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Post by mybigtoe18 on Jul 9, 2009 22:08:21 GMT 1
I have seen a photo taken at a meeting in Stockholm in 1935. The caption claimed that one of the drivers was Walter Mackereth. Can't remember where I saw it - it was about two years ago on another site.
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Post by administrator on Oct 10, 2009 9:35:06 GMT 1
![]() This is probably the photo (or is it?) taken in Stockholm in 1935. It is part of midget car historian Derek Bridgett's collection. I understand there was a meeting at that time organised by promoter Jimmy Baxter. Probable British drivers involved were Billy Murden, Walter Mackereth and Harry Skirrow. Attachments:
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Post by haflinger121 on Oct 10, 2009 10:40:30 GMT 1
Great picture! Has anybody the first idea where this track or stadium actually is? That's a very distinctive piece of architecture in the background, I should think that would immediately identify the venue to the right person. I've found pictures of Stockholm's Olympic Stadium (constructed 1912, so it would have existed in '35) but it doesn't look anything like this shot. (Edit added in November 2012. This is almost certainly Solvalla trotting track as Derek said before)I also tried a google search on various related topics and got nowhere fast, with one exception. One site I wandered into had pictures of cars and bikes built by a Swede, Hans Hehner. One of them is the attached photo, which claims to be a midget. It certainly looks like one (rear engined by the look of it) - anybody know any more? Attachments:
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derek
Junior Member
Posts: 82
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Post by derek on Oct 14, 2009 9:38:04 GMT 1
I came accross the photo of the two midgets racing in Sweden in the 1936 March issue of "Speed" magazine (p498)
A Swedish contact of mine tells me that according to an article taken from an issue of "Swensk Motorsport" in 1952 that William Murden and Max StNair visited the Solvalla trotting track Stockholm on Oct 13th 1935.
Murden apparently averaged 56.19mph over three laps. I am told that this was the only time Midget Cars were driven in Sweden before the war.
The track was again used after the war for car racing, mostly for the 500cc F3 cars.
Derek Bridgett
Newcastle-under-Lyme
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derek
Junior Member
Posts: 82
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Post by derek on Oct 20, 2009 10:35:27 GMT 1
Re the Hehner Midget
The "Hans Hehner midget" is still around; it was restored a few years ago by a Swedish motor racing enthusiast. The car now complies with the the F3 500cc motor racing formula of the 40's , 50's and early 60's.
In Sweden the F3 cars raced regularly on dirt oval especially the 1000meter tracks. These cars are often refered to as "midgets".
Derek Bridgett
Newcastle-under-Lyme.
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Post by haflinger121 on Oct 20, 2009 15:23:05 GMT 1
Nice one Derek. Funnily enough, I did think after I wrote that post, that in Sweden 500 racing cars were called midgets, and the thought occured to me that maybe this was one of those. Hardly conclusive I know, but the fact that it was rear engined was what made me wonder.
A couple of years back, somebody who knew I'm a collector, sent me a programme on spec. in case I wanted it. I can't remember the name of the track now, but it was in Sweden, a road course, and although it claimed to be "midget car racing", it was definitely what we would call 500's.
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Post by haflinger121 on Nov 6, 2012 11:53:31 GMT 1
Have recently been involved in e-mail discussions about the use of 500 racing cars (Coopers and so on) as midgets, and someone kindly sent me this link which may be of interest. There was clearly a lot more of this going on than I ever thought. 1K dirt ovals as well as ice tracks (frozen lakes) seem to have been used quite extensively. Fascinating. forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=91873 |
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Post by administrator on Nov 13, 2012 10:54:07 GMT 1
Re the Hehner Midget The "Hans Hehner midget" is still around; it was restored a few years ago by a Swedish motor racing enthusiast. The car now complies with the the F3 500cc motor racing formula of the 40's , 50's and early 60's. In Sweden the F3 cars raced regularly on dirt oval especially the 1000meter tracks. These cars are often refered to as "midgets". Derek Bridgett Newcastle-under-Lyme. It's interesting to see the name of Billy Murden. He was in the sport at Crystal Palace sometime in 1934 and involved even in the post-war years. Yet he remain very much one of the lesser lights in regard to publicity. Besides the Swedish venture and his own UK career, Billy also raced in Holland and France in the immediate post-war years and even went in with a challenge - I think? - against the USA visitors to London in 1948. There is also a suggestion, never proved or denied, that at one time he was also a novice speedway rider in the early 1930s. EDITED IN LATER::: :::::::::::::::::::::::: PS: I have found the MCP has a debate on Billy Murden. It's at midgetcarpanorama.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=sniffy64&action=display&thread=185 |
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