Remembering West Ham Speedway 50 years on Paradise Park Saturday 21st May

[E I Addio 15,843]

2 hours ago, norbold said:

Funny you should say that, because on one occasion I was standing looking over the edge of the upper tier with my friend, John, when a few kids came along and kicked some litter (may have been peanut shells amongst it) over the edge and scarpered sharpish. The people below looked up and swore at us because they thought it was us! So maybe you have sworn at me in a previous life, E.I.........

….nah, happy days at the ‘ Ammers. I doubt if I cursed anyone except Bob Andrews and Sandor Levai !  

[racers and royals 8,717]

Great day out !! seemed a healthy attendance - Surprise visitor was Barry Briggs.

[Lefty 1,257]

4 minutes ago, racers and royals said:

Great day out !! seemed a healthy attendance - Surprise visitor was Barry Briggs.

Is that the man who ruined British Speedway by importing Jawa's?.... although it was claimed it stopped the Japs' .

[norbold 7,101]

8 minutes ago, racers and royals said:

Great day out !! seemed a healthy attendance - Surprise visitor was Barry Briggs.

Yes, it was a great day, r and r and good to meet you again. Also Brian Leonard amongst many other former Hammers (and one Bomber!) I had a particularly interesting chat with Norman Hunter. Good weather as well - unlike most Tuesdays down Custom House as I seem to remember! 

[racers and royals 8,717]

On 5/21/2022 at 6:55 PM, Lefty said:

Is that the man who ruined British Speedway by importing Jawa's?.... although it was claimed it stopped the Japs' .

I thought that was Neil Street with the 4 valve conversion 

Edited May 23, 2022 by racers and royals

[racers and royals 8,717]

10 minutes ago, norbold said:

Yes, it was a great day, r and r and good to meet you again. Also Brian Leonard amongst many other former Hammers (and one Bomber!) I had a particularly interesting chat with Norman Hunter. Good weather as well - unlike most Tuesdays down Custom House as I seem to remember! 

Always a pleasure to ' chew the fat ' with you Norman- and that`s not a reference to how you looked in the tee shirt 

[Lefty 1,257]

56 minutes ago, racers and royals said:

I thought that was Neil Street with the 4 valve conversation 

Naw, I'm told by the younger ones on the terraces that it was the laydown that ruined Speedway ....

But to go back on topic. I missed the opportunity to see the Wolves win 49-29 at Custom House... and never got the chance to go again. One of my regrets ... you always think you can go again next year 

[racers and royals 8,717]

9 minutes ago, Lefty said:

Naw, I'm told by the younger ones on the terraces that it was the laydown that ruined Speedway ....

But to go back on topic. I missed the opportunity to see the Wolves win 49-29 at Custom House... and never got the chance to go again. One of my regrets ... you always think you can go again next year 

You might have missed that one but were you at Swindon (date unknown)for a victory  which Wolves fans i understand still talk about.

"It was brilliant by Tim Sugar. Carter had one ride in heat 1 . He 'had' another when he wasn't replaced in one his rides. A reserve took another of his rides when an advantage was likely with a rider in it. Where was Carter's final ride coming from? There were 4 of us very experienced speedway fans scratching our heads. And then it came, Sugar gave Carter a rider replacement 'ride'. Genius." 

 

Edited May 21, 2022 by racers and royals

[Lefty 1,257]

22 minutes ago, racers and royals said:

You might have missed that one but were you at Swindon (date unknown)for a victory  which Wolves fans i understand still talk about.

"It was brilliant by Tim Sugar. Carter had one ride in heat 1 . He 'had' another when he wasn't replaced in one his rides. A reserve took another of his rides when an advantage was likely with a rider in it. Where was Carter's final ride coming from? There were 4 of us very experienced speedway fans scratching our heads. And then it came, Sugar gave Carter a rider replacement 'ride'. Genius." 

 

Oh yes... you are reveered in our group at Monmore. Beowulf has you in his Wolves 'Hall Of Fame'. We still owe you a beer! 

[E I Addio 15,843]

2 hours ago, norbold said:

Yes, it was a great day, r and r and good to meet you again. Also Brian Leonard amongst many other former Hammers (and one Bomber!) I had a particularly interesting chat with Norman Hunter. Good weather as well - unlike most Tuesdays down Custom House as I seem to remember! 

Devasted that I missed Norman Hunter , and meeting the inimitable Norbold , but I arrived a bit lat and spent so long the museum ( which was excellent) was running out of time . Highlight for me was Sverre Harrfeldt warming up an immaculate Rotrax- Jap with a straight through exhaust which sounded fantastic. Sverre is just such a modest guy you can’t help but like him .

That Jack Parker collection in the museum . I never realised that Ove Fundin was the last rider to win aWorld Championship on a JAP but the bike  in the  Museum , which I don’t know if it was Ove’s or replica was poetry on two wheels.

Finally a question I came away with. According to the Jack Parker section of the Museum the British Match Race Championship was suspended in 1935 until after the War due to the death of Tom Farndon. Is this correct. I don’t see what a fatal crash has to do with a particular event, as accidents can happen in any part of racing.

[norbold 7,101]

2 hours ago, E I Addio said:

 

Finally a question I came away with. According to the Jack Parker section of the Museum the British Match Race Championship was suspended in 1935 until after the War due to the death of Tom Farndon. Is this correct. I don’t see what a fatal crash has to do with a particular event, as accidents can happen in any part of racing.

Yes, that is correct. It was suspended after Farndon's fatal crash because he was the reigning Match Race Champion at the time and, over the last couple of years, had remained unbeaten. He had made the British Match Race Championship his own. It had become so much associated with him that, as a mark of respect, the competition was abandoned to perpetuate Tom’s name as the undefeated holder of the trophy.

Edited May 21, 2022 by norbold

[hammer1969 414]

Had a lovely afternoon chatting to people and seeing old riders, loved Reg Luckhursts short but sweet sing song, perhaps we should have all joined in.  The model of Custom House Stadium was excellent but it wasn't until I got home and looked closely at the photos I had taken of it ( I was busy trying to pinpoint exactly where I stood)  that I realised that the names of those who lost their lives at Lokeren were shown at the starting tapes, lovely touch to a great piece of work.  We'll done to the organisers of the event can we have a few more similar events please especially when the sun is shining.

[Fixer2 28]

Yes, looked to be a great day, some lovely pictures on facebook.

Didn't see George Barclay, did he not attend?

Last time I saw him was at Lakeside a few years ago, do hope he is ok.

 

 

[racers and royals 8,717]

1966 World champion Barry Briggs chats with 2nd Sverre Harrfeldt- Yes that happened 56 years ago !!!!! Rider in the colourful shirt is Mick Handley.

[E I Addio 15,843]

5 hours ago, Fixer2 said:

Yes, looked to be a great day, some lovely pictures on facebook.

Didn't see George Barclay, did he not attend?

Last time I saw him was at Lakeside a few years ago, do hope he is ok.

 

 

Sadly It might be the case that George Barclay may no longer be with us or if he is , then he is probably very ill. I used to chat to him and his wife Linda a lot at Lakeside, then he was missing and heard he had dementia. I can’t confirm it first hand, just what I heard . If anyone can update us on him it would be appreciated.

George is/was a lovely man and a genuine Speedway fan . He ran one of the ride and slide  schools at Lakeside which put money into the club but was dumped and badly treated by Jon Cook.