falkirkbandit

I remember watching that meeting at my parents house as they had Sky then. Ian Thomas's comment about the pit phone to the refs box being "from World War 2" is still fresh in my mind

My interest in British speedway has dwindled quite a bit this year. So much so, that i haven't even went down to Berwick this season at all. In fact, i've only attended three meetings this season. The Ben Fund at Glasgow, a Bandits meeting there a couple of months back and the Caledonian Riders Championship at Armadale on Friday past. Make no mistake, Berwick have had a torrid season with injuries etc, and a 170 mile round trip just hasn't been appealing at all if i'm honest. I'm really chuffed they've won the last four home meetings though. Onwards and upwards! The other reason that my interest is gone in domestic speedway. I changed jobs last summer. After five years working every weekend in a hotel, i now have every weekend off, bar the very occasional Saturday morning for two or three hours. I live a 25 minutes drive from Knockhill. Be it the Scottish car racing club, Super Touring Car festival, British Touring Car Championship, or as i attended yesterday, my first ever bike racing event on track. I absolutely loved it. The superbikes and sidecars were amazing to watch. And the admission? I was an advanced ticket at £13. On the gate on the day was £15. But that's from 9.30am until 5pm. You're £17 at Glasgow and Edinburgh for about 2 hours! Despite my dwindling interest, Speedway Star has still been the weekly regular when i get my weekly shopping. I'm very lucky that my local Tesco stocks it, as does Morrisons occasionally i believe. My interest isn't totally gone though. I'm still an avid viewer of all the televised GP's, SWC, Pairs and domestic league meetings. Tonight's meeting was a decent one. Hopefully i'll get my speedway "ooomph" back for next season. But when you have weekends off again, there's always other options rather than a 170 mile round trip for "home" meetings.

Thankfully, a better second half to the meeting from my point of view as the first half was painful to watch. I usually catch up with a good few of my Bandits pals at Ashfield, but sadly never saw any of them yesterday. On the plus side. I liked that new raised level on the backstraight. Much better viewing. And i do believe wee Geo and myself were the last to leave the Den as the boss was locking up. Some things never change, haha!

Yes, i believe a Russian billionaire bought them over two or three years back, after the HMV group sold them to try to raise funds to keep their failing music chain going. I was the goods in guy for 18 years and i loved the job. Booking in all the deliveries, seeing the reps for the various publishers to organise returns etc. That all changed when Waterstones took over Ottakar's. I remember that took a wee while to go through with the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. It was a sad day and it pretty much killed High Street bookselling for good. I had a great 10 years with James Thin before they went under, and after a few nervous months Ottakar's came to the rescue. They were great to work for. I got a whiff that they were opening a branch in Falkirk in 2004. My whole family is here and mum and dad moved back in '99. So i put in for a transfer down here from Inverness to help set up the shop and that was that. Great times. Every Ottakar's store was individual to that town or city. And as you mentioned above, you dealt with the staff who looked after that section and bought the stock for it. When Waterstones built the central warehouse down south, the writing was on the wall for us goods inner's. Rather than book various publishers deliveries onto the system, and off again for returns. One barcode to be scanned told you what was in the box, although before i got my jotters, it was very rarely 100% correct. One of my old colleagues is still in the Falkirk branch, and the shop floor staff have to deal with the deliveries still, including searching for customer orders that may be in the delivery. They basically turned vibrant Ottakar's shops into carbon copies of their HMV music shops. No individuality, just all looking the same. I used to say that it was more than just the outside paint job they turned black after the takeover! I'll give you an example of their centralised returns process. In ye olden days of seeing the reps for say Harper Collins. I'd check the sales of newer titles that were just over three months old. Say there were 15 copies of Stephen King's latest. I'd keep five and request to return 10. The centralised system requested 14 back, but then re-order and other 5. The one remaining copy would sell and then other customers would enquire, so sales were lost to WHS no doubt, which used to be next door. It was absolute madness. Funnily enough, the head honcho at the time that implemented all these ideas got the heave a while later himself i remember. I bet he didn't need to queue at the Job Centre twice a fortnight for 22 months though.

I worked for James Thin / Ottakar's / Waterstones continuously from 1991 to 2009. When Tempus Publishing released a good few speedway titles around 2000 ish onwards, my staff discount was well used, haha! In fact, when i was made redundant from Waterstones in 2009, i had a staff voucher to spend, so ordered the Crewe Kings book that was released around that time! I've bought a few Retro books, as well as others i've picked up at track stalls on my travels in recent years. I'd never sell it, but i've often wondered what i'd get IF i did sell my Kenny Carter book. Jeezo, just looked on Ebay and there's only one copy......... at £48! I'm still keeping it

Is he Simon's father? I enjoyed watching Simon race for us Bandits before he retired. I can't remember if Simon was injured or if it was after he retired, but i had a great chat with him on the 1st bend at Shielfield one Saturday evening. A nice bloke.

Roll on next Sunday. It's time to catch up with my speedway pals again

I only found out the sad news after work today, after going for the weekly Thursday shopping including Speedway Star then sitting down at home to read it. A lovely guy. It was great to see him at Armadale again in the last season or two when i was up for a Bandits meeting. R.I.P Dennis

Ah, good stuff. I spoke to Basil on Facebook after i posted about the Ben Fund the day it was announced, and he replied that he was thinking of coming up for it. As it's tapes up at 2pm, will we just meet up at the track instead of the Horseshoe? I was gutted to miss the recent bevvy there too with you guys. The first time i've had two weeks off work over the festivities since i left school in 1989, and that bug floored me for over two weeks. I'll make up for it at the Ben Fund though, haha!

I'm looking forward to a couple of the bigger events being at Glasgow this season, although i will miss the Sheffield jaunt for the renamed PLRC this year. But, no petrol or hotel costs for me this year. Just a return ticket on the train required. Here's hoping i make the last train home, haha!

Last seasons finale against Rye House was a cracking meeting. Roll on 2017!

I'll never forget that pub in Scunthorpe too, haha! That was the first meeting with the new silencers too wasn't it? Birmingham was scorching outside that pub, but did get bloomin' chilly by dark. Have a great Christmas mate and i'll see you guys in the Horseshoe on Thursday!

Roll on the 2017 season!

I'll miss the New Barrack Tavern next year, but not the four hour drive home next day feeling worse for wear, haha. Last train home for me then.....maybe

Cheers! Aye, that Cortina was parked down by our warehouse. When i got back from that days deliveries and saw that, i jumped out of the cab to take a photo on my phone, haha. I remember dad having a yellow Cortina, but not the estate version. I always upload photos to Google+ too. Easier to share if you don't have people on Facebook. Roll on motor sports 2017!