Skid Sprocket

43 Yes, 17 No, to date.

You make a very valid point foamfence but there are many valid points on many subjects on this forum and it is difficult to know what is the majorities opinion. There are prolific posters and there are non poster this is just a way of hearing everyone's view, maybe a different topic should have been used and could be in future polls.

Its football, how could it be interesting?

"Wishin and Hopin" the great song by Dusty Springfield comes to mind. Everyone wants things to improve but no one wants to do anything, at least thats how it looks from reading these pages and personal experience. From late last year and into the new year I ran a competition inviting schools and colleges to design a poster for our local club, out of the 40 invited only one entry was received. There must have been many speedway supporting parents and grandparents of students that could have encouraged the schools/colleges to take part. The one entry was of such good quality that it was put into print and announced on our club forum that copies were available but not one enquiry was received. While the BSPA deserve criticism there is a lot that the keen supporter can do to spread the word very easily to get the numbers up.

It could happen if we all pulled together as a group and put pressure on the BSPA. I suggested a poll of members a while ago to see if there was sufficient numbers wanting to know but no one came up with a way to set up a poll. Even if we cant be told the figures I would like to know the reason why not.

Vanishing posts. i have signed up to be notified when new posts are made. Today under this topic I have been notified of at least two posts but when I log on to the forum the new posts are no where to be seen, any thoughts? Are we being censored?

I think mainly from the cruelty point of view, the treatment of retired greyhounds, in which they have a point but it will put many speedway supporters between a rock and a hard place.

Something in the People last Sunday about the possibility of Greyhound racing being banned, anyone see it? That would really put a spanner in the works.

This debate about publishing attendance figure has come round again for the umpteenth time. Can we have a poll set up to see what members want? Does anyone know how to set up a poll?

It matters more that they aren't published because that raises the more serious question "why aren't numbers published?" There is no reason why this can't be run alongside the other concerns mentioned. Every person passing through the gate should be counted no matter what the paying status, that is the attendance figure.

There has been a renewed interest in the speedway cartoon booklet recently and we are down to a handful of copies left. As 2017 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Reg Smythe, the Museum of Hartlepool are having an exhibition of Reg's life and work which will naturally be dominated by Andy Capp but I have been asked to submit examples of his earlier work which includes his speedway character Skid Sprocket. This museum exhibit may trigger a new interest in the booklet and I am considering ordering more copies. If any forum members would be interested in a copy and help the SRBF could you let me know as it will help me decide whether to order more.

Almost everyone knows of the world famous cartoon character Andy Capp created in 1957 by Reg Smythe and still going strong today. What I have yet to find is anyone who has heard of a speedway cartoon strip created by Reg at the start of his cartooning career many of which feature a character called Skid Sprocket. I came across a rare booklet of these strips and set about finding the copyright owner with a view to doing a reprint. To cut a long story short I managed to contact the family of the late Reg Smythe and they gave their full backing to my resurrecting Skid and friends. The booklet shows speedway in the early 1950's and is interesting from a historic point of view but many of the jokes are relevant to today's speedway as well as being very amusing in their own right. With the help of a graphic designer friend we have put together a 44 page A5 size booklet containing over 70 cartoons with the aim of selling them and all income (after expenses) going to SRBF.. The price is £7 (plus 70p if posted to a U.K. address). Anyone interested in more information or purchasing a copy please contact, skidsprocket@gmail.com

There may already be a list somewhere that I have missed but what are the fastest track speeds (not times) in each league, track length divided by track record, eg length 271 metres x4, record 52.2 seconds = 20.76 m/sec. Not very scientific because longer tracks should have proportionally faster speeds. Redcar = 20.76 metres/ second.

Thanks Tigerite, You have understood exactly what I was looking for when I started this thread, any more to complete the list?

Any figures for comparison?

I only read one National newspaper, The People, (I know even I don't know why I bother) and every week mainly in the speedway season I look for some snippet of speedway news and not even a column half inch, ever, and yet every Sunday there is a 16 page pullout called Total Football and around 13 pages of other sports news. What is the situation with other National newspapers are there any that ever mention speedway? Maybe the BSPA could do more with regular press releases but would the Nationals print them? One thing that we as supporters can do is to let the papers know that there are readers out here and badger them to cover our sport. There are plenty of problems with the sport but in my opinion one of the main ones is that the general public don't even know speedway exists. Has anyone tried to persuade the press to change their attitude by such as bombarding them with pleas to publish news? I know nothing will come of all this but at least I've got it off my chest.

I've just read this in a speedway magazine; "For months now speedway supporters have been protesting to the BBC against their decision not to broadcast speedway results at the end of the 10 p.m.news bulletin. In acknowledgment of the hundreds of letters sent the BBC have replied to the effect that after consideration they regret not being able to accede to the requests. Not the least of the difficulties involved is that meetings take place too late in the evening to be included in the 7.25 sports summary, and present commitments do not allow a regular place to be given in the later bulletins for league results." And the magazine? Monthly Speedway World. July !949. Nothing changes!!!

Some 7 years before Reg Smythe created Andy Capp he created a cartoon speedway character called Skid Sprocket. These cartoons were published in Monthly Speedway World, the first issue was June 1949, but I'm not sure if Skid was featured in the very first copy, I have no. 11 dated April 1950 and he looks to be well established by then. I have been asked by a local museum to loan them any materiel that I have on Reg Smythe'e pre Andy Capp days and so i would like to appeal to anyone who has any info on this dated magazine to please get in touch (or any dated in the 1950's.

I think you are right. I know that edition no.1 of the Monthly Speedway World was issued in June 1949 (of which I would like a copy or even a photocopy?) but when did the weekly Speedway World start and were Reg Smythe's cartoons in that 1st edition?

I have now obtained a copy of Monthly Speedway World, issue no. 3 dated August 1949, and Skid is featured in it. Does anyone have no. 1 June 1949 I would like to buy it if available or even a photo copy (at my expence). Copies of the cartoon booklet Smythe's Speedway World is all but sold out but I am thinking about a reprint especially if there is interest from the museum display. Would anyone be interested in a copy with all income going to the Ben fund?

Kevin Keay on BBC Tees 21/2/17. 46 mins. in; http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04rmd6r

A great effort by all who donated to the Bears burglary replacement fund now standing at £940 it would be good to see it pass £1000. Anyone want the honour of breaking through the £1000 barrier? https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/RedcarBEARS?utm_id=60&utm_term=zJA5b9qXK%C2%A0

I don't believe it has anything to do with money. If the BBC charged sports for airtime then they would make a fortune from football, there would be no need for a licence fee. It seems to be left to what interests the presenters. Our local BBC radio will send up to three reporters all over the country and Europe to follow the local football team but to get them to come to our local speedway track about a mile from the studio is an impossible task.

The estimate for replacement/repairs at Redcar after the recent break-in is £3000 to £4000. The just giving appeal total raised to date is £940 a great effort by all who donated but still looking for a few £'s more . https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/RedcarBEARS?utm_id=60&utm_term=zJA5b9qXK

There is already a topic on national media see; http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=83484