Roy Langford - Article No.34 (07/07/2014)

With the conclusion of another outdoor track session in which I had participated in with great pride for my club Tipton Harriers, with my only real let down on a truly memorable athletic season was my disappointing last gasp performance at the Kempston Show in Bedfordshire on Saturday 19th August 1961, when the some-times unfair handicapping system in operation at that meeting ruled me out of any possible chance of reaching the respective finals of my chosen events that day the 100 yards and 220 yards handicap races, but on the positive side I had surpassed my wildest sporting dreams a few weeks earlier with a brilliant sprint double at Aldersley Stadium in the "Express & Star" Trophy meeting on that magic August 7th Bank Holiday Monday when I won the men's 100 yards and 220 yards scratch race finals in 10.1 and 22.5 seconds, that afternoon was indeed the highlight of my 1961 outdoor track season.

But now towards the end of August 1961 with the nights gradually starting to draw in and the autumn leaves starting to fall from the trees, it was make my mind up time again to whether I wanted to put myself through another full winter's training and suffer those dismal evenings putting my mind and body through physical and mental stress, these thoughts however are soon swept aside by my overwhelming competitive spirit, but that didn't step my over active mind from wishing how great it would be to hibernate during those depressing winter months and be re-awakened in the spring all refreshed and raring to compete in another outdoor track season, but the stark reality was nothing in athletics can ever be achieved without true dedication and hard grafting during those bleak winter months, and my incentive was to yet again put my fitness to the test when the winter indoor season opened up into Aircraft Hanger Doors at RAF Cosford in early November, this venue was the mecca of indoor athletics in the Midlands.

But before I step on the track for the first of those indoor meetings which is scheduled for Saturday 11 November 1961, I'll trace my footsteps back to an update on my working life at Ewarts Ltd, Burnt Tree Works, Dudley, which played a major part in my physical well being in my athletic career.

A few months ago in Bugle No. 734 I gave a rendering account about starting my new job in the tool room at Ewarts Ltd on Wednesday 5 July 1961, when I took over the job as tool room metal hardener and steel store man from the dissatisfied Bernard Tandy who was fed-up with his duel role job, his discontent had been a long awaited god-send for me to break away the chains of my boring jobs in the pipe brazing and pipe bending department. My change of fortune was almost certainly helped by my sporting abilities at that time to secure this timely job, but the one big draw back with the job was the total neglect the steel stores had gone through during the term Bernard had been in charge of them, but now the responsibility was firmly placed on my broad shoulders, which meant a total re-organisation of the steel stores, which took many weeks of hard graft, and to help make light work of this burden, I looked on it as a sort of keep fit training exercise each day while mauling around the many tons of heavy steel blocks and countless metal bars, into their safe and secure positions on steel racks and shelves in the confines of the metal stores. My motivation was also helped by the promise of a substantial pay rise by my tool room gaffer Mr Wally Barrington and if I could prove my worth as tool room metal hardener and steel store man, and on both accounts I must have got top marks, because true to his word, I did get that welcome pay rise 7 weeks down the line, but that time did take in my two weeks summer holidays, my financial reward was a pay rise of 1½ guineas or in old money £1. 11 shillings 6 pence which brought my 40 hours or so per week pay up to £12. 1 shilling 6 pence, but the stipulation was I couldn't tell any of my fellow work colleagues about my pay rise, because I learnt even after a short time working in the tool room that it was like a secret society as far as what each person took home in his wage packet each week, these under hand tactics would soon be outlawed over the next couple of years when most of its workforce joined the powerful amalgamated Engineering Union.

But for me on low point was that soon after I had received my pay rise, was that my predecessor and guiding light on the basic rudiments of the metal hardening section sadly came to an untimely end, when my mate Bernard Tandy put his notice to leave Ewarts, after he had failed to settle into his new job as a centre lathe turner and parted company from Ewarts to pastures new in early September 1961.

Well I think I've done enough rambling on about my work life at Ewarts, now let's get back into the groove about my athletic career again.

