1931 Marine Gardens

In 1931 only two meetings were held at Marine Gardens and these would be the last until 1938.
Newspaper Report (16/05/1931)

The first of the series of dirt track racing fixtures arranged for 1931 was carried through at Marine Gardens Speedway on 16 May before about 8000 spectators under very favourable weather conditions. 
With the exception of two Leeds riders, Vic Ctereteko and Tiger Lewis, neither of whom was particularly impressive, all the performers had previous experience of the track. 
Paddy Dean, the Australian, now located at West Ham, who in the early days swept all before him, failed to produce the form that made him famous. 


Harry Whitfield



Drew McQueen, George McKenzie and Col Stewart were there as good as ever but overshadowed by Harry Whitfield, who must have looked upon the Portobello enclosure as a very happy hunting ground. 
Whitfield failed in the final of the handicap because of a very slow start after having recorded in the semi-final the fastest time of the event. He defeated McQueen in a four laps match race with something more in hand than the five yards margin indicated and in the final of the Torch race, though McQueen beat him in their heat, the Wembley man was a winner from start to finish.

Newspaper Report (20/06/1931)

The dirt track racing fixture at the Marine Gardens on 20 June provided racing the competitive nature of which was of higher standard than usual. There were fewer of the all too easily accomplished wins which had made the sport rather tedious to witness. 
The most polished rider on view was Broncho Dixon who gave some sparkling performances in which skill was much more evident than reckless daring. So well did he perform in the early heats of the Handicap that a win for him in the final was a reasonable expectancy. 
That he could get no nearer than third place was due in some degree to two momentary but vital lapses of his engine but also the manner in which Andy Nicoll, who finished second, kept to the white line and gave him no chance of going through by the short route. 
As a matter of fact the tussle between Nicoll and Dixon was so persistent in its interest that the spectators ignored the fact that Sam Aitkenhead was riding to a sound victory some distance before the pair. Aitkenhead’s win from his three second handicap was a triumph of sound unperturbed riding rather then of brilliant flashes. 
Dixon could count himself unlucky in not annexing the chief place in the scratch race. He had taken the measure of his opponents early on in his semi-final heat and was going home an easy winner when on the last bend but one he made his only mistake. He hurried his cornering, over slid and was thrown down, to be narrowly but skilfully avoided by Drew McQueen who was following behind. 
McQueen thus became the probable winner with the Wembley man Charlie Shelton the danger, as George McKenzie had tumbled out of the event in his heat. Expectations materialised as McQueen led early and all the way, though he allowed Shelton to come rather near in the final fifty yards. McQueen was in sprightly mood and cleverly defeated George McKenzie in two match races. 
The crowd would barely numbered 5000. 
This was the last speedway meeting at Marine Gardens until 1938.
16/05/1931 Edinburgh Handicap
1. Alfie Williams
2. Drew McQueen
3. Sam Aitkenhead
Scottish Golden Torch
1. Harry Whitfield
2. Drew McQueen
3. Colin Stewart
Match Race
1. Harry Whitfield
2. Drew McQueen
16/06/1931 postponed due to heavy rain
20/06/1931 Edinburgh Handicap
1. Sam Aitkenhead
2. Andy Nicholl
3. Broncho Dixon
Edinburgh Scratch Race
1. Drew McQueen
2. Charlie Shelton
3. Norrie Isbister
Match Race
1. Drew McQueen
2. George McKenzie
Match Race 2
1. Drew McQueen
2. George McKenzie
Norrie Isbister & Drew McQueen

