Miscellaneous Part 6
7x 1932 Speedway News Magazines for Sale  Frenchman Leon Boulard   Wooden Legged Murderer!   Stars of Speedway  GB v USSR USSR   More Russian Riders  Jim Henry's Items  England v Australia 1947-1953
Crazy Doug Hutchins  Wembley Speedway Postage Stamps  Munich World Final   Two World Champions From Down Under  Charlie Spinks 1938 Badge Ken McKinlay  Ernie Odlum 1917  Scotlands Best Riders  5-1 Heat Maximums  Cec Warren's 1928 Scrapbook
A Tough Aussie
Photos courtesy of Bob Andrews
Reg Fearman says: 2017. On Monday Jason Doyle had 14 screws inserted into his right foot in Poland. Five days later he was racing in the GP in Denmark and scored 15 points - he has been in every final - and leads the GP with 65 points.  He was robbed last season of the World Title when injury struck near the end of the competition, he was streets ahead on points.
Sydney 1946
Not sure of the riders in this pic.  It's possibly Lionel van Praag on the outside with Jack Parker in the middle and Shergar on the horizon!  If you know who they are, please send me an email John
Mick Page says: The track is the Sydney Sportsground and the riders are, from the inside, Cliff Parkinson, Frank Dolan and Jack Arnfield. John says: Jack Arnfield looks as if he will take the lead coming out of the bend his wheels are in line first
Argentine Bound British Riders
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
This touring party were photographed on their ship the Asturias en route to the Argentine in 1929.
I can only name 2nd from left standing Eric Langton and Arthur Westwood at far right standing.  If you can name the others please email me  John
Tom Roe's Photo Postcards
Tom says: Good Evening John, These two postcards came out of a job lot in Sheffield, One is autographed " yours in action, Charlie Gray" the other one, no idea!  They are postcards.  Regards,  Tom Roe.
Graeme Frost says: The two photos shown above on your Miscellaneous page 6 were both taken at the Wayville Showground in Adelaide (South Australia).  Thee one of Charlie Gray was taken on 25 November 1929.  The other one would be from around 1928 or 29.
Ken McKinlay
Courtesy of J Spoor
John Robert Vickers (Ken) McKinlay borne 7th June 1928 in Blantyre, Scotland. Passed away on 9th February 2003. His nickname Hurri-Ken was given to him by Johnnie Hoskins.
Courtesy of Adrian McKinlay
Courtesy of Adrian McKinlay
Courtesy of Adrian McKinlay
Ken The Hunter
Courtesy of Adrian McKinlay
Ken With His 1967 British Lion Teamates
Courtesy of Adrian McKinlay
Ken sitting in front of his 1967 British teamates.  Off the top of my head they are: Terry Betts, Nigel Boocock, Eric Boocock, Colin Pratt, Ray Wilson & Roy Trigg
Ken At The 1967  BLRC
Courtesy of Adrian McKinlay
Adrian says: This photo of riders at the 1967 BLRC features Dad, Gote Nordin, Ove Fundin, Charlie Monk, Ivan Mauger and Ray Wilson.
Hurri-Ken & Ove Fundin Also At The 1967 BLRC
Courtesy of Adrian McKinlay
Ken (Left) Leicester  & Right Ken A Coventry Bee
Courtesy of Adrian McKinlay
Davies Park Speedway 1927-2015
Courtesy of Tony Webb
Courtesy of Tony Webb
The Iceman
Bruce Cribb
Bruce Brian Hoani Cribb (born 27 June 1946) is a former speedway rider and ice racer from New Zealand, who rode in the UK for several teams in a career spanning over twenty years. He won the New Zealand Championship in 1972, and was a member of the New Zealand team that won the World Team Cup in 1979.
He competed in ice speedway events and rode in three World Ice Speedway finals.
Courtesy of John Spoor
Speedway News Magazine
This is a very collectable publication.  30 odd pages per issue.  On sale from the beginning of the sport in 1928.  I have 7 issues dating 1932, from which I have copied some of the items shown below: -
Vol. 5. No. 5	May 6th 1932
Vol. 5. No. 9	June 3rd 1932
Vol. 5. No. 19	Aug 12th 1932
Vol. 5. No. 20	Aug 19th 1932    Front Covers Shown Above
Vol. 5. No. 22	Sept 2nd 1932
Vol. 5. No. 25	Sept 23rd 1932
Vol. 5. No. 26	Sept 30th 1932
I am prepared to sell the 7 issues listed above, so if you want to discuss them send me an email John
Selling odd items from my collection helps me pay the monthly web hosting fees.
