Belle Vue 1936 Results compiled by Bob Ozanne. Acknowledgments I should like to thank the following for their encouragement and practical help with my Speedway Pre-War research. Very much appreciated. Bob. Roger Beaman, Nigel Bird, Brian Collins, Keith Green, Jim Henry, Matt Jackson, Peter Jackson, Alan Jones, John Somerville, Mike Terran and Allen Trump. Key to Abbreviations C = chain, DH = dead heat, E = engine or machine failure, EPH = pushed home, ET = bike problems but finished, F = fell, FRM = remounted, FIL = fell when leading, L = lapped, LD = laid bike down, N = replaced by reserve, NS = non starter, no reserve, P = tyre problems, R = non finisher but reason not known, XS = excluded for starting offence, XT = excluded time limit, XW = excluded, crossed white line, W = wheel problems.
Saturday 11/04/1936 First Event 1 Frank Charles 78.6 SF Eric Langton broke down. Final Frank Charles, Bob Harrison, Bill Kitchen Second Event Final Frank Charles, Wally Lloyd, Joe Abbott Superstar Scratch Race Ht Frank Charles, Bill Kitchen Eric Langton broke down. Final Frank Charles, Bill Kitchen, Bob Harrison, Joe Abbott. Fourth Event Wally Kilmister, Wally Lloyd Joe Abbott, Max Grosskreutz and Eric Langton all had a poor start to the season. Bob Harrison however was going well. Monday 13/04/1936 Silver Wheel 1 Eric Langton, Eric Gregory, Les Wotton 80.0 2 Max Grosskreutz, Jack Parker, Chun Moore 79.8 3 Bill Kitchen, Oliver Langton, Frank Varey 82.4 4 Bob Harrison, Joe Abbott, Wally Lloyd 84.0 SF 1 Jack Parker, Max Grosskreutz, Eric Gregory 82.6 SF 2 Bill Kitchen, Joe Abbott, Oliver Langton 82.4 Final Max Grosskreutz, Bill Kitchen, Joe Abbott 81.4 Scratch Race 1 Bob Harrison, Wally Lloyd, Les Wotton 82.6 2 Jack Parker, Norman Evans, Tommy Allott 84.2 3 Eric Gregory, Joe Abbott, Ernie Evans 83.8 4 Bill Kitchen, Eric Langton, Chun Moore 84.6 Final Bob Harrison, Bill Kitchen, Jack Parker 82.4 Silver Citadel 1 Wally Lloyd, Tommy Allott, George Greenwood 83.0 2 Max Grosskreutz, Bob Harrison, no third 82.0 3 Frank Varey, Eric Langton, Norman Evans 83.4 4 Bill Kitchen, Jack Parker, Eric Gregory 83.6 Final Frank Varey, Wally Lloyd, Bill Kitchen 81.6 Attendance 28,000.
Saturday 18/04/1936 Track Record Attempts 4-lap Clutch Start (record 75.4 Max Grosskreutz 4.8.34): Frank Charles 77.8 Eric Langton 78.4 Max Grosskreutz 78.2 4-lap Standing Start (record 81.2 Eric Langton 5.8.33): Bill Kitchen 82.8 Joe Abbott 81.2 Record equalled Max Grosskreutz 80.2 New Record Eric Langton retired Manchester Cup 1 Frank Varey, Tiger Stevenson, no third 81.6 2 Max Grosskreutz, Frank Charles, Ginger Lees 78.8 3 Joe Abbott, Eric Langton, Wally Kilmister 80.6 4 Dicky Case, Tommy Croombs, Oliver Langton 80.2 Semi 1 Frank Charles, Max Grosskreutz, Tiger Stevenson 79.6 Semi 2 Dicky Case, Tommy Croombs, Eric Langton 80.4 RR Final Frank Charles, Max Grosskreutz, Tommy Croombs, Dicky Case 81.4 Match Races Max Grosskreutz bt Frank Charles 82.6 Bluey Wilkinson bt Eric Langton 82.8 Scratch Races 1 Bill Kitchen, Tommy Croombs, Ginger Lees 84.4 2 Frank Charles, George Greenwood, no third 90.6 3 Frank Varey, Oliver Langton, no third 88.0 4 Joe Abbott, Bluey Wilkinson, Tiger Stevenson 84.2 Semi 1 Bill Kitchen, Frank Charles, George Greenwood, (Tommy Croombs FIL) 83.8 Semi 2 Joe Abbott, Oliver Langton, Frank Varey 82.8 Final Bill Kitchen, Joe Abbott, Frank Charles 81.8 This was a great night's racing and a real contrast to the rather tame early season fixtures that had gone before. Charles and Grosskreutz met 4 times and each one was a top class electrifying battle that had the crowd roaring their heads off. Honours were shared 2 races each. Max had bad luck in the Manchester Cup Final. He was well away in the lead when the race was stopped due to Case falling. By the time of the rerun which was postponed until later in the meeting the rain had arrived and Charles got past Grosskreutz. Frank seemed more comfortable on the greasy surface. They fought out the match race hammer and tongs almost colliding on the last bend. Max got out of the mix up a bit more quickly and won by 2 lengths.