Colin Stewart

Broncho Dixon


Provincial Trophy 1938

1938 Provincial Trophy
Final
22/10/1938 Norwich 74 32 Sheffield
Norwich - Max Grosskreutz 3, Dick Wise 12, Wal Morton 11, Jock Sweet 12, Bert Spencer 18, wilf Jay 12, Paul Goodchild 5, Alan Smith 1
Sheffield - Ted Bravery 13, Paddy Mills 2, Tommy Allott 4, Stan Williams 3, Colin Watson 10, Les Gregory 0, Lionel Stanger 0, Ron Mason 0
20/10/1938 Sheffield 54 53 Norwich
Sheffield - Ted Bravery 14, Paddy Mills 2, Colin Watson 16, Les Gregory 0,Tommy Allott 11, Stan Williams 11, Lionel Stanger 0
Norwich - Max Grosskreutz 12, Dick Wise 9, Wal Morton 5, Jock Sweet 13, Bert Spencer 7, Wilf Jay 7, Paul Goodchild 0, Alan Smith 0
Semi Final
06/10/1938 Sheffield 58 49 Southampton
05/10/1938 Southampton 53 53 Sheffield
01/10/1938 Norwich 72 34 Birmingham
28/09/1938 Birmingham 47 59 Norwich
First Round
24/09/1938 Leeds 48 58 Birmingham
31/08/1938 Birmingham 61 46 Leeds
29/08/1938 Newcastle 60 47 Sheffield
20/08/1938 Hackney Wick 62 44 Norwich
18/08/1938 Sheffield 68 38 Newcastle
13/08/1938 Norwich 75 33 Hackney Wick
12/08/1938 West Ham Hawks 63 43 Southampton
10/08/1938 Southampton 82 26 West Ham Hawks

English Speedway Trophy 1938

The English Speedway Trophy was set up in 1938 as an experiment to test the First Division reserve teams against the Division Two teams. The idea was for the top flight clubs to eventually enter reserve teams in the second division. First division teams were not allowed to race at their home tracks. Belle Vue reserves were crowned champions. The idea of putting reserve teams in the second division was only taken up by West Ham and Harringay who rode as Lea Bridge. 
National League Division One | National League Division Two | National Trophy | ACU Cup  | Provincial Trophy

Group Tables
North
P W D L F A Pts
Belle Vue Reserves 8 7 0 1 369 282 14
Sheffield 8 5 0 3 354 296 10
Nottingham 8 4 0 4 287 287 8
Newcastle 8 8 3 0 5 310 348
West Ham Reserves 8 1 0 7 238 344 2
South
P W D L F A Pts
Southampton 10 9 0 1 512 311 18
Hackney Wick 10 6 0 4 442 386 12
Norwich 10 6 0 4 397 435 12
Birmingham 10 5 0 5 430 401 10
Wembley reserves 10 3 0 7 363 465 6
New Cross reserves 10 1 0 9 338 484 2
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Fixtures
12/04/1938 Nottingham 49 33 Wembley Reserves
13/04/1938 Birmingham 48 35 Hackney Wick
16/04/1938 Hackney Wick 54 30 Wembley Reserves
16/04/1938 Norwich 45 39 Birmingham
19/04/1938 Nottingham 32 47 Belle Vue Reserves
20/04/1938 Birmingham 39 45 Southampton
21/04/1938 Sheffield 35 41 Belle Vue Reserves
23/04/1938 Hackney Wick 55 29 Birmingham
23/04/1938 Norwich 47 36 New Cross Reserves
26/04/1938 Nottingham 51 31 West Ham Hawks
27/04/1938 Birmingham 57 25 Norwich
27/04/1938 Southampton 53 29 Wembley Reserves
28/04/1938 Sheffield 46 35 Nottingham
30/04/1938 Hackney Wick 45 36 New Cross Reserves
30/04/1938 Norwich 40 44 Wembley Reserves
02/05/1938 Newcastle 36 45 Belle Vue Reserves
03/05/1938 Nottingham 35 47 Sheffield
04/05/1938 Birmingham 52 29 New Cross Reserves
04/05/1938 Southampton 61 23 Norwich
07/05/1938 Hackney Wick 60 22 Norwich
07/05/1938 Wembley Reserves 49 34 New Cross
raced at Norwich
09/05/1938 Newcastle 57 26 West Ham Hawks
10/05/1938 Nottingham 55 27 Newcastle
11/05/1938 Southampton 58 23 New Cross Reserves
12/05/1938 Belle Vue Res 31 53 West Ham
raced at Sheffield
14/05/1938 Norwich 46 36 Southampton
21/05/1938 Norwich 46 38 New Cross Reserves
25/05/1938 Southampton 48 33 Wembley Reserves
30/05/1938 Newcastle 49 30 Sheffield
01/06/1938 Southampton 47 33 New Cross Reserves
02/06/1938 Sheffield 55 29 Newcastle
08/06/1938 Southampton 64 20 Hackney Wick
09/06/1938 Sheffield 55 27 West Ham Hawks
11/06/1938 Norwich 48 36 Wembley Reserves
13/06/1938 Newcastle 47 35 West Ham Hawks
16/06/1938 Sheffield 41 42 Belle Vue Reserves
20/06/1938 Newcastle 24 59 Belle Vue Reserves
22/06/1938 Birmingham 46 36 Wembley Reserves
26/06/1938 Belle Vue Res 59 24 Newcastle
raced at Newcastle
29/06/1938 Southampton 57 27 Birmingham
16/07/1938 Norwich 55 28 Hackney Wick
23/07/1938 Hackney Wick 49 35 New Cross Reserves
30/07/1938 Hackney Wick 58 24 Wembley Reserves
06/08/1938 Hackney Wick 38 43 Southampton
25/08/1938 Belle Vue Res 47 36 Southampton
raced at Sheffield
31/08/1938 Southampton 46 38 Belle Vue Reserves




