BOBBATH

Just saw a movie "Ford v. Ferrari" with Christian Bale and Mat Damon about the 1966 Le Mans race.Good movie , but the reason I am posting this is-towards the end-Mat Damon is at a desk looks down at some wedges and there (I couldn't believe it) is an issue of Speedway Star/News-it had the old red top black and white cover -contemporary to the time the movie occurred-looked like a picture of Trevor Redmond on the cover!! How did it get there?-there was nothing about speedway i the movie-maybe one of the production people was a speedway fan- a mystery indeed!! If you go see the movie-look out for it!!

Thank you Auntie Doris-you may be called a fascist also. I should mention I didn't coin this term "Londonistan"-it was the title of a best selling book of the same name in UK by Melanie Phillips in 2006. It has also been referred to as Londonistan in articles in the New York Times, Vanity Fair and other North American publications. Maybe they are all fascists or perhaps the view is if we ignore reality it will just go away. Too bad you can't point out things without the PC brigade dumping on you-or maybe everyone is mistaken and the crimes are actually being committed by little old white ladies!!!!

Was interested to see that Doug Templeton of Edinburgh in Prov. league scored 12 points-that seems to indicate he could hold his own with Nat. league riders. Did he get much farther in that years WCQR's-were there other PL riders in 1963 who could perform as well against Nat. League riders e.g. Ivan Mauger, Wayne Briggs, George Hunter etc.

13th June 1964, Southern League match . Newport 52- Long Eaton 25. Heat 1 Alby Golden, Jon Erskine, Ken Adams, John Mills Time 68.4 secs. Alby broke the track record in this heat.

OK OK I take it all back-will concentrate on non controversial speedway items in future!!!

Point taken mate-but I do think crime has gone way up compared to years ago-even in the days of Kray Twins civilians, old folk tended to be off limits to violence in fact in some ways they kept the yobs under control. (this didn't apply to Jack the Hat of course).

Thanx for posting the link Bavarian, most interesting-have greatly enjoyed this thread. Clearly forumlanders have catholic tastes (catholic not Catholic). It means universal or wide ranging interests(but of course you all know that). Reason I know this is when I was at Nottingham Univ. I took my girlfriend to Sheffield Speedway(it was a British semi-final in 1968).She arrived back late after curfew and the next day she was called in by the Hall Warden and asked where she had been, when she told her-the Hall warden said "you have catholic tastes"!!!!!!!!!!!

Some folks here who have visited there from North America(maybe not Loveland Steve but a lot of Canucks go back and forth)- they've found the demographics have changed exponentially over the last number of years-dare I say it because of immigration from South East Asia, Africa etc.-there have also been a couple of books e.g. by a British author named Michelle something (I want to say Phillips-but am not sure if I am mixing her up with Michelle Phillips of the Mama's and Papa's.). To see Londonistan walk around Tower Hamlets and around the East London former white working class districts- go to Plaistow and walk around there-Plashet Road etc. Hence the name-not a criticism but that's what people see. Having said that obviously there are a lot of "nice" areas- but where did all the old working class folks go who used to run the old corner stores go maybe to new towns like Basildon etc. East End London sure ain't like Britain anymore. No disrespect to Londoners intended- but hence Londonistan

Hard to believe young Billy is 90-fifth on the oldest surviving World Finalist List- hope his health problems are not too serious- I can just recall the end of his career in 1965 or 66-think he was riding for Sheffield at the very end.

Wow, just read the Split obit in wikipaedia Re the section on his later life I knew he'd been a guest of Her Majesty but didn't know the details or the subsequent Spanish caper. What the heck was he doing with the sub machine guns!! A swashbuckling life indeed-need a few more like him on the streets of Londonistan these days.

Sounds great , wish I could make it. One question is Billy Bales ever in attendance these days-not sure of Billy's health situation.

Any other updates for this very important list- I know for sure Dick Bradley is still with us-but can anyone confirm Arthur Payne is also-Art seems to have disappeared into the ether. Did any forumlander see Arthur ride- I think he was a Division One heat leader with Birmingham in the early fifties.. Reckon he may be living in Oz.

One thing I 've never figured out is why it was called California-in -England-is there a village in England called California?? help required from various forumlander sages-how come they came up with that name??

Very sorry to hear of the passing of Split Waterman-as somebody said -a great age for a great rider. Split was the oldest surviving World Finalist for quite a few years.As the last updated list (thanx chunky) indicates Arthur Payne is now the oldest followed by Dick Bradley-hope there are no more changes for a while. RIP Split.

Thanx Steve , I am totally out to lunch on technology stuff-drives my wife crazy-if you (or in the unlikely event any other forumlanders) wanna contact me you can get me at rbath4606@gmail.com for sure I will be able to read it. As I noted this address is usually reserved just for hookers and drug dealers-but with all the messages I have just got there must be many forumlanders who meet one or other of these categories (or in some cases both). Sorry for interrupting the erudite discourse usually prevalent on this website. Cheers Bob

This is for chunky- hi Steve I get PM's from you to jrbath@rogers.com. This is my wife's e-mail-(she has no interest in speedway) she forwards it on to me but I don't know how to get a response to you from my e-mail which is rbath4606@gmail.com. Could you send future PM's to the rbath4606 etc. !! address- I normally reserve this address only for drug dealers and hookers but in your case will make an exception for you- presuming you are in neither of those two categories!! This PM address can also be used by any other forumlanders who meet the above criteria- the internet still confuses me- sorry if I have broken any forum rules by responding to you this way -but not sure how else to do it. Cheers all, Bobbath

I always recall the "Grand Fireworks Displays " after the last meeting of the meeting. Great fun in those days.

Maurice Jones' book is my bible too. Re Ernie Hancock -got the impression Ernie may never have gotten married(sensible bloke) and may have lived with his mom all his life-assume he had a lot of mates in the speedway fraternity and that speedway might have been his life. If so good for him-lots of worse ways to live. RIP Ernie.

Hate to tell you this, when I left UK -left strict instructions for my mam(RIP)never to chuck out any of my speedway stuff.After I knew I wasn't going back I asked her to ship 'em all over-so I have all my progs and Annuals from the sixties till when I left-actually I do refer to them e.g. re the Clive Featherby thread- re Les McGillivray thread will get around to checking out the meetings I saw Les race. Call me a nerd (you won't be the first0 or as you say over there an anorak. I don't care-I'm just glad I still got 'em they bring back lots of memories.

I don't know what goes on over in UK with various forumlanders, and have never met any of you personally, I can only take people as I find them so thanx again Gustix (John). Btw why don't we all use our actual names when posting-I will show the way and make an example, thus from now on I will post under my real name- Elvis Presley!!

Thank you so much gustix-next time I am in England will buy you a beer- I will make sure Reg gets these details and will ask Reg to buy you a beer!!! Are you in reality John Hyam and do you still go to speedway( you don't have to answer if you don't want to!!) But thanks anyway

A couple of weeks ago I asked for and received (thanx Gustix) heat details of the WCQR at West Ham in August 1949-this was Reg Fearman's first WC meeting (70 years ago)!! His last ever WC meeting was at Cradley Heath on June 11th 1960-Reg clearly recalls the date as his son was born that day! Can anyone give me (or a link) to the heat details of that meeting (59 years ago!!) It would be tremendously appreciated and jog Reg's memory-who is still in fighting form by the way!! Thanx in advance.

Blimey Dave -you are doing a great service to the Speedway community-thanx again. Cheers

Thanx mate- I have to admit I did not realise the 1960 PLRC was at CH, I did know that one final was held at Harringay-that must have been 1961- right? I wonder why CH was picked for 1960-anybody know why?