Speedway News
Arthur Jervis
Courtesy of John's Speedway News Magazine
West Ham's Arthur Jervis astride a first generation JAP Speedway bike, from their factory in Tottenham.  These machines were first seen around 1930 so his could only have been a year or two old.
Speedway News
Crystal Palace v Wembley 1932
Courtesy of John's Speedway News Magazine
The Palace's Ron Johnson darts between the Wembley riders.
John S Hoskin's Novel
"Crashin' Through"
A Speedway Thriller
Courtesy of John's Speedway News Magazine
John S Hoskins was speedway's major entrepreneur.  Here we see from an advert in a 1932 edition of the Speedway News Magazine, Johnnie had turned his hand to penning a novel and also had written a song.
Speedway News
Dirtrack AJS
The Jack Chapman Story
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News magazine
The Jack Chapman story shown above is from the Speedway News.  The Speedway News is a very collectable 30 odd paged speedway magazine pre-dating the Speedway Star.  I have 7 issues from the 1932 season.  If you would like to buy them please send me an email so we can discuss.  John
Speedway News
England v Australia 1932
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazine
Stamford Bridge staged the first official test match against the Aussies on 4th June 1932.  The Speedway News devoted 3 big pages to preview the meeting.  This issue of the Speedway News Magazine has pictures of the two captains as shown below: -
England's 1932  Test Captain
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazines
I confess to being a bit of a petrol-head, so the bikes pictured in the 1932 magazines intrigue me, like Colin's machine shown above.  Colin's bike has definitely got a JAP engine but the tank, frame, forks, handlebars and exhaust are not bog-standard JAP items.  The Tottenham company may have offered alternative equipment to customise their bikes or maybe Colin was a dab hand at engineering and put together his own bikes from any parts available.
Australia's 1932  Test Captain
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazines
Frank's bike appears to be a JAP but it has features of a Rudge about it.  If pressed I would say it is a Rudge
Speedway News Test Match
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazines
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazines
Norman Parker 1932
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazines
Norman Parker on a Rudge
Speedway News
Joe Francis
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazines
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazines
Speedway News
Vic Huxley
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazines
Speedway News
Frank Arthur
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazines
Speedway News
Ron Johnson
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazines
Speedway News
Dick Smythe
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazines
Speedway News
Jack Ormston & Alex Peel
Courtesy John Skinner's 1932 Speedway News Magazines
All 7 magazines are in excellent condition despite being 86 years old.  I will consider any offer John
1956 World Final
Programme
Courtesy of Adrian McKinlay
Speedway Chariot Racing
My mate Keith "Jack O Diamonds" Dyer doesn't send me much for the website but when he does they are usually real gems like the above picture.  Keith says: Hi John, I found this in a 2012 Rye House programme. No idea of date or track. Certainly seen nothing like it before.
John says:  My thanks to Rye House for the chariot picture [ if you don't want me to put it on the website just say so and I will remove it]
The bikes /horses appear to be Harleys and I think the rider in white is Charlton Heston better known as Ben Hur!
Ian Hoskins
Courtesy of Martin Fasola
Scottish Riders
Norrie Isbister & Drew McQueen 1929
Is this the best photo on my entire website?  Well maybe not, but it is in my top twenty, there are many excellent photos dotted around the many pages making up the website.  Norrie and Drew laid their Douglas machines low and I will bet both riders kept upright after this corner and continued to race.
The Hurri-Ken
The Templetons
The Fife Flyers Doug & Willie are shown guesting in Newcastle kit in 1961.  The Templeton brothers kept Scottish Speedway going for a number of years.
George Hunter
George Hunter joined Newcastle in 1970
Bert Harkins
Jim McMillan
Doug Templeton Jim McMillan & Willie Templeton
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
Kenny McKinna
Courtesy of J Spoor
I have supplied pics above, for in my opinion, Scotlands best riders.  If you can come up with better riders please email me here John and no! Charlie Monk was not a Scot! or Reider Eide either!
World Under 21 Programme
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
Rye House Programmes 1954 & 1962
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
The Rockets were previously known as the Red Devils
Rowley Park South Australia Poster
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
Two World Champions From Down Under
Photos courtesy of Graham Gleave
Above Left: Jack Ellis Young (born - 31 January 1925 in Adelaide, South Australia died 28 August 1987 in Adelaide) was a world champion in 1951 and 1952. By winning the 1951 and 1952 World Championships, Jack became the first Australian to win two World Championships in any form of motorsport.  He attracted as a fan young Ivan Mauger before Ivan started winning titles himself.
