moxey63 Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 The 13-heat format... has anybody mentioned the 13-heat format? Team pictures when the team really did look like a team. The handlebars. Actually feeling pain when Belle Vue got beat. Paul Tyrer's yellow and black chequered leathers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trackman Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 (edited) Team star's being well past puberty... Ole V Ivan, Penall v Carter, etc.... Regards. Edited October 24, 2008 by Trackman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodneyparade Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 Asking riders for their goggles Alan Cowland's white leathers Nigel Boocock's blue leathers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmauger Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 (edited) Me and mates having the Britains riders and making our own tracks out of hardboard, read somewhere a kid going OTT and having Subbuteo floodlights and stands on his bedroom speedway track I still have a few Britains riders (somewhere) and yes, one is painted to be like Mauger Fitting cowhorns, motorbike handgrips and moped back wheels on pushbikes Taking the front brake lever off pushbikes, the throttle side you see kids being into cycle speedway --- kids just don't do the above stuff anymore --- Kids jumping on the track (just!) after the race for tear offs Frank Auffret beating Penhall & Schwartz in an Engalnd v USA test at Hull England v USA tests Frank Auffret beating Olsen at Coventry Kelly Moran at Hull in 1978 Bobby Beaton almost beating Mauger at Hull (beofre Ivan became a Viking) and falling. Still think Ivan came under him too hard More memorable races, if Mauger, Olsen, Collins et al got beat, fans would talk about it for weeks The odd time a No.8, reserve, 2nd string would beat a star rider Fridays - for Speedway Mail Not knowing any speedway goss 'til the weeklies came out. Edited October 26, 2008 by Martin Mauger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Butler Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 Cheers Sandman, is indeed a little beast.. I prefer to keep these sort of things, specialy when it was my Grandfather who painted it up. He was a sign Writer by trade and considering he died in 1983, the paint work is ex. Wrong year!! I had a large handbell, Steve, that my big sister painted up like your rattle. Sure made a racket and was almost as lethal as a rattle if mishandled correctly. To quote Mary Hopkins 'Those were the days my, friend, we thought they'd never end' They did though and what have we now? No rattles. No bells. Only a few air horns competing with blaring music. Sanitised speedway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddfossengen Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 john langgfield ,christer lofqvist the coloured lights round the track at poole second halfs proper internationals and riders who didnt disapear abroad all the time the poole supporters club riders rosettes and the knotts slick presentations and un complicated race jackets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 john langgfield ,christer lofqvist the coloured lights round the track at poole second halfs proper internationals and riders who didnt disapear abroad all the time the poole supporters club riders rosettes and the knotts slick presentations and un complicated race jackets Surely that brings up one of the major topics of the 70s.The ban on Swedish riders in 74.Only a couple escaped like Olle Nygren and Soren Sjosten i think.Who were resident in England. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 Just about everything people have already mentioned Dashing away from Kingsmead on a Saturday night aboard the ex-wife's Austin Cambridge and whilst she was driving at breakneck speed (or what seemed like it!) across to the Kempton Manor Hotel on the A20 at Hothfield, muggins here was struggling to change in the car into decent clobber en route in order to go to work as The Welsh Wizzard in Mr. Toad's Music Show! Laurie Etheridge and Alan Sage as double tactical substitutes in heat 8 in Crayford away matches. "Having a few" in an away bar at a match and foolishly agreeing on the coach back to Crayford with a guy called Dave Turner who was in charge of the printing at Woolwich Poly, that it would be a good idea for me to type the Kestrel News on my ancient portable typewriter each week if he would print it as we both missed the Speedway Stop Press. "Big Arthur" flogging the Speedway Mail etc., etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 "Big Arthur" flogging the Speedway Mail etc., etc Indeed Bryn.I always thought of Hackney as a "Mail" track and Plough lane as a "Star" track.Really because of Arthur at hackney and Eddie Toogood at Wimbledon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted October 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 Indeed Bryn.I always thought of Hackney as a "Mail" track and Plough lane as a "Star" track.Really because of Arthur at hackney and Eddie Toogood at Wimbledon Aaah, Eddie's Book Sales. Remember driving me mum mad to order me every book that came out each Christmas when I was about 11-15...Champions Book of Speedway edited by our Backtrack scribe Dick Bott; Ivan Mauger's books; Trackin' With Briggo; John Louis' book; and then the series of Peter Collins' annuals. Speedway Star also produced a hardback annual in 1970 & '71. What about the Websters Speedway Mirror that replaced the old BSPA Handbook in the early 70s. Many thanks to all for your inspirational memories, which I will incorporate in our new SPEEDWAY IN THE 70s MAGAZINE. Full details of how to order via the link below. This will help get you through Christmas day and the holiday period. Just sit in your favourite armchair wearing a silly paper hat, stuffed full of turkey, Xmas pud and mince pies .... and immerse yourself in some pure nostalgia. Trust me, it will be the best six quid you'll spend this year (and next)! http://www.retro-speedway.com/page.php?57 