BL65

It varied from two to four meetings per week in those days, around 80 meetings in 1965. As more tracks opened over the years it was sometimes up to six in a week at times.

Graham Plant rode in quite a few matches for Leicester in 1968. He was also a rising star with Middlesbrough in Division 2 that year. I really enjoyed watching speedway at Blackbird Road each week over a period of several years. There was a massive crowd for the re-opening on 9th April 1968, a thrilling match against King's Lynn, with Vic White in great form to score paid 10 for the Lions. I was one of the first to arrive at the stadium that night and was promptly offered a job, which unfortunately I had to decline.

It may well have been the worst result for Newport Bob, but possibly not the worst performance. Wolves were in an outstanding run of home form at that time, with a group of riders that peaked at the same time. From 20th August to the end of the season they rode and won eight home matches, including five in the league. They beat Swindon 54-24 (although Briggs was missing for the Robins), Poole 50-28, Cradley Heath 65-31, Wimbledon (who finished second in the league) 50-28, West Ham (league champions) 52-26, Newport 64-14, Glasgow 56-21 (with Charlie Monk dropping 5 points) and Hackney 44-34. Jim Airey missed the last two meetings, having returned to Australia and number 9 rider Paul Sharples was brought into the team. Wimbledon and West Ham were both at full strength. Newport never had a chance against the might of the Wolves team on that October evening. Even though the scores were one-sided I recall that the quality of the racing was good. The Wolves heat leaders performed well enough in those eight meetings, with Peter Jarman averaging 8.52, Bob Andrews 9.09 and Jim Airey 9.76. James Bond rode in one of the meetings at reserve to average 12.00 and Brian Maxted, riding mainly as reserve, averaged 8.52. The second strings were in a rich vein of form at Monmore in this run of matches, with Gordon Guasco averaging 9.25, Tommy Sweetman 10.55 and Cyril Francis 10.67. The Wasps had no answer when up against that Wolverhampton team. In October Wolves also went to Exeter and thrashed the home team 48-30, the only home league defeat of the season for the Falcons. 15 full or paid maximums were recorded in the last eight home meetings, three of them by Cyril Francis.

Bob also rode in a few meetings for Belle Vue in 1951, as well as being a regular in their Junior team matches that season.

The result is shown on the Speedway Researcher website at http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/docs/1930/slresults.pdf

On May 7th 1930 Birmingham (Perry Barr) hosted Hall Green in a Southern League meeting. The result was a win for the visitors by 36 points to 18. Perry Barr withdrew from the league after 4 matches. In 1929 both teams had competed in the Southern League but Hall Green withdrew from the competition after 7 matches, before the local derbies were staged.

Other SAL riders who appeared in World Finals were Bob Andrews (1960, 1961, 1962, 1964), Mike Broadbank (1958, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, as well as 1965 and 1967 as non-riding reserve), Leo McAuliffe (1963), Ray Cresp (1961), Colin Pratt (1967) and Ivan Mauger. Ivan appeared in the same Rye House team as Brian Brett in 3 SAL meetings in 1957. Brian appeared in the 1965 final.

1. Peter Craven 2. Tom Farndon 3. Jack Parker 4. Peter Collins 5. Nigel Boocock 6. Malcolm Simmons 7. Michael Lee 8. Brian Crutcher 9. Ron How 10. Ken McKinlay

1. Liverpool 2. Telford 3. Exeter 4. Norwich 5. Bristol Regarding Barnstaple, the Town Council met on 31st July 1945 and discussed the proposed use of Braunton Road Sportsground twice a week for greyhounds and speedway. The Council had received a committee recommendation that the application should be refused.

They were indeed essential reading in those pre social media days. I also have copies of Track News Weekly Illustrated and On The Track from that era.

The Cradley Heath website records that Ronnie Rolfe moved to Sheffield in 1961 after he started to struggle a little with the track at Dudley Wood. However, his statistics for the time he spent with the Heathens make interesting reading in this regard. From my own records, checked against the Speedway Researcher site, in 1960, Ronnie's record was: Provincial League Home meetings - 34 rides, 57 points plus 5 bonus, total 62, giving a CMA of 7.29 Away meetings - 37 rides, 43 points plus 12 bonus, total 55, giving a CMA of 5.95 All meetings - 71 rides, 100 points plus 17 bonus, total 117, giving a CMA of 6.59 He also scored 3 points from 4 rides in the KO Cup and 46 points plus 4 bonus from 31 rides in challenge matches. In 1961, his record for Cradley Heath was: Provincial League Home meetings - 16 rides, 24 points plus 4 bonus, total 28, giving a CMA of 7.00 Away meetings - 15 rides, 11 points plus 2 bonus, total 13, giving a CMA of 3.47 All meetings - 31 rides, 35 points plus 6 bonus, total 41, giving a CMA of 5.29 So, although Ronnie's league average had dipped in the early part of the 1961 season this was mainly due to lower scores in away meetings compared to 1960. He rode one other match for Cradley Heath in 1961, an away challenge at Sheffield, where he scored 9 points from 4 rides. Having also scored 8 plus a bonus from 4 rides at the same track in a PL match a couple of weeks earlier, thereby averaging 9.00 from two meetings at Owlerton, it is hardly surprising that he moved there in May. The Tigers needed to strengthen, having just lost 28-50 at home to Cradley and 20-55 at Edinburgh before Ronnie's signing. In 1961 Ronnie's Sheffield record was: PL Home 28 rides, 52+3 = 55 points, CMA 7.86 PL Away 32 rides, 47+4 = 51 points, CMA 6.38 PL Total 60 rides, 99+7 = 106 points, CMA 7.07 Including Northern League, KOC and challenges - 128 rides, 190+12 = 202 points, CMA 6.31 In 1962, again with Sheffield: PL Home 40 rides, 63+14 = 77 points, CMA 7.70 PL Away 34 rides, 32+4 = 36 points, CMA 4.24 PL Total 74 rides, 95+18 = 113 points, CMA 6.11 Including Northern League, KOC and challenges - 132 rides, 175.5+34 = 209.5 points, CMA 6.35 Finally, with Hackney in 1963: PL Home 25 rides, 24+4 = 28 points, CMA 4.48 PL Away 9 rides, 3+1 = 4 points, CMA 1.78 PL Total 34 rides, 27+5 = 32 points, CMA 3.76 Including Southern League matches - 40 rides, 35+6 = 41 points, CMA 4.10

