Vintage Speedway Race From 'Once A Jolly Swagman' 1948

QUOTE FROM BRITISH PICTURES.COM---

It's the mid-thirties and an up and coming youngster takes on all opposition to become a leading speedway star. Naturally this goes to his head and by the time the war starts he has few friends and a broken marriage. He returns from the war a changed man and has to choose between resuming his career or rebuilding his marriage.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Vintage
• Speedway
• Race
• Once
• Jolly
• Swagman
• 1948
• Dirk
• Bogarde

[jonty1954]

New Cross one of the smallest track ever, one scene from the film is the one where a rider comes off, the Ambulance boys run on, pick him up and dump him on the centre green, priceless, And I seem to remember that Split Watreman was one of the stunt riders in the film. Brilliant, well done knackeroo

[Shadders5]

@coach77cfc New Cross as previously mentioned, but some of the scenes were filmed on a specially constructed track at Pinewood Studio's.

[pyrofella]

Great movie... exciting race scenes...on cinders! ... the bikes really have not changed all that much over the years... they sound great.. love the speedway..

[lindseycartwright123]

My Grandad Fred plays Chick in this film!!!!

[contactjug]

Sorry not sure which one he is I just remember seeing the paperwork and him telling me about it. I brought a copy of the film but was unable to pick him out.

[spiritoveradversity1]

@contactjug Thats interesting, any chance you could give some identification of him in the film ? I know someone else whos farther was the sound engineer.

[contactjug]

My father Percy Betts was one of the stunt riders in this film

[spiritoveradversity1]

Yesterday I spent a few hours walking around the site of the old NEW CROSS STADIUM (now just a grass field) where this was filmed, As I walked, scenes from this film wer going through my mind, Although the outline of the stadium still exists, It looks so small now, Hard to believe the stadium (that I remember) stood on such a small area, In its "hayday" thousands of people would be at the stadium on race nights, just like in the film, Now its just an empty wasteland, A sad end to a lost era.

[Skipjack16]

I'll be looking for the movie. I'd love to see it.

Get ready for another fantastic season of Speedway racing folks. I'll be at the World Famous Costa Mesa Speedway in California this season. Will you? Check em out online!

[step66dude]

It was filmed at New Cross stadium in London