raced at Sheffield

Belle Vue Reserves 48 34 Nottingham
raced at Nottingham

ACU Cup 1938

1938 ACU Cup
Final
05/09/1938 Wimbeldon 50 58 West Ham
06/09/1938 West Ham 64 43 Wimbledon

M RP
Harringay 4 166
New Cross 4 227
West Ham 4 252
M RP
Belle Vue 6 320
Wembley 6 335
Bristol 6 283
Wimbeldon 6 355
Results & Fixtures
07/06/1938 West Ham 61 47 New Cross
08/06/1938 New Cross 75 32 Harringay
14/06/1938 West Ham 73 35 Harringay
15/06/1938 New Cross 54 54 West Ham
18/06/1938 Harringay 42 64 West Ham
25/06/1938 Harringay 57 51 New Cross
03/06/1938 Bristol 74 34 Belle Vue
04/06/1938 Belle Vue 78 30 Bristol
10/06/1938 Bristol 44 64 Wembley
16/06/1938 Wembley 61 47 Bristol
17/06/1938 Bristol 53 55 Wimbledon
20/06/1938 Wimbledon 54 53 Wembley
23/06/1938 Wembley 67 40 Belle Vue
25/06/1938 Belle Vue 71 36 Wembley
27/06/1938 Wimbledon 73 35 Bristol
02/07/1938 Belle Vue 56 52 Wimbledon
04/07/1938 Wimbledon 67 41 Belle Vue
14/07/1938 Wembley 54 54 Wimbledon
West Ham ACU Cup Winners 1938

