norbold

There are Stenner rankings from 1946 - 1954 and then the Speedway Star rankings from 1956 onwards.

"Greatest ever" lists always tend to favour the more recent riders as people will have direct experience of seeing them. For those further back in time, all we can go by are their records and contemporary reports of their races. It's not surprising that most people tend to favour those they have seen. I would guess the only person who may have seen Eric Langton here is Gustix, possibly Mick the Muppet.

I wouldn't say Langton has gone under the radar. He won the Star Riders'' Championship in 1932 and was runner-up in 1934. He was also involved in the famous run-off for the first world championship in 1936. He qualified for all three pre-War World finals. He was also instrumental in making Belle Vue the outstanding pre-War team, winning the National League four times and the National Trophy five times. Even after the War he was still a top rider, averaging 10.93 in 1946. Undoubtedly one of England's finest ever riders

It was Bluey Wilkinson and Eric Langton who beat Tom Farndon at Belle Vue and neither of those results would have been that surprising. All three were very much on a par really. As far as I know Ray Tauser didn't have a brother but he may have done!

You are dead right, Sidney. Frank Arthur was the sport's first "superstar". He was the leading rider in Australia before speedway started in this country and then in the first two British seasons (28 and 29) was the top rider in this country. He was probably then overtaken by Vic Huxley but there is no doubt he deserves to be spoken of in the same way as other dominant riders of their time like Duggan, Fundin, Mauger, Nielsen, Rickardsson etc., but too early really for him to be properly remembered and lauded. P.S. Ray Tauser was an American.

Thanks Bavarian and chunky. Very interesting.

Thank you for that bit of extra info. I'll see if I can find out any more. The date is the reason I am interested in him.

A very interesting but very sad site, Bavarian. Do you have any information on Hans-Peter Finn, who was killed in 1920?

I saw the crash that killed Teo.

And don't forget Dusty Haigh in 1936 at Hackney.

Yes, Sidney, it was the scratch race final at New Cross. Ron Johnson ran into the fence on the back straight and fell. With less than two yards separating him and Tom, the latter had little time to take avoiding action, though those that were there that night say that Tom deliberately tried his best to turn away from his fallen skipper, choosing instead to plough into his machine. Tom and his bike were thrown into the air and flung a considerable distance before Tom landed on his head. Both riders were rushed to hospital, where Tom sadly died.

I asked John Somerville about my autograph book about 15 years ago. It contained autographs of Tom Farndon, Vic Huxley, Johnnie Hoskins, Gus Kuhn, Lionel Van Praag, Colin Watson and several other prominent riders of the time and he offered me £100 for it. But I still have it!

I used to buy programmes off Derek Neave. Good thinking about Tom Farndon, Split. I have his autograph in an autograph book...perhaps I should try forging it!

Incidentally, my biggest regret in the speedway programme world is that back in the 1970s I was offered two complete years of New Cross programmes, 1935 and 1936. Sadly, I had just returned from a two weeks holiday in America where I had bought some valuable comics (another collecting fad of mine at the time) which were practically unobtainable in the UK, so I just couldn't afford the asking price. I did manage to get the seller to agree to break them up and I was able to buy a few single copies, such as the night Tom Farndon was killed and the subsequent two meetings as well as a few other choice meetings.

I still have the programmes for every match I've been to - 1960-2019 - plus a number I have purchased or otherwise obtained (!) over the years going back to the first Crystal Palace meeting in May 1928. A couple of thousand altogether.

Does that mean I can cancel my BT Sport contract?

Yes, you're right. Sorry, it was 1963 his last season.

Wal rode for Hackney in 1964 and I believe he also turned out for Ipswich and Weymouth in the Metropolitan League.

Geoff Pymar rode for Yarmouth in 1960, then moved on to Middlesborough and Wolverhampton before retiring in 1962 while riding for Bradford. Cyril Brine retired in 1963 and Wal Morton in 1964. In 1960, Ron Johnson rode for New Cross Colts and then for a short time for Edinburgh.

The longest serving riders I can remember seeing when I started going in 1960 were riding before the War. Off the top of my head, without fully checking, I can remember seeing Ron Johnson, Geoff Pymar, Wal Morton, Cyril Brine and Aub Lawson. Aub was still a top rider when I saw him. In fact he scored 16 paid 17 in the first match I ever saw and reached the World Final that year. Ron Johnson began his speedway career in 1927. From 1946 the only riders I can think of, apart from the above, are Len Read and Reg Lambourne.

I spent a very pleasant evening with Tommy and Bob Andrews in New Zealand a few years ago.

He began his career in the early 1950s, riding at non-league tracks such as Rye House. His first team was Aldershot 1954. His last year was 1969 at Hackney.

Can't say I ever have any problem with Speedway Researcher. Anyway, this is what it says: Wednesday 17 August 1960 NEW CROSS RANGERS 55 SWINDON ROBINS 33 National League NEW CROSSSplit Waterman (C)33333--15Leo McAuliffeR122*---5 (1)Barry Briggs33R3---9Bobby Croombs1120---4Eric Williams33132*--12 (1)Jimmy Gooch1120---4Tommy Sweetman31*-----4 (1)Derek Timms2*R-----2 (1)Team manager: Johnnie Hoskins SWINDONGeorge White2231*---8 (1)Neil Street1*002---3 (1)Mike Broadbank222F---6Brian Brett00R----0Tadeusz Teodorowicz2011*0--4 (1)Ian Williams (C)R23321-11Brian Meredith10-----1Ron Taylor0R-----0Team manager: Bob Jones ACU Referee: Alan Day Ht 1: Waterman, White, Street, McAuliffe (ret), 60.0(3-3) Ht 2: Briggs, Teodorowicz, Croombs, I.Williams (ret), 59.2(7-5)Ht 3: E.Williams, Broadbank, Gooch, Brett, 59.0(11-7)Ht 4: Sweetman, Timms, Meredith, Taylor, 61.4(16-8)Ht 5: Waterman, I.Williams, McAuliffe, Teodorowicz, 59.2(20-10)Ht 6: Briggs, Broadbank, Croombs, Brett, 58.8(24-12)Ht 7: E.Williams, White, Gooch, Street, 58.4(28-14)Ht 8: I.Williams, Croombs, Sweetman, Meredith, 60.2(31-17)Ht 9: Waterman, Broadbank, E.Williams, Street, 60.0(35-19)Ht 10: White, McAuliffe, Teodorowicz, Briggs (ret), 60.6(37-23)Ht 11: I.Williams, Gooch, Timms (ret), Taylor (ret), 59.4(39-26)Ht 12: Waterman, McAuliffe, Broadbank (fell), Brett (ret), 61.8(44-26)Ht 13: Briggs, Street, White, Croombs, 59.8(47-29)Ht 14: E.Williams, I.Williams, Teodorowicz, Gooch, 59.4(50-32)Ht 15: (Nominated) Waterman(r), E.Williams(b), I.Williams(y),Teodorowicz(w), 59.8(55-33)

Try these:

Yes, it was 262 yards from the time it opened in 1934 until it closed in 1953. The final track record was held by Cyril Roger - 56.0, recorded on 3 October 1951. When it reopened in 1959, the track length was 278 yards and stayed at that until final closure in 1963. The last track record was 57.0 seconds. Ove Fundin recorded this in the Gold Helmet Match Race decider against Barry Briggs held on 27 July 1960 (and I was there!).