Above Right: Ronald Leslie Moore MBE (born 8 March 1933) is a former New Zealand international rider. He twice won the Individual World Speedway Championship, in 1954 and 1959 he paved the way for his Kiwi countrymen Barry Briggs and Ivan Mauger.
Munich World Final
Graham Gleave has sent the two Munich World Championship Final pictures.  Thank you Graham
Czech Golden Helmet Winner Tony Rickardsson
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
Graham Gleave With Tony Rickardsson
Action From Birmingham
A fantastic picture Cyril Roger (Norwich) Eric Boothroyd (Birmingham) Phil Clarke (Norwich) Ron Mountford (Birmingham)
Douglas May Hutchins aka "Crazy" Hutchins
Hello John, I am Avalon Eastman and I am looking into my father's speedway record and wonder if you have any information at all you can share.
His name was Douglas May Hutchins, know as "Crazy Hutchins" and rode in the 1930s for Manchester Belle Vue, Preston, Poole Pirates and was a "Star Signing" for Southampton Saints.   He had to give up when he broke his left ankle and this coincided with the outbreak of WW2 when he joined the Royal Signals.   He had a Radio shop in Parkstone, Poole.   I used to have some programmes with his photo on the front but some time ago gave these to his old school for their archives. I do have one or two photos.
Any clues will be welcome, thank you
If you have any information please email his daughter here Avalon Eastman
Pardubice Czech Republic
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
A big fast track.  The scene of many a drama in international speedway.  If you have any info/pictures or programmes please email me John  I cannot help but compare this track to my home track Newcastle's Brough Park which I think would fit into the Pardubice centre green!
Wembley Speedway Postage Stamps
Hans de Kloet of the Netherlands has sent the following image of British Postage Stamps.  Hans is looking for information on the smaller 1936 pictures supposedly of Lionel Van Praag winning his world title at Wembley.
I am showing below 2 enlarged extracts from the sheet pictured above, featuring the 1936 Wembley world champion Australian Lionel Van Praag.  The dotted matrix is how the stamp was printed so I could not remove the dots.  Hans doubts the picture and he may well be right to doubt it!  I don't know if the photo is Lionel at Wembley but I think not as there appears to be a roof low down unlike Wembley and the bikes were not numbered for speedway in 1936.
John says: I, like Hans doubt the stamps and I think it isn't Wembley in 1936 but is it Lionel Van Praag? I cannot tell that! It is maybe a picture of him riding elsewhere.  If you can supply any information on this please email me John
Ernie Odlum 1917
Courtesy of Tony Webb
Ernie Odlum Story
Ernie Odlum 1917! Was he the "first" Speedway Rider
Tony Webb says: Ernie Odlum a great story ! Queensland  Speedcar Champion Barrie Watt  gave me  a newspaper cutting from  August 13 1917.some information that will upset  speedway history!!! Old time speedway rider Ernie Odlum, advertised as coming from Toowoomba, won the motorcycle handicap at Brisbane Cricket ground riding an Indian machine! The event was advertised as a Motor Gymkhana
Ernie then won the Queensland 3 and 20 mile Champion Deagon 5/11/1921 Queensland 10 mile sidecar champion 1/8/1925 Australian 6 mile Champion 1928 and Deagon 5 mile Champion 1928 and two Queensland  titles at Deagon on November 5 1921  He also rode in the first meeting at the Ekka on October 16 1926.
1930 found him penniless living in a tent  at Amity point North Stradbroke Island, he survived for a number of years by breeding Angorah rabbits and fishing  he then  smoked and sold them. An upturn in his fortunes came when he won 100 pound in the Golden Casket. He then purchased a truck and started a delivery service. built a house and took a bride. He was a major influence in the building of the original Amity Point Community Centre  Truly a forgotten hero and could be Queensland’s first speedway rider!
On a visit to Stradbroke island l I came up with some more info on the life of Mr Odlum, a rags to riches. journey that was repeated twice
The above is courtesy of Tony Webb
North Arm Speedway (Australia)
North Arm Speedway was the first dedicated motorcycle speedway ever built in Adelaide, South Australia and was located in the industrial suburb of Gillman. It was run by the Speedway Riders' Association of South Australia and ran from 1981 until its forced closure in 1997.
