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It was reported that Garry Middleton had committed suicide around three years ago but this has never been confirmed - any further information would be very welcome.

The last meeting at West Ham is on the Pathe News site - you can view stills, download or order a video. Might break your heart though...

What became known as the the Lokeren Disaster was a minibus accident on the road between Antwerp and Ghent in Belgium on July 14th 1970, taking a West Ham selet home from Holland - one of the dead, former rider Phil Bishop - the 'India Rubber Man' and 'King of Crash' mentioned on here before - often organised meetings abroad, at that time in particular the Dutch Gold Helmet in Amsterdam (see the Speedway Image Bank site for photos). Riders killed were Martyn Piddock, a brilliant young English prospect, at West Ham after starting at Canturbury, Gary Everitt former Hackney rider than at Wimbledon, and Australians Peter Bradshaw and Malcolm Carmichael. Injured were Stan Stevens, Gary Hay, mechanic Rory Sullivan and Colin Pratt - the same one. It was national news at the time and certainly cast a shadow over the sport. £8508 was raised in donations and a memorial meeting at West Ham drew 7500. Those details and photos are found in the Champions Book of Speedway no2. Regards

I hadn't seen that record cover for 30 odd years but the photo re-appears on a compilation CD, see http://www.musicstack.com/item.cgi?item=59...ind=wild+angels this is the picture taken at Eastbourne in the early 1970s as I said above, unless someone knows better of course.

I believe the track is Eastbourne

Confirmation that PAUL WALSH was a regular second-half rider at Oxford in 1971

Troy Butler was a hero at Oxford in the 80s and though he ofen failed to get round the first turn he was a very popular, likable rider. He should have done more in the sport but he was Australian champion at one time was he not. He's famous still at Cowley for a vital ride in the final heat of the 1985 KO cup final Oxford v Ipswich (reported crowd 5000) He posted on the Oxford forum at the time of the death of Simon Wigg.

Hello Stewart Perhaps you could contact The Vintage Speedway Magazine Peter Lipscomb, 1 London Road, Aston Clinton, Buckingshire, HP22 5HG Tel: 01296 630404 or The Speedway Researcher (magazine) c/o Graham Fraser 7 B Bruce Street Stirling FK8 1PD There is (or was) a collectors magazine too. Peter Lipscombe would almost certainly be able to tell you more about your grandfathers career, and the magazine has classified ads, the second as its title suggests is more concerned with research and information rather that artefacts. I think you will find it a challenge now to get material from the very early days, but there are collectors and a market out there so I would suggest you go direct to the specialist community... it might get you in touch with somebody - ? Good luck!

Thanks Zetters

I believe Solkatterna translates as 'Sun Cats' in English, the team being the Karlstad 'Sun Cats' Only wondered it Zetters could confirm - sorry its not a 'years gone by' question - Ive wondered how they came by that name and if it has some particular meaning in Swedish...

Zetters could you translate 'Solkatterna' into English?

Hello Old Codger Taking this from 'Homes of British Speedway' by Bamford and Jarvis. This book makes reference to a track at the Wraysbury Road Greyhound Stadium. A motorcycle rodeo was held there in 1938, planning permission was granted in 1949 for Speedway one day a week "although no meetings were ever held". There was Grasstrack in 1950, and Stock Cars on a shale track in the 1950s until the closure in 1960 and subsequent demolition of the stadium. Sorry that doesn't tell you much but it does seem that there was no Speedway in Staines itself, hope somebody else can offer more.

http://www.speedwayimagebank.co.uk/ Look under 1967 and 1968 I don't know how much detail you want but there are lists of points scored in WTCs and WC qualifying rounds and finals on http://www.speedway.org/history/index.htm Prague Tour of 1968: 7/8 Poole cancelled 9/8 Hackney L 32-46 10/8 Kings Lynn L 35-43 13/8 Leicester L 24-54 14/8 Oxford L 35-43 16/8 Glasgow L 27-51 17/8 Cradeley Heath L 27-51 Lubos Tomick: M 6 R 21 P 20 BP 1 Ttl 21 CMA 4.00 (You also need somebody with the BSPA Handbook for 1968 - by all accounts these meetings were much better than the scores would suggest!) I'll keep looking. Regards

You have an excellent site for the Tomaceks, sorry I couldn't contribute to your update Ive only just joined the forum. Tomacek grandfather rode in England in 1967 and 1968 with Red Star Prague, who were popular visitors in club challenges. In 1968 they rode seven and lost seven, Tomacek scoring paid 21 from 21 starts. Lubos's grandfather rode at Oxford on 14 August 1968 just weeks before his death - I didn't see this meeting but its well remembered by others. Afraid I dont have the details for 1967 to hand, though I might have some programmes somewhere. There are some photographs of these tours with pictures of Tomicek on the Speedway Imagebank site. The boy Lubos is a great prospect!