We will just have to refer to him as Bert Crou cher

My previous post was about the speedway heroes who took to the football pitch. The riders were aided by other speedway figures on occasions of course, The report on the game against Paramount Sports, which took place on Sunday, 31st January 1960 at Raynes Park, recorded that a large contingent of New Cross and Wimbledon supporters were in attendance. It was also noted that the Speedway XI brought on substitutes Jim Lawlor and John Hyam for the second half, even though both had already played a match earlier in the day. The former West Ham footballer Harry Kinsell once told me that he and his team mates were regular spectators at Custom House in the early1950s and although a few of the more daring players were tempted to have a go none were brave enough. The football club would no doubt have taken a very dim view if they had. I recall that Barry Briggs was good friends with David Webb, the former Southampton and Chelsea footballer. I wonder if David ever had a go on the track.

The Speedway XI was active for many years, sometimes with matches against Showbiz personalities. From reports it seems that a good time was had by all, although the games were still taken seriously.

Referring back to Errol Brook, the Birmingham promotion saw some potential and included him at reserve in the challenge against Leicester in 1960. However, he was up against riders of National League standard and failed to score from two rides.

Spot on. For several years the team played during the winter, raising money for charity. Viv Harwood was indeed a regular member of the side. The 1960 team rapidly improved and narrowly lost 6-4 in the final match.

Two clues. The first two matches were lost 11-1 and 9-0. The editor of Speedway Star was introduced as a substitute halfway through the first match, having already taken part in another match earlier in the day.

The following were all lined up to turn out for which team in 1960? Pat Flanagan, Danny Dunton, Jim Tebby, Roy Bowers, Ernie Baker, Ron How, Ken Mellor.

Ronnie was one of a group of riders who would have been glad to return early from Venezuela in late December 1959, with the tour being described as a failure by Phil Bishop. As I recall, the organisers suffered a loss of about £250,000 on the venture. This included spending £100,000 on buying land and building tracks, only for the Caracas stadium to be demolished three months later to make way for a new highway. The eight meetings staged were poorly attended, with admission prices unaffordable for the masses. Other riders on the tour included Brian Brett, Geoff Pymar and Cyril Roger. Cyril suffered an injury and spent some time in hospital. Shortly after he returned from Venezuela, Rayleigh prematurely claimed that Ronnie Rolfe had signed to ride for the team in 1960.

I recall that there was a picture of John S. Hoskins in the programmes for the opening meetings in Venezuela, with an article headed 'Inventor del dirt-track'.

Although he rode in a best pairs event and an individual meeting at California in 1956, I don't think Ronnie Rolfe ever rode for the Poppies in the SAL. Prior to those meetings he had ridden a few times at Rye House, which is where I believed he started. Perhaps his first rides were at California in training sessions.

Ronnie started on the Southern Area League tracks in the mid 1950s, which I am sure Gustix will probably be able to relate details of. Regular rides were hard to come by until the last season of the decade. From 1956 to 1959 he appeared for Rye House, Ipswich, Wimbledon and Belle Vue in official matches. After showing good improvement with Rye House and Ipswich in 1959, as with a number of riders his break came in 1960 with the formation of the Provincial League. Ronnie joined Cradley Heath and captained the side for a time. He left the Heathens for Sheffield early in the 1961 season. Following two fairly good seasons at Owlerton Ronnie moved back south to join Hackney in the Provincial League, but he was less successful and he retired during the 1963 season.

Hackney could have provided a group in 1965, with promoter Len Silver, riders Howdy Byford and Malcom Brown all renowned entertainers. Not sure which one would have been the lead vocalist though.

The Jazz magazine 'Crescendo' carried an article in the 'Band Call' column in September 1962 which stated that "Roy Peacock gave up a promising career as a speedway rider to become Roy Chappell, singer with Sid Phillips. Roy still gets out his bike, leathers and crash helmet when he comes home to Manchester. He practices on Ainsdale Sands, near Southport." Sid Phillips was a jazz bandleader. If my memory serves me correctly, I believe the sketch of two riders on the front cover of the 1960 Liverpool programme was drawn by Roy Peacock.

There is mention of Pat Biddle testing at the BSA track. http://www.national-speedway-museum.co.uk/birmingham-short-term-tracks.html Further reference is made on the Birmingham History Forum, where he is described as having been a fitter and tester at BSA. https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/speedway.14296/