Saturday 25/04/1936 BELLE VUE 47 HARRINGAY 24 Scratch Race 1 Eric Langton, Bill Pitcher, Jack Parker 80.0 2 Joe Abbott, Chun Moore, Oliver Langton 84.0 3 Max Grosskreutz, Dicky Smythe, Fred Strecker 82.6 4 Bill Kitchen, Bob Harrison, Tommy Allott 82.0 Final Eric Langton, Joe Abbott, Bill Kitchen 80.0 Bill Kitchen, Acorn Dobson New cars from the U.S.A. featured and were a great improvement on the previous years experiments. They were quite a sigght emitting sparke and exhaust flames. Saturday 02/05/1936 BELLE VUE 45 NEW CROSS 27 International Match Race Max Grosskreutz bt Jack Milne 78.4 Milne was under the impression that the race was over 2 laps and shut off at that point when running level with Max. Lancashire Scratch Race 1 Bill Kitchen, Chun Moore, Acorn Dobson 80.6 2 Jack Milne, Harry Shepherd, Ernie Evans 83.8 3 Max Grosskreutz, Tommy Allott, Roy Dook 83.4 4 Norman Evans, Oliver Langton, no third 86.0 Final Max Grosskreutz, Bill Kitchen, Jack Milne, Norman Evans 81.4 (6 Laps) Bill Kitchen bt Acorn Dobson (nf) 2m 19.4 F.Marsh 2m 11.4 Saturday 09/05/1936 BELLE VUE 53 WEST HAM 19 Match Race Max Grosskreutz bt Joe Abbott (E) 83.8 Belle Vue Scratch Race 1 Bluey Wilkinson, Tommy Croombs, no third 82.0 2 Bill Kitchen, Oliver Langton, Acorn Dobson 83.8 3 Max Grosskreutz, Tiger Stevenson, Arthur Atkinson 81.4 4 Chun Moore, Tommy Allott, No third 83.0 Final Max Grosskreutz, Bluey Wilkinson, Bill Kitchen, Chun Moore 80.2 Guardian says Eric Langton won the match race and Wilkinson took the Scratch race final. The results shown are from Speedway News. (6 Laps) B.Warburton, Eric Worswick.