As I now settled down into my long winter drive to reach peak fitness for those Indoor Cosford Meetings, I was faced with a mammoth set back, because of almost lack of contact with my old training mates Andy Fereday and John Brimble on our Tuesday and Thursday night training sessions, the reason being they were now hoping to move up a gear to a higher grade of fitness and called on the services of our great new club coach Stuart Williams to advise them in all aspects of their training routine, I would almost certainly have like to have been part of this new training system but my own limited training times due to work commitments, which didn't fit into his strict regimented set Tuesday and Thursday training times, which included some very tough weight training and circuit training sessions revolving around the confines of the Tipton Harriers club house in Sedgeley Road East, but to be fair all wasn't doom and gloom because we did make one determined effort to bridge our training gap and meet up from time to time on Sunday mornings (weather permitting) down the Vono Sports ground or Tipton's Victoria Park where my mates put me through Stuart's training methods laid down for that particular day, which wasn't anything too revolutionary but it did entail plenty of stamina testing efforts which for safety's sake was best put into action on Sunday mornings in day light hours now the week day evenings were drawing in, and a typical Sunday training session was based on many variations of track distances so as not to get bored with training, which would be something like i.e:- a couple of laps warming up around the sports field or park, then 20 minutes or so of loosening up exercises, then the hard work out with something like 8 x 80 yards spring efforts at ¾ speed with a minimum recovery time between each race, after we would up the distance to a series of say 6 x 300 yards races again roughly at ¾ pace which really pushed one's stamina limits to almost breaking point, but on saying that we all three revelled in these lung bursting encounters, and so it was that those pattern of events took place whenever possible on those carefree Sunday mornings, with my own individual training sessions during mid week taking place after I left work on my local Buffrey Park and on the roads in the close proximity to where I lived in Fairfield Road, Dudley, which on hindsight was more beneficial after being soaked in sweat it was easy to make tracks for home and have a good relaxed bath at home and not have the inconvenience of having to wait in the cold weather outside the Vono sports ground to get the No. 74 bus back to Dudley Town Centre.

My dogged determined will power saw me struggle through those early months of tough winter training, with my eyes always focused on the opening up of the new indoor athletic season at R.A.F Cosford, and it was only a few weeks before that first proposed meeting was normally due to take place that my keen eyes spotted a forthcoming notice in what was classed as the "Bible" for any aspiring athlete worth his salt, namely the "Athletics weekly", magazine and amongst its wealth of athlete information was an advert for that impending meeting and I was rather surprised to discover that those regular monthly winter meetings from November to March which for umpteen years had taken pride and place on Tuesday evening, would now be staged on Saturday evening with the first meeting scheduled for 11th November 1961, and one big disappointment for me was that no transport would be laid on for us from Wolverhampton town centre to the R.A.F. base as was per usual to the out lying country setting in Shropshire where the camp was situated, this predicament meant each competitor would have to make his own travel arrangement to Cosford and luckily this is where the "Athletics Weekly" magazine showed real insight into our dilemma by publishing a set of road and railway detailed on how best to travel to those Saturday evening fixtures. With a firm date fixed for that first indoor athletic meeting armed wit this good news John Brimble and myself then tried to canvas some support from our fellow Tipton Harriers to participate at Cosford, but to our utter dismay no one seemed the least bit interested, so rather than labour the point, we did what was in our best interests and John duly posted off our two entry forms to compete at Cosford, but even before the stamp was dry on the envelope John was having doubts about his own chances of running at these new 7 o'clock Saturday evening fixture times, because he worked as a salesman at "Montague Burtons", the tailors at Cradley Heath and didn't leave work till well past six o'clock on Saturdays, this time scale made it impossible for him to reach Cosford till well after 8.00pm, because like myself his only means of getting there was by public transport, and it came as no surprise to me when John told me a week before the meeting that his request to leave work early had been turned down by his shop manager, this snub was the last straw for John who put the wheels in motion to find himself another job before the summer outdoor track opened up in May, which would allow him more freedom to chase his budding athletic career.

