Ovalman Posted December 8, 2019 Report Share Posted December 8, 2019 (edited) Just purchased set of 15 home programmes from their last season and my first season as a 7 year old from nearby Peckham. 7 quid off of eBay, bargain. Remember the first match v Hackney, PL v Southampton, and last match v Poole. Edited December 8, 2019 by auntie doris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted December 8, 2019 Report Share Posted December 8, 2019 17 minutes ago, auntie doris said: Just purchased set of 15 home programmes from their last season and my first season as a 7 year old from nearby Peckham. 7 quid off of eBay, bargain. Remember the first match v Hackney, PL v Southampton, and last match v Poole. Wish that I had hung on to my vast collection of programmes! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted December 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2019 My brother in Australia has hundreds, my other brother in Swindon has started collecting 1965 British League. Some good bargains on e-bay. Originally they were 9d. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted December 8, 2019 Report Share Posted December 8, 2019 7 minutes ago, auntie doris said: My brother in Australia has hundreds, my other brother in Swindon has started collecting 1965 British League. Some good bargains on e-bay. Originally they were 9d. I had, I guess, a couple of thousand. Many World Finals, Overseas programmes, and first meeting progs and specials as well as the normal league programmes and individual meetings etc. I remember that I had every meeting, home and away, that White City took part during 1977...including pairs and 4TT and many featuring Oxford home and away going back decades...I weep at the memory! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted December 9, 2019 Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 You gotta keep your programmes mates-I am proud to say I kept every one-got my mum (RIP) to send them to Canada when it was obvious I wasn't coming back to live in UK. Have also kept my US programs-Costa Mesa, Ascot raceway, World Final at Los Angeles Coliseum etc even theprograms from the Canadian tracks of Welland and Paris-the latter was a hidden gem-great place sadly now closed. I recall seeing a former World Finalist , Robert Slabon, who emigrated here from Poland at that track. One of the best meetings I ever saw was the Canadian Championship in Paris about maybe 15 years ago-Kyle Legault came back from UK- a favourite to win he was undefeated , broke the track record twice, although a local guy Aaron Hesmer gave him a run for his money. Wish we still had speedway here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted December 9, 2019 Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 I still have the programmes for every match I've been to - 1960-2019 - plus a number I have purchased or otherwise obtained (!) over the years going back to the first Crystal Palace meeting in May 1928. A couple of thousand altogether. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommelier Posted December 9, 2019 Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 Programmes are my main collection aprox 43000 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted December 9, 2019 Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 Incidentally, my biggest regret in the speedway programme world is that back in the 1970s I was offered two complete years of New Cross programmes, 1935 and 1936. Sadly, I had just returned from a two weeks holiday in America where I had bought some valuable comics (another collecting fad of mine at the time) which were practically unobtainable in the UK, so I just couldn't afford the asking price. I did manage to get the seller to agree to break them up and I was able to buy a few single copies, such as the night Tom Farndon was killed and the subsequent two meetings as well as a few other choice meetings. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted December 9, 2019 Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 18 hours ago, auntie doris said: Just purchased set of 15 home programmes from their last season and my first season as a 7 year old from nearby Peckham. 7 quid off of eBay, bargain. Remember the first match v Hackney, PL v Southampton, and last match v Poole. I was at every one of those meetings but no longer have the programmes. I gave my whole collection to a chap named Derek Neave who was well known around the London tracks in the 60's selling programmes for charity. I collected autographs in those days and always asked the riders appearing to sign the back of the programmes. I imagine that would have increased the value. Norbold, just imagine if that New Cross programme you have from 28 August 1935 had been signed on the back by Tom Farndon. It would be priceless. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted December 9, 2019 Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 2 hours ago, Split said: I was at every one of those meetings but no longer have the programmes. I gave my whole collection to a chap named Derek Neave who was well known around the London tracks in the 60's selling programmes for charity. I collected autographs in those days and always asked the riders appearing to sign the back of the programmes. I imagine that would have increased the value. Norbold, just imagine if that New Cross programme you have from 28 August 1935 had been signed on the back by Tom Farndon. It would be priceless. I used to buy programmes off Derek Neave. Good thinking about Tom Farndon, Split. I have his autograph in an autograph book...perhaps I should try forging it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 9, 2019 Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 Do collectors want pristine programmes or a few autographs as well ? I often see on tv that only perfect examples are worth much. But obviously that isn't speedway and speedway is something different to the rest of the world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Red Posted December 9, 2019 Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 1 hour ago, norbold said: I used to buy programmes off Derek Neave. Good thinking about Tom Farndon, Split. I have his autograph in an autograph book...perhaps I should try forging it! I have an autograph book with about half a dozen rider autographs from Coventry Speedway 1930, which include Squib Burton, Jack Parker and Tom Farndon. They are genuine - they were collected by my previous mother-in-law and she handed the book to me in the 1960s I often wonder if they have any value? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommelier Posted December 9, 2019 Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 40 minutes ago, Midland Red said: I have an autograph book with about half a dozen rider autographs from Coventry Speedway 1930, which include Squib Burton, Jack Parker and Tom Farndon. They are genuine - they were collected by my previous mother-in-law and she handed the book to me in the 1960s I often wonder if they have any value? If John Somerville reads this he will be PM you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted December 9, 2019 Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 1 hour ago, Midland Red said: I have an autograph book with about half a dozen rider autographs from Coventry Speedway 1930, which include Squib Burton, Jack Parker and Tom Farndon. They are genuine - they were collected by my previous mother-in-law and she handed the book to me in the 1960s I often wonder if they have any value? I asked John Somerville about my autograph book about 15 years ago. It contained autographs of Tom Farndon, Vic Huxley, Johnnie Hoskins, Gus Kuhn, Lionel Van Praag, Colin Watson and several other prominent riders of the time and he offered me £100 for it. But I still have it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted December 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 10 hours ago, sommelier said: Programmes are my main collection aprox 43000 Christ, do you have a special store? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted December 9, 2019 Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 4 hours ago, norbold said: I asked John Somerville about my autograph book about 15 years ago. It contained autographs of Tom Farndon, Vic Huxley, Johnnie Hoskins, Gus Kuhn, Lionel Van Praag, Colin Watson and several other prominent riders of the time and he offered me £100 for it. But I still have it! Crumbs...must be worth another 0 at least! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommelier Posted December 10, 2019 Report Share Posted December 10, 2019 5 hours ago, auntie doris said: Christ, do you have a special store? Yes, one room dedicated to just my speedway memorabilia 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted December 10, 2019 Report Share Posted December 10, 2019 20 hours ago, norbold said: Incidentally, my biggest regret in the speedway programme world is that back in the 1970s I was offered two complete years of New Cross programmes, 1935 and 1936. Sadly, I had just returned from a two weeks holiday in America where I had bought some valuable comics (another collecting fad of mine at the time) which were practically unobtainable in the UK, so I just couldn't afford the asking price. I did manage to get the seller to agree to break them up and I was able to buy a few single copies, such as the night Tom Farndon was killed and the subsequent two meetings as well as a few other choice meetings. Tom was involved in fatal crash with team mate Ron Johnson is that right norbold.?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted December 10, 2019 Report Share Posted December 10, 2019 2 hours ago, Sidney the robin said: Tom was involved in fatal crash with team mate Ron Johnson is that right norbold.?? Yes, Sidney, it was the scratch race final at New Cross. Ron Johnson ran into the fence on the back straight and fell. With less than two yards separating him and Tom, the latter had little time to take avoiding action, though those that were there that night say that Tom deliberately tried his best to turn away from his fallen skipper, choosing instead to plough into his machine. Tom and his bike were thrown into the air and flung a considerable distance before Tom landed on his head. Both riders were rushed to hospital, where Tom sadly died. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted December 10, 2019 Report Share Posted December 10, 2019 (edited) 33 minutes ago, norbold said: Yes, Sidney, it was the scratch race final at New Cross. Ron Johnson ran into the fence on the back straight and fell. With less than two yards separating him and Tom, the latter had little time to take avoiding action, though those that were there that night say that Tom deliberately tried his best to turn away from his fallen skipper, choosing instead to plough into his machine. Tom and his bike were thrown into the air and flung a considerable distance before Tom landed on his head. Both riders were rushed to hospital, where Tom sadly died. I was doing some memorabilia the other week Norbold, and it struck me that four major talents died between 1935/ 57. Tom Farndon 1935 . Ken le Breton 1951. Ernie Roccio 1952. Alan Hunt 1957 may they all RIP. Edited December 10, 2019 by Sidney the robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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