International Action
Leigh Adams, Craig Boyce, Josh Larsen and Joe Screen
The Late Kelly Moran RIP & Ronnie Correy
GB v USSR
GB v USSR matches 1964/65 were great adverts for speedway and we turned out at various tracks around the UK in droves to witness Russians racing in Western Europe for the first time.  I saw one of the USSR meetings held at Newcastle's Brough Park.  I believe the crowd topped 12,000,
Courtesy of Steve Magro
John says: GB v USSR in the 1960s
Aussie Steve Magro sends this picture of GB versus USSR, asking :-  Is this Ivan on the left? Nigel Booey on right. John says: I think so Steve.  I would say yes to Nigel Boocock on the right but Ivan on left? just a maybe.  I am amazed that I cannot be definite about Ivan.  He was my childhood hero at Newcastle.  The handlebars made speedway bikes what they were in the 60's.  Perhaps modern day bikes need to revert to these old style bars to make our sport more attractive to spectators. I particularly like the bars on the Russian's bike clipped onto the top of the front forks.  The JAP bikes used old style forks that you couldn't clip the JAWA/ESO bars onto. So can you confirm the 2 GB riders as Ivan and Nigel, if so send me an email here John
Dave Gifford says: Hi John mate. The photo of Booey and Ivan.  I would say it is definitely not Ivan and that it could be  Brian Brett. good to see the Toon back in business. giffy
John says: Thanks Giffy.  Yes I can see that this could be Brian (Pommy) Brett.  You and I should be able to spot Brian.  Anyone else want to comment? Yes the Toon are doing well, both Toons are, Speedway and Football.  The Diamonds riding high and Newcastle United back in the Premiership, winning 6-0 last week John
Lee Dunton says: Hi, came across the photo on the website and it's definitely  Booey but I think the other English rider is Trevor Hedge, however, could be wrong.... Great website. Lee
Mike Page says: I believe the identity of riders in the photo headed "Ivan and Booey" in  the Name the Rider section of your website is solved. Brian Brett is leading with Nigel Boocock behind him, Vitaly Shilo (Y & B) on the outside and Boris Samorodov just outside Booey. The race is Heat 5 of the GB Vs Russia Test at Wembley on 4/7/64. The photo was in Speedway Star a week or so after the match. Shilo was badly hurt in a later race in the same  match. Ivan did not ride in any of the matches against Russia in 1964 and 1965. Trust this resolves the issue.
Mike Page again, he says: The shot was in Speedway Star dated 10 July 1964 and Speedway Post dated December 1964. Both agreed the English pair were Nigel Boocock and Brian Brett, but the Star said the Russians were Samorodov and Shilo whereas the Post said they were Kurilenko and Kadirov. I believe the Star was correct.
USSR/CCCP/ RUSSIA
John says: We called them "The Russians" but officially they were Soviets from the USSR or as they called themselves the CCCP.  Whatever the name they went under they were a fantastic touring side in the cold war era that was the 1960's.  I can identify Gab Kadirov and Igor Plechanov the rest are a mystery to me so help me please with their names and the track  John
Lee Dunton says: The Russians, 2nd from the left I think is Gennady Kurilenko, (forgive the spelling) 4th from the left is definitely Boris Samorodov.
Nick Short says: Gabdrakhman Kadirov, Gennady Kurilenko, Anayoly Gruzintsev, Boris Samorodov, Yuri Chekranov, Igor Plechanov.
Alan Charles says: Hi John that pic of the "Russians" was taken at Coventry in 1964 and it was the first time they'd ever been to GB. The D. Di Mascio ice cream van was always parked on the "Coventry" bend, how much more charming than turns three & four. The other, pits end of the track was the Rugby bend.
Note the nice touch of the national costume. That is down to the super showmanship of Charles Ochiltree who also had a fleet of brand new Triumph Spitfires (Coventry-made) to parade both teams around the track in pairs. The Russian guys seemed very happy to be here and contrary to what the cold war might have you believe they were friendly, handsome and sporting opponents. You can see the crowd was a good one, they are stood right the way down the terracing.
At the time Coventry was Sky Blue mad, the football team were doing well so to raise the profile of this unique event, for weeks before stickers proliferated around the city saying "the Russians are coming!". Our headmaster got a bit peeved about it so he made an announcement in assembly one morning by way of promoting the event in the hope that the stickers would stop appearing in the classroom windows!
The meeting was very close with GB running out winners 56-52 I think. The GB power team was Ron Mountford & Ken McKinley who both rode for the Bees I'll root the programme out sometime. Anyone who was there will never forget Gab Kadirov who caught a footrest in the fence and bounced half the length of the back straight only for him to remount and get a third on account of another rider having an EF!
The Russian bikes all arrived in a team coach and we all marveled at the fold back handlebars and extra long saddles on the Jawa Eso bikes
Fabulous warm sunny night with red ants swarming all over the concrete terraces ruining anyone's ice-blue jeans if they sat on them. The GB guys were all immaculately turned out, Ron How wore a white hankie instead of a leather face mask which looked so smart against his black leathers. Briggo looks a bit dusty! Booey & Broady looked fantastic in their Blue and Red leathers respectively. Kindest regards,  Alan Charles
Chris Sweetman has sent the above programme scan which names most of the Russians. Gab Kadirov sticks in my mind as he had a Beatles hair do!
