Parsloes 1928 nearly

Well I'm a North Kent geezer so forgive me if my geography even of my home county is incorrect, but is Lydd not in the vicinity at least of Thanet..?? The track at Lydd, though sadly not officially sanctioned, is still very much alive and kicking as I understand it.. http://www.lyddspeedway.co.uk/

Posted the above in the General section on the thread paying condolences after Ross's untimely death last week. Was asking for some biog. info. to help me write a piece for the Romford Recorder... No-one's responded so re-posting here hoping to catch the eye of the Forum's History Men...!! I do have this from the Dorset press...: FORMER Pirates star Ross Gilbertson died earlier today aged 76. A Scotsman born in Ayton near Eyemouth, he had been unwell while living in a Dorset nursing home for some time. Gilbertson, a top line rider for Poole in their Provincial League days, lined up in a skull and crossbones race jacket from 1960 to 1965. He then returned to make one league appearance during the Dorset club's British League title-winning season of 1969. Gilbertson will be remembered fondly by older Pirates fans for playing pivotol roles in their 1961 and 1962 Provincial League title-winning campaigns. A Poole heat leader for most of the period from 1960 to 1965, he was also a former Wimborne Road track record holder.

Bloomin' 'eck, Ian, that was an ambitious wish was it not..??!!! Couldn't Saint Richard of Jarvis have swung it for you... Or what about the great Friar, Arnoldiano: the patron saint of water bowers...: he could've sprinkled (very, very slowly...) some Holy Water on the shrine!!!

You're confusing me now... You've always been a vociferous defender of the GP system so why now are saying that extending it to the U-21s is an awful idea...?! Having a GP system to determine the World Under 21 championship is indeed a terrible step backwards but thus it was for the senior WCs and you defend that..!! Some clarification needed, please!! BTW, I do support whole-heartedly the Speedway world embracing Argentina. Sounds like the championship series going on out there at the moment is attracting crowds bigger than we usually get in the UK and ones anyone in Europe would be proud of; so why not... While we have the GPs (ie the senior ones...), it should surely be that series (not a made-up one for the U-21s) who venture out to South America..??!!

Talking of Tom, he's aleready three times a national champ at Under 15s level in any case: twice winner of the STUK Youth title and inaugural ACU British Junior Short Track champ too...!! Here's a brief hot-off-the-presses news release from STUK re. Tom's plans for 2009: 2007 & '08 Junior Champion Tom Woolley, has been confirmed as a CCM factory team rider in 2009 and is expected to be part of a three man team with three-times STUK champion Marco Belli and Richard May in the Pozzani Silkolene Short Track UK Championships. Tom who was honoured at the annual ACU Awards night in Northampton last month is over the moon at joining up with the CCM Team. The Burton-based youngster, who's ridden Speedway at his home county track of Buxton said, "I would like to thank every one at CCM for giving me this opportunity. CCM invested in the youth classes which has helped me to get to this stage in my racing, I hope to repay them even more now by winning as many races as I can". I reckon young Tom has an outstanding future ahead of him and his route so far is proof there's more than one way to the top. I wonder if the Hitmen have him in their plans at all for 2009..??

Obviously I am the person who posted earlier that the Testimonial was going to be Stoke's opening home meeting of 2009; and indeed that WAS for a long time going to be the case. I learnt directly from the Stoke promotion a few weeks back that it was no longer their intention to offer up this date. It was said then that another early season date would be given; the fixtures now published, fly in the face of that though. I certainly hope that a date at Loomer rd. later this year can be found for the benefit meeting his 20 plus years of riding entitles him to ...

Well, a previous rider who like Marc had the U15 title 'nailed on' if he'd been able to ride in enough/all rounds was Brendan Johnson.. Once Bren got in a CL team (Oxford) he did miss U-15 rounds and as a result missed out on the title.. That was a big shame IMHO and would be ditto with Marc if that happenerd..

I thought you were basing yourself more or less permanently on the south coast this year, Phil...!!

And excellent to see that there are "earlier" season rounds this year.... I do hope, personally, Marc Owen can compete in enuff rounds to get enuff points to win it.. After August his opportunities may get limited in the U15sC as he's going to VERY much in demand in the NL once he turns 15...!!

The sixth we've heard is Newport.. But there could yet be a magnificent seventh...!!? There MAY be another venue (currently mothballed) coming back into the picture, which if it does has been possibly ear-marked for an U-15s round in '09.. Watch this space...: should be news within the fortnight!!!!

I thought a photo of yesteryear might be the last time you bought a round...!!!!

The last bit of news from Central Park was that they planned to lay the track, build the acoustic barrier etc. in the Spring with a view to holding some opening meetings before the end of the season.. Even if the latter doesn't happen (could be planning related reasons why it's better to wait 'til next season begins.. ) then it is still looking very good for Speedway at a brand new venue to the sport and one, as you know, that is an extremely modern and well-appointed stadium, for 2010...

Oh gosh, we're not going to enter ANOTHER sequence of speedyguy being confused about which Sittingbourne is being discussed!!?? Ken is referring to the new track at Central Park, which though happening too late for the 2009 League season is very much still on...!!!!

Railway land, I'd guess; or possibly owned by LBB...

'Tis true that when I started going to Speedway in 1972 (not 1932 like yourself!!! ), it was during Crayford's interregnum and so 'twas indeed at Kingsmead where my allegiances lay..!! Would've been a good subject to discuss in the box at the OGS I'm sure...: but you know what happens, Mr. Williams leaves the country for a bit and whoops, there goes another Kent league track....

My abiding memories as a kid at Canterbury were leaning right over the fence on the third bend and taking a face full of shale. I guess it was our way of saying to Dave Piddock, Les Rumsey and your uncle Ted that we were "Close To You"...!!!

The new thing (can't call it a stadium..!! - it's a crock of proverbial!!) stands in what was (Bryn can correct me..) the pits area of what used to be the superb multi-use Crayford & Bexleyheath Stadium... Sainsburys occupies most of the footprint of the old stadium site...

You couldn't find a "safe place to leave your car"..??!! At High Beech..??!!! What were you afraid of...: a bunch of car-jacking badgers...??!!!

I'm sure our norbold will confirm that NOTHING will fill him with more trepidation than the streets of south London in the Parsloesmobile...!! I mean, how many red lights might there be...!!!

I agree - and surely crying out for some kind of anniversary event sometime..: take the vintage bikes along, fire them up...etc. Opened in April 1934 so, blimey, that makes this April the 75th. anniversary...!! Come on norbold, do you and the Museum want to organise an event..? You'd sell more books; and why, I'd even give you a lift down there... New Cross was before my time as a functioning track but I certainly knew (and still do...) a number of people who attended there and it was part of folklore in my South London childhood... The only track where my late father (born and bred on the Old Kent Road..) ever watched the sport...

It's an excellent read... My only gripe is that Sittingbourne's golden years have been completely missed out...!!!!

Am sending you a PM, Phil.....

Cheers m8. I was thinking I was the ONLY Gavin & Stacey fan on the BSF...!!!!!

Er, no...: wrong sit com I'm afraid!!!!

Why not contact Dave..; you know Dave, from Dave Coaches...!!!!