tape2tapevideo Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 So far the response from the various parties I have actually spoken to has been quite amazing. Hoping to be in contact with most of our former Hackney Hero’s once I have a date from Len. There will be some riders who have just disappeared. Certainly most I think will be contactable. Yes Zenon’s phone number is one we have, as is Thommo’s, that’s the question I think is on most people’s mind! Once more details are known then we can get the show on the road, “Hackney Speedway The Re-Union Friday at 8” Mr Tape to Tape are you going to Brighton on Sunday? Liz, will be in contact with you soon. Sean, see you Sunday at Brighton or Sittingbourne Sunday week? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> We will indeed be at Brighton, we are providing footage for Meridian and BBC television. contact number 07751978331 - Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz !!! Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 E mail for me is lizfleming@graffiti.net...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 Sean, see you Sunday at Brighton or Sittingbourne Sunday week? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> no chance with sunday. .. more likely to be sittingbourne on the 19th... (but that date is also looking iffy as its mrs sheeps birthday!!) lots of brownie points need collecting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 Best remember the art of Nappy changing the Seanie and getting up for the middle of the night feed without moaning Oh and making cups of tea when needed (How am I doing Sarah !! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandman Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 (edited) Best remember the art of Nappy changing the Seanie and getting up for the middle of the night feed without moaning Oh and making cups of tea when needed (How am I doing Sarah !! ) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> thems are jobs fer girls... not the Skipper.. Edited December 9, 2004 by sandman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 Careful that's sinking sand Sandman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stummings Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 Utopia beckons... Never so looked forward to getting the fixture list announced for many, many years. Sad as it is Hackney was so much part of my life, for so long. The thought of meeting, once again, the people who gave me so much pleasure, and actually thanking them, just did not appreciate it at the time, well I did, but I think Hackney fans will no what I mean. Great to hear Dag Lovaas will be coming over. What about Dave Morton, Steve Lomas, think I owe him an apology, did give him a bit of stick at times, not in the second-half’s though. I seem to remember Steve getting a rostrum place in the Champions Chase one year. Tony Mac summed up brilliantly with UTOPIA BECONS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 It's interesting to see just how many people have such happy memories of Friday nights at Hackney. I was a regular there for a few years starting in 1968. Here's the question. What was it that made Hackney special? Was it the racing? Was it the show which Len Silver put on? Was it the terracing humour? Was it the smell of confectionery coming from the Clarnico mints factory next door? I'd be interested to know what others think about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star in Exile Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 Well I was a Kings Lynn fan living in West london, who would go to both Wimbledon and Hackney most weeks from around 1979 through to 1987. I used to catch the bus from Hammersmith, make one change and get off a few yards from the 'Wick. Wimbledon was just the one bus. In the mid-80's I used to go to Hackney almost every week, mostly because there was this young lady (she would have been around 19 or so) who was always stood in the same place near to the pits, about half way up the terracing, who I really fancied, but never got the nerve up to ask out. She was always there with her younger sister (aged 11 or so). I would also head over to the track shop to get all the Kings Lynn programmes - as I could never get up to the 'Bow as I didn't have a car and the trains didn't run late in those days, and anyway, I played football for $$'s on Saturdays :-) When the Stars came into town, I would always make a point of getting into the pit area to chat with the riders, and became such a familiar face around the away tracks, that I ended up helping Keith Bloxsome with is bike at Wimbledon one night. That was great night, even if Keith didn't score very well, it was intereting to see just how a team was managed behind the scenes... (not very much if truth be told). I wasn't the biggest fan of the Hackney track and it's solid posts and was there the night Denny Pyeatt was killed which stopped me going back for a while. Overall though, I simply miss watching live speedway, in it's best format, team speedway. You can't beat it. Shame about the 'Wick though. Good luck with the get together. And if that young lady just happens to be on this board all these years later and recognises herself in this posting, you know, being chatted up by a camera toting Kings Lynn fan every Friday night, it was fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tape2tapevideo Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 One of my main memorys was being shown around the Matchbox toy car factory behind the 2nd bend, when I was really little and trying to tell the owner he should make speedway riders on bike instead of cars!, still got all me old progs though and those from many other places. Great memories trying to climb up those ruddy huge steps so I could see! Didnt like it when they changed from Hawks to Kestrels though, didnt mean as much as it was just Crayfords rejects! Just think in those days they didnt have a track shop they had two or three! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 three track shops.. one on the first bend with the programme "window" and Snowies "shop" one on the second bend.. wasn't it in th tea hut or room ? and one at the top of the fourth bend terracing.. and then there was "the Vic Harding Lounge" on the third bend as well.. as for the young lady on the fourth bend that "star in exile" mentions.. one question.. Shaz.. where did u stand.. it sounds like you had an admirer !!!! memories......ah!! Paul.. can we re create the bunch of kids running round the front of the stand from the start to the first bend.. with the "stamped on" coke cans on the left foot, sounding like steel shoes, and running round the makeshift "track" in groups of four... like complete maniacs.. going "vroom, vroom.. vroom".. please.....u already got me, Scorpio, and a few others on here that said we all did it.. i am sure i can drag along terry heaths kids for the night as well! Ian..what made Hackney special??? hmmm.... Good old East end friendliness .... sadly.. now missing from London all togther! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Shaz.. where did u stand.. it sounds like you had an admirer !!!! Ian..what made Hackney special??? hmmm.... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sean by the wall in the mainstand overlooking the pits just off the fourth bend with Di (From Arena) and a girl called Sharon (From Hornchurch who I'd love to meet back up with!!) on the odd occassion Knocker was with us as well (Bless him!! if you know him you'll know thats said VERY tongue in cheek!!) What made Hackney Special? Hmmmmm Everything from - the Magnificent Seven Theme Tune right down to the Weekly Fiddle Like Sean says the memories are there etched in the brain nothing anyone can do can ever taken them away That's it start me off again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Shaz.. where did u stand.. it sounds like you had an admirer !!!! Ian..what made Hackney special??? hmmm.... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sean by the wall in the mainstand overlooking the pits just off the fourth bend with Di (From Arena) and a girl called Sharon (From Hornchurch who I'd love to meet back up with!!) on the odd occassion Knocker was with us as well (Bless him!! if you know him you'll know thats said VERY tongue in cheek!!) What made Hackney Special? Hmmmmm Everything from - the Magnificent Seven Theme Tune right down to the Weekly Fiddle Like Sean says the memories are there etched in the brain nothing anyone can do can ever taken them away That's it start me off again <{POST_SNAPBACK}> there ya go "star in exile"..sounds like i found ya "friend!" oi..shaz... that weekly "fiddle" was won by my family most weeks.. !! grandad used to look after the pit gate stopping rowdie groupies (you mainly!) from getting in..and he used to hand out the Ham and Cheese rolls and cans of pop in the changing rooms after , and clear up after the riders used to shake off all the mud on the floor!(and i used to be able to remember exactly what my favourite riders used to have..Zenon.. two Ham rolls and a can of orange tango, Bo, two Cheese, and a coke! Ivan Mauger used to have Ham.. and 7-UP. Scott Autrey was a Cheese and Coke.!!! can't remember what uncle Ted used to have!) Nan (she used to spend every friday making the rolls for the riders) and auntie Denny used to sell you your programmes.. My mum used to sell the programmes round in the second bend entrance hut .. Playing football in the pits with Andrew Silver after the meeting (usually about midnight by that time!) Mixing with all the riders in the Clubhut in the pit area, Going out onto the fully lit track after everyone had gone home.. and running round the track.. . looking up at the massive home straight stand, and the smaller back straight stand.. getting hold of a rake.. and doing some raking.. !! picking up the used tear offs, and cleaning them up, fixing the elastic in the back, and putting them over ya eyes.. sob!... now u got me going ! wheres me youth gone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 (edited) oi..shaz... that weekly "fiddle" was won by my family most weeks.. !! Playing football in the pits with Andrew Silver after the meeting (usually about midnight by that time!) Mixing with all the riders in the Clubhut in the pit area, Going out onto the fully lit track after everyone had gone home.. and running round the track.. . looking up at the massive home straight stand, and the smaller back straight stand.. getting hold of a rake.. and doing some raking.. !! picking up the used tear offs, and cleaning them up, fixing the elastic in the back, and putting them over ya eyes.. sob!... now u got me going ! wheres me youth gone? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> When it wasn't yours it was ours My god we probably played together If only we'd known then what we know now those "Flickers" would be worth a fortune if we'd got them autographed at the time Can we stop now Edited December 11, 2004 by shazzybird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 My god we probably played together <{POST_SNAPBACK}> careful!! had quite a few romances in those days !! i'll have to sit down one evening and write up the whole "FRIDAY" night as i remember them.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevH Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 I'll tell you what was so special about Hackney - it was the "X Factor", that thing you can't point your finger at but you know it's there! Raw excitement, no pomp and ceremony, just good old fashioned entertainment - halcyon days, never to return I'm afraid, but bloody good while they lasted. Looks for lump in throat smilie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 What I liked best about Hackney was the fact I could walk there and walk home after the meeting. Oh yes, and the fact that somehow the racing always seemed to be closer there than anywhere else and it was a very friendly atmosphere and then there was Uncle Len of course.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cheetahhawk Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Looks like between Sean,Shazzy,Kev and Norbold it has all been said.Tears are rolling down my face just remembering it all. Everytime the Magnificent Seven is played at Oxford now, me or one of my boys say ,we are at Hackney again . I wish. I think Kev sums it up with the X factor thingy as that really says it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Thumb Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 cant believe Coventry have nicked our `make it a date, fridays at 8` slogan. was sorting out the loft last weekend and found the 1983 programme (vs Ipswich! ) that had photo of me in it, a young looking me with Jens and Bo taken on the centre green. What happy memories this has all brought back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 (edited) cant believe Coventry have nicked our `make it a date, fridays at 8` slogan. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Too Much!! Bloody Cheek Mind you if Colin Pratt is there they can borrow it Edited December 11, 2004 by shazzybird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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