Leningrad
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
Graham Gleave has sent me this team photo which he says is the Leningrad team.  The race jacket is one I haven't seen before, perhaps it means something to Russians?
Leningrad's Ivan Andreev
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
Ivan appears at far right in the Leningrad team photo shown above
More Images Of Soviet Riders
Igor Plechanov & Viktor Trofimov
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
Gennadij Kurilenko
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
Speedway Researcher Jim Henry's Items On Speedway's Pioneers
Scotsman Jim Henry often sends me items he has uncovered.  Usually Scottish items but occasionally general items.  I am pleased to display the following pictures, newspaper items etc.  Jim uncovered the following items from the archives of the "Sunday Post", to whom I am very grateful as without the interest shown by our newspapers like the Post much of the sports past, names and events etc would have been lost to us.
The above items relate to pre second world war, Glasgow White City and Edinburgh Marine Gardens
John says: Bill Dickie shown above, sporting the typical crash helmet of the era! The high crown served no useful purpose in the event of a crash.  These early helmets were made of cork and did not protect the riders face or jaw.  I had Kid Curtis' helmet loaned to me for a while.  It was just like Bills, shown above and I tried it on.  It was very uncomfortable and as I was used to riding a Royal Enfield on the roads late 1960s/70s with a modern helmet I wondered just how protective the old cork pudding basin helmets were!  There were many head injuries in speedways early era and a few deaths from head injuries so I guess the old cork helmets were no real protection in a high speed impact.
John says: Jim sent me this clipping re Tiger Sanderson.  Tiger rode regularly in my home town, Newcastle but not at the famous Brough Park track, home of the modern day Newcastle Diamonds.  He concentrated on Newcastle's other track Gosforth Park where he was the big name.  Newcastle Gosforth lasted 1929-1931.  I don't understand the clippings references to Medium Weight and Heavy Weight etc but obviously Heavy Weight referred to the better riders?  The other rider (above right) Is Scotsman Norrie Isbister, who with Drew McQueen was a leading light of early Scottish Speedway.
Jim Henry says: Hi John, you comment you have no idea what this means (re Charles Sanderson).  This was two of the classes in the Scottish Championships staged at St Andrews beach in the late 1920s.  Not really studied in detail but I'm sure heavyweight was the larger capacity machines whilst lightweight was smaller capacity machines. The annual events were reported in Scottish press and specialist motorcycle magazines. When I've time I'll see what I can dig up. Sanderson was a regular competitor in motorcycle events in Scotland before and after is dirt track days.
Jack Parker On A Douglas
English superstar Jack Parker was well known to speedway fans of the Scottish tracks.  Jack is shown here riding a Douglas Dirt Track bike.  Douglas machines dominated in the late 1920s but by 1930 they faced a stiff challenge by Rudge and then the JAP machines.
John says: I think the above picture is of Eric Langton.  Correct me if I am wrong John
James Valente fixing a puncture on his AJS machine.  British bike AJS was quite successful on the 1920s tracks until Douglas, Rudge and JAP swept the AJ's aside
1930 England
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
1931 England
England v Australia Riders 1947 To 1953
I believe the following images from Don Price are relevant to riders who took part in the England/Austrailian internationals in that period. Can you help with riders names, tracks and years, or any other info John
Les "Smiler" Wotton
Steve Baker says: Hello John, hope you are keeping well. I see you have some new photo's from Don Price, which no one seems to have named yet, so I thought I would have a go, though I am not so hot on pics from this period. Firstly, I would say they are all from circa 1947/48
Steve Baker says: This is Les Wotton of Wimbledon
Col Greenwell agrees: Les "Smiler" Wotton. (Wimbledon race jacket). (Rode for them 1947-49)
John says: Would the "Smiler" nickname have anything to do with Les' gappy teeth?
Archie Windmill
DP2: John says: The scan has an autograph apparently Archie Windmill can anyone substantiate this John
Steve Baker says: This is definitely Archie Windmill of Wimbledon
Col Greenwell says: Arch Windmill. Rode for Wimbledon 1946-49.
Heat Maximums
Rowan Watt has sent an image of a Crayford v Berwick and Workington programme 15th July 1980.  The meeting was a double header, perhaps Berwick did a lot better than Workington? Crayford are in a select club of teams that have scored a 5-1 in every heat, in fact in this match they also had a 5-0 in heat 2.
