TonyMac Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 In the next issue (7) of Backtrack, we will be running a feature looking back at the brilliant 1976 World Final and Peter Collins' great victory in Poland. I wondered how many of you travelled to that meeting and, in particular, aboard the special Warnerspprts train all the way to Katowice? I did, but my memory of the trip is very hazy (might have something to do with beer in West Berlin at our stopover!). What an experience - Communism, 'Check Point Charlie' and all that... It would be great to include some interesting, entertaining memories from English supporters who recall that momentous day in speedway history, when the fans turned out in force to support PC, Simmo, 'Tiger' John, Mort and 'Flyer' Wyer. Didn't it rain before the start? I'd be very grateful for any good memories from fellow fans on that trip... Cheers, Tony Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 (edited) I went, though not on that train you mention. I went Tee-Mill tours, with a guide called Alf who supported Hackney. Want to see my pictures? Look HERE. (not the most interesting in the World unfortunately!) My memory is a bit hazy too, as I was only 15 at the time. Let's see what I can remember at the drop of a hat. Stopping in Warsaw (I think) and having a crowd of locals gather around the bus. We soon became quite a tourist attraction. Someone on the bus decided to show Page 3 of The Sun to the gathering hoards, who quickly waved their disapproval. Pickled gerkins and stale bread rolls. Every damn meal. Possibly the most uncomfortable hotel beds ever. I remember in the hotel someone pointing out that the picture of Bob Kilby on my tee shirt was going the wrong way. I knew this, but had hoped nobody would notice! There was a disco in the hotel and I remember them playing Suzi Quatro. Old fashioned even then. We went into the town, which I guess was Katowice. People looked at us with disdain, but then became really friendly when they discovered we were English. They explained that they had thought we were German, and they didn't like Germans. The Stadium crowd was a mass of grey with soldiers on the end of the each line. The only colour was in our section, which was full of English fans. Our coach ran out of diesel on the way back. Everyone had to get out and push, but I was asleep and missed the whole thing. There is a photo somewhere of everyone pushing and waving, with me on the coach with my sleepy head against the window. A VERY rough crossing on the way there. Nearly everyone on board the boat was sick over the side, but for some reason I was fine and spent the time in an almost empty disco. 'Mississipi' by Pussycat was played. Rory Gallagher was on tour in Poland at the time. I remember seeing a poster. There were some Leicester fans on our bus who were particularly impressed with this. I missed a few days school to go, and started the 5th years a few days late. This made me officially cool. Funnily enough, I can't remember that much about the speedway other than Egon Muller taking a massive great fall while in the lead. I was really impressed with Egon in this meeting and always rated him afterwards. I think he was set to score 11 points before rearing up and coming off. I also remember watching it on TV when I got back and spotting my banner being waved about. It was an England flag with the names of Peter Collins, Malcolm Simmons, Doug Wyer, John Louis and Chris Morton, which I made myself. This is the closest I ever came to being famous. Funny that the Final where Peter became World Champ sticks in my mind mainly for Egon Muller falling off, but memory does these strange things sometimes. If I think of anything else I'll add it later. Edited March 14, 2005 by Grachan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted March 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2005 Grachan - very interesting, and many thanks for your pics. From what you write, I'm glad I took the train! I recall Muller lifting widly coming out of the second bend and all the Poles jeering every announcement of his name - he did get a very hostile reception that day. Wasn't the English support fantastic and, typical of the time, you brought a banner supporting all the contenders. A lot of the Enbglish fans took that view - PC was the draling of the crowd, but everyone respected the efforts of Simmo, Tiger John, Mort and Dougie Wyer and we wanted them all to do well. Naturally, if an Englishman couldn't win, I wanted Zenon Plech to be top man. PC was unstoppable on his Wessie but because the crowd was so far from the track, it wasn't possible to fully appreciate just how fast he was flying that memorable day. The riders seemed small from such a distance, or was that just my Mr McGoo eyesight? Funny thing is, I was 16 and had just left school that summer, before taking up my first job as a clerk in the Ministry of Defence (yawn). Remember, Poland was still under communist rule then and I can tell you, at my interview, my new employers took a lot of convincing when they checked my passport and saw that I'd just been to Poland before joining the Army Air department. I think they thought I might be a Soviet spy! They were lookinbg at me and saying; 'Who goes to spoeedway?...and who goes to Poland to see speedway?....On their own?...aged 16?" The third degree wasn't in it. If anybody else has any pics taken from Katowice '76 that we could use in Backtrack, please get in touch... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted March 16, 2005 Report Share Posted March 16, 2005 Coincidentally, I took a job for the MOD a year later and had the same interrogation. Three people came to my house to give me a grilling, just because I had been to Poland, and it was also brought up in my job interview. As if a scruffy 16 year old Engineering Apprentice was likely to be a Soviet spy because he went to a Speedway meeting in Poland! It was a great British crowd there that year - as though everyone knew it would be PC's year. His victory even made both the front and back pages of the Daily Mirror. I bet that wouldn't happen these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclone Posted March 16, 2005 Report Share Posted March 16, 2005 I was on that train (apparently the longest passenger train in terms of carriages going across Europe at that time). It had two engines pulling it along (apparently red Russian diesel beasts !). It was magic & remember in particular :- A field in East Germany which was full of Russian tanks on manoevres. Passing through a massive rail marshalling yard in Poland early in the morning which had the awesome site of a multitude of steam locos (apparently the were US made, provided under the Marshall Aid Plan) warming up. Hassle with Border Guards returning when we were going into East Berlin & they wouldn't let the train move until all Union Jack flags were taken in from the windows. My mate having the foresight to bring bog rolls with him which were invaluable when there were none in the carriage WCs BTW tmc, there were quite a few Scots there supporting the British riders also. Definitely a memorable trip & I could fill pages on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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