Miscellaneous Items

The eight smiling Englishmen are (standing from left to right) Derrick Tailby, Reg Fearman, Eddie Rigg, Bob Fletcher, Fred Yates. Kneeling (from left to right) are Eric Williams, Jack Parker and Tommy Miller.

1929 Sprouts Elder. I have read that he could earn an appearance fee of £500.00. I have my doubts as that seems a colossal sum for the early era

Sprouts Elder, 1920's mister speedway. He was speedways greatest showman and had there been a world championship he would likely have won it.

Here is Byrd McKinney in 1933. A USA rider mounted on a Twin Port Harley Davidson. Byrd was obviously a leg trailer as his left left shows padding to help him ride the bends. He was a Los Angeles rider.

A potent looking Harley Davidson. The picture shows the exposed Primary and rear chains, no front mudguard and a small rear mudguard. The bike looks as lightened as possible with even the primary and rear sprocket drilled out to lighten the load. In 1934 this bike was state of the art but it wasn't capable of competing with the British Jap machine. Perhaps American speedway needed Harley Davidson to seriously compete with the JAPS and at that stage they could have easily done so, but decided to pull out of speedway bike manufacturer. The British Bike maker JAP continued most successfully, from that point alone until the early 1960's.

The site benefits from Colin Greenwell's cigarette cards The Frank Arthur card shown above is one of Col's favourites

New Zealander Smokey Stratton was a pioneer in the truest sense of the word, a free spirit forever looking for new challenges and new horizons. He left his homeland to race on the grass, dirt and concrete tracks in Australia at the age of nineteen in 1923, the following year he travelled to the USA to try his luck on the American tracks and returned to Australia later the same year. At this stage of his career he had a pair of Indians, one a 350cc and the other a 990cc. He survived an horrific crash at the Hamilton Speedway in Newcastle NSW, promoted incidentally by our old friend Johnny Hoskins. He recovered and resumed his career setting track records at a number of venues in Australia with the odd visit home to race in NZ. In 1926 it was back to the States to ride as a member of the official Indian Works team, with several meetings on the incredible board tracks at Altoona, Rockingham and Fresno. After that he returned to Australia but when Johnny Hoskins travelled to the UK in 1928 Smokey was a fellow passenger as the flood of Aussie riders began to make their way to Britain. He switched to Dirt Track Douglas bikes when he rode in the UK and in 1931 was a partner in the company that built the Sheffield Speedway at Owlerton. During his time in Britain he continued to look for new challenges and made several trips to the Continent to race. He made a brief visit to New Zealand in 1933 but it appears he never actually rode on a New Zealand speedway at any time in his career. In 1938 he was appointed Manager at Newcastle Speedway but was tragically killed in a car crash at Cockermouth when returning from a league match at Workington.
Susan Webb
This is only a very condensed summary of a fascinating character and a great Kiwi. If anyone can help with information on the life and career of Spencer Stratton I would love to hear from them, particularly regarding his trips to Germany, Austria etc.
Giffy
giffords@xtra.co.nz

These 3 pictures are from Bill. He bought these for around 20p each in Ireland during the 1960's. Bill says the engines on the models are all JAP and the detail is quite good. Thought!! have you any model speedway rider that is worthy of showing on the website. John

As I was looking at your 'Miscellaneous' page I saw some photos of toy speedway riders that were sent to you by 'Bill'. I happen to have had that same set, which I bought in 1970. There were originally four bikes and four riders with different helmet colours. The set came with a sheet of tiny stickers that could be peeled off and stuck on the riders' race jackets. You could choose from all of the British League Division One teams, or a national body colour of England, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, etc. I have attached two photos of the one remaining bike I still have (I don't know what ever happened to the little riders--retired, I suppose). It has an amazing amount of accuracy for something that is only 2.5 inches (6 cm) long. You can make out the pushrod and valve covers, oil pump, girder forks, the shallow horizontal fins on the JAP crank case, and many other details. The tyres are rubber, and the rear one has 'BRITAINS LTD." and 'ENGLAND" written on the sides. The bikes came plain silver metal, but at some point in my youth I painted this one.

