palace The bike looks like a Douglas DT with a disabled brake drum on the front
 
 

 
 
Vic Huxley
Billy Lamont
& Cecil Brown
 
 

Vic Huxley, Billy Lamont and Cecil Brown

The bike of the late twenties early thirties era The Douglas DT

 
 

 
 
Wal Phillips
 
 

A great photo of Wal Phillips riding a mighty JAP

 
 

 
 
Phil Bishop &
Roger Frogley
 
 
Phil Bishop and Roger Frogley are in action at Lea Bridge
 
 

 
 

Ray Tauser

 
 
 

 
 
Tiger Stevenson
 
 

Tiger Stevenson. moulded to his bike

 
 

 
 

Dick Case

 
 
 

 
 
1938 Australian Test Team
 
 
Australia Test Team 1938 at Wembley The 1938 Australian Test team at Wembley is: Lionel Van Praag in front, from left, Bill Rogers, Eric Collins, Clem Mitchell, Bluey Wilkinson, Ron Johnson, Max Grosskreutz, Charlie Spinks
 
 

 
 
Australian
Frank Arthur
 
 
 

 
 

USA's Pre-War Best

 
 

1937 World Final Wilbur Lamoreaux Jack and Cordy Milne

 
 
The Milnes are in action at New Cross. Cordy and Jack
 
 

Jack and Cordy

 
 

 
 

Syd Edmunds In Action At
High Beech

 
 
 

 
 
Vic Huxley &
Frank Arthur
 
 
Vic Huxley and Frank Arthur shake hands before the Overseas Final of the Star Championship 1929
 
 

 
 
Billy Lamont &
Vic Huxley
 
 
Billy Lamont and Vic Huxley are in action at Wimbledon
 
 

 
 
Jack Parker &
Frank Arthur
 
Jack Parker and Frank Arthur before the start of the fifth and final Test at Wembley in 1932
 
 

 
 
Charlie Spinks, Arthur Atkinson & 
Lionel Van Praag
 
 
Charlie Spinks, Arthur Atkinson and Lionel Van Praag are in action at the first Test of 1938 at Belle Vue
 
 

 
 

1936 Test Action
England v Australia

 
 
 

 
 

1937 Overseas Team The Bike Is A JAP

 
 
 

 
 

Australia's
Lionel Van Praag

 
 

Lionel aboard a 1930's JAP

 
 
 
Lionel in action in the two images shown above
 
 

 
 

Jack Parker &
Bill Kitchen

 
 
 

 
 
1947 Test
England v Australia
 
 

England Australia Test 1947 Aub Lawson, Vic Duggan and Jack Parker

 
 

 
 

1947 Jack Parker
British Champion

 
 
 

 
 

Alec Statham,
Jack Young
Belle Vue
Test Match

 
 
 

 
 

Vic Duggan &
Bill Longley
At Harringay

 
 
 

 
 

1948 Vic Duggan
With
HRH Prince Phillip

 
 
 
 

 
 

Jack Young & An Out Of Shape
Norman Parker

 
 
 
 

 
 

Wembley v Wimbledon

 
 
 
 

 
 

Jack Parker & Tommy Price

 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

England v Australia
Alan Hunt &
Ken Le Breton

 
 
 
 

 
 

Vic Huxley &
Jack Parker

 
 
 
 

 
 

Malcolm Craven

 
 
 
 

 
 

Tommy Price
At Norwich

 
 
 
 

 
 

Geoff Pymar &
Vic Duggan

 
 
 

 
 

Vic Duggan &
Bill Kitchen

 
 
 
 

 
 
Tarmac Starting Area 
 
 
 
 

 
 

Jack Parker &
Vic Duggan

 
 
 

 
 

Bluey Wilkinson

 
 
 
 
Three excellent shots of Bluey Wilkinson. The most striking thing in the above images is how big the wheels were then.  I understand that the change to smaller diameter wheels came in in the late 1950s
 
 

 
 
Unknown Riders?
 
 

Tom Farndon, Bluey Wilkinson.  Can you name the others? John

Bob Bath says: Hi John next to Bluey I reckon is Van Praag then ? then Dick Case then ?-best I can do but the guy between Van Praag and Case sure looks familiar-bet Reg Fearman would know!!!! Cheers.Bob
John says: Thanks Bob, I will email Reg in due course.
Gavin Davis says: Tiger Stevenson and Tommy Croombs.
 
 

 
 

Norman Parker, Lionel Van Praag & Jack Parker

 
 
 

 
 

Billy Lamont,
Frank Arthur
& Vic Huxley

 
 
 

 
 

Max Johnno & Alec Wilks

 
 
 

 
 

1945 Pile Up At
Bradford Odsal

 
 
One of these riders is Wal Morton!
 
 

 
 

Vic Duggan Harringay

 
 

Vic Duggan Harringay. I don't know who the lady was but why was she wearing a dead fox on her shoulder!

 
 

 
 

Jack Young
West Ham &
Split Waterman Harringay

 
 
 

 
 
King Of The
Leg-Trailers
Oliver Hart
 
 
 

Great Photo showing contrasting styles.  Oliver Hart the leg trailer and Bill Kitchen foot forward

 
 

 
 

Benny King, Malcolm Craven
& Tommy Price

 
 
 

 
 
George Newton
New Cross
 
 
I am not old enough to have seen George ride but every photo I have seen of him is spectacular as is the one shown above
 
 

 
 

Aub Lawson

 
 
 

 
 

Tommy Price &
Alan Hunt England

 
 
 

 
 
Pre-War England Test Team
 
 
 

 
 

Ray Duggan & Lionel Van Praag

 
 
 

 
 

1939 Test Match Action

 
 
 

 
 
The White Ghost
 
 
Aussie test star Ken Le Breton wearing the kangaroo over his usually immaculate whites his "top" here appears to be a ribbed woolen jersey?  Not much protection but it looked good!
 
