Wigan Album

Vroom-Vroom Ron. 'Full Frokkul Fiasco Wigan Speedway' mentions Laurel and Hardy's second visit to a contest involving Wigan; Bristol v Wigan on the 18th July 1947. Also mentioned are the 8,000 gate for the 1947 The North v The Rest contest held at Poolstock, and the race track at Coppull that was built by the Hart brothers. Regards.

Whereabouts in Coppull was the race track Phillip ?

I'm afraid I can't pinpoint the exact location for you Standisher. 'Full Frokkul Fiasco Wigan Speedway' tells it as having been used as a valuable practice course for NW riders - sounds rather 'rustic', doesn't it. Maybe Mid Lancs BMX Club's online site can help you further - its course was built in a quarry.

Just received my copy of 'THE HARTS OF COPPULL' Looking forward to reading it.

Ron - Maybe your recent acquisition will shed some light on the reasons why Oliver had ridden for more than one team during his career, and in particular on his apparent decision not to have joined the Wigan setup. I like his trailing leg 'thing' ... whoa!

What I find amazing in all these photos of speedway things, is how quickly it must have gone away. I grew up in Wigan in the 1950s and remember my dad talking about Speedway at places like Belle Vue, but assumed it had its heyday in the 1930s as no one I knew followed it or really knew anything about it and I never heard anything about a Wigan team at Poolstock even though I had friends who came from there. Anyone know why it collapsed so suddenly and completely?

Carolean, Like everything else Lack of Money... It moved to Fleetwood after the WIgan track at Poolstock closed. Pity
BRING BACK SPEEDWAY TO WIGAN

Standisher. See the series of stills, on YouTube, within which there is a coloured photo of the former track. Type in 'Jack Winstanley speedway.'