ACROSS THE MIDDLE
by Gordon Braban & John Wilkie
Newark YB 2012
Hello and welcome to this week’s local report from across the middle of the Up North Combine. This week’s race was supposed to be from Worksop, which is around 111 miles to Washington. As I said in last week’s report, the weather leading up to the weekend was not that bad around here, but down in the Worksop and Mansfield area it had been raining heavily for a couple of days {much the same as the rest of the country} so when the birds travelled down to the liberation site on the Friday, they found that it was totally waterlogged and that they could not get the wagons onto the site. So the birds were then moved another 19 miles up the road to Newark, but the weather at Newark was not all that good first thing in the morning so it was a case of wait till it started to get better and hope that the birds would get a good race. This was the first time that all of the combine was at the same race point. Well it was the same old story, ‘no word till later’ or ‘call back in an hour’, so wait we did and around the 11-25 time the strings were being cut for the first group to be liberated until it was time for them to go. Group 1 were liberated first, then it was group 2 at 12-10, then group 3 at 12-25, then group 4 went at 12-40 into a north-west wind.
Well the race was on and a steady day was forecast with a flying time of around 2hrs 40+mins for the winners. That was not far wrong for a guess, so here are the good times that I have at hand at this moment.
Section 2, Gateshead fed 2305 birds.
Bensham h s 504 birds. Well they did it again, the Gray bros. These lads got 2 birds together and with only 1 second splitting them, flying 2hrs 43 mins 58 & 59 secs to take 1st & 2nd club, fed & section. Their first pigeon was a check cock that was doing 1429-57 then they timed in the mealy (cock or hen Bob?} which now has a 2nd, 4th & 6th fed. It was doing 1429-43 and it also wins the fed 1bird & 2 bird clubs. They also dropped another 3 birds 13 seconds later to take 5th, 6th & 7th club and fed, a grey cock then a blue hen then a red cock, all doing 1427.Quinn, son Smith & Noble just happened to get 2 birds in between the Gray bros to take 3rd & 4th club, fed & section. Their first bird was a cheq hen that was doing 1428-97 and it takes 2nd place in the 1bird & 2bird clubs. This hen topped the fed from the first race from Wetherby and was 14th fed last week from Pontefract. Their 2nd bird was a check cock 7 seconds later doing 1427-9. R Mains timed a white hen in to be 8th club and fed.
Springwell h s was won by Scott, son & Harty with a pied GB cock that was 9th fed flying against 165 birds.
Dunston h s took the next 5 positions on the fed sheet with Steele & Hubbock coming out on top with a blue cock that was 10th fed and they also got another pigeon to be 5th club 14th fed. Tommy Mollett was 2nd club 11th fed with a blue cock that was doing 1422-69. Chas Morpeth & Dave Scott {Chas & Dave} were 3rd club 12th fed timing a check cock in doing 1420-84 {Chas is away in Turkey on his hols at the moment}. Gordon, Gray & Gray {the 3 Gs} took 4th club 13th fed.
Saltwell h s 92 birds was won by J Turnbull, Turnbull & Steele with a check cock. A & M Hirst was the winner at the Wrekenton club flying against 674 birds with Brian {24 cans} Pallister taking a close 2nd place. These lads got a funny sort of a race; although the velocities were close from 1st to 30th, there were quite a few birds missing on the day and not many returning the following day either, and after the first birds were back there seemed to be big gaps after that {can’t explain that one}.
Newcastle West Fed 1029 birds.
British Legion h s. It was the Decca Lamb show again this week taking 7 positions in the top 10 of the club and 7 in the top 14 of the fed. The first 3 birds were hens with the first bird being a checker that took 2hrs 50mins 14secs to fly the 137+ miles doing 1421-98. The next hen was a blue Z ringer that was 34secs later to be 2nd fed, then a blue wh hen nearly 50 seconds after that to be 3rd club 4th fed, then came a blue cock that was 4th club 6th fed; the other 3 birds were 8th, 12th & 4th fed the 7th bird was 7 mins after the first pigeon and was doing nearly 60 yards slower. A & M Wharton & Porter took 5th 7th fed with a blue cock that topped the fed from the 2nd Wetherby. K Maughan was 10th fed with a check hen.
Westerhope h s. Davy Little, son & Southgate timed 2 birds in with 6 mins between them to be 1st & 5th club 3rd and 15th fed with 2 check & whites. B Wallace & son Jeff were 2nd, 3rd & 4th club, 5th, 11th & 13th fed with 3 blues. The first blue was doing 1409-3 and the 3rd blue was doing 1365-8.
R. Sanderson was the winner at the Coxlodge club with a blue hen that was doing 1373-7 and was 9th fed and Norman Feren was 2nd & 3rd club 16th & 18th fed with 2 checkers.
There was 60 yards splitting the top 20 pigeons in this fed and the returns were just the same as the Gateshead Fed’s returns, not that good.
Chester Le Street fed 341 birds.
This week seemed to be funny all round, especially within the same section when you would think that all the birds would be nearly altogether but not in this case.
Birtley h s. Irving & son took 4 positions in the first 10 of the fed and with 12 mins between the first bird and the 4th bird, all of them hens by the way. The first hen was a checker that took 2 hrs 40 mins 51 secs to cover the 129 miles doing 1421-42 to take 1st club and fed then nearly 9 mins later they timed a pied in to be 2nd club 3rd fed; the next hen was only 25 secs later and was 3rd club 5th fed then another 2mins 51 secs and after that dropped their 4th hen doing 1321-72. Morris & son were 4th and 5th club also with 2 hens and these were only 1 min and 22 secs apart to be 6th & 9th fed.
Brian Caley took the red card with a blue cock in the Marquis of Granby club on 1364-98 for 2nd fed.