National Trophy 1938

1938 National Trophy
Wimbeldon won its first National Trophy in 1938. They defeated Wembley in the final winning in both legs. This ended Belle Vues run of five successive titles in the competition.
Final
19/09/1938 Wimbledon 58 49 Wembley
Wimbledon - Geoff Pymar 5, Wally Lloyd 11, Wilbur Lamoreaux 14, Eric Collins 15, Benny Kaufman 7, Norman Evans 2, Nobby Key 2, Fred Leavis 2
Wembley - Malcolm Craven 8, Lionel Van Praag 10, Tommy Price 5, Frank Charles 12, Wally Kilmister 2, Eric Gregory 3, George Wilks 7, Andy Menzies 2
15/09/1938 Wembley 43 65 Wimbledon
Wembley - Frank Charles 3, Dicky Case 0, Lionel Van Praag 12, Malcolm Craven 6, Eric Gregory 6, Tommy Price 8, George Wilks 1, Cliff Parkinson 7
Wimbledon - Geoff Pymar 11, Benny Kaufman 12, Wilbur Lamoreaux 18, Eric Collins 9, Norman Evans 2, Wally Lloyd 8, Wally Key 4, Fred Leavis 1
Semi Finals
06/08/1938 Norwich 53 55 Wembley
15/08/1938 Wimbledon 78 29 West Ham
16/08/1938 West Ham 53 55 Wimbledon
25/08/1938 Wembley 38 15 Norwich
First Round
01/07/1938 Bristol 50 56 West Ham
05/07/1938 West Ham 73 35 Bristol
06/07/1938 New Cross 50 57 Wimbledon
07/07/1938 Wembley 61 47 Belle Vue
09/07/1938 Belle Vue 60 48 Wembley
11/07/1938 Wimbledon 62 46 New Cross
21/07/1938 Norwich 58 50 Harringay
Qualifing Round Final (Norwich qualify for next round)
02/07/1938 Norwich 72 36 Hackney Wick
09/07/1938 Hackney Wick 58 49 Norwich
Qualifing Round Semi Finals
22/06/1938 Southampton 35 18 Norwich
25/06/1938 Norwich 37 17 Southampton
04/06/1938 Hackney Wick 72 36 Leeds
06/06/1938 Leeds 36 72 Hackney Wick
Second Qualifing Round
15/06/1938 Birmingham 57.5 49.5 Hackney Wick
18/06/1938 Hackney Wick 66 42 Birmingham
15/06/1938 Southampton 76 30 Norwich
18/06/1938 Norwich 77 31 Southampton
First Qualifing Round (Southampton bye into second round)
17/05/1938 Nottingham 60 48 Hackney Wick
21/05/1938 Hackney Wick 59 49 Nottingham
18/05/1938 Birmingham 77 26 Sheffield
19/05/1938 Sheffield 51 56 Birmingham
23/05/1938 Newcastle 53 55 Norwich
28/05/1938 Norwich 75 33 Newcastle
Wimbeldon National Trophy Winners 1938
Wally Lloyd, Nobby Key, Benny Kaufman, Ray Taylor, Ronnie Greene (promoter), Wal Phillips (on bike), Eric Collins, Geoff Pymar, Nobby Clark (trainer), Wilbur Lamoreaux, Norman Evans.

National League Division One 1938

1938 National League Division One
M W D L F A P
New Cross 24 15 1 8 1072 925 31
West Ham 24 13 1 10 1050½ 939½ 27
Wembley 24 13 1 10 1043 953 27
Wimbledon 24 12 3 9 1005 996 27
Belle Vue 24 11 0 13 949 1052 22
Harringay 24 10 1 13 980 1018 21
Bristol 24 6 1 17 890½ 1106½ 13
Averages
Jack Milne New Cross Rangers 10.96
Wilbur Lamoreaux Wimbledon Dons 10.93
Bluey Wilkinson West Ham Hammers 10.67
Lionel van Praag Wembley 10.50
Bill Kitchen Belle Vue Aces 10.24
Cordy Milne Hackney Wick Wolves 9.46
Frank Varey Belle Vue Aces 9.16
Jack Parker Harringay Tigers 9.16
Les Wotton Harringay Tigers 8.92
Frank Charles Wembley 8.59
Fixtures & Results
20/04/1938 New Cross 55 28 Belle Vue
22/04/1938 Bristol 47 36 Harringay
23/04/1938 Belle Vue 43 41 West Ham
23/04/1938 Harringay 41 42 Bristol
25/04/1938 Wimbledon 48 36 Belle Vue
26/04/1938 West Ham 57 27 Wimbledon
27/04/1938 New Cross 56 28 Harringay
29/04/1938 Bristol 37 47 Wembley
30/04/1938 Belle Vue 41 40 New Cross
30/04/1938 Harringay 43 39 West Ham
02/05/1938 Wimbledon 41 41 Harringay
03/05/1938 West Ham 55 29 Bristol
04/05/1938 New Cross 45 39 Wembley
06/05/1938 Bristol 40 41 Belle Vue
07/05/1938 Belle Vue 49 35 Bristol
07/05/1938 Harringay 54 30 Wimbledon
10/05/1938 West Ham 41 39 New Cross
11/05/1938 New Cross 53 30 West Ham
12/05/1938 Wembley 54 30 Belle Vue
13/05/1938 Bristol 41 41 Wimbledon
14/05/1938 Belle Vue 48 36 Wembley
14/05/1938 Harringay aba New Cross
16/05/1938 Wimbledon 53 31 Bristol
17/05/1938 West Ham 40 34 Wembley
19/05/1938 Wembley 44 40 West Ham
20/05/1938 Bristol 38 46 New Cross
21/05/1938 Belle Vue 50 34 Wimbledon
21/05/1938 Harringay 42 40 West Ham
23/05/1938 Wimbledon 42 42 Wembley
24/05/1938 West Ham 46 38 Belle Vue
25/05/1938 New Cross 51 33 Bristol
26/05/1938 Wembley 43 41 Wimbledon
27/05/1938 Bristol rain West Ham
28/05/1938 Harringay

