norbold

Thank you, TWK. I am so glad you liked it and that it brought back so many happy memories. Now to keep my side of the bargain....... It all began innocuously enough when our Internet at home went down and I could only get on to the Speedway Forum (and every other site of course) by using my work computer. This was some time early in 2002. I reported the fault to BT who sent someone round to investigate. The engineer at first couldn't find out where the fault lay other than it obviously wasn't working. After several days, BT finally discovered that Tendring Hundred Waterworks Company (my then water supplier) had cut through a cable in front of a house five doors away from mine when doing some work there and it was this that was causing the problem, so they said it should be easy to fix. BT then dug a hole in the road to get at the cable. This was the famous norbold's hole. However, before they could start work, the local Council came round to investigate a hole in their road and demanded that BT put up safety notices round the hole and fence it off. So another day passed while they did this. We were then told by BT that as it was the Water Company's fault they had asked them for a compensation payment before they would start the work. More time while the Water Company arranged a visit. When they did, they denied it was their fault and wouldn't pay. I can't remember the exact sequence of events after that but, apart from the hole being there, nothing was getting done in spite of further numerous visits from BT, The Water Company and the Council, who all peered into norbold's hole, tutted and went away. During the course of all this, I gave a daily update on the Speedway Forum from work, which, as you can imagine, brought forth many comments, serious, humorous, lewd and any type you care to mention. It was this and the length of time it went on for that made it easily the longest thread seen on the Forum at that time and, I guess, ever since, until the Darcy Ward thread and became quite a cause celebre. Sadly, the thread got lost when the Forum was revamped some years later. I did screen shot and keep some of it, but I've lost that now as well. The outcome of all this was that it eventually got done something like a month after the hole was first dug. At the time - I don't know if it is still the case - BT paid huge compensation for every day over three days that a customer couldn't receive their Internet services. It was so much that it paid for a four week family holiday to Australia and New Zealand, where, incidentally, I had a great day out with Bob Andrews, who showed me the sites of Auckland, including the speedway track and speedway museum, finishing with dinner with him and Tommy Sweetman. That, as far as I can remember, is the story of norbold's hole. I don't know if any Forum old timers would care to add anything to the story or their memories of it. Oh, I do still have a photo of the hole. Incidentally, TWK, as you bought the book on Amazon, is there any chance you could review it on there, pretty please? It does help and would be most appreciated.

Double World Champion, Jack Young was a poor gater. He once complained to Tommy Price that he wished he could gate better. Price replied to the effect, "If you could gate, Jack, the rest of us might as well just pack up and go home."

Thank you for your review, Tigerblade, much appreciated. Glad you liked the book.

It was on a Monday night. Whether it was televised or not I don't know.

Absolutely waihe (if I may call you that). I personally saw Dave Wills, Teo Teodorowicz and Vic Harding killed on the track. And, only a couple of weeks after I started going to speedway, Tink Maynard was killed. There were many more fatalities in the 60s and 70s than now. It was Ove Fundin at the 1965 Internationale who did for Ivor Brown. He suffered serious spine injuries. Though he did come back eventually, he was never the same rider again.

Who's to say? I think it depends very much on him and whether he's learnt any lessons from his ban. If he has, there is no doubt he is capable of winning the World Championship. But even then, there is still an element of luck involved and who he comes up against. Tai could hold him off and if Emil comes back. Someone relatively unknown at the moment might come through by five years time. Who knows?

I think the general concensus is that the incident was really Fundin's own fault. He led from the gate but Briggs forced his way past on the second lap. Fundin tried to repass on the outside but lost control and hit the fence. Briggo was involved in another similar incident in a run-off for second and third places in the 1955 final when he collided with Eric Williams and both riders went sprawling. Briggs was able to get back on his bike and ride home for overall third place, Ronnie Moore having won the run-off. Williams had to push home, but he did so as he, like the crowd, who cheered him home, were convinced that Briggo would be excluded for causing the accident. However, the referee saw it differently and the result was allowed to stand, giving Briggo third place overall to much booing. I think you'll find there were far more fatalties and career ending injuries back in the 50s-70s than there are these days.

In my book mentioned above, I also asked Ove for his view on Briiggo. This is what he said, "I had a bigger rivalry with Barry than Ronnie. I was more worried about being in front of Barry than Ronnie, because you could never be sure what Barry would do. Ronnie was more of a gentleman on the track.....Although we were rivals on the track I was very friendly off the track with both of them, and although Barry was probably my biggest rival, his wife would stay with my wife during the winter season."

Park Drive cigarettes are still available. Actually I always thought they were cheap cigarettes.

Fundin was certainly the best of the two. As for Briggo not being crude....When I wrote my book, "Two Wimbledon Legends", I asked two of Briggo's team mates what they thought about him. Here's what they said: Alf Hagon: "Barry had to go flat out, it was the only way he could ride. He wasn't exactly out of control, but he wasn't always in control either. If he came up on the inside of you and got some grip he was liable to bash into you." Bob Andrews: "I had a season riding with Barry - oh my God! I would gate, then leave a foot of room in case he wanted to come through. Usually, by the next bend, he would not just come through, but he would 'hang' me on the fence. Briggo was a selfish rider." And that was his team mates! Incidentally I think history has been made tonight. Tsunami "liked" one of my posts.........

