Bristol Bulldogs 1977 / 1978

[bulldog 77 / 78 0]

Does anyone know what happened to the riders from those two short seasons?

[T.N.T. 355]

Tom Leadbitter was a Bristol rider for a time.

 

Tiger Tom as he was known had a good career and upon retiring he went back to Moto X and Grasstrack. He appeared in numerous pre75 events and won most of them.

 

A builder by trade who lived in Rugeley then Lichfield. Tom sadly died of a heart attack in 1995. He was still riding on the Grass even then in his 50's and was always known for his cheerful smile and pipe.

 

A great character who I knew very well and often helped him clean his bikes after a meeting the next day while he was at our farm we lived on then.

[nash the dragon 0]

TNT you dont happen to know where i can get hold of any pics of Tom do you I have been searching for a while now. I used to live near him and he used to come up the pub with us ( three tuns Lichfield) he also can to watch our football team and we went to loads of his grass meetings. We used to have some crackin evenings at the pub when Cribby was in town as well amd I have never seen a funeral so packed as Tommys , a sign of how others felt about one of the nicest blokes you will ever meet

[T.N.T. 355]

I have a few lying around including one on an old husky in the late 60's doing a scrambling event at hawkstone park i think.

 

Will try and find out if Roger Harvey or Rob Hooper have any old snaps or items aswell.

 

You obviously live quite close to me then aswell. I live in Rugeley.

[Main Man 222]

The Three Tuns , Lichfield --is that the one on the left coming into Lichfield from Walsall ? If it is it is now an Indian Restaurant (The Panache) owned by a friend and client of mine!!

[nash the dragon 0]

yes main man now however i am living in Wales and was a loyal Carmarthen follower and hoping to be a swansea one too in the not so near future any news yet I believe that there is a council meeting today (29th) is that true.

 

Good luck for the future lets get speedway back in west wales bloody soon eh

 

nash the Dragon

[Main Man 222]

Thanks Nash. So if you want a pint at the old Three Tuns when you venture up to the Midlands it'll have to be Kingfisher or Lal Toofan followed by some popadums, chicken tikka massala (madras hot for me!! ) , mushroom pillau rice and a peshwari nan!!

 

No news on Swansea as yet --they probably won't get an instant answer but I have sent an e-mail to see if they know anything.

 

We're doing our best to get a new track sorted!!!

[nash the dragon 0]

Good Man if you want me to do anything in the mean time just let me know and im sure PT Dragon (Darren ) echos my sentiments also

[bulldog 77 / 78 0]

Nash the dragon I have a photo of Tom riding for Bristol (1977) Email me if you are interested

[BASIL 0]

Does anyone know what happened to the riders from those two short seasons?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Phil Herne - lives in NSW Australia his two sons both race the eldest Lee rode for Arena Essex 2004

 

Edgar Stangerland - Now lives in Ireland and operates and plant hire business.

 

Nigel Boocock - lives in Queensland Australia.

 

Phil Crump - lives in England has a engine tunning business and looks after his son jasons interest.

 

Steve gresham - lives in USA and has been seen at the odd meeting there.

[BobC 664]

Sad to say,Danny Kennedy,who left Bristol to join Poole,died a few years ago,(brain tumor,I believe).

 

Ed Stangeland recently flew over from Ireland to attend the Farewell to the County Ground at Exeter.

[norbold 7,161]

There's a recent photo of Edgar Stangeland here taken at the 2004 VSRA dinner.

[Richspeedway 327]

I was reading in the Speedway History mag about Bristol and thought it was great that Laurel and Hardy went to the meetings and were fans of the team.

[bulldog 77 / 78 0]

Yeah they came over in about 1947 and they judged a beauty pageant too

[T.N.T. 355]

TNT you dont happen to know where i can get hold of any pics of Tom do you I have been searching for a while now. I used to live near him and he used to come up the pub with us ( three tuns Lichfield) he also can to watch our football team and we went to loads of his grass meetings. We used to have some crackin evenings at the pub when Cribby was in town as well amd I have never seen a funeral so packed as Tommys , a sign of how others felt about one of the nicest blokes you will ever meet

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

With Redcar now opening, I came across a web site that showed former Boro and Teesdide riders on it and came across this picture of Tom.

 

Tom always kept his Wolves race jackets and even when racing in the pre75's on the grass he still had an old Wolves bike cover until it was pinched.

 

TOM LEADBITTER - Teeside (Wolves racejacket)