Belle Vue
30/05/1938 Wimbledon 49 34 West Ham
31/05/1938 West Ham 55 28 Harringay
01/06/1938 New Cross 51 33 Wimbledon
02/06/1938 Wembley 37 46 New Cross
04/06/1938 Harringay 38 45 Wembley
06/06/1938 Belle Vue 53 31 Harringay
11/06/1938 Harringay 51 30 Belle Vue
13/06/1938 Wimbledon 44 39 New Cross
18/06/1938 Belle Vue 40 44 New Cross
30/06/1938 Wembley 50 34 Harringay
13/07/1938 New Cross 54 29 Harringay
15/07/1938 Bristol aba West Ham
19/07/1938 West Ham 56 28 Belle Vue
21/07/1938 Wembley 48 35 West Ham
22/07/1938 Bristol 40 44 Wimbledon
23/07/1938 Belle Vue 43 41 Wembley
23/07/1938 Harringay 45 39 Bristol
26/07/1938 West Ham 42 41 Wimbledon
27/07/1938 New Cross 55 29 Belle Vue
28/07/1938 Sheffield 52 31 Newcastle
28/07/1938 Wembley 57 27 Bristol
29/07/1938 Bristol 32 50 Wembley
30/07/1938 Harringay 59 24 New Cross
01/08/1938 Belle Vue 45 39 Harringay
01/08/1938 Wimbledon 47 36 Wembley
04/08/1938 Wembley 47 36 Belle Vue
06/08/1938 Harringay 46 38 Wimbledon
09/08/1938 West Ham 50 33 Harringay
13/08/1938 Belle Vue 36 47 West Ham
13/08/1938 Harringay 47 37 Wembley
19/08/1938 Bristol 45 38 Belle Vue
20/08/1938 Belle Vue 54 30 Bristol
24/08/1938 New Cross 45 39 Wembley
25/08/1938 Wembley 48 35 New Cross
26/08/1938 Bristol 42 41 Harringay
29/08/1938 Wimbledon 51 31 Belle Vue
30/08/1938 West Ham 42 42 New Cross
31/08/1938 New Cross 50 34 West Ham
02/09/1938 Bristol 44 39 West Ham
03/09/1938 Belle Vue 50 34 Wimbledon
07/09/1938 New Cross 48 34 Bristol
09/09/1938 Bristol 52 31 New Cross
10/09/1938 Harringay 52 32 Belle Vue
20/09/1938 West Ham 54 30 Bristol
21/09/1938 New Cross 39 45 Wimbledon
22/09/1938 Wembley 49 35 Harringay
23/09/1938 Bristol 39.5 44.5 West Ham Hawks
26/09/1938 Wimbledon 47 35 Bristol
26/09/1938 Wimbledon 48 35 Harringay
27/09/1938 West Ham rain Wembley
01/10/1938 Harringay 52 32 New Cross
04/10/1938 West Ham 50 34 Wembley
06/10/1938 Wembley 54 28 Bristol
06/10/1938 Wembley 45 39 Wimbledon
10/10/1938 Wimbledon 43 39 New Cross
17/10/1938 Wimbledon 45 39 West Ham

New Cross Rangers 1938
New Cross