yesterdaysman

George Major says: I went there a few times in '58/9. It was not so much a track as an oval thrashed out in the bracken. it was accessed through an opening between the trees, there were several of these, all looking very much the same. I don't know how my dad managed to find the right one. From memory, there never seemed too much organisation, sometimes none at all. I think there was a notice saying only three riders on the track at one time, so I guess it was a bit on the narrow side. I don't remember any established S A L riders ever being there, so probably all wobbler's, like I was and not many fast laps going on, but not too sure on that, as a long time ago. It has to be remembered, there was not much happening in Speedway at that time, so we were glad to ride on anything resembling a track. Here are a couple of old pics, a family member would have taken with an old box camera or "Brownie 127" . Not very clear, but might give you some idea.

Well, George Major popped over from the Isle of Wight, but very few of the few noticed, so I don't think it was him! Would like to mention a couple of super supporters, who brought bikes to exhibit & attend most events, when & where possible. That's Andy Day & Rob Snow from Southampton, who unceasingly strive to promote the speedway scene.

I wasn't questioning your fantastic work daveallan81, just saying tmc missed them in his article as on previous page. The Neath meeting I was referring to was at Bradford (Greenfield) Hope this clears up any confusion.

Also missed Bradford (Greenfield) W C round May 1962 & V Neath June 1962 (63)

I think this has been mentioned before, but might have been on "Brummies" site. Anyway, here goes, I have one of these models and it says on box notes, it was an ex Midland Red single deck bus that was purchased by a group of Coventry supporters (presumably from the Lichfield area) in the '70s, to follow their team and star rider Ole Olsen to meetings. It was painted in the club colours of yellow & black. There was no mention (as far as I can remember, & can't lay my hands on the model at the mo) of how long they ran it, or what became of it, but they must have been a very keen bunch!

It would seem that in hindsight George Major may well have been able to ride in the return leg at Cradley! George tells it like this: In the meeting at Newport, just before my ride against Peter Vandenburg, Roy Morton, (team manager) said, if Vandenburg gets away push him hard, he won't fight as he is at Belle Vue in the PR final tomorrow. I said, Err, I'm at Belle Vue tomorrow as well! Nah, don't worry, you push him hard, he won't mix it. So I did and he did mix it and I ended up going into the fence! I was carted off to hospital for X rays on my right arm & leg but they found nothing broken, though I was in a lot of pain. they asked if anywhere else hurt & I said just a slight pain in my left wrist, so they X rayed that & said I had broken the Scaphoid. I said it wasn't too bad so if I could have some pain killers for the other side I'd be fine, as I had a big meeting next day, but would get the wrist fixed after that. They told me it was vital to get it sorted straight away, as I may lose the use of my hand if it were left too long. So I excepted their advice & a plaster cast, saying goodbye to my chances at Belle Vue & the rest of the season. After many weeks & several more X rays at the Hospital in Oxford, it was thought it may have been an old injury & when I thought about it I remembered I had been troubled with a painful wrist for most of the season two years before, at Neath. In the winter of '64 I moved up to live in the Midlands & took all my notes to the hospital in Walsall. The old guy there was of the view that it would never mend now & I would just have to live with it, which I did! In the '90's I developed Arthritis which locked the movement in my wrist, but my hand works ok. So with hindsight I could possibly have carried on riding for the rest of the season!

My shot at 5a : I reckon it's 1954 and from L to R is Gerry Hussey, Jack Young, Pat Clarke, Brian Crutcher and Leif "Basse" Hveem.

If I remember correctly there were two brothers, Roger & Ken, who were both very good grass track riders from Swindon. There is an article in the book on Bristol Speedway by Robert Bamford & Glynn Shailes, in which it states, Roger turned his hand to Speedway with Bristol in 1946 with some success, but when they were promoted to the first division in 1950 he found it very hard going. The following season he suffered a loss of confidence, which resulted in him losing his team place, but managed to secure a place with Oxford in the second division. On returning to Bristol in 1952 things went quite badly for Roger when he was involved in a track crash with Reg Reeves at West Ham. Roger was taken to hospital suffering from head injuries and concussion and was sidelined for several weeks. Although returning to ride in the Bristol team he was never the same rider again and retired at the end of the season. Outside of Speedway the brothers had a bakery business starting, I believe in a shop at Highworth and then moving to a factory in Upper Stratton around 1950. R&K Wise ltd. grew to quite a substantial firm over the next fifty years, reported to have employed 400 people at peak times. I often wondered if he had ever tried for a team place at Swindon and if not why not, but I have never heard of any connection as a rider. He did, however, have one season as team manager for Swindon in 1962, but after finishing the season just one place up from bottom he resigned and past the post back to Bob Jones.

