{{Short description|Australian motorcycle speedway rider}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Use Australian English|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox Speedway rider | name = Reg West | image = | caption = | nationality = Australian | birth_date = {{birth date text|24 April 1907}} | birth_place = Launceston, Tasmania, Australia | death_date = {{Death date and age|1968|4|21|1907|4|24|df=y}} | death_place = Australia
| career1 = Manchester (Belle Vue) | years1 = 1931
| indivyear1 = 1930 | indivhonour1 = Australian Solo Championship (2 miles) }}
'''Reginald Aldgate West''' also known as '''Reg Thorne''' (24 April 1907 – 21 April 1968) was a motorcycle speedway rider from Australia.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref>
== Biography== West, born in Launceston, Tasmania and won the 2 miles Australian Solo Championship in 1930.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/indmaustralii.php|title=Individual Australian Championship|website=Historia Sportu Zuzlowego|access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref>
West travelled to the United Kingdom for the first time in 1931<ref>{{cite news |title=Famous Australian's Visit to Sheffield |work=Sheffield Daily Telegraph |date=21 May 1931 |access-date=2 March 2024|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000250/19310521/265/0007 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and later began his British leagues career riding for the Manchester Belle Vue team that took over the fixtures of Harringary Canaries following their withdrawal during the 1931 Speedway Southern League season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1931record.pdf |title=1931 season |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref> He averaged 6.00.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/specialfeaturesrideraverages.pdf |title=Rider averages 1929 to 2009 |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref>
As was the bizarre practice by a small number of speedway riders at the time he rode as Reg Thorne in later years, signing for West Ham Hammers in 1933 but not actually appearing for them.<ref>{{cite news |title=Speedway |work=Daily Herald |date=1 June 1933 |access-date=2 March 2024|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000681/19330601/321/0018 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:West, Reg}} Category:1907 births Category:1968 deaths Category:Australian speedway riders
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