Derek Timms

[KevH 257]

Derek had outings for Crayford, Doncaster and Wolverhampton back in the late sixties. Can anyone tell me his date/place of birth please, and does anyone have any memories or stories about him?

[chunky 6,117]

Derek actually started out in the early '50's, perhaps even the late '40's. Yep, he was around a long time.

 

Steve

 

 

[KevH 257]

Thanks Chunky.

 

So from that can I assume he was born in the early '30's?

 

Can anyone be more specific?

[chunky 6,117]

He was born in Birmingham, on October 3, 1928.

 

Steve

[norbold 7,135]

Derek rode for New Cross in 1960.

[JoeW 46]

Given his date of birth did he ride in one meeting for Middlesbrough in 1946? The Complete A to Z of British Speedway Riders 1940s has an entry for Timms with no first name and nothing seems to be known about him.

[norbold 7,135]

I think the ? Timms who rode one match for Middlesbrough in 1946 is not Derek. Derek Timms was a Rye House discovery who first rode at Rye House in 1953.

[KevH 257]

Thanks very much everyone.

[star ghost 7]

the ? Timms at Middlesbrough has been a long-time question with researchers. I don't think it was Derek either.

[britmet 233]

Derek Timms had a long riding career it would seem, including 4 years at Cradley in the Provincial Lge, 1961-64. For a time there he was suffering badly with arthritis in his knees which gave his riding a unique style with a stiff left leg rigidly out, but he performed every Saturday night regardless. Out of interest I’ve tried to piece together his career, - a regular journeyman it would seem, from the Midlands, to the West Country, the South-East, and finally, (-?- please feel free, dear reader, to infill, correct and/or update the following - ,) the North, (Yorkshire !)

Brummie-born Derek has definitely been seen in W’ton Wasps colours (viz recent eBay photo sale.) The record books credit him with 108pt for them in NL3 in 1951; just 30pts for W’ton in 1952’s SAL, as well as 33 pts for a D.Timms at St Austell in 1952 - ? Was it Derek ? : the year fits, but not the location, (but then National Service gave rise to many out-of-place appearances. - ?) 1953 showed D.Timms at Plymouth scoring 33 SAL pts., (almost certainly the D.T. from St Austell the previous year. ) From ’54 to ’58 there’s no D,Timms to be found amongst the point scorers, in the Midlands or the South, in any division, (Qu: - 2yrs Nat’l Serv. in the West Country, then demob and a concentration on a career: - ?) until in 1959 he scores 4pts for W’don in their Natl.Res.Lge. team, and top scores for Aldershot with 63pts in the SAL.

1959 was also the year that New Cross ran a few Open (non-Lge ) meetings, and as Derek was a regular at the Frying Pan in their 1960 NL team, (24pts,) it a fair guess he may also have made appearances there in ’59. ( Norbold - ?) At this time, circa 1960, Derek put in several Sunday appearance at the likes of Rye House, Aldershot and Eastbourne, for one or other of those non-league ex-SAL teams, as well as occasional reserve slots for the B’ham team at NL level, (noting the Phil Hart NX/Brum promotional connection,) before signing for Cradley, via a Harry Bastable connection in ‘61. (Likewise ex-Brummie Ivor Davies, who Harry also persuaded out of retirement !)

 

With the formation of the British League, top flight racing seemed not for Derek, and he only next appears in ’68 with the formation of BL2 and the need for some experience amongst the new generation of juniors, as a regular for Crayford Highwaymen, (plus 2 matches for Wolves via the common promotion.) That promotion next opened Doncaster in 1969, and Derek soon moved there, scoring 166pts in 24 matches.

And that’s where the story/record books end. Is Derek still around? Was it he at St Austell in 1952 ? What was he doing in the mid ‘50s ? (grass-tracking, it’s suspected.) Can anyone infill this chronology ?

 

1928 d.o.b.

1951 W’ton

1952 W’ton, St Austell

1953 Plymouth

1954 - ’58 ?

1959 Aldershot, (W’don Res.,) New Cross(?)

1960 New Cross, B’ham, Aldershot, x, x,

1961 - ’64 Cradley

1965 - ’67 ?

1968 Crayford, (W’ton)

1969 Crayford, Doncaster

? - -

 

[Jim Blanchard 19]

Derek rode for New Cross in 1960.

 

I can remember watching him riding at New Cross.

 

[BOBBATH 467]

Am sure that Derek didn't ride in 65 or 66

[norbold 7,135]

1959 was also the year that New Cross ran a few Open (non-Lge ) meetings, and as Derek was a regular at the Frying Pan in their 1960 NL team, (24pts,) it a fair guess he may also have made appearances there in ’59. ( Norbold - ?)

As far as I know Derek Timms appeared in just one meeting at New Cross in 1959 as a reserve in the last meeting of the season, the Supporters Trophy.

[Glyn* 0]

I have rode on the grass with his son Paul.Look on you tube ,type in "Stoke speedway"then select the formula grasstrack clip to see Paul in action.

[czechhero 32]

I worked with Derek in the motorcycle trade in the late 70s/80s. He was and still is a smashing bloke with a great sense of humour. He used to tell me many stories from his racing days, the most cringeworthy being the time he returned to the pits after a fall only to sit down and find a 6 inch nail sticking out of his kneecap! Ugh.

I think he knocked himself about a bit during his career, especially in the few indoor meetings he rode in around 1971/2 and he now gets around with aid of a stick, but he's as cherpy as ever.

I've always known him as Ron, his christian name, he changed it to Derek because when he signed for Wolves they already had 2 Rons so he used his middle name to avoid confusion.

One of life's nice guys is Mister Timms. Son Paul works in the pits at Perry Barr and his other son David is a PB regular and ardent Brummies fan.