speedyguy

Bert Roger, former West Ham, New Cross and Exeter rider also had a spell with Poole in the 2950s. Any help on when this might have been please - and thanks!

For thosewho have read VSM, any views on the 'second Ron Johnson' article?

Just a query on the Belgians in Britain? When and where did Gert Cools & Co ride please.

Speedway Japanese style is still active. References have been made to it on other sites. It's much the format as discussed here - tarmac tracks, betting, etc. From what I have seen on videos it is more akin to the USA's flat-track racing than speedway as 'we know it.' The last - and only time - a Japanese rider raced in Europe was when Jimmy Ogisu appeared in an Internationale at Wimbledon in the early 1960s. Before that, some Japanese riders switched codes and race a few meetings 'proper speedway style' in Australia. As I recall, that was in the late 1970s. Can't be certain on the period.

No comments on Jimmy Gooch. Quite a good loyal rider. My favourite was probably Oliver Hart at Wimbledon in 1946. The most spectacular rider ever? Certainly in the psot-war years from 1946. But the Speedway Gazette better than the Speedway Star. Not IMO. The Gazette was good in its early days with the restrictions on newsprint etc, but not when the editor started to run amok with 'fairytales' about Zena Lamb, 'boys own style' serials, cartoons, kids quizes etc in the early 1950s. The Gazette rapidly went down just as the Star came on the scene in 1952. The Star survived the sport's mid-1950s speedway crisis when from around 1954 we saw the Gazette, News and Speedway World eventually fold. That says much for how good they were! It was the Gazette's later editorial policy that speeded its demise and gradually, as the Star and its staff gained more experience, it developed into an excellent publication from the latter part of the 1960s. Doubtless some will sound out on how good the Speedway News was. Yes, maybe as collectors items but just look at what they used to print (pre and post-war) compared to the modern Speedway Star. Nowadays we have a quality publication - probably a better production work than the sport deserves!

I have queried the name Brian Loader. Did he race here - did he exist - or is it just a name I am familiar with from elsewhere? Now I wonder about Bill Bryden. Was he a post-war UK starter? Pretty certian that he was. How many more Aussies are still missing from the list I wonder?

Re: Pomroy - his name is among signatures (photocopy) I have of various riders which include Paddy Dean. Probably signed in 1928 as Keith McKay is also on it. Max Pearce - this is based on memory (always a failing) that I seem to recall reading when he died in 1949. Cannot think otherwise than I read he was Frank's son. There's no reason for me to link them as I never saw Frank ride (sadly before my time!). If somebody has reports of the period when Max was killed at Yarmouth this would probably confirm or otherwise my theory about him. Bill Harris certainly rode in England. I recall he was among Aussies who turned up in England in 1947 - I think Steve Langton signed him up to ride for Tamworth. He was quite a useful rider - may have gone on to ride for Stoke and probably Long Eaton - retiring around 1953. He also rode some meetings in France and Belgium in 1950. The in 1953 vanished as so many riders did following the collapse of the sport in UK at this time. I have tried to get more facts on him without success - there was a 'Who is Who' of riders published in UK in the 1950s - originally as a book aorund 1949 and later in weekly format in the 'Speedway Echo' in 1950. I don't have either now (sold them on foolishly years ago). I am certain Bill Harris would have been featured in these.

More possibles - Clem Thomas, around 1934. Fred 'Tracker' Tracey here 1934 at Walthamstow (?) and again about 1949 at Coventry and Hull. Also promoted in 1940s in Melbourne. A great legtrailer - did well in Australia but couldn't repeat form in UK. Anything on original post about Bill Harris? And does the name BRIAN LOADER ring a bell with anyone?

Thanks for the correction. These facts were on a piece of paper I was given about 40 years ago. It does however now date another piece of information that I have concerning Keith McKay and Paddy Dean. Now, what can you tell me about a post-war Aussie named Bill Harris. I know his tracks in England but I drew a blank trying to find out his Australian career. Harris was in England from 1947 to the early 1950s (probably 1953) and also raced in France and Belgium in those years.

Here's some pioneer Australians from 1928 - don't know if they rode in the subsequent 1929 season's Southern or Northern Leagues: Irvin Jones, Keith McKay, William James Pomroy. I believe there is a mention somewhere on this site that McKay was later killed in an accident in Australia but cannot seem to find it. They were in group with the promoter AJ Hunting from Fremantle, Australia, that also included Billy Galloway, Buzz Hibberd, Paddy Dean and the legendary American Lloyd 'Sprouts' Elder.

