norbold

Yes, Sidney, it was the scratch race final at New Cross. Ron Johnson ran into the fence on the back straight and fell. With less than two yards separating him and Tom, the latter had little time to take avoiding action, though those that were there that night say that Tom deliberately tried his best to turn away from his fallen skipper, choosing instead to plough into his machine. Tom and his bike were thrown into the air and flung a considerable distance before Tom landed on his head. Both riders were rushed to hospital, where Tom sadly died.

I asked John Somerville about my autograph book about 15 years ago. It contained autographs of Tom Farndon, Vic Huxley, Johnnie Hoskins, Gus Kuhn, Lionel Van Praag, Colin Watson and several other prominent riders of the time and he offered me £100 for it. But I still have it!

I used to buy programmes off Derek Neave. Good thinking about Tom Farndon, Split. I have his autograph in an autograph book...perhaps I should try forging it!

Incidentally, my biggest regret in the speedway programme world is that back in the 1970s I was offered two complete years of New Cross programmes, 1935 and 1936. Sadly, I had just returned from a two weeks holiday in America where I had bought some valuable comics (another collecting fad of mine at the time) which were practically unobtainable in the UK, so I just couldn't afford the asking price. I did manage to get the seller to agree to break them up and I was able to buy a few single copies, such as the night Tom Farndon was killed and the subsequent two meetings as well as a few other choice meetings.

I still have the programmes for every match I've been to - 1960-2019 - plus a number I have purchased or otherwise obtained (!) over the years going back to the first Crystal Palace meeting in May 1928. A couple of thousand altogether.

Does that mean I can cancel my BT Sport contract?

Yes, you're right. Sorry, it was 1963 his last season.

Wal rode for Hackney in 1964 and I believe he also turned out for Ipswich and Weymouth in the Metropolitan League.

Geoff Pymar rode for Yarmouth in 1960, then moved on to Middlesborough and Wolverhampton before retiring in 1962 while riding for Bradford. Cyril Brine retired in 1963 and Wal Morton in 1964. In 1960, Ron Johnson rode for New Cross Colts and then for a short time for Edinburgh.

The longest serving riders I can remember seeing when I started going in 1960 were riding before the War. Off the top of my head, without fully checking, I can remember seeing Ron Johnson, Geoff Pymar, Wal Morton, Cyril Brine and Aub Lawson. Aub was still a top rider when I saw him. In fact he scored 16 paid 17 in the first match I ever saw and reached the World Final that year. Ron Johnson began his speedway career in 1927. From 1946 the only riders I can think of, apart from the above, are Len Read and Reg Lambourne.

I spent a very pleasant evening with Tommy and Bob Andrews in New Zealand a few years ago.

He began his career in the early 1950s, riding at non-league tracks such as Rye House. His first team was Aldershot 1954. His last year was 1969 at Hackney.

Can't say I ever have any problem with Speedway Researcher. Anyway, this is what it says: Wednesday 17 August 1960 NEW CROSS RANGERS 55 SWINDON ROBINS 33 National League NEW CROSSSplit Waterman (C)33333--15Leo McAuliffeR122*---5 (1)Barry Briggs33R3---9Bobby Croombs1120---4Eric Williams33132*--12 (1)Jimmy Gooch1120---4Tommy Sweetman31*-----4 (1)Derek Timms2*R-----2 (1)Team manager: Johnnie Hoskins SWINDONGeorge White2231*---8 (1)Neil Street1*002---3 (1)Mike Broadbank222F---6Brian Brett00R----0Tadeusz Teodorowicz2011*0--4 (1)Ian Williams (C)R23321-11Brian Meredith10-----1Ron Taylor0R-----0Team manager: Bob Jones ACU Referee: Alan Day Ht 1: Waterman, White, Street, McAuliffe (ret), 60.0(3-3) Ht 2: Briggs, Teodorowicz, Croombs, I.Williams (ret), 59.2(7-5)Ht 3: E.Williams, Broadbank, Gooch, Brett, 59.0(11-7)Ht 4: Sweetman, Timms, Meredith, Taylor, 61.4(16-8)Ht 5: Waterman, I.Williams, McAuliffe, Teodorowicz, 59.2(20-10)Ht 6: Briggs, Broadbank, Croombs, Brett, 58.8(24-12)Ht 7: E.Williams, White, Gooch, Street, 58.4(28-14)Ht 8: I.Williams, Croombs, Sweetman, Meredith, 60.2(31-17)Ht 9: Waterman, Broadbank, E.Williams, Street, 60.0(35-19)Ht 10: White, McAuliffe, Teodorowicz, Briggs (ret), 60.6(37-23)Ht 11: I.Williams, Gooch, Timms (ret), Taylor (ret), 59.4(39-26)Ht 12: Waterman, McAuliffe, Broadbank (fell), Brett (ret), 61.8(44-26)Ht 13: Briggs, Street, White, Croombs, 59.8(47-29)Ht 14: E.Williams, I.Williams, Teodorowicz, Gooch, 59.4(50-32)Ht 15: (Nominated) Waterman(r), E.Williams(b), I.Williams(y),Teodorowicz(w), 59.8(55-33)

