A trio of former Lanarkshire speedway stars had a special preview of an exhibition celebrating the sport which will open at Summerlee museum later this month.
Brian Collins, Bert Harkins and Benny Rourke, who all raced for teams based at Cliftonhill stadium during the 1960s and 1970s, are among those to have lent memorabilia to the Cinder Kings display which opens later this month.
The three have lent race jackets and equipment including helmets and steel-soled boots from that era to the exhibition – with Brian even supplying a vintage speedway bike, which will be one of six to go on display.
Fans from around the country have also supplied programmes, scarves and badges, while the former riders also gave interviews about their racing days during their preview visit which will also be included in the showcase alongside archive film footage.
The exhibition has been put together by members of the Speedway Memories group which meets monthly at the Coatbridge museum, alongside learning and access officer David McDonald.
Group member John Houston said: “We hope visitors to the museum will enjoy it even if they aren’t speedway fans.
“With the speedway season having recently started, we hope the exhibition will introduce new fans to the sport, which is still thriving in Scotland with the Glasgow Tigers and Edinburgh Monarchs racing weekly through the summer months.”
Brian and Bert raced for Coatbridge Monarchs at Cliftonhill during the team’s two seasons there in 1968 and 1969; while Brian returned to the ground – the home of Albion Rovers FC – to race for Tigers from 1974 to 1977, and was joined by Benny in 1976.
Cinder Kings exhibition tells the stories of Motherwell Eagles, Coatbridge Monarchs, and the Coatbridge and Blantyre years for Glasgow Tigers.
Eagles were based at Milton Street stadium in Motherwell during the 1950s; while Glasgow Tigers were based at Cliftonhill from 1973 to 1976, moving to the Greyhound stadium in Blantyre the next year and to Craighead Park from 1982-1987, followed by 11 years at Shawfield in Rutherglen from 1988.
Cinder Kings opens on June 24 at Summerlee museum in Coatbridge and runs until November.
