Colin Pratt

[keef robin]

Had a brief chat with Colin at Swindon on Thursday, said he rode at New Cross in 1963 for PL Select against Southampton, and beat Bjorn Knutson. I saw this meeting. Where can I find heat details?

[daveallan81]

http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/docs/newcross/1963.pdf

[keef robin]

http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/docs/newcross/1963.pdf

Thanks daveallan

[Triple.H.]

Thanks daveallan

Should've said may your God go with you

[False dawn]

Where do you find this stuff? It's amazing that you have/find heat details including times from this era. I am suitably impressed.

[daveallan81]

Where do you find this stuff? It's amazing that you have/find heat details including times from this era. I am suitably impressed.

 

I just posted the link, the work is by Keith Corns I believe.

[steve roberts]

Good grief when I saw the heading I thought that Colin had died!

[False dawn]

He's too onery for that.

[racers and royals]

How good a rider was he ?

[steve roberts]

How good a rider was he ?

He was a solid team man and number one for both Hackney and at Cradley until cruelly injured in the Lokeren disaster...however he did survive unlike some who perished.

[iris123]

To put it into perspective though in 1969 as Hackney's no.1 he got an average of of 7.30 from 50 meetings.In a lot of other teams he would be the 3rd or 4th best rider.Guess by then he was on the way down after a fairly short career in which he did make 1 world final

[keef robin]

His best year was 1967 when he was in the World Final, London Riders champion,and also rode for England in World Team Cup, with Wilson, Briggs, Mauger, Boocock. Had brief spell at Swindon, and knew Broady from Rye House home town of Hoddesdon, Herts. Broady still attends Robins meetings.Will have to have a longer chat with him at Swindon on Thursday, nice bloke.

Edited April 12, 2017 by beefy keefy

[iris123]

Has to be said that 1967 was a Wembley year,so all you had to do was do well in the British Final and you were in.Saying that,you obviously had to do well against some good riders and Colin did manage to beat Ivan Mauger in that final and also Anders Michanek in the world final.But he didn't even manage to win any British qualifying rounds.His best was 2nd at his home track Hackney.Some riders like Ronnie Genz and Charlie Monk won a couple of meetings.Probably a question of liking the West Ham track to an extent.Briggo also didn't win a quali,but won his semi final and the British final...

Edited April 12, 2017 by iris123

[keef robin]

He was a solid team man and number one for both Hackney and at Cradley until cruelly injured in the Lokeren disaster...however he did survive unlike some who perished.

Still remember that, 1970 I was 14 then, West Ham never recovered from the tragedy, was the Man U Munich equivalent.

Colin seriously injured and never rode again, but six people tragically lost their lives.

Edited April 12, 2017 by beefy keefy

[Sidney the robin]

Colin i would put in the Monk,Trigg,Genz,Hedge mould a very underated rider he did reach one WF just like Hedge.

[salty]

Saw Colin's all too brief Cradley career. From what I remember he had a tough start to the season, but had just hit a rich vein of form when he went to Lokeren.

Who knows how his career would have panned out in the Midlands, but for the injury. I seem to recall him having a spin after a meeting in 1971, would be nice if someone could confirm whether that actually happened or my memory is playing tricks!

[frigbo]

These are Colin's BL era stats:

 

http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/2198/colin-pratt

 

These would indicate he was a bit better than suggested on this thread.

[Sidney the robin]

Saw Colin's all too brief Cradley career. From what I remember he had a tough start to the season, but had just hit a rich vein of form when he went to Lokeren.

Who knows how his career would have panned out in the Midlands, but for the injury. I seem to recall him having a spin after a meeting in 1971, would be nice if someone could confirm whether that actually happened or my memory is playing tricks!

Think you are right "salty"he did consider coming back he broke 3 bones in his neck and was told he could be paralysed if injured again.I am sure he did have a spin after a meeting but decided the risk was to great.Looking at Frigbo's stats they are pretty good to be in the WTC squad with the quality around then was some achievement.

[iris123]

These are Colin's BL era stats:

 

http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/2198/colin-pratt

 

These would indicate he was a bit better than suggested on this thread.

Had a decent few years no doubt,but as i say i think by 1969 he was on the way down.You could though look at 1966 which was one of his best years.He did actually win a British quali at his home track of Hackney.He also done well finishing 2nd in his semi final and third in the British final at Wimbledon,which might be his best result of his career?He managed to get through the British-Scandinavian Final at Sheffield,but that was full of some quite poor Scandinavians(Olsen was a novice at this stage) and then finished rock bottom at Wembley in the European Final with a zero.I guess in 1970 he just didn't qualify for the British Final as it was before Lokeren?

 

Maybe Wembley just wasn't his type of track?How many British Finals did he qualify for?Is Sid right and Colin was about the level of a Genz,Monk,Hedge etc?Seems fair to me.

Edited April 12, 2017 by iris123

[Sidney the robin]

Hedge did he once win a Wills or the International a big prestige meeting.???He maybe a step ahead of the riders mentioned Arnold Haley and Dave Younghusband are two other names who could be mentioned in the same bracket.

Edited April 12, 2017 by Sidney the robin