daveallan81

Ro(d)ger that

I have him riding in the second half of the Edinburgh v Young Sweden match on 13th April 1979. The following week he was programmed to ride in a junior race. The programme is blank but as this meeting came just 4 days after the Paisley rail crash then it would seem highly unlikely that he took part. From newspaper reports of the time, his sister Sandra Black (22) and her daughter Sharon (4), both of Paisley, were amongst the 7 who lost their lives in the accident. All others killed were male. The young girl pictured with John in the article is named as Emily. Going back a bit further I have a Johnny Rodgers programmed to take part in a Scottish Junior Championship meeting at Coatbridge, October 1974. The meeting was rained off and never restaged. He is programmed (as John Rodgers) in second halves at Newtongrange in 1973. I have no record of him riding in the S.J.L. An Alastair Rodger did appear in 1977. Indeed I'm struggling to find any record of him in Coatbridge/Blantyre second halves. He is programmed to ride in an early season junior heat at Powderhall in 1977. A 1978 Wolverhampton programme has a J. Rogers listed in their 1977 second half points league table, a solitary 4th place being his lot. The caption on the scrapbook picture reads "Johnnie passing on the inside, Mount Gambia 1978." I assume this is in fact Mount Gambier speedway in South Australia.

The Pink Plonker. Supporters of a certain vintage may recall him riding down a drainage ditch on the Craighead Park centre green one night. Almost completely disappeared from view. Thankfully the ditch was undamaged.

I'm aware that this one is a bit of a long shot but you never know just who's lurking in the BSF shadows so... Speedway Star reports heat 4 as Dickinson, Richardson, Margarson, Beaton, 75.1. The problem is Jim Beaton was at #4 for Glasgow and there is no legal way he could have ridden in the race. Charlie McKinna was at #7 and is the rider I would expect to see in 4th place. The yearbook says Jim scored 1 from 5 (4 programmed rides plus the mystery heat 4 ride) and Charlie 2 from 3 (2 programmed rides in heat 2 and 8 plus a reserve ride in heat 7). Can anyone clarify the result of heat 4?

It used to be a sport for men, now it's a sport for men who use grooming products...

http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/docs/exeter/1984.pdf Carr had a couple of meetings under his belt before he beat Nielsen.

16th August 93 at Exeter, both the home side and visitors MIddlesbrough operated R/R. Graeme Gordon & Rob Price were the respective #9 riders, neither got a ride. Bears' #8 Mike Smith crashed out taking an R/R ride in heat 3 and wasn't replaced in either heat 4 or heat 15, both of which went with 3 only. Falcons' #4 Dave Steen, #5 Richard Green and #6 Frank Smart were all injured during the meeting. When the nominated heats rolled up they were unable to track anyone to cover the R/R in heat 16 or Green's ride in heat 17. I have a vague recollection of seeing the 'both reserves injured' rule in operation but I don't have a programme to back that up.

I've been sent a few more from a non-BSF member: At Liverpool 1960 Alan Kidd 10+2 Poole Cliff Cox 12 Bristol Reg Reeves 11+1 Rayleigh Eric Hockaday 12 Rayleigh Yarmouth 1960 Reg Reeves 12 Rayleigh Johnny Hole 12 Bristol Yarmouth 1961 Stan Stevens 12 Cradley (Challenge) Some from Open licence tracks: Barry Duke 15 at Plymouth 1970 Phil Crump 15 at Ashington Individual 1972 Russ Dent 12 at Cowdenbeath for Newcastle 1965 Russ Dent 15 at Cowdenbeath WCR 1965 Tim Swales 15 at Motherwell 1972 for Teesside And a possible: Hans Nielsen 18 at Powderhall for Young Denmark (doesn't think Nielsen re-appeared at Powderhall)

I've had another confirmed - Torbjorn Harrysson 12 from 4 for Newport at Glasgow White City in 1967.

Excellent. Thanks again.