 

Lionel van Praag, Eddie Rigg and Ken LeBreton.  Ken looks to be about to take away the Englishman's leg?

Eddie and Ken were involved in a crash during an Australia v England test match at Sydney Showground in 1951 where Ken succumbed to his injuries and sadly died.  I know they were battling for 3rd place when they crashed.  I have no idea if the above photo was taken during that fateful 1951 test match but it does look likely.
 
 

 
 

Andy Menzies
& Louis Lawson

 
 
 

 
 

Alec, Aub & Lionel

 
 
Only Christian names received for these 3.  I would say they are Alec Statham, Aub Lawson and Lionel van Praag
 
 

 
 

World Championship
Top Three

 
 
Didn't know the 3 riders at first (looks like Lionel van Praag with trophy and Eric Langton 3rd from left) but is that Shrek at far right?  Ok I didn't mean to be offensive, I assume it was the camera angle and flash!  If this is the top three from the 1936 world championship then that must be the 3rd place man Bluey Wilkinson on the left
 
 

 
 

1950 World Final Line Up

 
 
Don't have the full line up but I can see Danny Dunton, Split Waterman, one of the Williams brothers, Ronnie Moore and Jack Parker.  If you can confirm and name the others please send me an email John
 
 

 
 

Eric French &
Ron Johnston

 
 
 

 
 

Wembley's
Tommy Price

 
 
 

 
 

1935 Vic Huxley

 
 
This photo is way up amongst my all time favourite speedway photos
 
 

 
 

Tom Farndon

 
 
 
 

 
 

1936 The First World Final

Heat 1

 
 
 
A very important moment in time.  Heat 1 1936 at Wembley.  The first recognised World Final and Aussie Lionel van Praag came out on top of the meeting and was crowned speedways first official world champion. 
 
 

1936 World Champ
Lionel Van Praag
Presented With The Trophy
by Sir Malcolm Campbell

 
 
 
Sir Malcolm Campbell broke the world land speed record on nine occasions between 1924 and 1935 but no, not on a speedway bike, they were too dangerous for him! Also in the picture was runner-up Englishman Eric Langton
 
 

 
 
1938 World Champion
Bluey Wilkinson 
 
 
 
Arthur George "Bluey" Wilkinson (born 27 August 1911) was Speedway World Champion in 1938 after narrowly missing out on winning the inaugural World Championship in 1936. 
 
 

 
 

Ronnie Moore,
Jack Young
& Fred Williams

 
 
 
 

 
 

1947 Vic Duggan

 
 
 

 
 

1947 England Team

 
 
 
 

 
 
Jack Parker
 
 
 
 

 
 

Aussie
Graham Warren

 
 
 
 

 
 
England's
Tommy Price
Leads Canadian
Eric Chitty 
 
 
 
 

 
 

Goffe & Lloyd 

 
 
 
A great action picture and evidence of the need for modern day dirt deflectors!
 
 

 
 

1949
Wilbur Lamoreaux

 
 
 
Born 26 February 1907 in Roseville, Illinois, USA - (died 11 May 1963) 
 
 

 
 

Jeff Lloyd Inside Oliver Hart

 
 
 
Oliver's trademark his trailing left leg 
 
 

 
 

Alan Hunt Birmingham

 
 
 
 
John Skinner says: My thanks to John Chaplin for deciding to choose my website to display some of his excellent photographs.  Proof if you needed it that the "black n white" era was very special! Much appreciated John.
 

The contents of the site are © and should not be reproduced elsewhere for financial gain. The contributors to this site gave the pictures and information on that understanding.  If anyone has any issue or objections to any items on the site please e-mail and I will amend or remove the item.  Where possible credit has been given to the owner of each item.


Home
Contact Me
A-Z of Tracks
Name The Rider Part 1
Name The Rider Part 2
Name The Rider Part 3
Miscellaneous 1
Miscellaneous 2
Miscellaneous 3
Miscellaneous 4
Miscellaneous 5
Miscellaneous 6
Miscellaneous 7
Reg Fearman 1
Reg Fearman 2
Reg Fearman 3
Reg Fearman 4
Reg Fearman 5
Reg Fearman 6
Reg Fearman 7
Reg Fearman 8
Reg Fearman  Autobiography 2014
Eric Williams
Bob Andrews
Ivan Mauger 1
Ivan Mauger 2
Ivans 2010 Book
Dave Gifford Page
R Spencer Oliver Photos
Helen Jobson Photos
John Chaplin Photos
Ivan Stevenson Photos
John Hyam Page 1
John Hyam Page 2
John Hyam Page 3
John Hyam Page 4
Tony Webb Photos
Jim Henry Page 1 1928
Jim Henry Page 2 1929
Jim Henry Page 3 1930
Jim Henry Page 4 1931
Jim Henry Page 5 1932
Jim Henry Page 6 1933-57
Graham Gleave Page
Argentine Tour 1929-30
Les Drury's Page
Norman Jacobs Page 1
Bill Fletcher Photos
Peter Orpwood
Veterans
Oval Track Racing
Pre Speedway
Cigarette Cards
World Championship
Books
Bikes 1
Bikes 2
Bikes 3
Bikes 4
Bikes 5
Bikes 6
Bikes 7
Bikes 8
Links


 

 

Copyright © 2005 John Skinner. All rights reserved.  Advertisers/sponsors are welcome on this website. email for the price.