Crayford 65 Workington 12
All 7 Crayford riders were on full or paid maximums and Workington's Ian Robertson top scored with 4 points, I will not embarress the rest of the comets!  In 1980 we had 13 heat matches which would have returned a perfect score of 65-13 but this match finished 65-12 due to both Workington's riders in heat 2 falling and neither remounted to finish the heat.  If you know of any other whitewashes please scan the programmes for me John
Harry Saunders
DP3: A great picture showing Excelsior on the fuel tank.  Excelsior made road bikes and speedway frames.  This bike would have housed a JAP engine.
Steve Baker says: This is Harry Saunders
Col Greenwell says: .???....Annoying... I have seen the pic before...can't give the name..!!!
George Wilks Left & Charlie May
DP 4: A great pose in menswear circa 1946/48.
Steve Baker says: George Wilks and George Saunder
Col Greenwell says: Looks like George Wilks on the left. Have a look on your Wembley page in the A-Z. He rode for Wembley 1946-54. Missed 1949 when he was at West Ham
Fred Pallett says: George Wilks is on the left and Charlie May on the right. They were both riding for Wembley in 1946-47, so the photo was probably  taken during that period. By 1948, May had moved to Walthamstow. Wilks remained with Wembley until his retirement in 1952, except for the 1949 season when he was loaned to West Ham to cover for the injured Eric Chitty.
Bill Matthews Left & Unknown On The Right
DP5: A great pic for what is the rider on the left saying!  Did he suffer from flatulence, I wonder!
Steve Baker says: Picture taken at Custom House, West Ham, the guy wearing the Hammers jacket is Bill Matthews, though I am not sure about the other chap. Perhaps Archie Windmill again?
Col Greenwell says: On the right looks like Arch Windmill again to me.
The above photo's owner Don Price says: "My dad was a speedway fanatic. He had a poster and sign writing business and supplied most of the posters plus the visiting riders name boards for the pits.  He became good friends with the owner Les Marshall.. I think his favourite rider was Graham Warren ( a real superstar then) and later Alan "Wacker" Hunt. I could write a book on this era alone!! Hope you enjoy the pics."  Don Price
John says: These 5 photos are 60 + years old.  My thanks to "DP" Don Price for sharing them with us.
Don Price has sent us some further photos,  which I have added to the Harringay and West Ham pages in the websites A-Z. He sent one more photo for naming It is from an England v Australia test match, have a look below and let me know if you can name the riders and the track
England v Australia
DP6: Steve Baker says: I think this is New Cross 1950 and the riders are Cyril Roger, Bill Longley, Tommy Price and Aub Lawson
John says:  These riders are queuing along the white line.  I would say they were very skillful to ride so close or maybe the photo was taken a split second before they came to grief
1935 Australian Team
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
1948 Australian Team
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
Grass Tracking Photo
Courtesy of Steve Cummins
Steve says: This photo features Queenstown New Zealand I guess about 1940's  8 riders around the rugby pitch.   Does anyone else have the photo and can you supply more info.  The bike in front could have the BSA emblem on its petrol tank
1953 Amsterdam
Courtesy of Reg Fearman
Amsterdam 1953 can you name anyone in the line up? John I can see Reg Fearman  in the centre
Bob Bath says: The only one I can pick out is good old Reg Fearman, he’s the tall guy in the middle with the Leicester Hunters race jacket. Cheers Bob Bath
Reg has become a friend of mine we exchange emails all the time.  So Reg Fearman says: Some of the stars of the day in the photo are from the right Phil Bishop, Roy Craighead, Jock Grierson, Fritz Dirtl, Josef Hofmeister, me, and Henny Kroeze's father. When I get home I shall look at the original and see if there is any more I can identify.
Henny Kroeze says: About the picture from Amsterdam: I am not sure it is Amsterdam,could be Rotterdam! It is not 1953, it is 1954. The Result from 1953 on the 10th of august was as follows: Tonny Kroeze17 points Kiehn Bertelsen 16 points This was after a runn off.#th was Jonker 13 Andersson11 Howdy Byford 11 Josef Hoffmeister 9 Albin Siegl8 Ronny Ganz7Fransdon6 Molef6 Wilf Plant6 Phil Bishop5 Stabirk4 Mytchel2 Newton2 Laudrum1. Results Rottredam 1954 Andersson13 TonnyKroeze13 Kiehn BertelsenJack Grierson12  JimmyCooch Seidl10 Kesselmans9 Murphy6 Hoffmeister4 Erhardt 3. Searman 2. These are the results that i found out. Searman was riding for New Zealand. You must have ridden under a false name  and a false nationality. He Reg I think you were blackriding hahaha.Hope you likei t ,if you want to know more we have a nice speedway museum in Holland so if you come over i could take you there. Bye for now and regards!!
