norbold

Tyburn Gallows' real name was Raymond Humphreys. He took the name Tyburn Gallows because he said he was Great Britain's assistant hangman, which he may well have been. I don't think anyone has ever established whether this was true or not. In his early days he also wore a CND body colour. The Control Board banned him from using the name Tyburn Gallows and from wearing the CND emblem. For a while he used the name Tyburn Humphreys and then changed his name by deed-poll to Tyburn Gallows so the Control Board couldn't stop him using it. I remember speaking to him once in the pits at Rye House in 1964. He was quite mad!

Talking of Dagenham Daggers, there was also Romford Rommers.

What a team, eh? It was Des Lukehurst not Luckhurst and Johnny and Bobby Dugard both rode for New Cross in 1963. When New Cross moved from Crystal Palace in 1934, the promoter, Freddie Mockford, decided to leave a new nickname up to the supporters and apparently they chose the name, Tamers. The Supporters' Club secretary explained at the time that this was because Wembley were nicknamed the Lions and Harringay were nicknamed the Tigers and New Cross were going to "tame" them both. The nickname was changed to the Rangers shortly afterwards.

Yes, that was their nickname before the War.

It's not my thread, Gresham. I think you should apologise to Donsking.

Stop sitting on the fence, Pinstripe. Let's know what you really think of him.

New Cross Tamers Hackney Wick Wolves

The 1946 Final included Ron Johnson, Bert Spencer, Bill Longley and Eric Chitty. The 1947 Final included Bill Longley (who was 3rd), Eric Chitty, Lionel Van Praag, Vic Duggan, Ron Johnson, Frank Dolan and Aub Lawson. The 1948 Final was won by Vic Duggan with Ron Johnson second. It also included Wilbur Lamoreaux, Bill Longey, Eric Chitty and Jack Biggs. I think they can be counted.

Of course if you add the Star Riders' Championships (1929 - 35) and the British Riders' Championships (1946 - 48), the equivalent to the World Championship in their day you also get: Vic Huxley (Australia) 1 3 0 9 Jack Parker (England) 2 1 1 9 Putting Jack Parker at no. 1 British rider. (With Parker also coming second in the first Star Riders' Championship British Section as well.)

Ooops! So you did. Sorry, miro.

No, though he was Stamford Bridge's Overseas representative in the 1929 Star Championship. Yes And there was Miny Waln, Wimbledon, 1937.

1948: Charlottenlund: 1st - Bent Jensen 1949: Hobro 1950: ? 1951: Berthelsen won the long track championship at Aarhus. There was no short track championship.

The correct date for Parsloes Park should be June 1927 not 26. I've pm'd you, Ray.

No danger of that, Trees. Liesdale is right. He was just talking about his motivation for the rest of this year.

Quoted from a near-contemporary magazine on the Vintage Speedway Forum: "I have been sitting tight and reading with great interest the Controversy on "who started dirt track racing" As a Member of the Ilford club committee, 1926-28, I would like readers of this Magazine to know that as far back as June 1926, Sir Fredrick Wise, President of the club, made an application to the L.C.C. for a disused trotting track known as Parsloes park. This was when the Ilford club first though of making a dirt track. We did not unfortunately get the Parsloes track, so our next step was High Beech. A.H.Finch" No mention of Barking Park there!

Well done, Crumpy. That's 2 2 2 1 2 1 over the last six years. Another couple of wins and he'll be featuring in the arguments about the greatest ever. And deservedly so. A truly brilliant rider.

What was worse was that he seemed genuinely amazed that Richardson had gone from first to last.

They said it was because Catford had the right "period" atmosphere. i.e it was run down...

You're tea-total...er, I mean, teetotal???

Thanks Tony!

That's not strictly true either. Not always.

It depends who the driver is, Parsloes...

Yes, I believe the vast majority of speedway supporters came up through Eton, Cambridge and the Guards.

Well, I was right then. It could be a cheap round.

Some people (naming no names of course) might find it easy to talk to themselves but I don't think I would find it so easy.