Issue 4

[TonyMac 720]

We're currently working on issue 4 of Classic Speedway and the highlights include exclusive, new in-depth interviews with Trevor Hedge, Ken Middleditch and Derek Close.

 

Trevor and Ken devoted themselves to their main clubs, Wimbledon and Poole respectively, while Derek was a high profile rider on the Northern scene with Newcastle and Motherwell in the late 40s and early 50s.

 

Eric Boocock was the first rider to be awarded a testimonial for services to his club (Halifax) in 1974, but Wimbledon's failure to offer 'Hedgey' the same reward for his 10 years at Plough Lane was a major oversight by the club's management at the time.

 

In his 10 full seasons with the Dons, Trevor never even received a signing-on fee and just rode for standard start and points money.

 

And remember, he remained loyal to the Dons for a decade despite having to travel the furthest of all the Wimbledon riders to home meetings in south-west London - from his Norfolk home.

 

Trevor is one of the sport's genuine nice guys, a shy, unassuming man who deserves the recognition Classic Speedway is delighted to give him in our next issue.

 

http://www.retro-speedway.com/

[Tim Templeton 43]

The picture of Ken Middleditch serving in his shop, looks amazingly like Ivor Brown !!

[Robbie B 262]

Thanks Tony & Suzy, another excellent magazine

[TonyMac 720]

The picture of Ken Middleditch serving in his shop, looks amazingly like Ivor Brown !!

 

Tim,

 

That's because it is!

 

Thanks for highlighting my embarrassment!

 

Seriously though, I felt absolutely gutted when Middlo (Jnr) very politely pointed this cock-up out to me before the WSRA dinner on Saturday night. Thankfully, being the supreme gentleman that he is, Ken doesn't hold it against us and Bridget, being the wonder woman that she is, phoned to say how pleased they were with the feature.

 

Looking at the pic again now, I can clearly see that it isn't Ken and, in fact, it's (as you say Tim) Ivor Brown. The photo negative was in the same batch as the pic we used of Ken on the last page of Issue 3, the one of him outside his corner shop, so I foolishly assumed this next shot to be of him too. No excuses, though. Sometimes you just have to hold your hands up. Bloody awful.

 

Many years ago, a smart arse once told me that ASSUME can make an ASS out of U and ME . . . and how right he was!

 

Still, hopefully my error, bad though it was, has not spoiled our readers' enjoyment of this issue too much.

 

Cheers,

Tony Mac

 

 

 

[Tim Templeton 43]

Thanks Tony. Another excellent "Classic Speedway". The content is really quality, a good balance, and a fine successor to "Vintage Speedway", of which I have every copy. If any Forumers haven't seen it, get a copy. You won't be disappointed.