Early Post War Speedway

My knowledge about the world of speedway is quite minimal. It's a motorcycling discipline outside the mainstream and attracts its own dedicated band of enthusiasts, in many cases as uninterested in the wider world of motorcycling as many in that world are of speedway. At one time speedway was a hugely popular spectator sport and of course still has its adherents though the number of teams nationwide is a fraction of what they once were. Take a look at the National Speedway Museum's site to learn more.

These photos I came across recently. They are possibly all of one rider, George Watts who rode for Wolverhampton and Portsmouth in his career.

This great picture is annotated on the reverse as below but
I struggle to read the writing...

'George at R... Avenue  or is it House? 1947
Could it be Rye House? Rye House was a track in Hertfordshire.

George Watts

Speedway bikes at the Haynes Museum

A nice little bonus of turning up at the start of this year's Exeter Trial was that it is flagged off from the Haynes Museum, just a 45 minute drive up the road. Museum staff kindly open up the Museum during the night of the Trial and it is a rare privilege and experience to be able to have a mooch around in near solitude in the wee hours.

The cherry on top for me was that I was able to use my British Motorcycle Charitable Trust card to gain free entry. The Haynes Museum has a very impressive collection of four wheelers plus the British Motor Scooter Exhibition, The Forshaw Speedway Collection and a modestly sized but interesting motorcycle hall.

Below a selection of choice machinery from the Forshaw Collection......

Centrepiece display of the Forshaw Collection.

1929 Dirt Track BSA.

Super rare Crocker speedway machine.

Just like the Crocker v-twin road machines the speedway bike
carries a signature cast aluminium petrol tank.

Dirt track Norton.

And Indian's speedway offering.

1929 Dirt Track Velocette

c1929 500cc Wallis Blackburne.

1930 500cc Wallis JAP.

1929 498cc Scott.

1931 500cc Husqvarna.

1939 Moseley JAP 497cc. Alex Moseley was West Ham Speedway's
workshop superintendent and a noted designer of speedway
frames. This particular frame was designed in 1939 and made
from aircraft T45 tubing, it saved roughly 60lbs in weight over
comparable traditional frames.

The frame of the Moseley is copper plated. For style rather
thank practicality one imagines. Unusual but it does make it
look rather like te frame has been fabricated from plumbing
off cuts rather than T45!

Just one more view of the Moseley. Very special.