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Bristol Bulldogs 1977 / 1978


bulldog 77 / 78

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Tom Leadbitter was a Bristol rider for a time.

 

Tiger Tom as he was known had a good career and upon retiring he went back to Moto X and Grasstrack. He appeared in numerous pre75 events and won most of them.

 

A builder by trade who lived in Rugeley then Lichfield. Tom sadly died of a heart attack in 1995. He was still riding on the Grass even then in his 50's and was always known for his cheerful smile and pipe.

 

A great character who I knew very well and often helped him clean his bikes after a meeting the next day while he was at our farm we lived on then.

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TNT you dont happen to know where i can get hold of any pics of Tom do you I have been searching for a while now. I used to live near him and he used to come up the pub with us ( three tuns Lichfield) he also can to watch our football team and we went to loads of his grass meetings. We used to have some crackin evenings at the pub when Cribby was in town as well amd I have never seen a funeral so packed as Tommys , a sign of how others felt about one of the nicest blokes you will ever meet

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I have a few lying around including one on an old husky in the late 60's doing a scrambling event at hawkstone park i think.

 

Will try and find out if Roger Harvey or Rob Hooper have any old snaps or items aswell.

 

You obviously live quite close to me then aswell. I live in Rugeley.

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yes main man now however i am living in Wales and was a loyal Carmarthen follower and hoping to be a swansea one too in the not so near future any news yet I believe that there is a council meeting today (29th) is that true.

 

Good luck for the future lets get speedway back in west wales bloody soon eh

 

nash the Dragon

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Thanks Nash. So if you want a pint at the old Three Tuns when you venture up to the Midlands it'll have to be Kingfisher or Lal Toofan followed by some popadums, chicken tikka massala (madras hot for me!! :P ) , mushroom pillau rice and a peshwari nan!!

 

No news on Swansea as yet --they probably won't get an instant answer but I have sent an e-mail to see if they know anything.

 

We're doing our best to get a new track sorted!!!

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  • 1 month later...
Does anyone know what happened to the riders from those two short seasons?

 

Phil Herne - lives in NSW Australia his two sons both race the eldest Lee rode for Arena Essex 2004

 

Edgar Stangerland - Now lives in Ireland and operates and plant hire business.

 

Nigel Boocock - lives in Queensland Australia.

 

Phil Crump - lives in England has a engine tunning business and looks after his son jasons interest.

 

Steve gresham - lives in USA and has been seen at the odd meeting there.

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Sad to say,Danny Kennedy,who left Bristol to join Poole,died a few years ago,(brain tumor,I believe).

 

Ed Stangeland recently flew over from Ireland to attend the Farewell to the County Ground at Exeter.

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  • 2 months later...
TNT you dont happen to know where i can get hold of any pics of Tom do you I have been searching for a while now. I used to live near him and he used to come up the pub with us ( three tuns Lichfield) he also can to watch our football team and we went to loads of his grass meetings. We used to have some crackin evenings at the pub when Cribby was in town as well amd I have never seen a funeral so packed as Tommys , a sign of how others felt about one of the nicest blokes you will ever meet

 

With Redcar now opening, I came across a web site that showed former Boro and Teesdide riders on it and came across this picture of Tom.

 

Tom always kept his Wolves race jackets and even when racing in the pre75's on the grass he still had an old Wolves bike cover until it was pinched.

 

TOM LEADBITTER - Teeside (Wolves racejacket)

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  • 2 weeks later...

both phil crump and phil herne were at somerset last year.what about tormod langli what happened to him+bob coles never the same after he came over the fence at bristol. for old photos try ebay i have seen a few old team photos on there

Edited by somerset bloke
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Bob Coles was actually on telly last week - riding a speedway bike at the new Almeria track in southern Spain where he now lives, Tormod is involved with Renault Alpine car driving, he also has his own Renault dealership in Posgrunn in Norway

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Bob Coles was actually on telly last week - riding a speedway bike at the new Almeria track in southern Spain where he now lives, Tormod is involved with Renault Alpine car driving, he also has his own Renault dealership in Posgrunn in Norway

im glad to about tormod i heard he had broken his back in a accident thanks anyway

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You can see Bob Coles on http://motospeedway-espana.com - Tormod broke his arm badly in a hang gliding accident effectively ending his speedway career (even though his career in England ended when he asked for a transfer from Halifax Dukes and no one wanted him!) - a shame as he was a good rider.

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