Historian

Dank Ewan, 1928-30

Sad to relate, Ivor Davies (Tamworth, Birmingham and Cradley Heath) passed away unnoticed by the speedway community on 8 March 2020, in Tamworth. Ivor Stanley Davies, born 1928 of welsh parents in Towcester, Northants. spent most of his life in Tamworth Staffs. His father was a farmer which may account for the nickname of Digger which he gained at Cradley Heath, a name never used during his time with Birmingham. His seasons with Cradley were marred by injuries, which gave him reason to quit the sport. R.I.P. I forgot to mention Wolverhampton among his teams Dan Forsberg, and Arthur Payne are now the only surviving Brummies from the 1950s

Pat Biddle was a motorcycle tester at BSA and learnt to ride on the BSA works track, he was well acquainted with BSA men Jack Parker, John Deeley, Bert Berrigo and most of the midland Stars. The only time he beat Jack Parker was in a handicap race. Pat, Born Alabama USA 1908

Pat Biddle was born Sept 1908 in Alabama city USA, It is now called Gadsden Alabama, Its north of Birmingham Ala. His parents moved to Birmingham, Ala. about 1903 but returned to England about 1910 to settle in Sparkbrook Birmingham, a stone's throw from the BSA factory. Pat was about 1yr old on his arrival in England.

Standing room only.......again

Arthur 31 yrs, I believe Freddie Williams was 31

"Dirt Track racing" is an american term but even that has changed its now "Flat Track racing". However the term Grass track racing poses a few questions , for many of the early trotting tracks (Australia & New Zealand) had grass surfaces including Maitland. Both the Blackpool and Greenford Trotting tracks had grass surfaces ? so was it Grass track racing?. Grass racing on oval circuits (in England) was the result of the speedway boom of 1928. Many Motorcycle clubs keen to cash in on the speedway boom organised oval grass tracks or Grass speedways as were sometimes known. Prior to 1928 Grass track racing meant something entirely different, no broadsiding, tracks with left and right hand bends of different sizes and shapes, same with the straights., hillside venues were known as Mountain Grass tracks, when the top surface wore out they sometimes laid gravel, now we have "path racing", these grass tracks were also known as Miniature TT, they were the precursor to circuit racing, Brands Hatch being an example. There are examples of beach racing (Oval sand tracks) in England prior to 1928, very very long straights with very tight bends and there are photos of riders broadsiding the corners.

End of 1954 I think ?

Freddie Williams and Arthur Payne

Just to add to the chinese whispers Covatti signs for plymouth and wouldnt mind a place in the prem, only one team not complete?, good friends with Phil Morris and Morris has a good relationship with Brum. Conjecture and rumour keeps this thread going

I had a chat with Andy Grahame who is in the pits most weeks, he said there is no team spirit at PB, 7 individuals, nobody geeing each other up, heads go down and they beat them selves. They let track conditions psyche themselves out. We may have a manager who is tactically savvy but is he a motivator, Hmmmm. Bring back Phil Morris the best manager we ever had. Nielson and Starke aint that bad , something is wrong in the camp?. I have noticed when things get tough most teams have a team huddle to gee things up, not seen one with the Brummies.

Oh God no no no no !!!! Not Hoskins all over again, spare us please. FIM

Alan "Whacker" Hunt, Eric "Little man" Boothroyd

You're welcome. repeating gossip from the uninformed is not a good Idea. I was there last night, track as smooth as a babys botty the only issue was a groove going into turn 3 which filled with soft material it only bothered the oxford riders when the Summer went down and the brummies got a 5-1. there was plenty of dirt on it , John Priest was watering from the early hrs of wed morning ,was watering prior to the start and during the meeting dust did get worse towards the latter part of the meeting. many riders have commented that the track gets better each week, additional shale and clay binder has been added each week. our track man can only prepare the track on race days, he is there till after midnight. you can only put so much water on a bone hard track or it becomes a skating rink. Its a shame that posters can only moan and be negative and cant find anything good to say about yet another exciting meeting with plenty of passing much by the Oxford riders , Troy Batchelor had no probs.

What a load of absolute Tosh