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Bargain Hunt


shippy22

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One of the contestants on Bargain Hunt today, said he used to be a part time speedway rider.  His first name is Ernie, and probably aged about 75, so most likely to have ridden in the  1950s.  Probably based at one of the northern tracks.

 

Has anyone any ideas as to who he could be ?

 

 

Possibly Ernie Appleby who rode for several northern teams I think. Ernie also ran a training school in Manchester. The school did, of course, pre-date the famous Dent Oliver training school at Hyde Road.

 

Ernie's school was in the less glamorous location of a former rubbish tip. It did, however, have the advantage of being adjacent to a well known brewery. When the wind was in the wrong direction some of the lads, including my mate Bob Hunter, put in some very erratic laps.

 

Another rider of that era who was associated with the school was Cyril Cooper. I used to go along as a general dogsbody charged with such onerous duties as picking up fallen 'riders'

 

Great pioneering days before the advent of training schools as we know them today.

 

Ron.

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It could well be Ernie Appleby. He rode for a number of teams including Fleetwood.

The other possible from those days would have been Ernie Price of Bradford but I thought he passed on some years back

 

 

Ernie Price anyway was far from part-time. He was a heat leader post-war with Bradford, an England international, and qualifier for the British Riders Championship (immediate post-war substitute event for world championship). Nor, do I think Ernie Appleby was exactly a part-time rider. He rode and scored well for several clubs just after WW2.

 

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

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Ernie Lessiter was quite handy with Swindon following his S A L days.

Ernie Baker always seemed a rider who didn't make the expected progress, rather like John Debbage at Norwich. Perhaps he might have described himself as part-time due to this then.

 

Certainly Ernie Baker of Wolverhampton fits the age thing. My guess. :lol:

 

:blink::blink:

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