Cosford Indoor Athletic Meeting, Saturday 11th November 1961 – Start at 7.00pm

On that Saturday morning I did my usual 4 hour stint at work from 8am till 12 o'clock which gave me ample time to relax before tonight's meeting, in the meanwhile my diligent Gran set about preparing me an appropriate meal I could easily digest before setting out on my venture to run at R.A.F. Cosford at roughly 5.00pn on that dark dismal late afternoon in November, the first stop of my journey took in the No. 58 trolley-bus from Stone Street, Dudley to Wolverhampton town centre from there I made tracks to Low Level Railway Station, where I had an anxious ½ hour wait before my connecting train turned up from (Snow Hill) Birmingham to take me on to Cosford Railway Station which was adjacent to the air force camp, which left me with a few minutes walk to the Military Police guarded entrance to the R.A.F. base, from there the guard checked out my credentials for entering the camp, then pointed me on my way in the direction of the giant aircraft hanger where the meeting was being held, but I really didn't need their guiding and because this would be my third visit to this vast theatre of indoor athletics which was hailed when it was first put to good use for athletics on 17th January 1961 s being the largest indoor arena in the world, be it still only being an old world war 2 aircraft hanger, in the centre of this vast arena there was marked out on the concrete surface a 4 lane athletic track with one circuit measuring 250 yards, so each spring event from 150 yards to 440 yards could now be run with ease in lanes, but the main feature down one side of the hanger taking pride and place in the history of British Indoor Athletics was a 6 lane track which had enabled the R.A.F. promoters the chance to stage the first ever indoor straight 100 yards race in world athletic history, with that opening historic race being won by Birchfield Harriers (Queen of the track) Daphne Arden in the excellent time of 11.3 seconds, and tonight as I once more entered this awe inspiring theatre of athletics, I couldn't help but reflect and think how privileged I was to be able to compete at such great venues, and looking down the programme of events, tonight's meeting featured two top class representative matches with a Midlands Select Team lined up against the R.A.F. and running in tandem with that match was another Midland team facing Cardiff Training College and Nottingham University with some international runners competing amongst these teams, wow, what a feast of athletics we're in for tonight. I was competing in one of only 3 open events for men this evening the 440 yards, my far from be it favourite event, but really I never seemed to have a choice to what event I was entered for at these indoor meetings, but I've a feeling after tonight's race, I shall question the wisdom of the organising officials about running me in this dreaded 440 yards race, when I would sooner have run in the open 60 yards and 100 yards races, but now with the time fast approaching 6.30pm my main priority was to report my presence to the track race stewards and collect my all important vest numbers, but there wasn't any need for me to rush and get changed into my running gear because I had another 1½ hours before I stepped on the track for my 440 yards race.

With a fair sized crowd now in place lining the borders of the athletic track, this long awaited meeting got underway soon after 7pm, and what a great sporting evening we had before us, with World class sprinting star Peter Radford (Birchfield Harriers) gracing us with his presence at these meetings once again, and he would also have the distinction of competing in two separate match events this evening and he opened up tonight's meeting by competing for Cardiff Training College against the Midlands and Nottingham University in the 60 yards sprint, which he duly won in brilliant style from his Birchfield team mate and fellow Olympic athlete fro m1960 Rome Games Malcolm Yardley (Midlands) winning time 6.8 seconds. Peter was representing Cardiff T.C. because he was now based in Cardiff while on a physical training course at that college.

The cheers from Peter's great race had hardly died down, before the next group of 60 yards sprinters were on their starting blocks and flying down the track, taking the applause this time was another top international sprinter from the Birchfield Club named Berwyn Jones, who was representing the Midlands team against the R.A.F. He blazed to victory from his opponents J. Robb (R.A.F.) and team mate Dave England (Midlands) winning by a couple of yards in 6.9 seconds.

Next race up on the starting line in the short sprint events was the women's open 60 yards race this one of only two open events for women scheduled on tonight's fixture list, the other race being the 880 yards middle distance event, their welcomed appearance did help to add a bit of glamour to the night's proceedings. In that women's open 60 yards race it was Daphne Arden the super star from Birchfield Harriers who showed her pedigree to outsprint her two very talented rivals E Parsons (Cardiff T.C.) and Bilston Town's young school girl sprint prodigy Maureen Tranter by a couple of yards, when clocking 7.2 seconds for her 60 yards race. (Maureen was only 14½ years old).