I have in my possession a postcard posted 6th October 1947, in Maidenhead Berks, to Mr G.H. Cole, (Howard Snr.) with a message as follows: (bit difficult to decipher!) Mon.6th Oct. J.C. Yates, 69, Halifax Rd. Pinkneys Green, Maidenhead, Berks. Dear George! (it is George isn't it) I'm sorry I never sent off that Telegram until late in the afternoon but Marshall never let me know until lunch time on Sat! I'm riding for Cradley at Wombwell this coming Fri. the 10th so arranged with Marshall over the phone yesterday to get my bike taken over there. Of course they will set off from the workshops at Walsall so do you think you could get my bike over there by Thursday. If I can arrange a lift o.k. from Birmingham I'll be up the workshops myself Friday as it's none too easy to get from here to Wombwell, also my leathers are at the track. What I shall probably do is to come up to the workshops and chance a lift, Cheerio, all the best Johnny. Now, this seems to me a bit of a hit & miss preparation, so I'm thinking our man is a second halfer being given a chance, or just making up the numbers for a long away trip! Anyone have info on this?

Hi trackie, Pretty sure it changed in Ron Hoare's time as secretary 1982 - 2001. Can confirm it was still "Dirt Track Riders" in 1984, (unless they were just using old cards up) Had changed to "Speedway Riders" in '94 but will have to see if any more old cards turn up to narrow it down a bit . Have to say though, it is viewed as the same Association when listing past Presidents and Secretaries.

I always had Murray down as the middle brother, don't know why though. Remember him when he ran the Jawa place for Barry in Southampton, under the railway arch. I was told many years ago that Wayne was running some lorries contracted to the council in or around Edinburgh, but that was just after he had stopped riding. Never saw him at any meetings up there after he finished though, not that I was a regular visitor, but wondered if he cut off completely!

Last time I saw Pat he was living in the Exeter area, but that was a good few years back! I'll see what I can find out when I can get a minute.

Hi Lightning and a slightly belated birthday greetings to you! Something I just remembered, did they have the cooker at the garage when you were there? I remember the first day I was helping out, as the morning went on a lovely smell of cooking filling the garage as Cyril kept checking the operation and at lunch time producing a grand joint of pork. I didn't eat much, if anything, during the day at that time, but Cyril insisted I have a large hot pork sandwich, "to keep your strength up" as he said. He certainly knew how to look after himself or at least with no fear of starving!

I'm pretty sure Cyril was at Tamworth for a time as well, but would have to look through some old records. Have a vague recollection of conversations about it though, in days gone by. With Tamworth being a feeder track to Birmingham there was a fair bit of two way traffic in rider changes.

I remember the garage they had at Tettenhall, or was it Tettenhall Wood? I did go there to help them out once or twice. Another young rider working there at that time was Chris Harrison. I found Cyril to be a remarkable man and a bit of a 'one off'. I think his military time had a marked effect on him, with his upright posture and 'handlebar' moustache. Also he was very disciplined when at work or speedway, but when that was done he transformed into the ultimate 'party animal'. I don't think I have ever met a man so different when at work and play. One of his party pieces was to place a pint of beer on the bottom stair, then go up the stairs a way and start banging on the stairs and shouting painful cries while decsending to near the bottom. Then he would roll head first into the hallway, gathering the pint pot, and lay on the floor, just as everyone had turned to see what was happening, he would shout, "never spilled a drop look, never spilled a drop". The ladies would be horrified as they assumed he had fallen from top to bottom on the stairs! With the other three all riding for the same team at the time and his riding days gone, it put quite a burden on him at the garage and I think, contributed to the split, with Ron and Rick going to Bloxwich. In later years Cyril spent some time running the workshops at Chris's garage at Willenhall. I still see Chris and Rick from time to time and of Cyril and Ron I have great memories.