Saturday 16/05/1936 BELLE VUE 47 HACKNEY WICK 25 Match Race Eric Langton bt Cordy Milne 82.0 Scratch Race 1 Chun Moore, Acorn Dobson, George Wilks 82.6 2 Frank Varey, Oliver Langton, Cordy Milne 84.0 3 Bob Harrison, no other finishers 84.6 4 Max Grosskreutz, Jack Dixon, Tommy Allott 82.4 Final Max Grosskreutz, Frank Varey, Bob Harrison 82.8 (6 Laps) RR Bill Kitchen, Acorn Dobson, B.Warburton, Eric Worswick 2m 11.0 Frank Marsh crashed on the first run. Saturday 23/05/1936 ACU Cup 1936 BELLE VUE 60 WEST HAM 35 (4 Laps) Eric Worswick, Bill Kitchen, Bruce Warburton 84.8 The time established a 4 lap record. Saturday 30/05/1936 World Championship Qualifying Round Bluey Wilkinson International Scratch Race 1 Ginger Lees, Gordon Byers, Mick Murphy 77.8 2 Eric Gregory, Cecil de la Porte, no third 82.4 3 Jack Sharp, George Greenwood, Les Bowden 81.4 4 Bluey Wilkinson, Lionel van Praag, no third 81.0 Final Bluey Wilkinson, Ginger Lees, Eric Gregory, Jack Sharp 78.6 (4 Laps) Eric Worswick, Bruce Warburton, Cooper 84.8 Record equalled. Monday 01/06/1936 ACU Cup 1936 BELLE VUE 53 HARRINGAY 41 Limited information on year by year file. (4 Laps) Eric Worswick 83.6 Record
Saturday 06/06/1936 ACU Cup 1936 BELLE VUE 65 HACKNEY WICK 30 All Star Hors D'Oeuvres 1 Max Grosskreutz, Joe Abbott, Eric Langton 78.6 2 Bob Harrison, Bill Kitchen, no third 81.8 Putt Mossman gave an exhibiton of stunt riding. Mossman also took part in the midget car race and drove brilliantly. Result not available. Saturday 13/06/1936 National Trophy 1936 BELLE VUE 68 WEST HAM 40 Saturday 20/06/1936 BELLE VUE 41 WEMBLEY 30 Scratch 1 Cliff Parkinson, Acorn Dobson, No third 82.4 2 Bill Kitchen, Frank Varey, No third 81.4 3 Joe Abbott, Bob Harrison, Lionel Van Praag 82.0 4 Eric Langton, Eric Gregory, Oliver Langton 80.6 Final Joe Abbott, Eric Langton, Bill Kitchen 80.6 (4 Laps) Eric Worswick, Acorn Dobson In the heats Fred Alexander broke the Record 83.4 Saturday 27/06/1936 BELLE VUE 36 NEW CROSS 32 International Scratch Race 1 Bill Kitchen, Jack Milne, Bo Lisman 80.0 2 Manuel Trujillo, Oliver Langton, No third 81.6 3 Sam Arena, Acorn Dobson, Frank Varey 80.4 4 Ron Johnson, Bob Harrison, Byrd McKinney 81.6 SF1 Bill Kitchen, Manuel Trujillo, Jack Milne 81.4 SF2 Ron Johnson, Sam Arena, Acorn Dobson 81.4 Final Bill Kitchen, Manuel Trujillo, Ron Johnson 80.8 3 lap record set up by Bruce Warburton 63.4 Saturday 04/07/1936 Third Test 1936 ENGLAND AUSTRALIA 70 38
Saturday 11/07/1936 BELLE VUE 43 WIMBLEDON 29 Scratch Race 1 Eric Collins, Bill Rogers, Acorn Dobson 83.2 2 Wal Phillips, Geoff Pymar, Oliver Langton 83.4 3 Bill Kitchen, Bob Harrison, Wally Hull 81.8 4 Joe Abbott, Vic Huxley, Chun Moore 84.8 Final Bill Kitchen, Joe Abbott, Wal Phillips 80.8 Saturday 18/07/1936 ACU Cup 1936 BELLE VUE 51 WEMBLEY 44 All Star Hors D'Oeuvres Bill Kitchen, Eric Langton, Bob Harrison, Joe Abbott 80.2 Saturday 25/07/1936 National Trophy 1936 BELLE VUE 78 WEMBLEY 30 Fred Alexander
