Knowle Posted July 7, 2008 Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 I have an extract from a film entitled Britannia Of Billingsgate featuring a speedway meeting with Ron Johnson,Colin Watson, Tom Farndon,Claude Rye and Arthur Warwick. It was released in 1933 and was wondering at which track it was made. Also I have an extract from a film made about 1950 which features a track with two low towers at one end with conical roofs. I had an idea that this was Walthamstow. Can anybody confirm this and/or name the film? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmauger Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 Dunno about the 2nd "towers" film but I'm sure I read the track in Brittainia Of Billingsgate was especially made for the film and - wait for it - consisted of only a straight and one bend. I've seen the excellent Once A Jolly Swagman but, briefly, what is "Brittainia" about; aside from the obvious?... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miro Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 I have an extract from a film entitled Britannia Of Billingsgate featuring a speedway meeting with Ron Johnson,Colin Watson, Tom Farndon,Claude Rye and Arthur Warwick. It was released in 1933 and was wondering at which track it was made. Lea Bridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knowle Posted July 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2008 Dunno about the 2nd "towers" film but I'm sure I read the track in Brittainia Of Billingsgate was especially made for the film and - wait for it - consisted of only a straight and one bend. I've seen the excellent Once A Jolly Swagman but, briefly, what is "Brittainia" about; aside from the obvious?... I have only the speedway sequences however I understand the film is mainly about a singer being accidentally discovered at Billingsgate fishmarket. Her son Fred played by a young John Mills somehow gets into a big race final with real life stars Johnson, Watson, Farndon, Rye and Warwick and of course wins in a nail-biting final having had to ride over a burning byke left on the track by a faller on the previous lap the steward (referee) having failed to stop the race!. John Mills then falls off after the conclusion of the race and a drunk man leaps the fence and wobbles off on his byke in the wrong direction and passes between the 4 riders who are in the next face. The drunk then crashes through the safety fence and runs into the beer store! It is a comedy! On a different note thanks to miro for identifying the track as Lea Bridge. You mentioned a section of track being specially built in the studio for filming purposes- I think this would have been for Swagman I remember getting this info from the late Arch Windmill who was one of the doubles in the film. Finally I was disappointed that no-one came up withthe identity of the track with two small towers with conical roofs. Perhaps getting this thread back up to the top will jog someone's memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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