norbold

Eric Langton did lose in a run-off with Lionel Van Praag.

Yes, I think you're probably right. Out of interest I just looked up my own 1967 World Final programme. In my younger days I used to predict the winner of each race by making a mark by the side of the rider I thought would win. I see that in heat 2, when Barry met Ove and Banger, I predicted Barry to win. In fact Barry was the only rider I predicted would win all five of his heats. I predicted Ivan would win four, only losing out to Briggo. Ove got my vote in three races and Banger in two.

What happened to your copy of "Out of the Frying Pan", speedyguy? It was 1951.

I agree with you, Grachan, but who do you think would have won in 1967? In a way it was the year in between the Barry Briggs and Ivan Mauger eras. One of them? Banger?

And yet he still increased his lead....

True. But he could well have won all three pre-War finals. Don't get me started! I'd rather let you drive me round London than read any more of Dr Belton's books!

Food for thought here... If the GP had been introduced in 1936 instead of 1995 and the GP had re-started immediately after the War, how many titles would Bluey Wilkinson, Vic Duggan, Jack Young, Ove Fundin and Ivan Mauger have won (for example).

We shouldn't forget Cordy Milne. Hot favourite to win the 1939 Championship which was cancelled four days before it was due to be held owing to the outbreak of war.

Hilary Buchanan, Cec Brown, Sid Chambers, Fred Cooper, Clem Cort, Dudley Cox, Les Dearth, Dank Ewen, Del Forster, Bert Gerrish, Jack Kidwell, John Leete, Fred Osborne, Alf Sawford, Mart Seiffert, Eddie Slade-Jones, Stan Spencer, Jimmy Stevens, Alf Summersby, Rube (Sonny) Wilson plus Jim Kempster and Vic Huxley after Star riders were allowed in. Cort, Foster and Spencer also appeared for Harringay.

Tom Farndon, who sadly died the year before the World Championship started.

Hmmm...That's a good question, frenchy. I think it got caught between two stools...or two books. When I wrote Speedway in the South East, Robert Bamford's Speedway in the Thames Valley was in production and I thought that he had included it in his book, so I left it alone. Had I realised he hadn't included it I would have covered it. I'm not really sure now why I should have thought that, so I suppose I would have to admit it was probably a mistake on my part not to include it in Speedway in the South East.

The price of that copy must have galvanised the publishers in to action as they have just emailed me to say they intend to reprint the book. Time to correct the two mistakes and two omissions in there.....

As far as I know that was his real name.

Stamford Bridge: Frank Arthur, Wal Phillips, Gus Kuhn... Lea Bridge: Jimmy Stevens, Stew Fairbairn, Alf Foulds, Reg Stanley, Howie Osment, Harold Hastings, Alec Slow, Charlie Spinks West Ham: Tiger Stevenson, Bluey Wilkinson, Tommy Croombs, Arthur Westwood, Allen Kilfoyle, Bert Jones, Don Durrant Harringay: Vic Huxley, Colin Watson, Eric Spencer, Stan Spencer, Alf Sawford, Will Dennis, Jack Kidwell, Lou Burger, Howard Traynor, Geo Preston, Ron Thompson, Ben Unwin. High Beech: Jack Barnett, Syd Edmonds, Phil Bishop, George Bishop, Stan Baines, Stan Taylor, Charlie King May I suggest you invest in copies of "Speedway in London" and "Speedway in the South East"? All the information you ever wanted to know is in those two books...or, at least, the above line-ups are!

Well, what an investment the book turned out to be. Anyone with a copy should cash in now! See http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0...;condition=used

Save the review, speedyguy, you can use it again when our Tom Farndon book comes out next February.

Well I can tell you who rode for Wembley, Crystal Palace and Coventry in 1930: Wembley: Jack Ormston Colin Watson Stan Catlett Harry Whitfield Arthur Atkinson George Greenwood Buster Frogley Crystal Palace: Roger Frogley Triss Sharp Ron Johnson Clem Mitchell Joe Francis Wally Lloyd Jack Barrett Harry Shepherd Coventry: Jack Parker Norman Parker George Allbrook John Deeley Lew Lancaster Tiny Timms Bill Stanley Cecil Walker Tom Farndon How's that for a start?

The results of all the matches are printed in Robert Bamforth's "Speedway - The Pre-War Years". That is just the results, not all the scorers. All the full results are certainly in the Speedway News for 1930. There is no mystery about them.

I don't even know you, do I?

Yes, but that's the problem. Who else would run the event? If someone comes along to do it, fine. We had this discussion last year with people saying we ought to have an event at High Beech in February, but no-one came along to volunteer to organise it.

If (and it seems to me a big if) someone came along and said they would like to organise an event at High Beech in February, I am certain (as we did in fact discuss it) the Speedway Museum would be happy to rearrange our event for later in the year. So, if you are serious about organising an event at High Beech, Ray, I'm sure we could come to some accommodation. Though, to be fair to everyone, we would need to know fairly soon before much effort has gone in to the organisation of our event.

It doesn't make any difference. You don't have to ask permission.

The same rules apply to the rider as anyone else publishing a photograph. The rider could certainly be sued for breach of copyright even if the photo is of himself. It's similar to the example I gave of The British Museum above.

No-one because it's more than 70 years since the photographer's death.

Oh yes, so it has. I've just realised I mentioned some of those above over five years ago!