15 replies to this topic

[Stu Pidman]

Many (40+) years ago I worked with a chap called Eddie Smith who was best known for playing banjo with Chris Barber.
I remember Eddie telling me that his motorcycle racing career came to an abrupt halt at Blandford in a seven bike pile up with Eddie being the only one to emerge alive.
Unfortunately I am advised that Eddie is no longer with us.
Could anyone shed any light on this tragedy?
I do recall that racing was stopped at Blandford on safety grounds.

[rd500]

interesting story here from the circuit

http://www.gearwheel..._feature_27.htm

from the man himself "I was the only one who wasn't killed. It shook me up quite a bit, and it was nine months before I could walk properly again"

Edited by rd500, 02 August 2012 - 08:02.

[fuzzi]

Mick Walker's "British Motorcycle Racing Circuits since 1907" tells us:

"...the ACU planned to hold an international meeting on 29 April 1950.

"It was at this meeting that Geoff Duke gave theMcCandless Featherbed Norton its racing debut and in the process won the 500cc race witnessed by a crowd well in excess of 40,000. There were two fatalities however, and this was to cause the authorities to suspend racing after the 1950 August Bank Holiday meeting, at which Duke set a new lap record of 88.95mph."

The circuit was resurfaced and motorcyle racing continued until June 1960.

Hope that helps.

[Stu Pidman]

Thanks for the responses boys.
I guess I was being optimistic in hoping that someone may actually have been at that meeting.
Then reality set in when I realised that I am 75 and Eddie would be around 80 if he was still with us.
How can a teenager be so old?
Could it possibly be that someone was there?

[Paul Collins]

Thanks for the responses boys.
I guess I was being optimistic in hoping that someone may actually have been at that meeting.
Then reality set in when I realised that I am 75 and Eddie would be around 80 if he was still with us.
How can a teenager be so old?
Could it possibly be that someone was there?

Well its possible, certainly Mr Duke is still around over here on the IOM, I think he's about 93 now?

Edited to say - oops just googled it and he's 89, sorry Geoff!!

Edited by Paul Collins, 03 August 2012 - 21:53.

[RC162]

It seems odd to me that a motorcycle racing crash in which six riders were killed is hard to find out about. There is a forum that lists all fatal accidents in UK road racing through the years that I came across at some point and I'm sure it had no reference to an accident anything close to this. I wish I could find it again and re check it.

[Rennmax]

It seems odd to me that a motorcycle racing crash in which six riders were killed is hard to find out about. There is a forum that lists all fatal accidents in UK road racing through the years that I came across at some point and I'm sure it had no reference to an accident anything close to this. I wish I could find it again and re check it.

This one?

http://motorsportmem...b...it_a&n=3542

[RC162]

This one?

http://motorsportmem...b...it_a&n=3542

Hi Renn No that's a new one to me and they only list four seperate fatal accidents. I found it on Wikipedia and yes I know they can be unreliable but this seems fairly good. They list from 1932 and the only multiple fatality accident listed was at Oulton Park in 1971 and involved three sidecar riders, being Peter Pritchard, Peter Sheridan and Philip Smith.

[Tim Murray]

This is the Wiki list - nothing listed at Blandford:

http://en.wikipedia....e_racing_series

[Paul Collins]

This is the Wiki list - nothing listed at Blandford:

http://en.wikipedia....e_racing_series

Just looked at that list and there are lots of riders missing from it, for example none of the Olivers Mount fatalities are there, also two at knockhill I remember around 1982 Doug Taylor and another chap who collided? A guy at the Hutchinson 100 in the early 70's Simmonds? 1974 Cadwell Steve Machin? Forrester Brands 77 ish? a fella at Carnaby around 1979 Smith?, a chap at Oulton around 81 Watson? thats just a few from my own memory due to either being there or hearing about it, and I spotted one rider listed there who i'm pretty sure passed away after long term illness and not as a result of a racing accident.

The list is full of holes so I wouldnt take it as complete by any means.

Edited to say - Sorry Forester is actually listed

Edited by Paul Collins, 04 August 2012 - 18:03.

[RC162]

Just looked at that list and there are lots of riders missing from it, for example none of the Olivers Mount fatalities are there, also two at knockhill I remember around 1982 Doug Taylor and another chap who collided? A guy at the Hutchinson 100 in the early 70's Simmonds? 1974 Cadwell Steve Machin? Forrester Brands 77 ish? a fella at Carnaby around 1979 Smith?, a chap at Oulton around 81 Watson? thats just a few from my own memory due to either being there or hearing about it, and I spotted one rider listed there who i'm pretty sure passed away after long term illness and not as a result of a racing accident.

The list is full of holes so I wouldnt take it as complete by any means.

Edited to say - Sorry Forester is actually listed

Yes I agree it does have holes in it. The international one for some reason does not have Peter Huber and Norman Brown on it. Could Steve Machin be missing as his accident was on a practice day and not in competition. This might apply to others.

[greg1953]

Just looked at that list and there are lots of riders missing from it, for example none of the Olivers Mount fatalities are there, also two at knockhill I remember around 1982 Doug Taylor and another chap who collided? A guy at the Hutchinson 100 in the early 70's Simmonds? 1974 Cadwell Steve Machin? Forrester Brands 77 ish? a fella at Carnaby around 1979 Smith?, a chap at Oulton around 81 Watson? thats just a few from my own memory due to either being there or hearing about it, and I spotted one rider listed there who i'm pretty sure passed away after long term illness and not as a result of a racing accident.

The list is full of holes so I wouldnt take it as complete by any means.

Edited to say - Sorry Forester is actually listed

Piers Forrester was killed at Brands, the chap at Oulton was Willy Watson, Carnaby was Ian Smith and if I remember correctly it was Graham Penny at the Hutch in '72

[exclubracer]

...Oulton Park in 1971 and involved three sidecar riders, being Peter Pritchard, Peter Sheridan and Philip Smith.

I suspect that the names here are incorrect.
If this was the August Bank holiday meeting I'm pretty sure that one of the fatalities was named Pat Oliver, Peter Pritchard being his passenger. I was at the meeting but of course the programme has long since disappeared so only from memory...

Edited by exclubracer, 06 August 2012 - 00:33.

[fil2.8]

I suspect that the names here are incorrect.
If this was the August Bank holiday meeting I'm pretty sure that one of the fatalities was named Pat Oliver, Peter Pritchard being his passenger. I was at the meeting but of course the programme has long since disappeared so only from memory...

Yes Mick , my memory is just as bad ,..................can't understand why , but isn't it also the incident where Gary Bryan , of RGB fame was left confined to a wheel chair ??

[picblanc]

It was Pat Sheridan & Philip Smith, saw them @ Snett race of Aces meet the day before Oulton Bank Holiday meeting, can still see them both in my minds eye.

[exclubracer]

It was Pat Sheridan & Philip Smith, saw them @ Snett race of Aces meet the day before Oulton Bank Holiday meeting, can still see them both in my minds eye.

Thanks for that Graham, it was a looong time ago...