martinmauger

You really can't knock the good speedway folk in Berwick, I've been to Shielfield Park just once or twice, I forget exactly. The Bandits (hopefully) come to the tapes each season, (hopefully) survive and compete in each season and the sport survives in a town with a relatively small population (120,000?). Berrington Lough didn't really work for a variety of reasons but the Bandits do what they are able, ground-sharing with Berwick FC, in what really is their spiritual home anyway, did what they needed to be granted an 'FIM ticket' and staged some FIM events. 'It is what it is', as they say, the track being slotted around the footie pitch so space is inevitably tight and unless the footie club are willing, or even able, to shave a few feet off the pitch things will stay as they are. At Hull, Boulevard the track around Hull FC's pitch measured 415yds / 379m and the pitch was apparently the minimum width, yet at Hull, Craven Park the track around Hull KR's pitch (and also originally inside a dog track) measured 379 yds / 346m. Go figure. Bit of a shame as while losing even a metre or off any playing area wouldn't change things much so I'm told (my knowlege and interest in footie & rugby is nil) it would make a great difference to any speedway track. Someone mentioned artificial turf outside the touchline and there needs to be this 'border' not only to keep linesmen off the track (!) but also to help prevent flying shale landing on the pitch, particularly on the home straight off gate 1, and especially when it's wet. Unless one of the stands is demolished, really don't see Berwick FC going for that why should they, and local residents wouldn't be too impressed either, the only solution I can see to alter the track would be to widen the straights into the 2m 'safety zone' and build a high mesh fence on top of the safety fence, smiliar to what they have at Scunny to prevent errant stock cars joining the crowd, which Brewick FC / BSPA / SCB / FiM almost certainly wouldn't agree to. So 'it (still) is what it is' in all likelyhood but either way, very good luck to the Bandits.... [Sorry if this appears twice, text editor issues.]

Enjoyed yesterday (Scunny v Bears) not our team(s) so not fussed who wins we (3) just enjoy speedway. Arrived late, 4:50-ish pm, seemed to be a big crowd, had to park far end of car park in between the 'usual' rows of cars, as did a few, not visited that area for a long time, anyone have any idea how many, just out of interest....

Agreed. And Scotty is great too as he's grown into doing studio comms with Nat, not sure they would get a 3rd in the studio but another rider would be interesting.....

Remaining diplomatic, I wouldn't have included Harris....

This ^^., though Rossiter never played with 'a full-deck'. Joking aside but like 'Middlo' before him who always seemed to be mssing a rider out injured in the 4-man WTC & 7-man test match days. Rossiter never had the full squad present and on-form, this year's SON; GB no.1 Woffinden + Cook & Lambert both with a years' more experience GB would hopefuly at least have been competing for a top slot again. But with Woffinden injured though add Harris: very difficult but following the 1st heat Cook / Lambert crash: realistically game over....

I recall the '97 GP at Odsal, shame Loram didn't win but some good racing. Both rugby clubs in Hull were happy to accomodate speedway initially, Hull FC were actually sold at one point then re-named Hull FC once more. Hull KR at one point were bankrupt and for sale at £600,000ish, accept £500,000, (bargain if it included the stadium), but once both clubs' serious money troubles were sorted, well some folk have short memories....

What about Hull FC ? . Went to Odsal a few times, before and after Hull started up again in 1995, saw the great Per Jonsson whizz between the team-riding Bradford pairing in 1992, great track, brilliant view form main stand, almost as good as Hull's Craven Park (almost). Unless only the main stand was used any crowds less than the 30,000 ish who witnessed 1985 & 1990 World Finals were lost in that vast bowl. Just imagine a if a GP was held there today , shame the Dukes couldn't return....

Very pleasing how speedway if progressing at IOW, good luck to the club. Something which occured to me watching 'the incedent', and also the racing of Eastbourne v Glasgow, was how many security staff were present in addition to 'regular' marshalls / stewards in hi-viz jackets. Any public event requires marshalls / stewards, we all understand the reasons, one promoter told me for every 'x' number of spectators (forget the figure) at least one steward must be employed to satisfy HSE, etc. Not re-fanning the flames or stirring the pot but I was surprised that Eastbourne employ security staff, at least for the Glasgow meeting, as speedway is still largely a trouble-free sport.....

"Me either, although the bit he is pointing towards was where all the people were lined up so maybe he was kinda gesturing that people were still there. Who knows.." Kinda looks that way to me too, possibly the marshal said something to Cook at the same time, along the lines of "stop, the track isn't clear". No, I'm not trying to be funny or excusing Cook's reaction, just sayin'. Also presumably there is an agreed system of signals at Eastbourne to indicate whether the track is 'green' or 'live', that is it's free from obstacles or people, and riders are free to be pushed off and ride around albeit not necessarily at full racing speed....

No race times or TMs to be named then. One Hull branch of WH Smiths closed, leaving the main branch in Hull City Centre and I think the smaller store in Hull Paragon Interchange (Hull Railway Station). I was in the main branch the other week and one of the model railway magazines not only had shelf space but a wide cardboard banner above the level of the overall display, think it was the only publication with such a banner, guess it worked as I noticed it but can't but wonder how much it cost....