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervjankefanclub Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 (edited) I see people mentioning their tracks Speedway Star seller, at Blantyre we had Rab Bryceland in his white coat standing at the turnstiles shouting at the top of his voice......"Speedway Star!, Speedway Mail!....... programmes!!!" Then near the end of the season he would lay out all his old Stars on the ground for sale and all the kids would be rummaging around looking for the best front covers. Also remember buying old programmes for two pence from future Tigers team manager Ian Steel who ran the Tigers Den up at the fourth bend. The Scottish Best Pairs Championship Sunny Sunday afternoon meetings, although Friday nights were best and always will be. Walking to the Stadium in the wet, hoping the red and white striped flag was fluttering up the pole at the entrance, which meant the meeting was on. Riders wearing their sponsors body colours during the second half. Every visiting team having a support there. Kids running about with a coke can on their foot acting as a steel shoe. Going for a pee round the back of the small stand at Blantyre One and trying to negotiate all the corrugated steel piled up behind it. Watching meetings from the bookies stalls at the back of the stand. DICK Barrie................nah, on second thoughts Edited October 24, 2008 by mervjankefanclub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulco Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 DICK Barrie................nah, on second thoughts To be fair mate , Dick was entertaining back then . I suppose in 1978 his patter was fresh then , still using the same stuff at Berwick 30 years on . Back then , when Dick was centre-green announcer at Blantyre One , both ourselves and the Monarchs raced on a Friday night . The Monarchs home meetings were covered live by Radio Forth , and Dick used to take great delight in keeping us up to date - if the Monarchs were losing . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervjankefanclub Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 (edited) To be fair mate , Dick was entertaining back then . I suppose in 1978 his patter was fresh then , still using the same stuff at Berwick 30 years on . Back then , when Dick was centre-green announcer at Blantyre One , both ourselves and the Monarchs raced on a Friday night . The Monarchs home meetings were covered live by Radio Forth , and Dick used to take great delight in keeping us up to date - if the Monarchs were losing . Being just a kid back then I actually thought he was OK too Paul, it was only as I got a bit older I realised how much up his own arse he is. He was fine at dishing out the abuse but certainly didnt like any that came back at him.... "You lot pay to get in here, I dont, so who's the mug?"...........Indeed, baw sack I see you didnt take any chances tonight ..a wise move Edited October 24, 2008 by mervjankefanclub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulco Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 Being just a kid back then I actually thought he was OK too Paul, it was only as I got a bit older I realised how much up his own arse he is. He was fine at dishing out the abuse but certainly didnt like any that came back at him.... "You lot pay to get in here, I dont, so who's the mug?"...........Indeed, baw sack I see you didnt take any chances tonight ..a wise move Got soaked through coming up the road from work earlier . Too cold , too wet and too dark to be stood on that 1st bend tonight mate . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervjankefanclub Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 Back then , when Dick was centre-green announcer at Blantyre One , both ourselves and the Monarchs raced on a Friday night . The Monarchs home meetings were covered live by Radio Forth , and Dick used to take great delight in keeping us up to date - if the Monarchs were losing . Thats another thing, although it seemed normal at the time, it is now hard to believe both the Tigers and Edinburgh rode on the same Friday night for so many years. It certainly wouldnt happen in this day and age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 T-Mills Tours in Balham(wasn't it?) And those ads in the Star for cassete tapes of speedway meetings!!!!!Who bought one of those???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARK246 Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 T-Mills Tours in Balham(wasn't it?) And those ads in the Star for cassete tapes of speedway meetings!!!!!Who bought one of those???? Speedway recordings originator " Wally Loak " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervjankefanclub Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 (edited) Scratch cards with speedway riders on them(or was that the early 80s ) and yes the Angus Kix Glamour League at the back of the Speedway Star........PHWOOOAARRR!!!! .........you can shove yer Grattans catalogue Edited October 24, 2008 by mervjankefanclub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerblade Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 The Peter Collins 'sugar in the tank' saga at the '78 British Final. The Northern Riders' Championship was the following night - poor old PC brought the same bikes with him to that meeting. He had engine failure in all of the 4 heats he took part in. Supporting riders who were older than me! In my case, supporting riders who were older or the same age as my mum and dad!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatDave Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 (edited) Castrol R. Castrol R I can picture it now, Shazz; just the two of us, a tropical evening, the smell of Frangipani in the air, a table for two under the palms, a gypsy violin in the background, moonlight, and last but not least a just-opened freshly-refined quart of Castrol R. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!! Edited October 24, 2008 by BigFatDave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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