Other Autographs under the title "Speedway" are: Smith, Roper, Bell, Grimshaw, Boaty???, Metcalfe, Kirton, Young, Robinson, Allinson, Hayton, Morris, Rumlott???, Blanchard, Palin, Parkinson, Sutcliffe, Janson, Jackson, Plodd, Holdsworth, Fearon, Walsh, Green, Rhodes, Kershaw, Lord, Malpass Re the above query: Possible names = Tommy Roper, Doug Bell, 'Boaty' - Graham Beattie (but doubtful), Jack or Frank or Larry Young (?), Tony Robinson, Al Allison, Cliff Parkinson, "Plodd" badly signed Malcolm Flood (maybe), Ken Walsh, Wally Green, Phil Malpass (three of the above already named elsewhere). Jackson could be Harold Jackson. Many of them could be second-half riders and novices. A lot don't mean anything to me but I look forward to details.

I remember Fred 'Tracker' Tracey very well. He came to Coventry when they reopened after the war and - I think - may have also turned out for Hull. He was also in Britain in pre-1939. In later years, Tracey was promoter at Melbourne. As a rider, Tracey was highly rated in Australia but never showed that form in Britain. I think he rode for Australia in test matches down-under?

Joe Lasagna not JOEL Australian. Raced in Barcelona, Spain 1950. Other Aussies on trip were Peter Moore and Rusty Wainwright. Visit led by Ted Gibson, and included Dennis Newton, Bill Weston, Fred Probert and Bernie Collyer (all England) and Scotland's Joe 'Whaler' Ferguson. Lasagna died in a Scottish hospital about three years ago.

Great minds must think alike, Ross!! The name Les Moore came to me during the night. I opened to post it thid morning and there it was. Les rode for Cardiff in 1951 and also at Shelbourne Park in Ireland in 1950. He was also previously active in NZ in the late 1940s. He died in a big circuit car accident sometime in the late 1950s.

Norbold: Thanks for two very informative replies on Owen Gyles and Max Pearce. It has dispelled a 'thought in a dark corner of my mind' that Owen Gyles died. I think, however, that the crash ended his speedway career. Yes, I am now certain that Frank Pearce was a 'pioneer' rider from the very early days.

Hazy about Frank Pearce in Britain. Maybe he was earlier than that - perhaps in the early pioneering days. Thanks for the facts on Max Pearce. Do you have anything on the other Aussie - Owen Gyles? His accident (may be fatal) would have been very early in 1948. Probably at Bradford or Halifax (did the latter run that year).

Australia Max Pearce - he was the son of Frank Pearce. I believe Max was involved in a serious - possible fatal accident - in 1948? And didn't Frank race in Britain pre-1939, possibly for Harringay?

Dave Collins is English. He was born in London. He went to South Africa but always inisted on keeping his British identity and as a result rode for England teams when they went for test matches in South Africa.

Rusty Wainwright - here in Britain in early 1950s, probably at St Austell. Also rode in Spain where he claimed to have win the Spanish Championship - a fact disputed by England's Dennis Newton who said he was the champion! Also, it's Charlie Wallis - not Wellis. he came to England with Peter Vandenberg in the mid-1950s.

Australia Vic Sage He was in England around 1951. Had a spell at Ipswich and before taking to speedway was an airline pilot - to which I think he later returned.

Joe Lasanga was a member of a group taken to race in Spain by Ted Gibson, an English rider. I will have to check this out in my records and come back later. Another Australian Rusty Wainwright may have been on this tour.

I think the Edinburgh rider was JOE Lasanga - not JACK! I know that he rode in Spain at one-time in the 1950s.

RAYLEIGH late 1950s-60s Pat MacKenzie either NZ or SA. Is he listed?

Tiger Hart: I have also been told that Steve Langton and Tiger Hart arrived in UK in 1930? Is that correct? Thanks for the info Ross.

Bernard Byrnes was called 'Bat' because he came from Bathurst in New South Wales. I believe he was also a prominent road racer in that area and because he won so often was known to his colleagues as 'Bathurst' Byrnes which in time became 'Bat.' He was a favourite of mine in a brief 1947 spell at Harringay before going to ride at White City Glasgow.