Nicki is a pussy cat compared to riders like Fundin and Briggs. That's how they won nine World Championships between them by taking no prisoners. And when they met.....!!!

I think Senior Service is still generally available at most supermarkets and elsewhere. Woodbines were discontinued in 1988.

Nope.

Thanks, Dave. Incidentally, Astorias got it right then?

Thank you for clarifying, GC, but why was Ken McKinlay awarded the trophy for coming second? Presumably because Brian Crutcher got the Thomsen/Thomson/Thompson Trophy? Still seems a bit odd though. P.S. Who was Thom(p)se/n anyway?

The Astorias 1958 Annual has that meeting recorded as the J. Thomson Trophy.

And his name could be Mark Loram.

I know it's completely meaningless as the chances of it happening are about equal to me winning the lottery several times running but..... We have spoken about Mark Loram winning the World Championship without winning a Grand Prix, but it also occurred to me last night watching the Grand Prix, that a rider could win the World title without ever even winning a race. Second place in every race throughout the season would certainly be enough to win. 14 points every Grand Prix.... Oh well, I told you it was meaningless.

I think Geoff Mardon retired from British speedway at the end of the 1959 season, though he carried on in New Zealand for several more years.

Very sad news. But I believe Geoff Mardon was riding for Wimbledon when he came 3rd in the Final in 1953. He had qualified as second reserve two years earlier when riding for 3rd Division Aldershot. Still a record as the only rider from the 3rd tier to make it to a final but he did not come 3rd as a 3rd division rider.

I've got the final and New Cross round as I was at both of those! I'll scan them in for you.

Robbie, I can send you a scan of the 1961 final report and all of the qualifying round reports from that year, including the one from Oxford on 22 June which you've missed out from your list

Your hero? He could probably still do better than most!

Qualifying Round at Reading (June 16): Dennis Sigalos 13 (10), Dave Jessup 12 (9), John Davis 12 (8), Bobby Schwartz 12 (7), Gordon Kennett 11 (6), Chris Morton 11 (5), Larry Ross 7 (4), Scott Autrey 7 (3), Zenon Plech 6 (1.5), Martin Ashby 6 (1.5), Tony Briggs 6, Malcolm Simmons 5, Bernie Leigh 4, John Louis 4, Roman Jankowski 3, Ashley Pullen 1. The number in brackets is the bonus points scored to carry forward to the final. Eastbourne (June 27): Dave Jessup 15 (10), Bruce Penhall 13 (9), Phil Crump 11 (8), John Davis 11 (7), Kelly Moran 10 (6), Peter Collins 9 (5), Kai Niemi 7 (4), Scott Autrey 7 (3), Malcolm Simmons 7 (2), Kenny Carter 6 (1), Chris Morton 6, John Titman 5, Bobby Schwartz 4, Steve Bastable 3, Gordon Kennett 3, Edward Jancarz 2. (Res: Reidar Eide 1, Sigvart Pedersen 0). Birmingham (July 7): Bruce Penhall 15 (10), Steve Bastable 11 (9), Kelly Moran 11 (8), Dennis Sigalos 11 (7), Scott Autrey 11 (6), Alan Grahame 9 (5), Gordon Kennett 9 (4), Kenny Carter 9 (3), Andy Grahame 9 (2), Mike Lee 6 (1), Bo Petersen 6, Doug Wyer 4, Finn Jensen 3, Ari Koponen 3, Kai Niemi 2, Larry Ross 0.(res: Mark Warren 1). Sheffield (July 24): Chris Morton 15 (10), Kenny Carter 13 (9), Bruce Penhall 12 (8), Dennis Sigalos 12 (7), Mike Lee 10 (6), Dave Jessup 10 (5), John Davis 9 (4), Phil White 7 (3), Reg Wilson 6 (2), Steve Bastable 6 (1), Eric Broadbelt 5, Bobby Schwartz 4, John Titman 4, Kelly Moran 4, Bo Petersen 2, Phil Crump 1 (Res: Paul Stead 0, Nicky Allott 0). Final at Wimbledon (August 14): Mike Lee 14 (50), Dennis Sigalos 13 (45), Dave Jessup 12 (40), Bobby Schwartz 11 (35), Alan Grahame 9 (30), John Davis 9 (25), Kenny Carter 8 (20), Scott Autrey 8 (15), Chris Morton 6 (10), Malcolm Simmons 5 (2.5), Phil White 5 (2.5), Kai Niemi 5, Steve Bastable 1, Phil Crump 1, Andy Graham 1, Larry Ross 0. (Res: Zenon Plech 6, Colin Richardson 4). Final Overall scores: Dennis Sigalos 69, Dave Jessup 64, Mike Lee 57, John Davis 44, Bobby Schwartz 42, Alan Grahame 35, Kenny Carter 33, Scott Autrey 27, Bruce Penhall 27, Chris Morton 25, Kelly Moran 14, Steve Bastable 10, Gordon Kennett 10, Phil Crump 8, Phil White 5.5, Peter Collins 5, Malcolm Simmons 4.5, Kai Niemi 4, Larry Ross 4, Andy Graham 2, Reg Wilson 2, Zenon Plech 1.5, Martin Ashby 1.5.

Do you mean complete heat by heat results or final scores for each rider in each meeting? I have the latter if that's any good.