BluesBassmanuk

Hi Tim What a fantastic project. I have looked at your site and bookmarked it so that I am reminded to keep an eye on your events for 2011. Here is wishing you all every success BluesBassmanuk

MASSIVE THANKS to Britmet and Puma23 for all those references. They are VERY gratefully received. I hope I have enough years left in this life so that I can read every last word and piece together more memories of those great days. Sadly I never kept programmes of Durban Hornets meetings and my (often hazy) recall is mainly of incidents and characters in the 1950's. Roy Browning was certainly a character. With his white leathers he became known as "The White Ghost" and had a motor business in Durban (probably buying and selling used cars) called White Ghost Motors. He was a very popular rider. I do not remember seeing the Kiwi, Dick Campbell, ride for Durban Hornets but often saw him driving racing cars at hill climbs and at Roy Hesketh and Westmead circuits in Natal. He was a fearless, hang-the-tail-out driver of 500cc cars like Keifts and Cooper-Japs. (Is that where the engine from his speedway bike ended up? LoL) Freddie Williams was the hero of all boys my age. He seemed to be a quiet, thoughtful man and, on reflection, had superior track craft to most other riders. I had not realised that he rode for and skippered other teams in SA until I read some of the references you quoted. We liked Alan Hunt a lot too and the photo of him with Buddy Fuller also brought back memories. They seem to be standing just in front of the crude hut that served as the commentators booth at Alan Ford Stadium. I remember that at the start of a meeting, the riders would line up in the pits in their respective teams and then march around to the start line to the tune of "Anchors Aweigh". So far I have not spotted Olle Nygren's name in the references but I am sure I saw him race in Durban in those days. I sure have a lot of catching up to do this winter! It is going to be "an interesting read". Again, many many thanks to Britmet and Puma23 All the best BluesBassManuk

Hello all Just wondered if anyone had any historic details and anecdotes about speedway in Durban, South Africa in the late 50's and early 1960's. As I was about 10 at the time, the track in Allan Ford Stadium seemed large but I am sure it was a short track. I used to go to watch the local team, Durban Hornets and, in those days, a lot of riders from the UK came over to South Africa during the European off season. Durban Hornets managed to recruit some great overseas riders including: Freddie Williams, Alan Hunt, Ronnie Moore and Olle Nygren. (Could be wrong about the last two here due to Old Timer's Disease) Other riders who rode for that team included: Roy (The White Ghost) Browning, Vern McWilliams, Hooky Bremner. Other riders from UK who I saw in SA included Jim Gooch and I think Eric Boothroyd. Also I do remember Howdy Byford going up to the commentary booth to sing an impromptu song. In those days I had an autograph book to die for. Lord knows what happened to it. When I came to live in the UK I went to Wembley to see the World Championship - sadly the year when another rider flattened Barry Briggs and injured his hand badly. Also used to go to watch Wimbledon Dons when Ronnie Moore was riding from them. Did Trevor Hedge and Reg Hickman also ride for the Dons? I remember the night when Ronnie Peterson and Tim Schenken came to Wimbledon and stood quietly in the bleachers to watch. No PR circus, no sponsors, no photographers - just two honest Grand Prix drivers who had come for the thrills of dirt track speedway. Would appreciate any contributions to fill in the many gaps in my memory about Durban Hornets and even The Dons. Many thanks BluesBassManuk