norbold

Disappointment for whoever is at the back...every race.

You could try looking Here

Just back... Apparently the story is this...There was a lack of confidence in the person designing the new web site so she was removed, which caused a delay while new designers were sought. They have now been found and we have been told that the new site will be up and running by the second or third week in May. Everyone expressed the view quite forcefully that this meeting has to be the last time we discuss the web site as most committee members were getting fed up having to explain why it still wasn't up. It has been agreed that this is now a matter of urgency and has to be prioritised by those responsible. Other news: 1. Barry Briggs, Ivan Mauger, Ronnie Moore and Freddie Williams have all agreed to become Vice Presidents of the Museum and to help promote it wherever they can. 2. Because of the success of this year's "Celebration of Speedway", it has been agreed to hold it at the Speedway Museum again next year. The date will be 21 February 2010. 3. There is a WSRA Lunch being held at the Speedway Museum on 9 May. Bluey Scott and Jimmy Tannock will be attending (amongst others). Tickets are £15 and available from either Vic White or the Museum. 4. We are hoping to extend the Museum as it is now getting a bit cramped for space. It is hoped to hold a raffle to help raise money for this, with tickets available at all tracks. 5. The Speedway Star will be publishing a voucher for reduced admission to Paradise Wildlife Park in the near future. (£8 instead of the normal £14). 6. Two panels from the Exeter safety fence are on their way to the Museum.

Just off to a Committee meeting. I'll find out what's happened...again!

Yes, I would agree with Nigel. A young Roger Frogley.

Thank you, speedyguy. I believe the only bookshop that now has any copies left is W H Smith, so people may be able to order it through their local branch (if it isn't already in there).

No idea. My dad paid!

Self publish!? After 21 books being published by bona fide publishers and another two currently under contract. It goes against the grain a bit, Jim! Also, I'm really not sure it would sell that well to cover costs. I'm thinking up other avenues at the moment.

I still have my 25,000 word history of Crystal Palace Speedway waiting to find a home....

Thanks Marty. I am hoping the Tom Farndon book will be out early next year. I'm hoping to launch it at either the "High Beech" anniversary (even if it's not at High Beech!) or the WSRA Dinner. Yes, it was while doing the research for the New Cross book that I really came to realise just what a great character Tom Farndon was, both as a person and as a rider. I had always been a great fan of course, but the more I read and discovered the more I just felt he deserved a book on his own. I hope to do him justice.

Wikipedia goes along with Crystal Palace having been in Kent: "Several localities claim to be the area to which [Crystal Palace] was relocated. The street address of the Crystal Palace was Sydenham S.E (SE26 after 1917), but the actual building and parklands were in Penge. At the time of relocation most of the buildings were in Croydon, as were a majority of the grounds. In 1899, the county boundary was moved, transferring the entire site to Penge Urban District in Kent. The site is now within the Crystal Palace Ward of the London Borough of Bromley."

The Speedway Gazette ceased publication in 1955.

I think your definition of a "London" track is a fair one, cityrebel, and one I would certainly go along with.

I quite agree. Next stop for the bulldozers, Walthamstow

In that case, perhaps I could have offered you a lift home and got my revenge in first!

Barnet's track was, indeed in Mays Lane. Staines was at the Greyhound Stadium in Wraysbury Road; Elstree's track was in a field somewhere near Elstree , not sure exactly where; Chiswick Nomads were an "away" team without a track of their own, though I believe they used a former cycle speedway track on Mortlake Road for "get-togethers"; Greenford operated on the site of an old trotting track in Birbeck Avenue, Perivale

So you were there as well. Fortunately we didn't know each other then or you might have offered me a lift home...

Sounds good to me.

I don't suppose they had any hard and fast rules. Clapton, West Ham and Wembley were all near enough I suppose. Incidentally, West Ham, Clapton and High Beech used to take part in the Essex Cup as well.

Having a London postcode didn't mean places were in London. The Clapton track was in Leyton in the beautiful county of Essex.

Barnet and Staines were not in London when there was speedway there. Clapton (Lea Bridge) was never in London when it was operating as a speedway either. West Ham and Wembley were not in London until their respective revivals in 1964 and 1970.

I would like to endorse all these sites. They are all excellent.

And an excellent editor you were to. Some of the people you managed to get to write articles for the programme were the best.

Yes, sorry, you're right on all counts. I don't know why I had Bronco Wilson from 1947-1950, as my own records show just 1947 - a transcription error! Bob Oakley I did have missing for 1950 for some reason and I also had Bill Kitchen missing for 1953, but, of course, they did ride for Wembley in those years. Sorry, T.W.

I think Split Waterman, Eric Williams and Roy Craighead were still riding in 1962. Possibly Rune Sormander, though not in this country. Also maybe Denis Newton. Not sure without looking up records. Of course, Bill Kitchen, Tommy Price, George Wilks and Wilbur Lamoreaux were all pre-War stars and Brian Crutcher retired far too early. Bill Gilbert also retired young, although he did make a brief comeback with Norwich. In general the other riders were mostly immediate post-War products, so I suppose that by 1962 they were getting on a bit, so it's not that surprising that may had retired by then.