speedyguy

Another 1939 aspirant was the famous legtrailer Bernard 'Bronco' Slade, probably on loan to Crystal Palace from Hackney Wick.

I live in Streatham. Is this thesis likely to appear in this area eventually. Crystal Palace is about a 20 mnute bus ride from here - for those interested (!!!!) I do have a bus pass!

I remember this book. It was quite a good read, but there were some errors in it. Sadly, I also lost my copy years ago. Waiting with hope for it to reappear on e-bay. The photos in the book were quite good and typical of that era of the sport. Mentioned quite prominently was Dr Belton's favourite girl - the legendary Fay Taylour.

That's as maybe in regard to the points money, but all four riders were paid start money. I think the Speedway Star in 1956 started the inlusion of the fourth place rider in heat results, also with reasons for not finishing. It also used to give the second-half race results for most meetings. That's in the time when it was edited by the man people think is me but is not - John Hyam.

The first Crystal Palace team in 1929, named for the Southern League was: Triss Sharp (captain), George Lovick, Brian Donkin, Arthur Willmott, Joe Francis, Jack Barrett. As the season went on, other riders were introduced. The 1939 team was captained by Keith Harvey, From what I know, riders included Charlie Appleby, Mick Mitchell, George Gower, Les Trim. Appleby was a Canadian. Another Candadian who rode second-half there was Eddie 'Flash' Barker.

Sadly, there were underlying reasons for this, as have been well documented many times in magazines like the VSM. Basically, Johnno should nevre have been relicenced to ride after his terrible crash at Wimbledon in 1949. At his peak, he was one of the all-time greats of speedway racing.

Don't know anything at all about this rider. But about a month before, Birmingham's Canadian rider Charlie Appleby died after an accident at Newcastle. Have you tried the Birmingham website?

Track opened 1928, in various leagues from 1928 to 1933. Then ran open meetings until 1939 when back in league. Last meeting at Easter 1940 when Bill Longley won the London Championship (so I understand) and Keith Harvey set the last track record for the circuit. In 1934 and 1935, then again in 1938, the track was used for midget car racing. No other real details about the track.

Does anyone agree with me on this fault with the Stenners annuals? In the team and other analysis, they tend to give only the surnames of riders - not even initials. With the passage of the years, it's hard to identify who these riders were in many cases. More modern annuals do give initials, and in recent years we have had full names. I wonder why Stenners did this? Any comments.

Another mega-thanks for your help.

Extremely grateful for your help. Thanks.

I have a 1986 annual. There is a team photo of Wlverhampton showing Steve Schofield. It also mentions him in the write-up. No 1985 points scores for him in the chart. Can anyone help please? I need matches, points, bonus, total, average. Also 1984 average. Many thanks.

Great to see the details about Mike and Les Tams. Puzzled about the first reference. Mrs Speedyguy will be most surprised!

Aren't we having a MK Dons replay in speedway - with the 'now dead Conference League Dons' trying to nose their way into Central Park Sittingbourne? The prospective promoter plans to run them just as The Dons and use the old Wimbledon colours. That's a tavesty and an insult to the once great club which, let's admit, ceased to exist in 1991. Love to see a Milton Keynes return - their one-time promoter Ron Wilson was a great mate of mine!

In the old days, scorers were only listed by riders totals with the number of matches. Then came averages decided by matches divided into points scored. Later came the inclusion of bonus points. Then came calculations based on the number of rides raced. Then came the calculator based sport we have today. Teams were formed each year based on a combined average for all the teams The fun went out of speedway. We lost riders just because they could not be fitted into a team's average. And in the Conference League, we also had the farcical age-related averages and the assessed reserves' averages as well. Many of the older riders were forced out of the sport. The fun went out of the game. It is now all too complex. I guess there are many who do still enjoy all this complexity - for me bring back 1946!

Wasn't it used for car racing between 1937-39?

How do work that out? They are not running at their original track. On yourtheory, it would be Manchester accoring to my reckoning.

Many thanks. Yes, it's easy to get started in short circuit car racing but the higher grades are really demanding in terms of expense. The pay rates don't match the cost of competing. Drivers virtually pay to race and sometimes have to pay an entry fee to take part in an event. Perhaps the fact people support short circuit car racing is because its not run to silly averages rules. Drivers are just graded for start places each month on their points averages - they move in and out of grades. They are not forced out of the sport as happens in speedway just because an average does not match a team's needs. It's all far too detailed and complex to try and evaluate here. I've been going to short circuit car racing for years...and have never had problems with a crossover of interest. But too much on that theme and the attraction of the cars in my postings, in the past, has often upset speedway fans so it's probably best left alone.

This is very interesting. What formulas do Fairweather and Teager take part in and where do they mainly race then?

Who remembers Stuart Thompson who was at Mildenhall in 1985 and also had a trial at Ipswich that year. Thompson later had links with King's Lynn and Peterborough. I also think that another Mildenhall junior around this time was Andy Steward - cannot find a check on that. Both left the bikes in the late 1980s early 1990s. They are still around the tracks - on four wheels. On Saturday October 21 Thompson is one of the favourites to win the Superstox World Championship at Ipswich. Steward also appears regulalrly at Ipswich - in the elite and very expensive non-contact National Hot Rod class. These cars cost around £25,000-£30,000 each and are similar perhaps to the the big circuit Touring Class series. Does anyone else remember Thompson and Steward as bikemen?

Quite right. The Clapton team was actually based at Lea Bridge. I remember visiting the site of Clapton Stadium about seven years ago when I was taking photos of stdaiums and the sites of old stadiums. Somehow, I missed Lea Bridge!

USA OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2005 Shawn McConnell 2006 Dukie Ermolenko

Not boasting! I have mentioned Walthamstow. Don't know too much about the pre-war Walthamstow team, but remember the post-war side well with among others Harry and Bert Edwards, Ted Argall, Arch Windmill, Reg Reeves, George Newton - they were the days! Gone all nostalgic and diverted from the real thread.

There was once a Clapton greyhound stadium - in the 1930s early 1940s - but I am usnure if it staged speedway.

Weren't the Glasgow teams actually known as White City Glasgow and Ashfield Glasgow - not just Glasgow? Let's not get too pedantic over this. And the original question was which City has had the most teams/clubs - not just qualifying it as being under the main area title. Norbold has added Romford to my original list - maybe we can also add in Dagenham and Crayford (unless my old pal Parsloes 1928-nearly over-rules me on that one!).