Oldest Surviving World Finalists

[jrs 3,290]

On 3/9/2023 at 10:21 AM, chunky said:

Sad to report the passing of another list member - Coventry's Jim Lightfoot. He was 89.

Very sad news indeed. Jim used to work with my old man and I think it was summer of 1954/5 that Pop took me to Brandon for the first time and introduced me to Jim and that was the start of my love for the sport. He really was an under rated stalwart for the Bees and spent thirteen years at Brandon. I well remember the trip to Wembley on a BTS coach for the World Final in '63. What mad days out they were, but at least that year we had Jim, Nigel, Ron and PO to shout for .

He actually ended up getting me the worst and shortest job I ever had, in the unit next to him and Mick in Bayton Road.  I only survived polishing out welds inside stainless steel vats for about an hour. I came out deaf and coated in SS dust. 

RIP Jim and thanks for introducing me to this mad sport, my thoughts and prayers are with all your family and friends.

 

 

B

Edited March 12, 2023 by jrs

[norbold 7,110]

1 hour ago, jrs said:

 I well remember the trip to Wembley on a BTS coach for the World Final in '63.

 

 

 

 

The 1963 final was the first one I went to. I was sitting with my friend next to a group of Coventry supporters who we chatted to during the meeting. Perhaps we met in another life, jrs!

Edited March 12, 2023 by norbold

[BOBBATH 467]

Thanks Chunky-great list, must have taken a lot of work. It corrected some of my mistakes- I didn't even realise Reg Luckhurst had made the top 16. Thanks greatly again mate.

[BOBBATH 467]

Hi Chunky  I posted my thanks in the wrong place-thanks again for taking the trouble to do this list

[steve roberts 9,246]

7 hours ago, jrs said:

Very sad news indeed. Jim used to work with my old man and I think it was summer of 1954/5 that Pop took me to Brandon for the first time and introduced me to Jim and that was the start of my love for the sport. He really was an under rated stalwart for the Bees and spent thirteen years at Brandon. I well remember the trip to Wembley on a BTS coach for the World Final in '63. What mad days out they were, but at least that year we had Jim, Nigel, Ron and PO to shout for .

He actually ended up getting me the worst and shortest job I ever had, in the unit next to him and Mick in Bayton Road.  I only survived polishing out welds inside stainless steel vats for about an hour. I came out deaf and coated in SS dust. 

RIP Jim and thanks for introducing me to this mad sport, my thoughts and prayers are with all your family and friends.

 

 

B

...I have a feeling that Jim also went into partnership with ex-Bee Tony Lomas in the antique business?

[jrs 3,290]

7 hours ago, norbold said:

The 1963 final was the first one I went to. I was sitting with my friend next to a group of Coventry supporters who we chatted to during the meeting. Perhaps we met in another life, jrs!

You never know Norman, I can honestly say at the moment I don't remember, the great thing about Wembley was that everybody seemed to get on with everybody else, it was like a great annual social event. I was a fan of Ove and enjoyed my trips to Norwich, and I nearly peeed myself as a second-halfer at Long Eaton one night when Ove's bike packed up and he borrowed my bike and went and won the race in his usual time and gave me a display of how my bike should be ridden. Needless to say it was never ridden again like that.    Sadly some of my memories of fifties and sixties got affected by a fractured skull in '66. Loads of empty patches in my memory.  I know there was a lad near us at Wembley who reckoned he was gonna win a fortune on a TV programme. I wonder if he ever did.

 

[jrs 3,290]

1 hour ago, steve roberts said:

...I have a feeling that Jim also went into partnership with ex-Bee Tony Lomas in the antique business?

I heard that Jim did antiques, but I don't know about Tony. I used to know Tony well, but then work took over my life and travels.

[steve roberts 9,246]

1 hour ago, jrs said:

I heard that Jim did antiques, but I don't know about Tony. I used to know Tony well, but then work took over my life and travels.

...Tony's now based in Reeth apparently. Somewhere I used to visit regularly hoping to bump into him.

[E I Addio 15,845]

2 hours ago, steve roberts said:

...I have a feeling that Jim also went into partnership with ex-Bee Tony Lomas in the antique business?

Wasn’t Tony a road tester for Triumph at one stage, along with Road racer Percy Tait ? I might be wrong but I have a feeling they were both involved with developing the Triumph 3 cylinder 750 cc. 

[jrs 3,290]

43 minutes ago, E I Addio said:

Wasn’t Tony a road tester for Triumph at one stage, along with Road racer Percy Tait ? I might be wrong but I have a feeling they were both involved with developing the Triumph 3 cylinder 750 cc. 

You are perfectly 100% correct. Tony also used to race a 500 Triumph twin on grass.

[Jonas H 10]

Two fo the Swedish riders on the list passed away several years ago. Per Tage Svensson died on May 26, 2008 and Leif Enecrona as early as April 11, 2003.

[chunky 6,093]

13 minutes ago, Jonas H said:

Two fo the Swedish riders on the list passed away several years ago. Per Tage Svensson died on May 26, 2008 and Leif Enecrona as early as April 11, 2003.

Thanks for that, Jonas. Sad to hear...

[Jonas H 10]

Peo Söderman is gone as well. He died already in July 1992, aged just 59.

[jrs 3,290]

44 minutes ago, Jonas H said:

Peo Söderman is gone as well. He died already in July 1992, aged just 59.

Are you sure Jonas ? Hopefully wikipedia is correct and he is still alive and well aged 90. 

[Jonas H 10]

25 minutes ago, jrs said:

Are you sure Jonas ? Hopefully wikipedia is correct and he is still alive and well aged 90. 

Peo is definitely dead. Well before Wikipedia even existed. Was a referee for many years, but died suddenly in July, 1992, some 3 months before his 60th birthday.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Jonas H