Saturday 01/08/1936 Inter League challenge WEST HAM LIVERPOOL 59 13 Score Chart WEST HAM Total Tiger Stevenson 2 2 2 2 8 Arthur Atkinson 3 3 3 3 12 Bluey Wilkinson 3 3 3 3 12 Mick Murphy 2 2 2 3 9 Tommy Croombs 3 3 2 2 10 Charlie Spinks 2 1 3 2 8 59 LIVERPOOL Tom Price 1 1 Stan Hart 1 1 1 3 Eric Blain 2 1 3 Oliver Hart 1 1 Syd Plevin 1 1 2 Ernie Price 1 1 1 3 13 Heat Results Time H A H A 1 Atkinson Stevenson S. Hart 79.0 5 1 5 1 2 Wilkinson Murphy O. Hart 81.8 5 1 10 2 3 Croombs Spinks E. Price 82.8 5 1 15 3 4 Wilkinson Murphy T. Price 81.0 5 1 20 4 5 Croombs Blain Spinks 82.6 4 2 24 6 6 Atkinson Stevenson E. Price 80.6 5 1 29 7 7 Spinks Croombs S. Hart 84.0 5 1 34 8 8 Atkinson Stevenson Plevin 82.6 5 1 39 9 9 Wilkinson Murphy E. Price 84.0 5 1 44 10 10 Atkinson Spinks S. Hart 82.4 5 1 49 11 11 Murphy Croombs Blain 83.4 5 1 54 12 12 Wilkinson Stevenson Plevin 83.0 5 1 59 13 Scratch Race Final Bluey Wilkinson, Wally Hull, Tiger Stevenson 80.6 This match, held at Belle Vue, was a challenge by the Provincial League leaders to the club running bottom of the National League. This was in pursuit of a claim for promotion for the PL winners to take the place of the NL wooden spoonists who would be relegated. West Ham promoter Johnnie Hoskins dismissed the idea saying it would be no contest. Sadly for Liverpool Johnnie was dead right. The only Liverpool rider to grab a second place was Eric Blain who beat Charlie Spinks. It was obvious that Spinks had engine problems. That was what saved Liverpool from a whitewash. The match was branded a fiasco. Monday 03/08/1936 BELLE VUE 50 HARRINGAY 22 Scratch Race Eric Langton, Bill Kitchen
Saturday 08/08/1936 World Championship Qualifying Round Eric Langton Wednesday 12/08/1936 American Touring Team BELLE VUE 48 THE AMERICANS 24 This interesting event received scant attentio in the press. It was not reported at all in Speedway News. Sam Arena was the only heat winner for the Americans, defeating Eric Langton. Arena was top scorer for his team with 8. For Belle Vue Max Grosskreutz 9, Bob Harrison 9. Putt Mossman bt Eric Worswick 81.4 Record Saturday 15/08/1936 BELLE VUE 45 WEMBLEY 27 Second half called off due to heavy rain. Saturday 22/08/1936 National Trophy Final 1936 BELLE VUE 73 HACKNEY WICK 31 Saturday 29/08/1936 BELLE VUE 47 HACKNEY WICK 25 Cup of the Champions Final Max Grosskreutz, Eric Langton, Bill Kitchen 78.4 Saturday 12/09/1936 BELLE VUE 36 WEST HAM 36 Belle Vue Scratch Race Final Eric Langton, Frank Varey, Eric Chitty, Bill Kitchen 83.4 Saturday 19/09/1936 BELLE VUE 55 WIMBLEDON 17 Belle Vue Scratch Race Final Bill Kitchen, Eric Langton, Max Grosskreutz, Wally Hull 79.2 Eric Worswick, Fred Alexander, Frank Marsh 84.0 Arthur Marcus crashed heavily but got away without serious injury.
