Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted September 1, 2016 Hi, Must admit I did assume that the original NL (which ran - with a break during the war.. - for over 30 years) would've had a 'Riders Championship' for at least some of this time. Thus being a forerunner of the BLRC (now ELRC..). But I think maybe that this was an incorrect assumption? Certainly I can find no evidence of it... Could someone please clarify was there any 'League Riders Championship' contested by members of the original NL? In any of its divisions?Thanx Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lucifer sam 3,953 Posted September 1, 2016 (edited) Hi, Must admit I did assume that the original NL (which ran - with a break during the war.. - for over 30 years) would've had a 'Riders Championship' for at least some of this time. Thus being a forerunner of the BLRC (now ELRC..). But I think maybe that this was an incorrect assumption? Certainly I can find no evidence of it... Could someone please clarify was there any 'League Riders Championship' contested by members of the original NL? In any of its divisions? Thanx No such competition mate. There was a Provincial League Riders' Championship, which ran from 1960 to 1964, and that was the forerunner to the BLRC. It even had a Belle Vue final in '63 and '64. Ask Uncle Len about it - he won the comp in '62 The OTHER Riders' Championship was the one between 1946 and 1948 (called the British Riders' Championship in '46; just the Riders' Championship in '47 and '48). However, that was the replacement World Championship in the immediate post-war years. Plus, of course, there were regional comps such as the hugely prestigious London Riders' Championship (a competition at its height pre-war and immediate post-war) and the Midland Riders' Championship. All the best Rob Edited September 2, 2016 by lucifer sam Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruno 1,790 Posted September 2, 2016 Was Len Silver a decent rider back in the day, never seems to be mentioned when past greats are talked about Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
britmet 233 Posted September 2, 2016 .You can find winners of the limited number of 'League Riders Championships' that preceded the 1960 Prov'l Lge Championship, pre- and post-war, incl'l NL.II, NL.III and SALs on the Speedway Champions website, HERE . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
britmet 233 Posted September 2, 2016 Was Len Silver a decent rider back in the day, never seems to be mentioned when past greats are talked about . Len was a middle-of-the road 2nd string for Ipswich in the '50s in NL.2, and struggled when the Witches were in the top tier in 1960. In '61 he dropped back down to the Prov'l Lge when Exeter opened, was 2nd in their averages that year, and topped their scoring table in '62 & '63, when he excelled. He was a Silver Sash holder several times at the end of '62, - his season topped with that Belle Vue PLRC win - and again in early '63. (Full Sash results HERE .) In '64, the last year of the Prov'l Lge, he rode and promoted at the newly re-opened Hackney Hawks, retiring after injuries in July. . 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lucifer sam 3,953 Posted September 2, 2016 . You can find winners of the limited number of 'League Riders Championships' that preceded the 1960 Prov'l Lge Championship, pre- and post-war, incl'l NL.II, NL.III and SALs on the Speedway Champions website, HERE . Cheers Britmet, I'd forgotten the irregular lower league Riders' Championships. But, just to confirm, the Riders' Championship was never held for the top league until 1965? All the best Rob Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
britmet 233 Posted September 3, 2016 (edited) Cheers Britmet, I'd forgotten the irregular lower league Riders' Championships. But, just to confirm, the Riders' Championship was never held for the top league until 1965? All the best Rob . Thats right, - 'cos they had their ultimate championship, the one held at Wembley every September, (called, as you said, the British Riders Championship post war.) Every winner of that event was a National Lge Div.1 rider, (- except 1951, when a Div.II rider made it thru the qualifiers and took the title. !) During the war, a similar competition, the 'British Individual Championship', was held each year at Belle Vue ! (see National Champions page for winners.) Edited September 4, 2016 by britmet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites