Gemini Posted December 10, 2005 Report Share Posted December 10, 2005 I've come across an old newspaper cutting about a George Cole, aged 10, who rode a scaled down speedway bike with a genuine racing engine in the frame. He also acted as mascot for Wolverhampton at their Brayfield track. Not sure what year this would be - possibly sometime in the 50's - but perhaps the mention of Wolves riding at Brayfield might give a clue? I was wondering if George Cole, whoever he was, ever made it to being a speedway rider and would he have been any relation to Howard Cole, aka Kid Bodie? Anyone know anything about him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Star Posted December 10, 2005 Report Share Posted December 10, 2005 I believe this may have been Howard Cole, his father Howard Cole senior was a renowned frame builder, engine tuner, and certainly Howard junior was a mascot somewhere. He went on to become an exceptionally good speedway rider who on his day was capable of beating anyone, in a career sadly blighted with some serious injuries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted December 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Thanks for the info. so far. If this is indeed the Howard Cole then I know he went on to have a very good career in speedway, but I'm a bit confused about the George bit? Was that his first name? Where's Norbold when I need him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madbiker Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Was`nt Howard Cole also known as Kid Brodie ? don`t know why I think this and maybe I`m way off beam, I do know however that he had an awful crash at Leicester very early in my speedway watching day`s it was the first bad one I had seen and happened right in front of me, I`ll alway`as remember it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Sorry, Gem, I was at Brighton yesterday... Howard Cole was Kid Bodie. I believe he used the pseudonym when he first started because he didn't want his mother to know he was a speedway rider. I know nothing about George Cole. I have never heard of him so I didn't know if this was Howard Cole or someone entirely different. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Taken from here: http://speedwaybikes.fortunecity.net/cole.htm 'Howard Cole Senior had produced a number of mini-speedway bikes for his motorcycle mad son, Howard Cole Junior. The first of these, produced in the 1940s, was a perfect scale replica of a post-war speedway chassis, right down to the miniature Webb forks. The most interesting feature of the bike though was the "lay-down" engine, a good forty years ahead of its time. Howard Junior was the mascot at Birmingham and Wolverhampton speedway in the 40s and 50s, and would ride his mini-bikes wearing full leathers and a helmet bearing his initial "GHC" (his full name was George Howard Cole). Howard junior progressed to full size bikes and actually took to the track at the age of 15 under the assumed name of "Kid Bodie". ' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoMinuteWarning Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Howard Cole now lives in Sydney, Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted December 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 (edited) Thank you. I love a happy and successful ending to a mystery. Here is the cutting I was referring to and now I know that it is indeed the Howard Cole I will add him to my scrapbook. http://community.webshots.com/photo/153283...22241446HDcPZr# I wonder who the other rider is? Edited December 12, 2005 by Gemini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madbiker Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Thank you. I love a happy and successful ending to a mystery. Here is the cutting I was referring to and now I know that it is indeed the Howard Cole I will add him to my scrapbook. http://community.webshots.com/photo/153283...22241446HDcPZr# I wonder who the other rider is? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well, if it is George Cole could the other rider be Dennis (split) waterman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandman Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Taken from here: http://speedwaybikes.fortunecity.net/cole.htm 'Howard Cole Senior had produced a number of mini-speedway bikes for his motorcycle mad son, Howard Cole Junior. The first of these, produced in the 1940s, was a perfect scale replica of a post-war speedway chassis, right down to the miniature Webb forks. The most interesting feature of the bike though was the "lay-down" engine, a good forty years ahead of its time. Howard Junior was the mascot at Birmingham and Wolverhampton speedway in the 40s and 50s, and would ride his mini-bikes wearing full leathers and a helmet bearing his initial "GHC" (his full name was George Howard Cole). Howard junior progressed to full size bikes and actually took to the track at the age of 15 under the assumed name of "Kid Bodie". ' <{POST_SNAPBACK}> howard cole sr. also made a couple of minature speedway bikes in scale, large model sized, 1:24? that were perfect and actually ran on methanol, perfect examples of a jap rotrax and jawa. i know i mentiond this long ago, but those examples must be worth a lot. i cant imagine the time and skill it took to do that..what an engineer/machinist.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingy Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Well, if it is George Cole could the other rider be Dennis (split) waterman <{POST_SNAPBACK}> apparently Dennis Waterman and Split Waterman were related in some way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest speedyguy Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 apparently Dennis Waterman and Split Waterman were related in some way <{POST_SNAPBACK}> In about 1955-56 West Ham's Jack Young had a mechanic named George Cole. He was later a novice trainee at Eastbourne and Aldershot. He was part of a group that also included Al Sparrey, Vic Ridgeon, Ray Terry and Steve Bole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranktonBee Posted October 31, 2014 Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 I know this is a very old thread, but I'm amazed if nobody has spotted this Pathe clip Gemini. (Perhaps they have and it's on another thread somewhere, but I'll add it here anyway, just in case ...) http://www.britishpathe.com/video/child-motorcyclist/query/speedway+3+year+old Apologies if it's come up before 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey63 Posted October 31, 2014 Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 (edited) apparently Dennis Waterman and Split Waterman were related in some way Think that was Pete Waterman, the one related to Split. Edited October 31, 2014 by moxey63 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted November 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 I know this is a very old thread, but I'm amazed if nobody has spotted this Pathe clip Gemini. (Perhaps they have and it's on another thread somewhere, but I'll add it here anyway, just in case ...) http://www.britishpathe.com/video/child-motorcyclist/query/speedway+3+year+old Apologies if it's come up before Well I've never seen it so thanks for adding it to this thread. What an amazing little 3 year old he was on a motorbike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britmet Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Well I've never seen it so thanks for adding it to this thread. What an amazing little 3 year old he was on a motorbike. . These shots of Howard Cole, aka Kid Bodie, have been on here many times over the years, but if you haven't seen them here's another of him: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/boy-motorcyclists/query/cole . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted November 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2014 Brilliant thanks. I'll have to come in this section more often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Red Posted November 2, 2014 Report Share Posted November 2, 2014 apparently Dennis Waterman and Split Waterman were related in some way Peter and Dennis were brothers - that's Peter the boxer (deceased), not Pete the music mogul! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey63 Posted November 3, 2014 Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 (edited) Peter and Dennis were brothers - that's Peter the boxer (deceased), not Pete the music mogul! There was a feature in one of the speedway publications, an interview with pop producer Peter Waterman, and he revealed his uncle was "Split" Waterman. Update: This wasn't the piece, it was in something like Five-One magazine (the piece I read), but I am not the only one who remembers it: http://www.speedwayplus.com/Mal.shtml Edited November 3, 2014 by moxey63 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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