BL65

He used Old Don on the London Speedways proboards site. Along with John Hyam, there were contributions from Jack Keen of Erith, Olddon, Gustix and Mrs. Gustix, who we were assured was posting in her own right. The purpose was to make the site look busy during quiet times.

It would never be allowed. The idea was developed from the Speedway Gazette glamour pictures of the 1940s/1950s.

I am 99 percent sure it is.

John asked for information about the speedway rider Jack Keen on more than one occasion, after he had already used the name as a forum alias. The only connection I noted was that John first saw speedway at New Cross in 1946 and Jack took part in a few second half events there at that time. Jack had previously ridden for Oxford in 1939. I never discovered why John chose to adopt that particular alias.

He certainly looked a fine prospect. In the closing weeks of the 1960 season his UK scores in consecutive meetings (four at Leicester, four away) were 14 (from 5 rides), 15 (5), 14 (5), 14 (5), 14+1 (6), 13+2 (6), 15 (5), 15 (5). CMA 10.86.

2 x Zabik (Jan and Karol) Zeal (Roy)

Freddie Quick rode for Romford in the Sunday Dirt Track League in 1938. South African Bob Quick appeared three times for Edinburgh in Division 2 in 1948, including the match at Bristol when Cyril Quick was in the opposing team.

Speedway was staged there from 1929 to 1931.

It looks like a recently closed track in the north-east.

Tom Farndon had been due to travel to Australia at the end of the 1935 British season. I have never seen any reference to him competing there in earlier seasons.

Horace Burke, who rode speedway under the name of Paddy Mills, served with the RAF and was awarded the British Empire Medal. Although never a rider, former Bristol and Wimbledon promoter (as well as Shelbourne 'technical adviser'/clerk of the course) Ronnie Greene was awarded the MBE for his exploits as an Auxiliary Fire Service District Officer during the London Blitz.

Steve originally specified the British League era, starting in 1965.

Cradley Heath: Gert Handberg (Denmark) 6 seasons and Bruce Penhall (USA) 5 seasons.

Yes, your memory serves you well. Although the finals were not shown live in full, there was coverage on BBC television on 22/09/49 from 21.30 until 22.10; on 21/09/50 from 21.30 until 22.00; then from 21.00 until 22.00 on 20/09/51, 18/09/52, 17/09/53, and 16/09/54; from 21.15 until 22.00 on 15/09/55; from 21.00 until 22.00 on 22/09/56 and 21/09/57. There were reports in the Sport Special programme on 20/09/58 (22.15-22.45), 19/09/59 (22.50-23.20) and 17/09/60 (22.00-22.40).

23rd April 1951 part of Walthamstow v Coventry was broadcast live on BBC. 17th and 24th February 1962 the Grandstand Pairs were shown live from Cradley Heath, also on BBC. I have a vague recollection that some highlights of Belle Vue v Sheffield from 3rd April 1965 were shown on Grandstand a week later. The Internationale highlights were shown in the mid-1960s. Speedway clips were also shown occasionally on the midweek programme 'Sportsview', which became 'Sportsnight' in 1968, with presenters including Peter Dimmock, David Coleman and Harry Carpenter. Alan Weeks was the Internationale commentator. He also used to commentate on ice skating, ice hockey and swimming. He covered speedway World Finals for the BBC from the mid-1950s until the late-1960s. Weeks was a big speedway fan.

Thank you both for your kind comments. '50 Days of Speedway, Sunderland in 1964' by Keith Corns and Georgia Smithson is available from various outlets in Sunderland, or via Speedway PMB (https://speedway-pmb.webador.co.uk/)

Wolverhampton programmes are printed in Stourbridge by Brierley Printers.

Speedway Researcher site shows in the Sheffield A to Z that Ron Johnson was in a demonstration race at the end of the 1962 season. I suspect this was his last appearance there.

Peter Moore was regarded as one of the fastest gaters in the sport in the 1950s and early 1960s, particularly during his association with Wimbledon and Ipswich.

Cyril left Wimbledon and joined Belle Vue in 1962. He was in his second season with the Aces when Ronnie was injured so didn't really leave the Dons in the lurch by moving.

That is correct, Doug died 8th June 2000.

You would also have seen the great Arne Pander a few times between 1965 and 1967. He was still riding in 1968, although badly affected by injuries by then.

The Bell Helmet company was formed in Bell, California in 1954 and the Bell Star helmet was claimed to be the first full face helmet when it was introduced in 1967. I have a vague recollection that Barry Briggs first tried these helmets when he visited California with Ivan Mauger. That would have been either 1967 or 1968, when they ran training schools for local riders.

Dave Gifford.

Tyburn Gallows