Recall a funny incident involving Gil at, I think Aldershot, early days. There were no showers yet so they placed a row of metal bowls in the middle of the changing rooms full of warm water. Gil stripped off and the black ash had filled up his boots and covered his legs and feet. He then skipped through the row of bowls turning the water to a black ink like substance, much to the dismay of all the riders! But you had to see the funny side. :lol:

There is a word for that, it's called "promoting" and it's what a promotor should do! not like most of today's bunch who could well do with taking a look at the past instead of wasting their energy with their stoogies looking for who is criticising them and then trying to gag or ban them! Hello, you may not always be right!! If you attended any Parker/Fearman tracks in the '60s you would see the old boy diving off a tower into a ring of fire, or a TV star opening the meeting, not to mention the marching bands or other interval attractions. Yes and riders were encourged to get up to pranks and provoke a bit of reaction from the crowd, but if they do that today they are fined for "bringing the sport into disrepute!" What TOSH!! Joe Thurley did the same at Birmingham in the '70s, working on the old adage "you have to speculate to accumulate." Before anyone says there was more money then with better crowds you may well ask why, and as Ian says most of these things cost very little. One fact that must not be forgotten, Speedway may be a sport but it is also entertainment and thats what people go for, to be entertained, and that requires effort! End of rant! Grumpy old man goes back to armchair to dream of proper Speedway!!

If you go on the link and scroll down to the stills, the first one entitled "Boy Motorcyclist" is another film of Howard in 1950, shot in his back yard at Bilston road W/ton. This was situated between the entrances to Monmore Green Stadium, which can be seen in the background when Howard is riding round. By the '60s the track had made way for several workshops and lock up garages on the yard and many old midland riders may recall spending time there sorting out problems, or just buying spares and having a chin wag with Mr Cole senior, who seemed to be on call at any time of the day or night, (unless at a Speedway meeting!) When the Cole family moved to a new home the house at Bilston rd was converted, downstairs, to a Hairdressing salon, (for Mrs Cole) and upstairs to a flat, where many Aussie/ NZ riders would spend their season in England. With the workshops, plus the experienced Howard Cole senior on hand, this was a very convenient set up indeed. My memory is not so good now but I think I recall the names Jim Ryman and the Brown brothers, Alan & Max, maybe a few more will come to me in time. As well as helping lads with bike maintenace at these workshops, Howard Cole senior produced frames for Speedway and Grass Track and also this was the place where the Cole engine was designed and built, which in itself, was a great feat of engineering.

Ah but wouldn't the happy couple have sort after or instucted the photographer to take pictures of them, which is quite different to the speedway senario. As I say can't recall a rider ever being consulted.

Just a thought, where do the riders stand in all this? From the first days of showing any promise they are photographed, mug shots, action and team photos. Can't think of anyone being consulted beforehand. So if an ex-rider were to publish photographs of himself or put them on a personal website, is he to be sued !!

I can vaguely remember Tommy coming to Oxford, was still quite handy at the time. A few years later Gordon McGregor told me that Tommy's deal with Oxford was to have his bike looked after and kept in Oxford. He would then travel down by train, ride the meeting, then purchase a car in the trade (I think from the London area) and drive it back to Scotland to sell. Maybe they reneged on the deal at the start of '57 which resulted in his quick exit!

I think that's pretty much how I understood it to be. Jimmy, although a very jovial and easy going chap off track, was a very no nonsense guy when it came to 'on track' time. He would, I'm sure, after the first incident have calmly pointed out to Ove the consequences should it happen again! Ove was the king at Norwich and the management would bend over backwards, sideways and inside out to keep him happy, sometime it was felt, to the detriment of other team members. Thus it was that Jimmy moved to Oxford with George Major going the other way, though he (George) was not informed of this, but just sent a booking for a meeting at Norwich. His pairing with Ove didn't fair much better which lead to his moving to the, then black league, with Cradley Heath. It must be said that most, if not all, true champions have by nature, a very solo, must win, mind set and Ove was certainly a true champion. Also they usually have the edge on the majority of riders so win race after race unhindered. However that year they were operating handicap starts, with Ove being one of half a dozen top riders starting behind everyone else. Now, in normal conditions this was not much of a handicap but in the wet, well that was a different story and Ove often found himself in positions quite alien to him. So it could be said that he would instinctively try to make his way to the front at all costs, and that would mean passing three riders however possible! Several partners were tried through the season but all, I think, pretty much with the same result, but really brought about by the handicapping. I always thought at the time that maybe the management could have done more to sort out the situation but in hindsight perhaps they just wanted to get through to the end of the season.... and Speedway at Norwich.

Bit late I know, but would be interesting to hear of his time as Wembley reserve when he could have easily held down a full team place anywhere else. Oh and I'll tell another funny story, when he came to Oxford in '64, : Later.

Think it was wide stripes with tigers head on. Then light background with dark square and full on tiger head, (bit strange looking i thought) The quarters came in '68 and continued at least 'til '71 (haven't checked any further.) That surprised me a bit and I can't find the reason for the change. Perhaps old Frank was feeling the pinch even back then!

Yeah, and '66/'67.