Edited because I'm getting my David's mixed up. Shields returned in 1981. Decent shout, just missing the maximum.

I was compiling a list of all riders who took part in official (league, KOC, 4TT) matches at the salubrious Craighead Park during it's years of operation, 1982-86. Once completed I found that only one rider was unbeaten, winning all 4 rides in his sole appearance. Checking further I found he also won both his second half heats. One match, full house, wages in the pocket, never to return. Further checking found a second rider. Shawn Moran won all six races (and took the track record) during Jim Beaton's testimonial meeting. But as it wasn't an 'official' match it wasn't considered so the winner of the King of Craighead Park title is...you wouldn't guess this in a million years...Paul Woods. Aye. Really. All of which got me thinking. Is Woods a reasonably unique case? How many other riders made just one official appearance at a track, cleaned up, and never returned? Obviously 2nd half races might be hard to confirm but I think any rider who banged in a maximum is worthy of mention. The logistics of this has me wondering if it is quite a rare case, although that is tempered by the feeling I could also be hit with a mammoth list. Anyway, official matches only, no individual events. Full internationals are ok (might throw up a few names). One ride wonders considered.

Many thanks. I assume you mean heat 16 for the MacLean/Mauger change?

Another one for the list. I'm looking to confirm the date of the Newcastle v Glasgow junior league match staged either 28th September (Newc v Berwick) or 6th October (Newc v Middlesbrough). I have the result but would like the scorers (possibly published in Speedway Star) or the heat details if you have them. Resolved via PM, many thanks.

For the first time, I'm running averages for Glasgow in 1982. My results have been culled mostly from Speedway Star with a few marked programmes thrown in. Perhaps surprisingly, my figures almost stack up with those in the Glasgow track review - there is a ride kicking between Mauger and Martin McKinna - but it's a different story against the averages in the Glasgow programme. Tigers published averages in pretty much every programme so I've been able to identify the two matches where I think things have gone awry. All points scored check out but I'm left with differences in rides taken. Can anyone confirm these scores: 24th June Middlesbrough v Glasgow Harry MacLean 2 from 4 (1 1 0 ts 0) Kym Mauger 3 from 3 (2 0 ts 1) 16th August Scunthorpe v Glasgow Colin Caffrey 2 from 6 (1 0 1 0 0 0) Kym Mauger 0 from 3 (0 ts 0 0 ts) Derek Wilson 1+1 from 3 (1' 0 ts 0)

14th June was rained off and it was restaged as part of a double header on the 28th. Scan of 28/06 programme here https://app.box.com/s/5s7ggxs7156pfo0ww77n/1/535771022/5159099542/1 The 'Promoters Piece' carries details of the postponement in paragraph 3. I have advised Steve, who produced the detailed file, of the omission and no doubt the file will be updated in due course.

Thanks.

How much does the rest of the bike cost? Ballpark figure?

Thanks Arnie.

Can anyone confirm the line-ups for both teams? Reading walked out after heat 10 so having trouble working out who rode where. Speedway Star reports Gresham as riding in heats 8 and 9 but it appears he is riding at #4 or #5, so not sure what's going on there. Can anyone confirm these heat details: Ht 01: Collins, Ravn, Preston, Stancl, 71.4 Ht 02: McMillan, Pyeatt, Hunt, P. Carr, 70.4 Ht 03: Collins, L. Carr, Grahame, Gresham (exc), 71.0 Ht 04: Morton, P. Carr, Pyeatt, Schwartz (ef), 70.0 Ht 05: Collins, Preston, L. Carr, Stancl, 70.0 Ht 06: Schwartz, L. Carr, Ravn, Hunt, 70.0 Ht 07: Morton, Gresham, P. Carr, Grahame, 71.6 Ht 08: Ravn, McMillan, Pyeatt, Gresham, 73.8 Ht 09: Schwartz, L. Carr, Collins, Gresham (ef), 73.8 Ht 10: Morton, Ravn, Schwartz, Pyeatt, 74.0 Ht 11: Morton, McMillan, 74.0 Ht 12: Ravn, L. Carr, 76.8 Ht 13: Collins, Morton, 72.4

I've had a PM that confirms that it was a double tactical, with Cooper in white and Beaton in yellow/black.

