Museum of Science and Industry

The motor bike that skidded former Manchester Speedway champion Peter Collins into international racing history is now on display at MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry), and his story has been recorded in a unique audio interview.

Collins, a former Belle Vue Ace, has loaned the Weslake bike which he rode to win the 1976 individual world championship in Poland. He also recorded a two-hour interview about every aspect of his life as a Speedway champion, from the electric atmosphere of the Speedway racetrack which attracted thousands of people in the 1970s, to becoming an international Speedway icon. The interview is available for visitors to hear in the Museum's Collections Centre and will be used as part of future displays.

Speedway motor bike racing, which is on a dirt track using bikes without brakes, was once one of Manchester's most popular sports. This year Belle Vue Speedway celebrates its 80 anniversary. At its peak in the 1960s and 70s the Belle Vue Speedway stadium was considered the best in the world for Speedway racing and attracted crowds of over 15,000 people. Peter Collins became a Belle Vue Ace in 1971, and subsequently won a string of awards, including ten world championships, five world team cup medals, four world pair medals and one individual world championship.

Peter Collins said: "In the 1970s Speedway was a massive sport and Belle Vue was the best stadium in the world. When I was racing there were always 10,000-12,000 people in that stadium, and the atmosphere in that closed space - with the noise of the bikes, the smell of methanol fuel - was totally awesome!"

He adds: "The 1976 Weslake bike which is displayed at MOSI is the most symbolic bike of my era and my world championship trail. The most important thing for me was winning the individual world championship and the fact I did it on this bike makes it very special. I restored it recently and it's my pride and joy."

In his interview, which spans the whole of his career as a Bellevue Ace, Peter Collins said he had been a fan of Speedway since he was eight years old. He based his love of Speedway on his former champion Peter Craven, who died in an accident at Edinburgh Speedway in 1963.

Belle Vue was an integral part of Manchester history and opened in 1846 as the Belle Vue Zoo and showground. Belle Vue Speedway opened on 28 July 1928 originally at the Kirkmanshulme lane stadium, but moved to Hyde Road stadium in 1929. It had more champions than any other club in Speedway history, including five racers who won the individual world championship. These were Peter Craven (1955 and 1962), Ove Fundin (1967), Ivan Mauger (1969, 1970 and 1972), Peter Collins (1976) and Jason Crump (2004, 2006).

In the late 1970s Speedway became less popular as a spectator sport in Britain and crowds began to dwindle. The Hyde Road stadium closed in 1987. Eventually a track was found for Belle Vue Aces at the original Kirkmanshulme lane stadium where Belle Vue Speedway had first opened, and where the team continues to race today.

Peter Collins' 1976 Weslake bike is on display in MOSI's Air & Space Hall, next to a Rotrax JAP Speedway bike, which was previously ridden by Swede Ove Fundin.

For more information about Belle Vue Speedway and to listen to the Peter Collins interview, please visit The Collections Centre located in the basement of the main building at MOSI or alternatively, visit:

http://www.bellevuespeedway.co.uk

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