speedyguy

I really knew it was you. I just wanted to see if you were still interested in your project on Crystal Palace. Good luck with it. I agree that there are a lot of conflicting dates in regard to the Palace and what went on there. Like Division Two speedway in 1937 when it was 1939 is just one example. There are others which you have doubtless found and corrected. Don't forget the two post-war attempts to reopen the track, and also the fact there was nearly a Division Three Crystal Palace team based at Selhurst Park - the current football ground.

Isn't that along the coast from Poole and Weymouth?

What happened to the guy who originated all this and how is his project going? That's gone very quiet, must be before Christmas when we last heard from him. Any chance of an update about when and where the work on Crystal Palace Speedway might appear?

The mystery of the last-ever speedway meeting at Crystal Palace for the Holiday Cup on White Monday May 13 1940 has been partially solved. While the results of the semi-finals are not known, the result of the final is. The main finishers were were Ron Johnson, Phil 'Tiger' Hart and Arch Windmill. Thanks to the South London Press, where I was helped by their librarian Hilda McKenna but never saw their esteemed speedway writer (!), I read through the May 15 1940 sports pages. The SLP reports that New Cross and Australia star Ron Johnson was leading the final by five yards when he ground to a halt with a puncture. This let Phil 'Tiger' Hart clear to win by two lengths from Arch Windmill. An early posting lists Fred 'Friar' Tuck as the other finalist - it would be interesting to know if he finished the race. Thus, we have the main result to a piece of speedway history. Sadly, no other riders who tok part at the meeting were named so we still have no idea who 'Langley' was? As Phil Hart was there, could it have been his great pal Steve Langton? Who knows? It certainly was not Bill Longley - as posted elsewhere he was racing at West Ham.

The Pole, who was at one-time with Swindon, was Tadeusz Teodorowicz. He died after a racing accident in the late 1960s.

Those Prague increasses - all due to the wonder of them now being in the EU?

That looks a strong possibility.

Yes. There are two points adrift, so it should have been 11 for Lindsay. Didn't Wal Morton do well in this match - he must have been in nearly every heat!

There was a Bob Lindsay in the early 1950s who rode for one of the Scottish tracks. The match you refer to was a Provincial Cup first round match at Liverpool on May 30 1960 which Cradley won 49-47. The scorers, according to the 1961 Speedway Star Digest, were: Liverpool: Wal Morton 19, B Lindsay 9, G Beattie 6, B McArthur 4, S Schirmer 4, C Smith 3, N Murray 0. Cradley: E Eadon 16, R Spencer 10, G Bewley 8, V White 8, G Whitehouse 3, T Eadon 3, B McGregor 1. in the same publication, Lindsay is listed as having raced in a Provincial League match scoring, as mentioned, 11 points. There is also a Liverpool team photo in the Digest - sadly no Mr Lindsay in it!

Gosh! The past has come back to haunt me! How long ago was that posting? Beware - what you say, it may come back to haunt you one day! Sadly, I think you will find how Yarmouth is currently laid out for stock cars and greyhounds it may be hard to put in a speedway. Great if they did. I remember Billy Bales was a great rider there.

Did it work at Rye House? Wasn't that the reason for the parting of the way between Spedeworth and Len Silver?

Well doen Rye House. That certainly gives a dent to the Belle Vue legend. Excellent research Norbold.

Many thanks for this. I am certain that Les suffered a head injury and this led to his retirement. I wonder was he a pre-war rider or a product of post-war training schools? Any idea where his accident took place - it was in mid-season and probably recorded in the Stenners Annual results for 1946 carried in their 1947 edition. In the match mentioned above, how did Les have TWO points deducted?

Les Webbon was making good progress for New Cross in 1946. He had established a team place by mid-season. It's sketchy memory now, but did he have a serious crash sustaining a head injury. He never rode again. Where did he race before New Cross - ie in the seasons just preceding World War Two in September 1939? I believe that in the early part of 1946 Webbon had a second-half ride at Wimbledon PS: I don't have a copy, but it's likely the accident was recorded in the match reports section of the 1947 Stenners Annual, probably between mid-June to early August. Thanks out there!

I have had another look at the site and its stills of the Atom Racer. In the top left corner, it does say Wimbledon Stadium and gives a date as November 1955? This really is becoming a mystery. I cannot recognise the stadium as Wimbledon, but could it be before the Grandstand was rebuilt? Another mystery that needs an answer. It's always great when something like this happens. PS: Just a thought - could this track be Tongham Stadium at Aldershot?

Thanks. I have been into the site you mentioned. I agree it is NOT Wimbledon but most likely Rayleigh. This car has been chronicled in several publications, Vintage Speedway Magazine and Short Circuit several times. These have always given the impression that tests only took place at Wimbledon. Indeed, in one test at Plough Lane, Moore was quite badly injured when the car overturned amd never drove it again. Was this Rayleigh test, I wonder, 'a secret test' before the 'official' tests at Wimbledon?

I am certain the Atom Car did not appear at Rayleigh but in fact was at Wimbledon Stadium. The car is now owned by Jack Taylor.

Apart from the on-going mystery surrounding the finishing results at the last ever Crystal Palace meeting at Whitsun 1940, some other meetings also 'lost somewhere' spring to mind. I am certain that after the Palace moved to New Cross in 1933, on public holidays (Easter, etc) some open championships were/may have been staged between 1934 and 1938. It's likely the starters at these included Lloyd Goffe, Ron Clarke, George Bason, Mick Mitchell. I think the promoter, on behalf of the Crystal Palace, was a Mr Legg. Any details on these around?

Then how does that equate to Barry Meeks' time - please? I was a maths duffer at school, once got 11 out of 100 in an exam - claimed as 'the school's worst ever exam mark' in the subject!

I also remember Colin living in Deptford, He rode for Brafield in the SAL in 1954, then various other tracks. I also remember him taking his speedway bike to meetings on a motorcycle sidecar! The only other rider who did this at the time was John Lalley, a second-half rider at California, Aldershot and Eastbourne in 1953-55. Lalley was a protege of Ivor 'Aussie" Powell. I know it's nothing to do with Goody or Jarman, but the name Lalley just flowed suddenly. Odd?

Guess this would have been a mix of 500cc midget cars (not the more powerrrful Skirrows), sidecars and speedway bikes. Besides the programme request, does anyone have race details. Does it appear in the Speedway Star for this period. They used to love these meetings when they ran at Coventry, so must have covered this, I would think.

Can I pass this time/speed question on please?

If anyone is good at maths, can they redefine these race times into mph calculated over the size of track covered. I know there is a formula to do this, but as an old-timer, the grey cells aren't what they used to be so it's a bit beyond me.

Shame on you Barry Meeks while not a top line speedway rider was a top man at grass track racing. A big circuit like Earle Street would have been well suited to him.

And that's who I think the Page concerned is. I am also certain Charlie had a few second half rides at Wimbledon in 1946. Believe he may have been linked to Eastbourne pre- and early post-war.