Great Britain
Courtesy of Nick Short
I can see Brian Brett, Mike Broadbanks, Nigel Boocock, Ken McKinley and Barry Briggs wearing the union flag so that is 4 to name John When I look at the old Japs with Cow Horn handlebars I wonder about modern bikes and their short bars.  Why did they change? Bring back the old bars on modern bikes, I suspect the racing would be more spectacular.  I will ask a couple of riders from the 60's about this.
Ivan Mauger says: Hi John. The Bars were big on the JAPS as there was a lot of dirt on the tracks those days going into the corners. Now not so much, Briggo called me Spouts in 1958 as I had my bars low. It has taken the modern riders 50 years to catch up with me! Cheers Ivan
Ian Jaycocks says: Dick Fisher, Brian Brett, Ron How, Ron Mountford, Tommy Price, Mike Broadbanks, Nigel Boocock, and the wonderful Ken Mckinlay, Barry Briggs on bike, looks like Kens bike, Briggo never had a JAP that was that good looking.
Nick Short Says: L to R – Dick Fisher, Brian Brett, Ron How, Barry Briggs on bike, Ron Mountford, Tommy Price (manager), Mike Broadbanks, Nigel Boocock, Ken McKinley.
Lee Dunton says: Dick Fisher (Belle Vue), Brian Brett (Swindon), Ron How (Wimbledon/Oxford), Ron Mountford (Coventry), Tommy Price, Mike Broadbanks (Swindon), Nigel Boocock (Coventry), Ken McKinlay (West Ham), Barry Briggs (Southampton/Swindon) on bike, only a guess where they were riding at that time.
Lee Dunton says: My feel on the handlebars was that Renthal made some shorter straighter bars for the longer tracks, less wind resistant, they took off in Aussieland then everyone bought them. this was around the early mid seventies. Personally it made identifying riders harder, when they had their own distictive shaped bars when coming to the tapes you didn't need a programme to know who was lining up where.
Colin Jewes says: I acknowledge the cowhorn handlebars on a Jap look great, as for many of us they were of the time of our formative speedway years. However, they just didn’t sit right within a Jawa frame. In 1971 when Brum re-opened I was dope-&-oiling for skipper George Major who was pretty much king pin around Perry Barr, (but not the Perry Barr track of today, 2014.) George was still riding a Jap, and took a lot of friendly stick from other riders when they saw his machine. With his success he was able to a buy a brand new bike, a Jawa, understandably, but to which he transferred his cowhorns. His scoring went right off and he was struggling! After several meetings he re-fitted the bars that had come with the Jawa and his scoring was back into double figures. The riding position of cowhorns in a Jawa just isn’t the same as when in a Rotrax-type frame.
Young England v Scotland 1972 Or 1973
Courtesy of John Wilson
This picture was taken at a test match at Berwick in 1972 I think.  "Young England" v Scotland but not a "young Scottish side" the considerably older Hurri-Ken McKinley is crouching at the far right and the evergreen Templeton brothers also not young were riding for Scotland.
Steve Brown says: This was actually held on June 5th, 1973, and was the first of a three-match series.  Scotland won 3-0, by scores of 60-48 (Berwick), 70-38 (Sunderland), and 66-42 (Teesside). From L to R Young England : Peter Reading, Frank Auffret, Bruce Forrester, Mitch Graham, Graham Jones, Geoff Davies, Dave Gatenby. Scotland : Doug Templeton, Wattie Robertson, John Wilson, Andy Meldrum, Mick Beaton, Jimmy Gallacher, Willie Templeton, Ken McKinlay.
John Wilson (pictured) says: Wattie is between Andy Meldrum and Jimmy Gallacher
Grant Crawford says: I daresay you have already been given corrected details of the photo but in case you have not the rider next to Dougie Templeton (2nd left) is Ally Brady. His son Ross rode for Edinburgh, Glasgow, Kings Lynn & Peterboro' a few years back until injuries took their toll.  Love the site  Regards, Grant
Bob Ferry says: Hi John, On your defunct tracks site, name that rider section, someone states that in the England v Scotland series, Scotland won 3-0. Well I don't know about the other results but at Sunderland England won 70-38, and I think England were too strong for Scotland at that time. Wouldn't be surprised if it was England winning the series 3-0 and not Scotland. Best Wishes, Bob
Steve Cummins says: Dave Younghusband is on far right standing
Australia v England Test
Late 1940's Or Early 1950's
John says: Can anyone help with names/track/year for this photo please   John Reg Fearman says: From the outside.  Aub Lawson, Dent Oliver, Bill Longley,  ? Mike Kemp says: the rider on the inside is Jack Parker John says: can anyone name the track? John
Mick Page says: The track is Tracey's Speedway (located at Maribyrnong in Melbourne) and the Test was run on 24-01-1948.  I believe the riders are, from the outside in, Jack Biggs (not Aub Lawson) Dent Oliver, Bill Longley and Jack Parker.  Reg Fearman has nominated Aub Lawson and it may be worth asking him to see if he still has this view. Hope this helps.  Regards  Mick Page
Stars of Speedway Circa 1949 ish!