Try these:

Yes, it was 262 yards from the time it opened in 1934 until it closed in 1953. The final track record was held by Cyril Roger - 56.0, recorded on 3 October 1951. When it reopened in 1959, the track length was 278 yards and stayed at that until final closure in 1963. The last track record was 57.0 seconds. Ove Fundin recorded this in the Gold Helmet Match Race decider against Barry Briggs held on 27 July 1960 (and I was there!).

I can remember seeing Roy Trigg in the second halfs at New Cross and thinking that he looked good and then seeing Dave Jessup as a 15 year old in the second half at West Ham and thinking he looked even better. Also remember Barry Thomas in the second half at West Ham. Malcolm Simmons was another second halfer at West Ham, though didn't show the promise of the others at that time. Then there was the memorable John Holder - memorable because he always came at least half a lap behind everyone else even in the novice and junior races. But I suppose the rider I remember most from the second half was Ron Johnson in 1960, attempting to make yet another comeback at the age of 53. Sadly, it didn't work out.

I'll deride whichever religion I like, thank you gustix, as they are all complete nonsense and do more harm than good.

Was he the actual winner then? Who did he ride for?

This is an extract from my book, "Cracked Eggs and Chicken Soup", based on my dad's memoirs of the East End of London in the 20s and 30s, and shows what happens when racial groups are stereotyped. Luckily there were enough "politically correct" people to put a stop to it at the Battle of Cable Street: "The mid-1930s became a very scary time for us Jews living around Bethnal Green and Whitechapel as the Blackshirts began to randomly attack Jews on the streets and smash the windows of Jewish shops. It was very unwise to go out on your own, especially after dark, so we normally hung around in threes or fours, came home from the pub together and so on. Mum and Dad were continually warning us not to go out alone and, above all, to make sure Julie was kept safe. They were worried sick about what some of those vile Blackshirt bastards might do to her if they caught her alone. So we never let Julie go out anywhere on her own. We’d go with her to work and take her out to meet her friends and make sure we were there when she wanted to come home. There was a very intimidating and menacing atmosphere abroad at the time and, as Jews, we knew we were the number one targets."

That was on 14 September 1960. Abandoned after 12 heats with the score 36-36. The first heat finished: 1. Ronnie Moore 2. Jim Tebby 3. Split Waterman 4. Reg Luckhurst (f). The time, believe it or not, was 70.2!

Oh, you saw me ok then. Sorry, I missed you....

If it was the first match of the season on 12 April you would have seen Reg and Eddie Reeves for New Cross against Colin McKee and Wal Morton for Hackney. It was a 5-1 for the Rangers. 1. Eddie Reeves 2. Reg Reeves 3. Colin McKee 4. Wal Morton. Time 64.6. P.S. I don't remember seeing you there..... Edit: I guess it must have been that match as it was the only time New Cross met Hackney at home that year.

Not a bad start to your speedway watching career!

Johnny Fitzpatrick rode for New Cross at one time. He was actually born in Guernsey, though his family moved to London when he was three and he was always thought of as a Londoner.

Just as a preamble to my first race...My family had been well into speedway for a long time, since before the War in fact, and I was actually named after a speedway rider, Norman Parker, Wimbledon Captain at the time. So my family used to talk about speedway and the riders at home a lot and I used to follow the results in the newspapers (yes, they actually had reports and results in those days), and watch the World Final on telly, so I knew quite a bit about speedway and the riders before I ever went. I used to cycle round the big field where I lived and pretend I was Split Waterman or Aub Lawson as they were my boyhood heroes because their names sounded very romantic to me. So, fast forward to my first time at proper live speedway. It was on 11 May 1960 at New Cross, a Britannia Shield match against Norwich, and there, in the very first race, to my absolute amazement were Split Waterman and Aub Lawson! The result of that race: 1. Aub Lawson (W) 2. Jimmy Gooch (B) 3. Split Waterman (R) 4. Harry Edwards (Y). Time 61.6 seconds round the 278 yards New Cross track. Although Ove Fundin scored an 18 point maximum and Aub Lawson 16 paid 17, New Cross won the match 48-42 after having lost their previous five matches on the trot. Jimmy Gooch was the New Cross hero that night, scoring 11 points and being the only New Cross rider to get the better of Aub Lawson. He became my new instant hero!