Your memories of the sheffield "tigers" speedway

[stn741 10]

Surprised nobody has mentioned Len Silver of Exceter,wife used to love him.Must have been something to do with his white boots lol.

[Sweatshopboy 11]

Chum Taylor another name from my autograph book, a solid scoring third heat leader behind Barry Briggs and Bjorn Knutsson for Southampton in the early sixties. In his book A Dangerous Life co written by Geoffrey Miller Q.C. he recalls in one chapter his time at Cradley Heath in 1966, not a good year for him but brightened up by his performance at Sheffield where he scored a maximum in the match and was undefeated in the second half. He says Frank Varey's track at Owlerton was the smoothest in the country and he rode wide into the bend, doing a quick turn coming out of the bend thus making it a long straight. His description on riding Owlerton reminds me very much of Guy Allott's method, I often thought when watching Allott blasting wide round the top bend that he was heading straight for the fence but then a little turn and he was heading down a long straight. Before the scratch race final Taylor says he was approached by Frank Varey, who told him not to hurt any of his lads, well we know Taylor won the final, and there was no accidents, and when he was paid out after the meeting Varey gave him an extra £10. Incidentally Chum's son Glyn rode for the Tigers 1993/4.

 

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Peter Craven Belle Vue leads Chum Taylor Southampton.

Edited August 22, 2009 by Sweatshopboy

[bullerboY 10]

I think Sandor Levi used to have the garage at the corner of Green lane and Shiregreen lane.Ken Middleditch lived near blandford forum and had a fabulous colection of bikes.I called at his house and Eric Hockaday was there we only went for an hour and stayed all day,he was a pal of a friend of mine Eric Stead.

[Sweatshopboy 11]

I have wrote about Guy Allott's riding style (blasting round the Outside) on this thread well Clive Featherby's style was quite different, he was a white liner, and if anybody ahead of him took his line Featherby would dive underneath them on the bends and force them off it, not very popular with opponents but very popular with the home crowd. Second half scratch races between Featherby and Allott were always hard fought and one I remember was when Featherby was hoisted by his own petard. Featherby made the gate and Allott followed not able to pass till the third or last lap I'm not sure which, when Allott did a Featherby, diving under Featherby entering the top bend forcing Featherby to the middle of the track, taking the lead and winning the race, well I cannot recall Allott ever using this tactic before, didn't think he could hold the white line, Featherby was not amused, I knew there would be ructions so I dashed to the pits and sure enough the first thing Featherby did on entering the pits was to try and land a haymaker on Allott, as Jonesey would say "they don't like it up em".

[Highnote 10]

The mention of Len Silver brings to mind a little story I remember from those days,as was well known Len had a reputation for his "Robust" riding style which alway incensed the Tigers supporters, and one Thursday Exeter had been riding at Owlerton in an "interesting"meeting,which had all the home supporters howling for Lens blood.

A workmate of mine,and a fellow Tigers supporter, had a brother who worked at a petrol station when there were attendants to serve with petrol etc,and the friday morning after the meeting a car came into the forecourt loadened with speedway bikes and the like, obviously one of the Exeter boys had had stayed overnight.

"Been riding at Owlerton?" my mates brother asked, yes was the reply,"our kid says that Len Silver is a right dirty b----r", oh is he said the rider, paid for his petrol and off he went.

Another member of staff asked did he know who he just served--no-- who was it?--that was Len Silver!!!

[Sweatshopboy 11]

I was looking at the Hastings page of Defunct Speedway Tracks and it depicts an old article that states that some riders were complaining about the lime based surface of the track, this was affecting the eyes of the riders, and it shows a photograph of a Cradley Heath Rider riding at Hastings with darkly tinted glasses. The photograph appears to be from the forties or fifties. Seeing this photo reminded me of the Sheffield rider of the early sixties Ronnie Rolfe who started wearing black tinted gas goggles. I was in the Owlerton pits area one night when I heard Clive Featherby ask Rolfe why he wore the tinted goggles. Rolfe replied that with the tinted goggles on, it didn't seem to him that he was going so fast, and he didn't frighten himself and told Featherby to try them. I considered Ronnie Rolfe as an above average second string at his time at Sheffield and I remember his two finest moments at Owlerton, both if I'm not mistaken against the same rider, the Stoke heat leader Ken Adams, and both last lap, last bend overtakes piping Adams to the line on both occasions. These wins being more memorable as they were not expected, Adams being one of the Stars of the Provincial League at the time.

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Ronnie Rolfe wearing his tinted goggles.

Edited August 22, 2009 by Sweatshopboy

[DOMMI 10]

I think Sandor Levi used to have the garage at the corner of Green lane and Shiregreen lane.Ken Middleditch lived near blandford forum and had a fabulous colection of bikes.I called at his house and Eric Hockaday was there we only went for an hour and stayed all day,he was a pal of a friend of mine Eric Stead.

 

I,ve just come across this thread, and what memories it brings back. I was a regular at Owlerton, on Thursday nights during the 60s and 70s. The names Clive Fetherby, Billy Bales, Jack Kitchen, John Dews, all bring back so many happy times. No trouble, no hassle, just a great night out. Sandor Levi used to live near to me. I went to his daughters wedding, as my daughter was a friend of his daughter. As far as I know he went back to live in Hungary

[mh01 10]

I,ve just come across this thread, and what memories it brings back. I was a regular at Owlerton, on Thursday nights during the 60s and 70s. The names Clive Fetherby, Billy Bales, Jack Kitchen, John Dews, all bring back so many happy times. No trouble, no hassle, just a great night out. Sandor Levi used to live near to me. I went to his daughters wedding, as my daughter was a friend of his daughter. As far as I know he went back to live in Hungary

thats right he moved back to hungary in the earlt to mid 80s leaving his wife & daughter sara behind aswel as a few debts

[DOMMI 10]

thats right he moved back to hungary in the earlt to mid 80s leaving his wife & daughter sara behind aswel as a few debts

 

I,ts strange how the memories come back. I remember watching Peter Craven, riding at Owlerton. I don't know if he was a guest or riding for Belle View. He had to start all of his races about 15 yards behind the other riders. He was the last into the first bend but won every one. I'd never seen anyone ride like he did. Some years later I remember going into a cafe on Penistone Road, I think it was run by the Glovers, I think it is now where Lily's Pork Shop is, and seeing loads of photos on the walls of speedway riders, and the one I wanted was one of Peter Craven. I wonder where these photos are now.

[mh01 10]

I,ts strange how the memories come back. I remember watching Peter Craven, riding at Owlerton. I don't know if he was a guest or riding for Belle View. He had to start all of his races about 15 yards behind the other riders. He was the last into the first bend but won every one. I'd never seen anyone ride like he did. Some years later I remember going into a cafe on Penistone Road, I think it was run by the Glovers, I think it is now where Lily's Pork Shop is, and seeing loads of photos on the walls of speedway riders, and the one I wanted was one of Peter Craven. I wonder where these photos are now.

im not sure where they are now but if you google BSPA they may have an archive

[nosy nellie 10]

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/8665/mybucket001.jpgHere you go some speedway photos.My first time posting links.

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I made a boob I will try again later.

Edited August 20, 2009 by nosy nellie

[Nise52 10]

I remember in the early sixties sitting on the hill watching with my gran. Ena Sharples once went, I've been a few times when I was young, good memories.