Scans of a booklet from around 1949 received. I am showing this excellent little publication in all of it's glory below:-
The booklet only measures five 5" by 3.1/2" . I hope you like it.  It is a little different.
Leon Boulard Champion Of France  1934 & 1935
I have been corresponding with Jean Boulard.  It is a bit difficult as he only speaks French and I only speak English, (yes ok! I know, I am a Geordie so it is debatable that I actually speak English!).  Anyway, I used "Google Translate" and have ended up with Jean's words translated into English. Allo Allo! Listen carefully I will say this only once!
Jean Boulard says: Hello John, I only speak French! Photos of my father. The name Leon Boulard speedway driver of 1933 at 1939. After the war in 1945 the last stage competition montrouge Buffalo (Paris).  French Champion of 1934, 1935.  He raced in England, stadium of Wembley, Deutchland, Belgium, Czech Républic France (city Le Havre and Paris)
Jean Boulard says: The English "pilot" on right Westwood
Jean Boulard says: Above, in center my father Leon Boulard with 2 other pilots Ofeker and Béranger
Jean Boulard says: My father Leon in 3rd from left with English and Australian Team
Jean Boulard says: VIVE LA MOTO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My thanks to Jean.  The website is all the better for the colour tinted photographs featuring his father Leon Boulard.
Jean's Matchless CSR 650cc Cafe Racer
Jean Boulard says: This tribute I owe you John Skinner, I will have 't like my father is present. Again thank you, to review your site which is best on internet. The England country that Papa loved so much. I ride today a British Matchless. This was my first bike at the age of 16 years today to 75 years, I found my childhood memory!!!!! All my Friendship Jean
Wooden Legged Murderer Allegedly!
Dave de Temple
Who is this and can you tell me anything about the venue and the rider?  John
Paul Brassell says: This is Dave de Temple  who  is American
US rider Jim Painter says: Hi John, You want to know more about Dave De temple?  Well He use to ride with me and our other friends at a little mini bike track called Atlantis Park.  Dave, Shawn Mc Connell, Shawn and Kelly Moran, Louis Kossuth, Myself and others races the national Mini Cycle series in California USA.  he rode a Honda xr 75 cc until he was 16 years old.  He then started riding speedway with us.  Did you also know that he has a wooden right leg?  Yep  That's true a wooden leg.  He did pretty good for a peg leg.  last I heard he was in prison for murder.  I do not know if it is true but that is what I heard. Jim Painter
John says: Thanks Jim and if it turns out that Dave wasn't/isn't in prison I will remove the offending item
Graeme Frost says: I see on your website there is mention of Dave De Temple being in jail for murder. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I don’t think it should be on the website unless there is some verification.
Anyway (Did he mean "Anyone") can say anything about anybody without verification. How many people would have read the website and assumed it is true, and repeated it, when it may well be wrong.  A quick Google search shows there is a Dave Temple in jail for murdering his wife but that certainly isn’t the former speedway rider. Regards Graeme Frost
John says: Hi Graeme, It isn't I whom is saying Dave de Temple is in prison, it is Jim Painter who thinks he is.  Please don't shoot the messenger (Me!)
Charlie Spinks 1938 Badge
John says: A Spanish Antique Dealer has been in touch.  He is Miguel A Gallardo and he says: -
Dear skinner: My name is Miguel Angel, Im from Spain and I know about your internet publications of speedway cup history en England. I have and antique shop in Spain and last year I buyed a beautifull silver medal. This object it was for one of the champions of this cup in 1938 mr Charles Spinks. I only wish said you if this piece could have interest for any people or museum in England, because here in Spain the speedway cup is anything nowhere and its not usual. Im sorry for my english. Thank you for your atention. Sincerely: Miguel A Gallardo.
John says: Miguel is in antiques to make his living so if you want to buy this badge send the guy an email: his address is as follows: - gallardorestauraciondearte@gmail.com The rear of the badge is hallmarked.  If it is silver it could be worth a few Euros!
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