BOBBATH

I think I get mixed up between Col Smith and Col Cottrell-did the latter pass away? Also can anyone confirm that Feathers is indeed in Aussie. BTW Tigertom-Sheffield were always a strong team in PL days-great visitors to Somerton and of course Owlerton was a joy to visit-beautiful track, a sight to be seen under the floodlights and friendly people too-will have to try and visit again one day.

Anybody know where Tony Robinson is these days-must be in his seventies now, ditto Feathers? Also is the Col Smith the same guy who rode for Bees in 64-65??

OK I am pretty sure these guys were not related- firstly I recall Dennis as an Exeter and Hackney rider in PL-think he was a buddy of Len Silver.Ray I recall riding for Halifax in BL era. Do any forumlanders remember these riders and can tell me whether they are still with us (I hope so) and anything about their careers?? BTW Happy New Year everybody-glad I made it thru' 2010 hopefully- only a coupla days(no pun intended) to go!!!

Hi Steve -hope you are surviving in downstate Illinois ok in this weather-also paulco-what you describe at Glasgow is what I recall also-I used to like the novices racing against the number 7's also. I recall being in the bar at West Ham after the British Final was cancelled -in 1965 and talking to Ivan who was glad he had an extra week to get over his injuries-also chatting with Ken McKinlay and Bob Andrews-nice guys-though Ken liked his whiskey a bit more than most!!!Great days eh!!

You mean to say there are only 16 or so heats and that is it-when do they have an interval or have they got rid of that too-wot about junior type races. Can you still meet the riders in the bars at the track like you used to be able to do??(I'm talking the sixties here)-I recall nice after the meeting chats at Newport with visiting riders like Mike Watkin, Ivan Mauger,(both Newcastle) Alby Golden etc

Often they were a joke but in some cases a top rider the home fans loved to hate would be booked in-and it was a bonus for us- I distinctly recall Ivor Brown being booked in to a second half at Newport in 64 or 65- and he put on a great show against the top Wasps riders.Ivor was a great rider and a great man(he must have been to get Ivan Mauger so upset at him!!).Always immaculately turned out too. BTW -I must have been away too long- I didn't realise second halves no longer existed-what happens after the League match is over??

Glad to see Jim Squibb mentioned-he was already in his 40's when riding for NX (born 1921). I recall him as the captain of Exeter-still a top rider in the first year of the BL in 1965-also the guy behind the riders protest at the PLRC Final in 1963 I think. A great rider.

Bit too far to come over from Toronto-but New X is one track I would really like to have gone to, so hope everyone has a good time. Imagine if the old New X team could see the Old Kent Road today-they would think they were doing their National Service in some far flung corner of the Empire, which I guess parts of the Old Kent Road have become -PS Tigertom have you changed from a Sheffield fan to a Newport fan??

Does anyone know how Mike Tams is doing these days.

Thanx Tigerowl-one question -is Arthur Payne still with us??

With the sad passing of Phil Clarke noted by Norbold-can anybody remind me the oldest to youngest 16(plus two reserves) from the list we agreed I have forgotten the order and misplaced my oldest to youngest list!!

I am very sorry to hear this Norbold.As you know Phil was one of the oldest two or three world finalists still living. I think Cyril Roger is still the oldest.

Sorry Britmet-you are right re previous discussion of Jack Scott 1 and 2 and the singer Jack Scott-I forgot- don't think it was Alzheimers but thatI think I was too interested in my other famous posts e.g. were there any gay speedway riders(I would have got red arrowed for that if it had been the Daily Mail!!!!) and the endless discussion of the tallest ever speedway rider -who was it again-Graham Miles???Anyway thanks for your last post!!!

I realise this topic has ranged far and wide from Wayne Briggs but does anyone know what happened to Jack Scott(mentioned in britmet's last post) after his famous year of 1961- I seem to recall he came back to UK in mid sixties(Poole or CH???) but wasn't as good as before.

I think Trevor Redmond won one and Reg Reeves the other-I think the one Reg won was because Trev either fell or had e.f.-people who went said he was the best on the night-not sure which was which tho-60 or 61??

Hi Merlin, thanx so muuch for your post I greatly enjoyed reading it-wish I'd been there. Must have been a great meeting. So in 1962 when Wayne was runner up to Len Silver was that the usual 20 heat format??

Thanx for straightening that out guysIan and Britmet-so it was Wayne in 62 not 63- you are right George Hunter was the in form PL rider in 63. Wished I'd attended all PLRC Finals-great meetings-I used to so look forward to reading about them in the Star.

tonyd -nice memory and what a classy thing for Wayne to do. I recall Wayne in I think the 1963 PLRC Final Race to determine the champion(top 4 scorers in the meeting met in a Final Race to decide first second third and fourth). As I recall the other riders were Mauger(won in rerun), George Hunter(leading in race but fell and excluded from re run), Wayne and Jack Kitchen-at the old Belle Vue. Is this correct? Wayne and George rode for Edinburgh, Ivan for Newcastle and Kitchen for Sheffield. Anybody in forumland there at the meeting???

I don't think Murray Briggs ever achieved the same level of success as Wayne-wasn't Wayne the runner up to Ivan Mauger in the 1963 PLRC?? Wayne was a top performer for Edinburgh in PL 1963-64.I recall seeing a picture of him and Theresa when they got married in the mid sixties-glad they hung in over all these years.

Sorry-didn't mean to denigrate Dave's career-you are quite right wessex wanderer

Thats right-David Crane was a rising star who never made it-I recall he rode for Sheffield in 1965-anybody know what happened to David?

Hi boston five-was that the Bob Hughes who later rode for Newport?? and do u know what happened to him??-I have been in Canada since 1968-so my knowledge of speedway predates that- I recall the Prov League extremely well-I was most sorry to hear of Alan Cowland's suicide-he had an amazing aptitude for foreign languages.

Sorry -don't know what happened to Pete Selley-so was it Bob Innocent or Graham Locke??This thread sparked some memories for sure.

Pete Selley??

Glad someone resurrected this post-my #1 pub remains the Pavilion at Long Eaton, the John o' Gaunt at Leicester #2-best fish and chips as mentioned is at LE-best food at CH(pork sarnies), also friendliest people there-plus some great pubs just up the road. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could go back to that England and those times!!