1947 Speedway National League


The 1947 National League Division One was the 13th season of speedway in the United Kingdom and the second post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

Summary

Harringay Racers rejoined the league. Wembley Lions retained the title. Belle Vue retained the National Trophy.

British Speedway Cup

On account of the small number of teams in the league the British Speedway Cup was run in a league format. Wembley Lions won all their matches, home and away, to complete a double.
PosTeamPLWDLPts
1Wembley Lions12120024
2New Cross Rangers1280416
3Wimbledon Dons1251611
4Belle Vue Aces1250710
5Harringay Racers1250710
6West Ham Hammers124088
7Odsal Boomerangs122195

National Trophy

The 1947 National Trophy was the tenth edition of the Knockout Cup.
During the National Trophy quarter final match between Wembley and Harringay the 27-year-old Wembley rider Nelson 'Bronco' Wilson received fatal injuries in the fourth heat. He died in the Prince of Wales Hospital, Tottenham, the following day from a fractured skull. Remarkably another rider Cyril Anderson of the Norwich Stars was killed instantly on the same evening, during the Division Two Best Pairs.
Qualifying
Middlesbrough and Norwich qualified for the quarter finals by virtue of finishing 1st & 2nd in the Second Division Cup.
Quarterfinals
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
07/08 Wembley61–45Harringay
07/08 Middlesbrough 40–68Wimbledon
09/08 Belle Vue67–41New Cross
11/08 Wimbledon77–31Middlesbrough
12/08 West Ham54–54Bradford Odsal
13/08 New Cross61–46Belle Vue
15/08 Harringay47–58Wembley
16/08 Bradford Odsal53–55West Ham

Semifinals
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
25/08 Wimbledon 59–49 Belle Vue
02/09 West Ham 55–51Wembley
04/09 Wembley 68–40West Ham
06/09 Belle Vue82–25Wimbledon

Final

First leg
Second leg
Belle Vue were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 116–100.

Riders' Championship

Jack Parker won the British Riders' Championship final held at Empire Stadium on 11 September. Parker won the title after a run off and also broke the halfway track record in heat 2. There were three qualifying rounds, with 28 riders progressing to the Championship round, held over seven meetings.
Pos.RiderHeat ScoresTotal
1

London Cup

First round
Team oneScoreTeam two
New Cross64–44, 55–52Wimbledon

Semi final round
Team oneScoreTeam two
Wembley69–38, 51–57West Ham
New Cross74–34, 72–36Harringay

Final

First leg
Second leg
New Cross won on aggregate '''110–105'''

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue
  • 9.44
  • 9.32
  • 8.50
  • 7.87
  • 7.29
  • 6.68
  • 5.39
  • 4.47
  • 4.44
  • 3.80
  • 3.36
Harringay
  • 11.54
  • 8.00
  • 7.32
  • 6.53
  • 4.78
  • 4.16
  • 3.49
  • 4.20
  • 3.18
  • 3.00
  • 2.11
  • 1.48
New Cross
  • 8.88
  • 7.43
  • 7.83
  • 7.71
  • 7.68
  • 5.04
  • 5.96
  • 3.86
  • Keith Harvey 3.20
  • 4.20
Odsal
  • 10.25
  • 8.64
  • 8.51
  • 7.07
  • 6.90
  • 6.29
  • 4.90
  • 4.00
  • 3.48
  • 3.24
  • 3.00
  • 2.40
  • 2.29
  • 1.18
  • 1.00
Wembley
  • 10.74
  • 10.00
  • 9.46
  • 7.75
  • 6.21
  • 5.47
  • 4.88
  • 6.10
  • 3.33
West Ham
Wimbledon
  • 10.35
  • 8.50
  • 7.70
  • 6.00
  • 5.98
  • 5.36
  • 4.51
  • 5.61
  • 1.33