1933 Start Championship riders lining up for a heat. L-R Norman Parker, Tom Farndon, Al Wilkinson and Stan Greatorex

Frank Arthur 1929: Before the world championships started we had the Star Championships and Australian Arthur was up there at the top of the Overseas Riders. Do you know what track he belonged to in 1929 John

Frank was the Star 1929 overseas champion and the rider shown above Roger Frogley won the British rider of the Star Championship. Roger is shown aboard a Harley Peashooter. Do you know what track he was attached to in 1929. John

Text scan is from a John Chaplin book......from 1990....John Chaplin's Speedway Special. Is the story true?

Mike Willig says: John Starkey Shuttleworth was my Grandad, so it's good to see that there's stuff on the web about him - he'd be chuffed, always loved being the centre of attention. He used to stand in Stockport's Merseyway precinct and play his accordion, happily collecting any contributions in his cowboy hat (which he often wore) As far as I'm aware, the story about him and the red ink is true.

Ex Army Dispatch Riders boots, Just after the war Riders could pick these up in Army Surplus stores for about 7 Shillings and 6 pence (35p), And the Gas Goggles were popular too, these would be about 9d for a pack of 10 (about 4p) these items were top quality, good value, those are my boots and are still going strong

Frank Varey is also mounted on a Scot in the above picture. He was the most well known Scot rider and the red parts of the bike gained Frank the name The Red Devil.

This is Colin Watson in, I think, 1932. The photo is great by anyone's standards. I assume the photographer wasn't about to be run down by Colin!

Charlie Pashley on a Sunbeam. He won the first ever UK dirtrack meeting at Droylesden in 1927. His Sunbeam was a stripped down roadster and as can be seen here it had a front brake. Charlie would have disabled the brakes for the racing.
Update: Charlie's son Rod Pashley says:
Hi, I am delighted to see you have a photo of my Dad (Charlie Pashley), and thought you might like the attached scan to go with it. He also rode at Belle Vue (Hyde Rd) first meeting, it seems that literally hundreds of riders turned up, to have a go, but none seem to have been recorded You may also like to know that the photo you have was taken on Southport sands

This racecard shows C Pashley 600cc So we can assume that the Sunbeam he is pictured riding above is a 600.
Update: Rod Pashley says: Charlie went on to captain Belle Vue's Midget car team in the thirties

The Harley Peashooter in action in 1926 at Claremont Australia, ridden by Charlie Datsun

The Hoskins, probably the most influential speedway family of all time Ian, Audrey and Johnnie

The Harley Peashooter had distinctive drop handlebars, It was the most successful of the early 1920's bikes until the Douglas Dirtrack came along

I believe this is American board racing from the 1920's before Australian speedway started. I think it is quite likely that Speedway actually started in the USA before it got underway in Oz. What are your views John

This form of racing started in the USA in the 1900's. The bikes were mainly Indian and Harley Davidson. Like speedway they had no brakes and a fixed gear so it is a close cousin to speedway.

USA 1920. at Dodge City
Maldwyn Jones, Fred Ludlow, Ralph Hepburn, Jim Davis, Ray Weishaar, OttoWalker, Walter Higley
Maldwyn Jones is said by some to have been the first to master the art of broadsiding, if so then he must have had a massive advantage over his rivals

This book has just been released within last few days (5th September 2008). Liz Palmer is Gordon's niece. The book is £9.99 + £2.00 p&p. If you want a copy send me an email John

Dave Jessup leads Michael Lee at the Coventry British Final. I have included this photo as I think it is a great action picture.

1950 Australian team at Kilburn Speedway in Adelaide- (track long since gone.)
The line up from L to R is Bob Leverenz, Bill Bryden, Jack Young, Aub Lawson, Merv Harding, Lindsay Mitchell & Frank Young

I am reminded by Mike Moseley that the Angels had their home matches at Kings Lynn and Ipswitch

Mike Moseley says there has only been one meeting under the Northside banner at Workington so what's gone wrong there, anyone know? This programme has to be quite rare then?

Top 1960's Russian Boris Samorodov ESO mounted leaving England's best in his wake

This is Mike Broadbanks an Englishman who could match the mighty Russians in the 1960's Mike's unusual riding style came about by him sitting well forward and gripping the handlebars well away from the ends. He was great to watch.

