Cycle Speedway Teams Down the Ages
Warwickshire: Brandon Bees
About the team
Track was in the Brandon Speedway Stadium car park.
Track size and surface varied.
Club Manager: John Harrhy.
Club Secretary: Barry Shapley, 85 Coventry Road, Bedworth, Nr Nuneaton(1966).
Club Secretary: John Harrhy, Merton Hall Farm, Brandon, Coventry, Warks(1960s).
Racing in the Coventry & District League 1964.
Raced in the Northern Premier League Div 1(1969).
Lost their track due to development end of 1972, changed name to Bedworth Falcons.
Individual Honours.
1965 John Smith won the Knowle Trophy at Plymouth, after a run-off with team mate John Harrhy, both riders scoring 13 points. 3rd was Keith Lyon(12) of Plymouth.
1969 Chic Taylor won the Spring Cup.
1969 Dave Parsons won the Cycle Speedway Mail Cup.
Interesting Facts.
In 1966 John Harrhy was suspended for 12 months for striking a match steward.
Tragedy.
On the 11th April 1973 at Hearsall Common, heavy rain had made the track very soggy for the Coventry Spring Shield Semi-Final between Earlsdon Hammers and Brandon Bees. After eight heats Earlsdon were leading Brandon by six points. The riders had taken the chequered flag, with Brandon's 2nd placed Chris Allen riding round towards the pits, when he suddenly collapsed and fell to the ground. When Chris couldn't be revived a 999 call was made, and upon arrival at the hospital in the ambulance he was pronounced dead. The following year 500 spectators attended the Chris Allen Memorial meeting at Brandon, where over £80 was raised. Chris's father, Frank Allen, thanked everyone involved in perpetuating his son's memory donating his son's bike to the Brandon Club.
Speedway Riders.
Roy Carter rode for Coventry - Weymouth and Long Eaton.
John Harrhy rode for Coventry - Ipswich - Peterborough and Stoke.
Both John Sanderson & Dave Henry rode speedway.
Riders
- Chris Allen
- Will Bennion
- Peter Bonser
- K. Botton
- .... Boult
- G. Bryan
- Barrie Butler
- Rob Carter
- Roy Carter
- Steve Chesney
- Brian Clarke
- Stuart Clements
- B. Clough
- Bob Colley
- G. Davie
- Pip Deeming
- Les Grimes
- John Harrhy
- Tony Hayre
- Dave Henry
- Steve Hewitt
- Gary Houghton
- G. Jacklin
- B. Johnson
- John Laffey
- Bronco Laine
- Rob Lane
- Bob Maloney
- Dave McAlpine
- Les McIllwaine
- Colin Miles
- John O'Leary
- M. Orrill
- Dave Parsons(1965-69)
- Kevin Perrott
- .... Poole
- John Reynolds
- Tony Roach
- John Sanderson
- Barry Shapley
- John Smith
- Keith Smith
- R. Smith
- Chic Taylor
- M. Taylor
- Mike Teahan(1969/70)
- Paul Thomas
- K. Thornett
- M. Tollen
- Dave Watson
- Harry Wright