The women's other open event brought together only two contestants in the women's 880 yards middle distance event, but that didn't stop the two great lady athletes from putting on a great show for the crowd over the 3½ lap race, and it was the experienced Brenda Cook (Bilston Town A.C.) the school teacher from Coven, Wolverhampton, who dished out a lesson in finishing power to out spring her only rival J. Barnett (Newport Harriers) over the last ½ lap of the race, winning time a majestic 2 minutes 19.5 seconds.

Night of Star Quality Athletics

Other note worthy performances on this night of star quality athletics was a superb 440 yards encounter in which Barry Jackson was running in for the Midlands against the R.A.F. this king of 330 yards and 440 yards racing at Cosford ran a memorable neck and neck, nail biting race just beating his Lozells Harriers club mate Ron Taylor (Midlands) by a stride across the finishing line in 50.00 seconds dead, with G Elgin (R.A.F.) clocking 53.1 seconds.

Another top notch match race to capture my interest in the three concerned match between the Midlands, Nottingham University and Cardiff Training College was the men's 100 yards race, this allowed Malcolm Yardley (Midlands) the chance to chalk up the narrowest of wins in a blanket finish against W. Morris (Cardiff T.C.) and Lynn Davies (Cardiff T.C.) all three clocked at 10.5 seconds.

Lynn Davies went on to become the Olympic long jump champion at the Tokyo games in 1964.

Waiting in the wings for this race to finish was Peter Radford who was now representing the Midlands against the R.A.F. this superb sprinter was expected to win this race with ease, but his Midland team mate Berwyn Jones had other ideas in mind and from the start led Peter over the first 75 yards, but the finishing power of Radford saw him scrap home by inches, both clocking 10.4 seconds, with J. Robb (R.A.F.) in third place.

My 440 Yards Race

I've left my intrepid race till last, but it wasn't that way in that grand evening, my opponents that might have two of my greatest rivals on the athletic track namely Jack Cole and Dave Pugh they had been profound thorns in my side for many years, who I competed against on a regular basis in the local Stourbridge and Worsley District Track League and of course the Worcestershire County Athletic Championships, I was just haunted by three Halesowen Athletic Club stalwart demons, who were forever stepping in my shadow and clouding my athletic career, but I wouldn't have had it any other way, because they may well have been rivals, but they were also great mates of mind, but then again I just wished they hadn't turned up this evening to compete against me, because I knew in my heart that I didn't stand a cat in hells chance of beating this dynamic duo over this 440 yards or 1¾ laps gut wrenching race, and to make things worse I had been drawn on the outside of the 4 lane track so I couldn't see my two rivals, but thank god they had no idea how I felt because I tried to show as always no outwards signs of nerves as the starter calls us onto our marks, and the rules of the race are that we must adhere to our set lanes markings for the full 440 yards race or risk being disqualified, a few more never racking seconds tick by before the blast from the starter's pistol sends us off tearing around the track, with the noise from the crowd ringing in my ear drums, I blast into the lead on the first lap, which left me thinking I stood a chance of pulling off a shock win against this duo, but my misplaced hope was soon cast aside after 1½ laps then the relentless duo passed me like two unleashed greyhounds, they had judged this race to perfection leaving my tiring body n their wake and from my vantage position chasing them home some 10 yards adrift, they made no extra effort at all to beat one another, just being content to cross the finishing line together hoping for a dead-heat, with both timed at 52.6 seconds but it was now up to the track officials to decide the winner and after some deliberation they eventually deemed Jack the narrowest of winners, I was timed at 53.9 seconds, to sum up my race I had given it my best shot but I was always out of my comfort zone running 440 yards race and I knew when the next Cosford meeting came around in December or January my entry form would state that under no circumstances did I ever want to compete in any more ¼mile races, preferring to take my chances in the 60 yards and 100 yards spring events and I just hope the governing sports body will look favourably on my request, and I'm already looking forward to competing at that next meeting.

With the curtain call coming down on the meeting at 9.30pm, it only needs me to report that the Midlands Select Team beat the R.A.F. by 55 points to 39 points, but in the other match Cardiff Training College 62 points had a narrow victory over the Midlands 59 points with Nottingham University way down the scale of 17 points.

Yours in sport

Roy Langford