Perkinsville h s. Mr&Mrs McGow won with a pied hen that was 4th fed doing 1344-10 then W Loan was 2nd club 7th fed with a blue cock 8 yards after and Mr&Mrs Jefferson were 3rd club 8th fed with a blue hen. The 4 bird club was won by G McLean with a red cock that was doing 1291-9. Morris & son were 2nd with a pied cock doing 1279-4 then Brian Caley was 3rd also with a pied cock and then Irvine & son were 4th club {how many mins after their 1st bird?}. That’s the sort of funny racing these lads are having over in section 2.
Section 3 Houghton fed 1434 birds lib at 12-25.
Celtic h s 531 birds. This week’s club and fed winner were Mr&Mrs Hindhaugh & Donaldson flying 128 miles. This partnership got 3 birds together but only 2 of them dropped to go over the pads. The first bird was a blue GB J ring hen that dropped first doing 1415-27 {he won’t tell me where she’s from} then a home grown blue hen 1 second later doing 1415-12. These 2 were 1st & 2nd fed and the other bird that came with them dropped 1min 37 secs later and it was 15th fed. Dyson & Nichols took the next 6 turns in the club with 4 hens and 2 cocks which took 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th & 12th fed. Geordie Smith timed a blue hen in to be 14th fed doing 1406-10.
Dubmire h s. Hughie & Colin Jackson took the first 3 positions this week with 3 blue cocks. The first 2 cocks went over the pads together recording the same velocity of 1413-19 then the 3rd cock was timed in 42 secs later and these lads took 4th, 5th & 13th fed. Mr&Mrs Ernie Sharp were 4th club 29th fed with a blue wh hen.
Penshaw h s. Stevie Wilson took the top few positions this week andt the top 2 birds were 7th & 16th fed.
Shiney Row h s. Laidler Simpson took the first 4 turns this week with 2 check wh cocks and 2 hens which were 19th, 20th, 22nd & 26th fed.
The Fort bros were the winners at the North Biddick club with a blue wh cock.
The fed sheet was filled within 33 yards.
Mid Tyne Federation, Newark.
Another change to the programme this week was had. Firstly, basketing was delayed from Friday to Saturday due to a bad weather forecast then it was found that due to the proposed Worksop site being waterlogged the race would have to be from Newark. In total the fed had 33 lofts send just 896 birds. Liberated at 12-25 into a light North West wind a good steady race was hoped for. It was Heworth H.S. that provided the winning pigeon. Winning 1st & 2nd club 1st & 3rd fed is the clubs previous week’s winners Birks, Frail & Birks. The winner was clocked after 2 hours 47 minutes for the 132 flight to record 1398.8ypm. Jarrow Alexandra H.S. had Ronnie & Paul, Scott & Son claiming 1st & 2nd club 15th & 16th fed these two doing 1359.2 and 1359.0ypm clocked just two seconds apart. The rest of the fed positions went to Boldon Colliery H.S. Here it was last weeks club and fed winners Kevin & Tom, McKenna Bros doing it again, this time though being 1st club 2nd fed on 1391.2ypm. The lads were also had others to be 3rd 7th 8th 11th 13th club 5th 9th 10th 13th 17th fed with velocities ranging from 1368ypm down to 1359ypm. At 2nd 5th 6th club 4th 7th 8th fed were Walker & Greenlay, these on 1370, 1363.8 & 1363.4ypm. Next it was Kevin McFarlane at 4th 10th 12th club 6th 12th 14th fed 1368, 13597 & 1359.4ypm. Claiming the remainder positions are Graham, Gilchrist & Brennan, 9th 14th 15th 16th club 11th 18th 19th 20th fed 1360ypm for the first one with the other three all on 1358ypm. Ian Nelson did it again at Hebburn East End but alas again failed to get onto the fed result. Fingers crossed that the remaining races be strait forward and to schedule as the season will soon be over, in fact some lofts have shut up shop already.
Section 4 Sunderland Prem Fed Newark 1845 birds lib at 12-40 north west wind.
Castletown h s 150 birds. This week’s club and fed winners were Watson, bros & son and they were the clear fed winners by some 17 yards and the club winners by 26 yards with a little hen that scored last week for them. She was doing 1451-64 and also wins the fed noms. Chipp & Kibble were 2nd & 3rd club and 3rd & 15th fed. Their first pigeon was well fancied as it was 3rd fed noms and it also won the Ford 2bird club; it was doing 1425-21.
Plains Farm h s 361 birds. Wormleighton & Swinney took 1st & 2nd club and 2nd & 4th fed. Their first pigeon was doing 1434-61 and takes 2nd fed noms and their 2nd bird was doing 1424-76. Thompson & Kell took 3rd club 8th fed doing 1418-01.
Oddfellows h s 544 birds. D Corner took top spot this week with a pigeon that was also 2nd in the Ford 2bird club doing 1421-67 then T Armstrong & son were 2nd club 6th fed 2 yards behind. C&R Greenhow were 3rd club 20th fed. The next 13 birds in the fed were split by 5 yards from 1418 down to 1413 with Joe & Stephen Barnes winning the Sportsmans & Comrades on 1418-02 then Murphey & Ayre were 2nd club 9th fed doing 1417-90, then J&S Barnes were 3rd & 5th club 10th & 17th fed both doing 1417-42 & 1414-87. Tyler,bros,Pearson & son took 4th club 16th fed.
Joe Adams took the top 3 positions in the Deptford club flying against 140 birds, all 3 birds dropping together and doing 1417s, the 2nd 2 birds going over together.
Westside 6 bird club 134 birds was won by J R Ellis & son who were 12th fed and R Royal & son were 2nd club 18th fed.
