Parsloes 1928 nearly

My mistake!! Though you can't get much more London than Catford so I expected this in your excellent book on Speedway in the capital!!

Hmm, the letter 's' was clearly a problem for World Final prog editors in those days.. As well as Mr. K., Mike Broadbank rode in, what, five WFs was it, and in each his surname was ALSO spelt with a spurious 's': i.e. "Broadbanks" (sic)..!! Though to be fair, this mistake bedevilled his whole career until it reached its peak appearing for the mighty Crayford Kestrels, where we got his family name correct!!!!

Would be fascinating to find out more as it is one of the real mystery areas in London Speedway history. NO mention by the sainted Norbold in his book..- blimey Norm, I could've given you a lift there to check it out mate!! And even the 'bible' itself, Bamford & Jarvis' 'Homes' has preciouslittle info. Surely our fav SLP scribe speedyguy MUST know some more.. Catford was my favourite dog track and funny enuf one of the last rites there WAS to have the roar of Speedway bikes back there for the filming of racing scenes for that much panned All Saints movie!!

Hmm, coldest November since records began... First time heavy snow in November for decades.. I wonder what kind of decision will be made based on THAT sort of data!!!

Well okay - but then why not as I say, have the NL meeting the day after..? Coz I can tell you, there are some very important NL decisions and announcements to make and it's not in the interests of that division to delay as is being forced upon them...

I still can't understand why the NL meeting can't happen the DAY after the main BSPA one..?

Mind you if the houses were there in the '60s (or earlier) there HAS been a period when the Speedway did close and successfully reopen.. Though I take your point that NIMBY-ism is a bigger force nowadays generally (though, mind you, the most infamous NIMBY case in Speedway history - returning to the sub-theme of Romford - was at Brooklands in the early '70s... )

Thanx! I was in a hurry getting there in a cab having struggled to find somewhere to park near my hotel so must've been less observant than usual!!! Berwick when I went there a few years back I noticed houses very near!!!

This one really DID fox you all...! One final (plaintive) plea from me... It IS nearly Xmas!!!

I notice you're NOT recommending the Bluey Wilkinson book by the good "Doctor"..!!!

Is it..? I was there recently and it didn't look like it was surrounded by houses to me...

Hmm, not sure if that's necessarily so... Wimbledon Speedway didn't need to apply for PP in 2002 (11 years after the Speedway had closed) coz in that time motor-sport had continued at the venue. At the EoESG there's certain to be the two big BMF shows (which include a variety of motorcycle sports events on the track) in 2011 so that'll mean no 'break'.. Also of course Oxford just staged a dirt track racing event, what three years after the Speedway closed there. That didn't need PP...

Could be wrong but didn't we hear earlier in the year that the Dover track was closing...? Wasn't criticising the concrete blocks (I work with many concrete blocks so how could I...!!! ) but was a little surprised that someone would go to all that effort moving these in and out of position just to prevent cars curtting across the centre green..!

Blimey - thanx: I didn't know that! That's one heck of a big operation just to stop cars cutting a corner! No-one worried about the safety of the drivers coming face to face with several tonnes of concrete then..?!!

What's that about..? Are these concrete blocks moved on and off the centre green..? If so, pardon my ignorance but what on earth is the reason for that..?!

So why on earth don't you ever attend them..?!

