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Berwick @ wooler


Tigerfeet

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can any berwick fans help me out - when did bandits move to wooler or was it ancroft and is any of track left..can you advise how long they were there for and how long they were in elite league under terry linden...just curious been holidaying in area recently and fancied taking a trip to see what was left ???could someone give me directions for next time i'm in area??

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Guest BilaHora

Mr Tigerfeet

 

Berwick Bandits moved to Berrington Lough near Ancroft for the 1982 season and remained there until the end of the 1992 season.

They completed just one season (1991) in the First Division (not the Elite League).

 

Directions:

 

A1 northbound

Turn off onto the B6353 (signposted Lowick)

Continue through Lowick and continue to T-junction

Turn right onto B6525

Take second turn on your left and drive for approximately 1 and a half miles until a turning on your right

This is the dirt track that leads to Berrington Lough stadium

 

I often wonder what is left of Berrington Lough - have some great memories of the racing there.

 

Regards

 

BilaHora

Edited by BilaHora
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Mr Tigerfeet

 

Berwick Bandits moved to Berrington Lough near Ancroft for the 1982 season and remained there until the end of the 1992 season.

They completed just one season (1991) in the First Division (not the Elite League).

 

Directions:

 

A1 northbound

Turn off onto the B6353 (signposted Lowick)

Continue through Lowick and continue to T-junction

Turn right onto B6525

Take second turn on your right and drive for approximately 1 and a half miles until a turning on your right

This is the dirt track that leads to Berrington Lough stadium

 

I often wonder what is left of Berrington Lough - have some great memories of the racing there.

 

Regards

 

BilaHora

 

If ONLY the Crayford team had those directions the first time we went there! ALL got totally lost but, somewhat hilariously and a really unforgettable moment was when four Crayford riders vehicles arrived at a crossroads simultaneously each travelling in a different direction! :blink:

 

Have many happy memories of my visits there.

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Guest BilaHora

Mr Bryn

 

Barry Thomas created a few of those early Berrington Lough memories for me and, I would guess, you have even more Barry Thomas memories. Mr Thomas, of the Barry variety not the Ian, was quite a character and, according to legend, he pierced his own ear in the bar after the meeting at Berrington Lough in 1983. From memory Crayford won that meeting and Mr Thomas carried off the Silver Helmet as well.

Of course, if you followed Crayford when they moved to Hackney for 1984, you would have the memory of winning the 1984 KO Cup final at Berrington Lough as well.

 

Regards

 

BilaHora

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Mr Bryn

 

Barry Thomas created a few of those early Berrington Lough memories for me and, I would guess, you have even more Barry Thomas memories. Mr Thomas, of the Barry variety not the Ian, was quite a character and, according to legend, he pierced his own ear in the bar after the meeting at Berrington Lough in 1983. From memory Crayford won that meeting and Mr Thomas carried off the Silver Helmet as well.

Of course, if you followed Crayford when they moved to Hackney for 1984, you would have the memory of winning the 1984 KO Cup final at Berrington Lough as well.

 

Regards

 

BilaHora

 

Was there for both meetings and quite a few others of course. Travelled up on the team coach for the cup final, Hackney having "borrowed" the one Mildenhall used to use in those days. Now the management had hidden a crate of champers in the boot which was broken open en route to where we were staying in Newcastle after the celebrations had begun in the Berrington Lough bar. My abiding memory of that particular journey was Kevin Teager, who had never previously tasted champers downing copious amounts and commenting, "this isn't bad - tastes like lemonade!"

 

The celebrations continued long into the night (or rather morning!) at our Newcastle hotel but, alas, we had a match against the Diamonds at Brough Park on the Sunday. Kevin Teager was ill throughout the day and, needless to say, we didn't do very well in that match! :rolleyes::D

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Guest BilaHora

Mr Bryn

 

Are you sure about that Newcastle meeting?

I only ask because in 1984 - when Hackney won the KO Cup - Newcastle Diamonds were in the British League and raced on Monday nights.

 

Regards

 

BilaHora

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as far as i know... there sadly aint much of the great stadium left :cry: can see where the pits have been...the refs box (don't know if it already is) but last i saw was near the stage of coming down.... and i mnd being able to see the home straigh... sadly nothing else :cry:

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Blimey! My memory MUST have been clouded by the amount of champers I downed that night! :blink: I feel sure we certainly rode SOMEWHERE on the Sunday (and got mullered!) but where the hell was it??? :D It MAY have been Boston but, hey, don't quote me on that! :blink:

 

In my defence I've got to say that having now reached "Old Git" status, the old memory cells do tend to play tricks when trying to remember events of 20 years ago! Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! :wink: Am also obviously suffering from "Bundy withdrawal symptoms" but at least I can start treatment for that come the middle of November!

Edited by Bryn
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Blimey!  My memory MUST have been clouded by the amount of champers I downed that night!  :blink: I feel sure we certainly rode SOMEWHERE on the Sunday (and got mullered!) but where the hell was it???  :D  It MAY have been Boston but, hey, don't quote me on that!  :blink:

 

Phew! Having checked, it WAS Boston! Must have been too busy downing copious numbers of cartons of peas and mint sauce to notice that I was there rather than Brough Park!

:lol:

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made my NL debut at Berrington Lough in 1986 ...

nice little track but still managed to fall off 3 times in 2 races :oops:

 

still won my 2nd half race though :)

http://community.webshots.com/photo/77513670/116107559FIHOuF

 

 

thought the people there were really friendly and had a good time before and after the meeting chatting and having a laugh

i seem to remember Dick Barrie was on the mic at the time too, which was a good laugh too

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  • 2 weeks later...

Many thanks to BilaHora for directions will look in nxt time i'm in area..remember it being very small track - thought Bandits were in Div 1 longer than 1 year - was this yaer mr linden was in charge with kelvin tatum being berwick no 1?

 

Mr Tigerfeet

 

Berwick Bandits moved to Berrington Lough near Ancroft for the 1982 season and remained there until the end of the 1992 season.

They completed just one season (1991) in the First Division (not the Elite League).

 

Directions:

 

A1 northbound

Turn off onto the B6353 (signposted Lowick)

Continue through Lowick and continue to T-junction

Turn right onto B6525

Take second turn on your left and drive for approximately 1 and a half miles until a turning on your right

This is the dirt track that leads to Berrington Lough stadium

 

I often wonder what is left of Berrington Lough - have some great memories of the racing there.

 

Regards

 

BilaHora

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Guest BilaHora

Mr Tigerfeet

 

Yes, 1991 was the season that Kelvin Tatum captained the Berwick Bandits - they won the Gold Cup.

The Berrington Lough track was 250metres in length.

 

Regards

 

BilaHora

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Berwick Bandits moved to Berrington Lough near Ancroft for the 1982 season and remained there until the end of the 1992 season.

They completed just one season (1991) in the First Division (not the Elite League).

 

and then ran two open meetings in late 93 before joining BL 3 for its inaugral year in 1994. After 1995 season returned to Shielfield

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