Presently the oldest living rider is Newcastle's Gordon Byers he is 96 years young at the time of writing (April 2008). Gordon still lives in the city, he won the first ever race at Newcastle's Brough Park, way back 17th May 1929. He started his Career at Middlesbrough and Newcastle then moved south, Leeds first then Wembley.

After Gordon there appears to be quite an age gap which it appears can be measured in terms of was a rider riding Pre war because the only other pre war rider alive today is Riskit Riley shown below
Update: Sadly, Gordon died just before Christmas 2008

Douglas mounted Riskit Riley. I don't know how old Riskit is now. If you can help please email me John

Norman Jacobs has been in touch he says: There is another pre war rider who is still alive. He is Jack Tidbury who rode for Hackney in 1938
Many thanks Norman, Jack was also a Middlesbrough Bear in 1939. John
here's a picture of Jack Tidbury,

This is from a 1938 picture showing Jack in Hackney Wolves colours, do you have a better picture John

Well before the days of women's lib, 1929, here we have 2 ladies mounted on Douglas DT's and below not only a lady rider but a lady mechanic too.

From Ernie Crusts book "At The Drop Of The Flag"
The spanner wielding Anne Whitfield is the sister of Harry Whitfield

I have a book that says Eva rode against Gordon Byers in match races at Brough Park Newcastle...Eva won the first..Gordon the second but before the decider Eva was involved in a triple crash and had to withdraw from the meeting....She did ride at Gosforth the next night against the likes of Charlie Barrett and Smiling Jim Kempster......At West Ham she beat Tiger Stevenson 2-1 in match races......She rode as a reserve for Leeds at Sheffield and got a second place...............

1929 Jack Parker & Ron Johnson mounted on Douglass's, can anyone say what track?

Ice racing takes place in Russia, Scandinavia and Holland (Not sure why Holland?). If you can add to this shortlist and say why Holland has the weather conditions suitable for ice speedway please let me know. John

Hi John

I'm from Holland. in the north. Comparing the speedway bike with an ice bike:
I think only the wheel hubs and transmission are the same ( maybe accept the ratio ). the frame is special, wheels are front 23" rear 21"
my bike has no rear suspension. engine is 500cc 4stroke 2 valve Java, 2 valve is max in ice race methanol powered about 55 ps, no titanium allowed on bike. and the minimum weight is 115 kg ( changes sometimes a bit ) interesting to know in about 1990 my friend Tjitte Bootsma, Dutch GP rider than started to improve the java frames. he than came with a own frame with rear suspension, every one laugh at him. but soon they learn that it was the new evolution of ice racing. Java also came with a rear suspension but it was not perfect. A few years later they copied his frame ( almost exact ) but still it wasn't super. This "tibo" frame also was copied by Russian mechanic due to lower quality steel and poor welding also this frames aren't very good. I think 90% of the drivers now in GP drive on this frames, and if there would be ( like F1 GP) a constructors title he would have it for many years now. This is a bit advertising :) the most used engine is still the Jawa 4 stroke 2 valve methanol powered engine.

But still, I just started ( I hope to improve ) ice racing last year. Set to learn it on an "oldtimer" Jawa. it is a money issue. I think its a super interesting sport and hope to continue it.

Don't know if your interest goes to the sport or only to the bikes but anyway mine is both!

Well if you want to learn more about it I can help you I think, maybe ask some specific questions, if I don't forget I will send you some pictures of my bike, the pics i sent is me on Tjittes old competition bike on which he started.

Greetings Gerrit Schukken

Hi Gerrit, I am fascinated by Ice Racing and would love to see your pictures. The sport looks much faster than dirt track speedway despite the older engines John

Maybe this will attract some sponsors!;), You want to know why Holland has ice racing. Well in early days there was bit more strong winters and we have a lot of lakes, you do the math! and of course we have a lot of crazy ( read fanatic ) speedway riders. there not a lot of riders left, now about 3 of 4 active riders, if we get more winters it will be more. Assen, ( place from TT) has a organisation who organizes a world championship every year still, and the riders who are active are very driven to ride it.

Also check www.renestellingwerf.nl site of friend of me who, has a good chance qualifying for GP this year

greets Gerrit

Ok Gerrit, I would be pleased to hear you have a sponsor after putting this on the website. Best wishes to your friend on reaching the GP...John