Just to throw a bit of a spin on that, the Glasgow team managers at the time (the late Dave Thomson and Ian Steel) employed the notion that if you can use a reserve as a TS then do so, because you never knew how the rest of the meeting would pan out. You couldn't really waste a reserve TS ride - if you had no option but to make the change, then you may as well burn the TS ride in case the scores closed up, and you still had two reserve switches in your pocket.

Yes it's the notes I'm on about. I emailed you about this a while ago, probably when I first compiled the results, and you gave me the same reply. My programme was filled in from the Star, and my 'rule' when it came to noting a double change was that the higher scorer, in this case Beaton, went in white (or red) and the other rider in yellow (or blue). I've also got it down as a double tactical, as opposed to one TS and a reserve change. It could be that I checked this way back in the day with someone who was at the meeting but I have no way of confirming that. Regarding the match report, I think if it was mentioned we'd both be reporting the same thing. Unfortunately I no longer have the magazines to check. I think this is a meeting-marked programme job. Until one comes along the updated file will reflect the changes as noted on your website but still carry an 'unconfirmed' tag. The more I look at my programme the more I'm convinced it's directly from the Star, with the 'w/yb rule' above applied, and an assumption on my part that it was a double tactical.

I'm in the process of updating my Glasgow season files. There will be further queries posted but for now can anyone help with: 13/04/86 Berwick W.C.Q.R. Steve Lawson and Martin McKinna definitely took part, not sure about Bobby Beaton (McKinna may have replaced him). Looking for their respective scores and finishing positions. 18/07/86 Hackney v Poole (NL) Was Kevin Smith excluded under 2 minutes in heats 3 and 13? 28/08/86 Middlesbrough v Mildenhall (KOC QF L2) I found the heat results here http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/6580/1986-ko-cup-middlesbrough-mildenhall but I need the heat times. 08/09/86 Newcastle v Glasgow (NL) Heat 10 saw Glasgow make a double change with Bobby Beaton & Derek Cooper coming in. I need to confirm what helmet colours they took. I am aware of the information posted here http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/6600/1986-nl-newcastle-glasgow but the poster was unable to confirm the source. 03/10/86 Glasgow v Birmingham (NL) Can anyone tell me who the Birmingham captain was in this line-up: Ian M. Stead, Ian Stead, Rob Woffinden, Phil White, David Rose and Mark Stevenson.

These are the outstanding queries for 1962, boosted by the lack of a Southampton file to work from: 3rd April Southampton v Swindon Rained Off Confirm date & rain-off 8th April Rye House Promoter's Trophy Rained Off Confirm date & rain-off 1st May Southampton Pride Of The South Trophy Winner Dick Bradley Confirm date & winner 22nd May Southampton South Of England Championship Winner Bjorn Knuttson Confirm date & winner 8th June Wolverhampton W.C.Q.R. Tie W. Templeton/G. Warren/N. Hunter/T. Redmond Speedway Researcher file reports this as a 4-way tie (on 13 points) but Wolverhampton programme reports a three-way tie. Which is correct? 3rd July Southampton W.C.Q.R. Winner Alby Golden Confirm date & winner 22nd July Eastbourne v Poole (Challenge) Result or fate of meeting - possibly not staged? 31st July Southampton v Continentals 52-44 Confirm date & result 8th August Norwich Pride Of The East Rained Off Confirm date & rain-off 9th August Middlesbrough v Newcastle (Challenge) Was this the Tyne-Tees Trophy 2nd Leg? 11th September St. Austell v Exeter v Plymouth Result or fate of meeting - possibly not staged? 25th September Southampton v National League Select 50-27 Confirm date & result