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Pre-war Liverpool and Belle Vue rider Oliver Hart is regarded as one of speedway's most spectacular leg trail riders. Post-war he rode for Wimbledon in 1946, then moved to Bradford.

 

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In the 1930s, George Newton rode for Crystal Palace and New Cross until illness forced him into retirement in 1938. He made a come-back at New Cross in 1948, and was again troubled by illness. In later seasons Newton rode for several other tracks including Walthamstow and Fleetwood. He is regarded as being one speedway's most spectacular leg trail riders.

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Remember the late Nigel Sparshott who rode for a number of teams (including Oxford) during late seventies and eighties. He adopted very much a leg trailing style and proved to be quite spectacular.

 

One of the best action shots ever, in my opinion, was one of Tommy Farndon leg trailing on the outside of a rider (whose name escapes me)...any idea Gustix?

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Remember the late Nigel Sparshott who rode for a number of teams (including Oxford) during late seventies and eighties. He adopted very much a leg trailing style and proved to be quite spectacular.

 

One of the best action shots ever, in my opinion, was one of Tommy Farndon leg trailing on the outside of a rider (whose name escapes me)...any idea Gustix?

 

​I am afraid I cannot help in regard to the Tommy Farndon photo but I know a very good man who may be able to: over to norbold!

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Remember the late Nigel Sparshott who rode for a number of teams (including Oxford) during late seventies and eighties. He adopted very much a leg trailing style and proved to be quite spectacular.

 

One of the best action shots ever, in my opinion, was one of Tommy Farndon leg trailing on the outside of a rider (whose name escapes me)...any idea Gustix?

If it is the picture i am thinking of Steve it was in a brilliant John Chaplin book.I also have another brilliant picture of Farndon on the outside of Dicky Case this picture is iconic the same as that Brilliant action photo of Peter Craven. Edited by Sidney the robin
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If it is the picture i am thinking of Steve it was in a brilliant John Chaplin book.I also have another brilliant picture of Farndon on the outside of Dicky Case this picture is iconic the same as that Brilliant action photo of Peter Craven.

That's sounding familiar!

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Carl Wilkinson has that sort of style on the bike . Not sure the modern bikes allow properly a leg trailing style , but Carl's as near as today's rider is to that

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Carl Wilkinson has that sort of style on the bike . Not sure the modern bikes allow properly a leg trailing style , but Carl's as near as today's rider is to that

I was thinking the modern bike was conducive to a legtrailing style,that is why after decades of foot forward,we saw a revival of legtrailing around the turn of the century?

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I was thinking the modern bike was conducive to a legtrailing style,that is why after decades of foot forward,we saw a revival of legtrailing around the turn of the century?

Maybe so Iris , it's just that it's a style that has all but died out . Cup shocks at Celtic park on the other hand , maybe not :shock::P

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Maybe so Iris , it's just that it's a style that has all but died out . Cup shocks at Celtic park on the other hand , maybe not :shock::P

But i must say i don't really recall anyone with a legtrailing style in the 70s or 80s etc,but now you do see a few

 

Half time,not worth panicking just yet.Or in your case celebrating :P

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Rod Colquhoun and Marcus Bisson spring to mind.

Not sure i even saw Colquhoun,but think i must have seen Bisson.Was he at Poole in the lower league?

 

Ok,looked it up

 

http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/371/marcus-bisson

 

But they were few and far between and then something must have happened,either to the bikes or was it just a style that came into fashion?Rather like the spectacular foot/leg right out in front that also cropped up about 10 years ago and was copied all over the place and seemed to be dropped just as quickly.Dudek and Michelsen were two that used it that spring to mind

 

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One of the modern day legtrailing stylists,Patrick Hougaard of Denmark

 

 

A nice action photo of Patrick Hougaard but lacks the characteristics of the photos the old timers. Of course, tracks are very different these days - slick as compared to the old 'six inches deep' cinders of the late 1920s, 1930s and the 1940s, while the design of bikes is much different.

When I see the Hougaard photo my view is that a better action could have been taken later - when he was actually broadsidng the bend - as in the following photo of old timer Charlie Challis. But of course the old tracks were designed to cater for broadsiding.

In his career, Challis rode for Birmingham (1938), Crystal Palace (1939), Norwich (1946), Plymouth (1947-48) and Leicester (1949). And an odd note - I bought a bike from Charlie years after his retirement, in 1955, and later sold it on to the French speedway rider Claude Boston. And Charlie made me pay 'over the odds' for his bike. He charged me £5!!

Leg trail rider Charlie Challis in action for Plymouth.1948.

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Not sure i even saw Colquhoun,but think i must have seen Bisson.Was he at Poole in the lower league?

 

Ok,looked it up

 

http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/371/marcus-bisson

 

But they were few and far between and then something must have happened,either to the bikes or was it just a style that came into fashion?Rather like the spectacular foot/leg right out in front that also cropped up about 10 years ago and was copied all over the place and seemed to be dropped just as quickly.Dudek and Michelsen were two that used it that spring to mind

 

 

 

Let's get back on course. How can the photo that accompanied this Post in anyway be described as leg trailing? I agree it is a spectacular photo but - and I know I'll be criticised for saying this - in no way does it typify the leg trail style of racing.

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A nice action photo of Patrick Hougaard but lacks the characteristics of the photos the old timers.

 

Let's get back on course. How can the photo that accompanied this Post in anyway be described as leg trailing? I agree it is a spectacular photo but - and I know I'll be criticised for saying this - in no way does it typify the leg trail style of racing.

Tbh i think the style is almost the same with your old grainy photo of Charlie Challis and mine of Hougaard.The only differences are the quality of the phoot and the place where the photographer was standing

 

As for the other photo,i think i explained perfectly clearly why i posted it and if you actually read the text accompanying the photo at no time did i ever call it legtrailing.So no real criticism of you,as i am used to your wacky posts not understaning (possibly on purpose) a lot of posts

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I think the best leg trailing photo I've seen is the one I use as my avatar (is that the right word!?) It's of 'Cyclone' Billy Lamont riding round the outside of Vic Huxley at Wimbledon. Click on my photo to expand it.

 

That is a great photo norbold. All the magic of leg trailing - as you said: Wimbledon in the early 1930s, Australians 'Cyclone' Billy Lamont and Vic Huxley demonstrate the spectacle of leg trail riding. It is, as you say norbold, a great photo.

 

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