Saturday 26/09/1936 Challenge BELLE VUE WEST HAM 46 26 Score Chart BELLE VUE Total Eric Langton 3 3 3 9 Wally Hull 1 2 3 6 Bill Kitchen 3 3 3 3 12 Frank Varey 1 2 2 5 Max Grosskreutz 3 3 3 3 12 Oliver Langton 2 2 46 WEST HAM Bluey Wilkinson 2 XT 2 2 6 Charlie Spinks E 1 1 1 3 Tommy Croombs E 1 1 Tiger Stevenson 2 2 1 2 7 Arthur Atkinson 2 2 1 1 6 Eric Chitty 1 1 1 3 26 Heat Results H A H A 1 E Langton, Wilkinson, Hull, (Spinks E) 80.0 4 2 4 2 2 Kitchen, Stevenson, Varey, (Croombs E) 79.0 4 2 8 4 3 Grosskreutz, Atkinson, Chitty 79.2 3 3 11 7 4 Kitchen, Varey, Spinks, (Wilkinson XT) 78.6 5 1 16 8 5 Grosskreutz, Stevenson, Croombs 81.0 3 3 19 11 6 E Langton, Atkinson, Chitty 80.2 3 3 22 14 7 Grosskreutz, Wilkinson, Spinks 80.0 3 3 25 17 8 E Langton, Hull, Stevenson 81.4 5 1 30 18 9 Kitchen, Varey, Atkinson 80.2 5 1 35 19 10 Hull, O Langton, Spinks 81.8 5 1 40 20 11 Grosskreutz, Stevenson, Chitty 80.8 3 3 43 23 12 Kitchen, Wilkinson, Atkinson 80.2 3 3 46 26 A fortnight previously the Hammers held the Aces to a draw at Hyde Road and this was the reason for the challenge. On this occasion with no league points at stake the Hammers did not seem quite the same side. Match Race Max Grosskreutz bt Bluey Wilkinson 2-0 79.0 and 79.8 Belle Vue Scratch Race 4 Eric Langton, Bluey Wilkinson Final Eric Langton, Bill Kitchen, Frank Varey 80.6 Eric Worswick
Saturday 03/10/1936 Official Team Fixture LEAGUE CHAMPIONS THE REST 43 29 Score Chart LEAGUE CHAMPIONS (BELLE VUE) Total Eric Langton 3 3 3 3 12 Bob Harrison 1 R R 2 3 Bill Kitchen 3 3 3 2 11 Frank Varey 1 1 2 1 5 Max Grosskreutz 3 3 3 N 9 Wally Hull 1 1 1 0 3 Oliver Langton 0 0 43 THE REST Bluey Wilkinson 2 2 2 1 7 Morian Hansen 0 0 0 N 0 George Newton F 0 1 3 4 Jack Milne 2 2 2 3 9 Ginger Lees 2 1 1 4 Eric Chitty 2 2 4 Arthur Atkinson 1 1 29 Heat Results LC R LC R 1 E Langton, Wilkinson, Harrison, Hansen 78.8 4 2 4 2 2 Kitchen, Milne, Varey, (Newton F) 80.2 4 2 8 4 3 Grosskreutz, Lees, Hull 79.2 4 2 12 6 4 Kitchen, Wilkinson, Varey, Hansen 80.2 4 2 16 8 5 Grosskreutz, Milne, Hull, Newton 78.4 4 2 20 10 6 E Langton, Chitty, Lees, (Harrison R) 80.0 3 3 23 13 7 Grosskreutz, Wilkinson, Hull, Hansen 81.0 4 2 27 15 8 E Langton, Milne, Newton, (Harrison R) 80.4 3 3 30 18 9 Kitchen, Varey, Lees 81.0 5 1 35 19 10 Milne, Harrison, Atkinson, Hull 81.8 2 4 37 23 11 Newton, Chitty, Varey, O Langton 81.2 1 5 38 28 12 E Langton, Kitchen, Wilkinson 81.2 5 1 43 29 First leg 40 31 Total 83 60 Belle Vue Scratch Race 1 Bill Kitchen, Jack Milne, Tom Price 81.2 2 Frank Varey, Arthur Atkinson, Oliver Langton 81.8 3 George Newton, Bob Harrison, No third 89.0 4 Eric Chitty, Wally Hull, Bluey Wilkinson 81.8 SF1 Bill Kitchen, Jack Milne, No third 80.8 SF2 George Newton, Eric Chitty, Wally Hull 82.4 Final Bill Kitchen, Jack Milne, George Newton 81.0 Arthur Marcus, Acorn Dobson Saturday 10/10/1936 Challenge BELLE VUE 49 NEW CROSS 23 No Report found.
Saturday 17/10/1936 City Cup (Belle Vue Riders Benefit Meeting) Record Attempts by Eric langton and Max Grosskreutz failed because the track was heavy after rain. City Cup 3 Max Grosskreutz, Eric Langton Final Eric Langton, Max Grosskreutz Gorton Cup? Bill Kitchen, Eric Langton Final Bill Kitchen, Frank Varey Max Grosskreutz fell. Handicap Max Grosskreutz Bill Kitchen, Eric Worswick Closing meeting of the season.