Gordon Harker

[Steve Crook]

name='penfold' timestamp='1284547688' post='474379']

I don't think that's the methanol you're smelling....that would be the distinctive, er, herbal whiff of hot Castrol R or M(R for Racing, M for Methanol fuelled), vegetable-based lubricants; in fact, Castor Oil based...hence the Castrol name......it's been used for racing engines that long.

Whatever it is, it's an evocative smell. Especially for me because it reminds me of so many happy events at speedway meetings as I was growing up



Steve

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Steve Crook' timestamp='1284572724' post='474493']

Whatever it is, it's an evocative smell. Especially for me because it reminds me of so many happy events at speedway meetings as I was growing up



Steve

Is that why speedway drivers take their bikes home and love them like a woman?

[Steve Crook]

name='CaptainWaggett' timestamp='1284574017' post='474503']

Is that why speedway drivers take their bikes home and love them like a woman?

No, they love 'em much more than that



Steve

[brianl]

name='Steve Crook' timestamp='1284473394' post='474169']

Speedway on TV is done as well as it can be nowadays, but it's never as good as being at the meeting.

You don't get all the banter with the friendly crowd (from sweet little old ladies to big hairy bikers) when you watch it on TV. Speedway fans always were a very varied crowd and they give a better commentary than even the best TV commentators.



But most of all, on TV you don't get the noise, from the bikes and from the crowd, you don't get a shower of cinders thrown up as they go round the corner and most important, you don't get the smell of methanol fuel and hot cinders



Steve

Before moving to New Zealand in the late 50's I used to regularly go to Wembley (The Lions) and Harringay (The Racers), on Thursday nights for the Lions and Friday nights for the Racers.

I picked up a copy of a book titled "Speedway in London" by Norman Jacobs on e-bay a few years ago which covers all the main teams in the London area.

It was published in 2001 by Tempus Publishing Ltd, The Mill, Brimscombe Port, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 2QG.

There is also one covering the Speedway teams in the North of England.

BrianL

[Steve Crook]

name='brianl' timestamp='1284675596' post='474937']

Before moving to New Zealand in the late 50's I used to regularly go to Wembley (The Lions) and Harringay (The Racers), on Thursday nights for the Lions and Friday nights for the Racers.

I picked up a copy of a book titled "Speedway in London" by Norman Jacobs on e-bay a few years ago which covers all the main teams in the London area.

It was published in 2001 by Tempus Publishing Ltd, The Mill, Brimscombe Port, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 2QG.

There is also one covering the Speedway teams in the North of England.

BrianL

Speedway in London is now rather limited. The nearest team is probably Reading to the west or the Lakeside Hammers to the east or Eastbourne to the south.

Wembley - closed

Harringay - closed

West Ham - closed

Wimbledon - closed

Hackney Wick - closed

New Cross - closed

White City - closed



Steve

[Steve Wigan]

name='Steve Crook' timestamp='1284463895' post='474131']

Speedway riders usually are lovely guys. It always did attract a wide range of very nice people and there was never any crowd trouble between rival fans. At a speedway meeting you're liable to see a big hairy biker going up to a little old lady and politely asking if she managed to get the time of the winner of the last race



I don't recall a rider called Roy Chappell. But looking him up on the Bell Vue Aces site he does seem to have raced under that name. He does seem to collect old bikes. There are a few reports about him buying bikes used by the more famous old riders.



If he likes films with speedway in them then he should check out Once a Jolly Swagman (1949) with Dirk Bogarde & Bonar Colleano. Also, if he can find it, the TV series "King Cinder" (1977)





Nick, yes, speedway does tend to be a bit noisy. When we used to go to Wimbledon Speedway when we were little children my Mum used to put cotton wool in our ears. But it was exciting





For those that don't know it, motorcycle speedway is quite a simple sport.

You take a 500cc motorbike and strip it of all non-essentials, like brakes and gears

Then find some reckless fool to hang on to it as it hurtles round an oval track in a race against 3 other equally reckless fools.



The bikes are actually custom made, not modified street bikes. But they do have to meet quite stringent standards so that there's very little advantage gained by the bike itself. It's mainly down to the skill, and the daring, of the rider. The bikes run on a methanol fuel and don't bother with silencers to keep the weight down. They don't have gears so each rider, and his mechanic, select a fixed gearing for each race depending on conditions.



The track is only about the size of an athletics track but they can reach speeds of 70mph and when you're jostling for position with 3 other guys, that is plenty fast enough. The big advantage for the spectators is that you see all of the action all of the time. It's not like Formula 1 or superbikes where it's just Zoom as they flash past ... then wait 5 minutes ... then Zoom as they flash past again



As they have no brakes they riders go into each corner in a controlled skid, powered by the back wheel and with the front wheel pointing what seems to be the wrong way



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgOqnXQykGc



Steve

Steve...I spoke to Roy Chappell again last night, and it seems it wasn't Belle Vue that he rode for, it was Liverpool Stanley (same name as the Rugby League team which closed many years ago ?) I remember the Liverpool track, it was on the way to Prescott, might even have been in Knotty Ash !!

[Harbottle]

Greetings fellow Britmovians, I'm trying to obtain the following four Gordon Harker films. If anyone can help track down even just one of them and fancies swapsies please do PM me. Many thanks



The Frog (1937)



Once a Crook (1941)



29 Acacia Avenue (1945)



The Second Mate (1950)

[phil]

Hi Harbottle,

I believe The Frog is missing but 29 Accacia Avenue was released by Odeon last year in a double bill with Operation Cupid.

[Harbottle]

name='phil' timestamp='1288210287' post='486790']

Hi Harbottle,

I believe The Frog is missing but 29 Accacia Avenue was released by Odeon last year in a double bill with Operation Cupid.

Many thanks for the info, much appreciated