I guess the fact of the matter (albeit seemingly unfair and illogical to some...) is that if one opens a brand-new track and say you want to race in the PL, the authorities will bite your hand off and allow immediate membership at that level. This is because there ain't nothing in this sport more precious than a brand new venue; and it would, indeed IMHO, be folly not to give the people putting their hard cash into that new track what they wanted. This is all the more so when the track is in a major city and a Speedway hot-bed of the past. I'm certain IF Plymouth had asked to go straight into the PL back when they were about to open, this would've been allowed. Most new or returning tracks of recent years HAVE started in the CL/NL (Carmarthen, Wimbledon, Scunthorpe, Weymouth, Plymouth) but Redcar went straight into the PL with an operation very akin, I reckon, to what we'll initially see at Beaumont Leys... And not at all unlike Plymouth's. Of those, Scunny have built up their venue superbly and moved up. Plymouth are suffering from the strange situation that now the authorities see a venue which regularly attracts 1,000 plus crowds at NL level (and who else can in truth say this at either that or PL level?!) so I reckon, unlike Leicester who will clearly be encouraged and nurtured, the BSPA think, "well Plymouth doesn't need PL to survive so with a fairly full second tier and a dwindling third one, we'll let them stay where they are". They then cite apparent weaknesses in Mike's presentation and concerns (unjustified IMHO) about stadium facilities... Which is indeed all a lot unfair. Mike is possibly now doing the right thing in threatening possible closure unless this elevation is allowed but what will be the outcome of such a stand-off we need to wait and see. Plymouth's SBA is my FAVOURITE place to visit bar none for all the reasons Bob mentions - it would be a TRAGEDY if the place closed..

.. and with very acute hearing too as they can't live too near the stadium!!! And selective hearing at that as they obviously aren't bothered by the huge USAF jets low-flying above at all hours!!!

Indeed Malc - but do you honesttly think the NIMBYs and their plans in the Council's Environmental Health and Planning dep'ts would see it that way... I wonder if anyone looked into the possibilty of relocating the 'Bombers' to London Rd. (the dog track) when thrown out of Brooklands in '72..? That was perhaps the time to have tried this approach...

But would take a miracle to get Speedway approved at the London Rd. track - as this is literally surrounded by homes. Indeed I know of no dog track so completely surrounded by houses..: why it's virtually in people's back gardens!!!

Hmm, would only be nine under those circs IF Mildenhall are back in.. As far as I've heard there's still no news either way on that...

Yep - fair point...! Like to keep busy!!!

Good to see a sequence of positive postings about this development on this thread. On the 'matching' one over in the PL section you'd think that the track had closed down such has been the outpouring of grief. As someone who was involved throughtout the earlier Spitfires period (I did their programme) I can certainly say that CL (as was then) racing at Loomer Rd was always excellent and I'm sure will be in 2011... I wonder how many other clubs are going to join the Potters (as one assumes they'll remain...) in the NL though..

Hmm, NOT if it had been held on the 31st. though... Not sure what YOUR problem is but if you can't seem to post anything sensible I suggest you don't bother posting at all...

Browsing through the soon - one imagines - to be defunct Bournemouth Buucs website I found these two entries: Buccs Will Have Fours Representation Although the Bournemouth Buccaneers have had time called on them, four riders will wear the badge again this season following the announcement that the Fours Competition will be restaged on Sunday October 31st, the ultimate day of the season. Originally in the calendar for June the event, at Mildenhall, was abandoned due to weather and when Mildenhall closed mid-season the meeting was switched to Rye House. Since then the event has twice been cancelled but a date has been found in the calendar to try and ensure the competition draws to a conclusion. May Mystified Bournemouth team manager has been left mystified by the news that the NL Fours appears to have been shelved just hours after he received notification that the meeting was to be staged at Rye House on the last day of the season. "I don't really know what has been going on" admitted May, "I was told that the Fours wa being resurrected but then I hear that it is only the NLRC that will go ahead and that will be on the Saturday (October 30th) at Rye House. Whilst I may have had a problem fielding a Fours side with James (Brundle) injured and Kyle Howarth unavailable I can't quite believe that I was told it was going ahead only for an official press release to come out mentioning the NLRC only. On reading that I made enquiries and was informed that the Fours wouldn't now be happening. It's a bit of a crazy situation if you ask me and looking at the press release there was no menton of any Buccaneers in the NLRC which surely must be an oversight and needs clarifying" ----------------------------- Now what in Sam Hill is THAT all about..? Was Garry just confused (I doubt this coz he's very thorough...) or was there REALLY an announcement (quickly reneged on...) that the much-cancelled NL Fours was going to be staged at RH on the 31st..?? :shock: If the latter is this not just another indicator of how completely shambolic the end of the 2010 National League campaign was..?!