Thanks for confirmation that I really should have attended. Spoke to relatives living 25miles South West of Hull they said it heaved down for a few minutes, a few short showers then dried up, prob the band of rain that passed Scunny. If I'd travelled from home I'd have chanced it as the track does seem to take the rain well and Scunny are well sorted with plant to prep the surface. Oh well, still a few meets left....

So what was the weather like afterall ? I only ask as I wasn't there, but was a last minute chance I could make it and was keen attend having (infuriatingly) missed the Glasgow match but I'm sure I saw one forcast predicting a 75% chance of rain at 6PM-ish. So faced with a near 100 mile round trip as I wasn't at home I decided to give it a miss, wrong call (infuriating again). I know: breathe deep and relax ....

I could suggest a merger with Stationary Engine Magazine. But seriously while I mostly like the new look of Speedway Star, I'm still a subscriber, I am disappointed team maangers race times are no longer included in meeting results. Example; Craig Cook in the recent SON, following the very unfortunate collision with team mate Robert Lambert, we alll expected we'd seen the last of Cook in this meeting. But he bravely returned to action scoring a third, a second place and a heat win and it would have been interesting to see how his winning time corresponds to the other race winners. In addition the Swindon track has been shortened this season and we have been informed 'winning times are falling' but not by how much. Also when from time to time a replacement team manager is utilised, it might be useful to compare the stand-in to the regular TM. Perhaps the meeting referee or time keeper could supply race times and team manager details for the official score chert....

Seen Danny ride a few times, knew he was an all-out tryer and something of a character. Not heard him speak that much before Monday nite but the guy is clearly also a dude, defo worth paying good money to watch....

This ^^. Not normally a fan of 'invivids' apart from the GPs but this year's Bitish Final was great with a possibly surprising yet deserving winner....

Now THAT's a 2-valve, this dude knows what he is about and has got it going on. Looking forward to seeing pics from the Nice IOW individ meet....

Any sign of the 'Lego trucks' yet ?...

New houses popping up all over Hull including some being built on a former flood plain, which is well below the majority of the area with 2 storm drains filled in, and the foundations are already 2ft underwater. I certainly wouldn't buy one of those houses, just sayin'....

And most of the 1977 Final....

As above. Track was difficult but an enjoyable nite at the speedway, talking with like minded folk. Hope the guys who took spills aren't too badly hurt: Kennett & Nielsen....

I'd like to know too....

The other weekend in Hull was a 2-day music festival on a local park; first day pop & indie, next was rock and metal (yes!). The sustained noise over the weekend (11am-10pm) was pretty loud and also included a funfair (12pm-8pm) with its own music + an idiot who clearly loved the sound of their own voice rambling constantly over the PA all day long, the fair had been there for the previous week + 2days of monster trucks. I was unable to attend but clearly heard the noise from maybe 1/2 mile away - actually has to be said most of the music, and especially the monster trucks, sounded pretty cool. After prob 10 days of all this activity + a more than generous helping of rain the local park is now a real mess. My point is that, ok, a lot of people had fun and good luck to them all, residents put up with the music fest, Hull Fest actually, but local authorities / NIMBYs won't permit / allow speedway which consists of just 20 mins of noise in short 1minute bursts....

Info was copied from one of my early websites files, which I can't update as I forget the blooming password, nor do I have to time to re-do. 1948 was few decades before my time, not even twinkle in my father's eye even, but yeh sadly the only major, no pun intended, titles we won in the 1970's were IDKOC in 1976 & 4TT in '79. Still, got on a bit of a roll in the 2000's though like the Comets wish we still had speedway in Hull. Whether winning the league worth it, the jury is still out. Sigh....

Jumping in late; Hull Speedway Club Honours: 1948; North/South Cup Finalists. 1976; Inter-League Knock Out Cup Winners, Yorkshire Cup Winners. 1978; Yorkshire Cup Winners. 1979; 4-Team Championship Winners, Yorkshire Cup Winners, Knock-Out Cup Finalists, League Runners-Up. 1981; Yorkshire Cup Winners. 1995; War Of The Roses Winners, 2000; Premier Trophy Winners. 2001; Knock Out Cup Winners, League Runners-Up. 2002; Knock-Out Cup Finalists. 2004; Premier League Treble Champions; Premier League Winners, Knock Out Cup Winners, Young Shield Winners . So there, LOL! Sadly Hull also suffered similar financial problems to the Comets: huge wins + big points = huge wage bill. Anyhoo, nice day today, hoping for same tomorrow and to make Scunny on Friday to enjoy some live speedway....

Poole originally had a football pitch on the inside, with a dog track outside, and was also a bit narrow as can be seen on Pirates' 1970's prog covers. Til the track was enlarged, then the footie club left but the dogs and speedway remained (how often does that happen) and the speedway track was changed and widened to the current circuit in about 1996.....