25yearfan Posted December 23, 2004 Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 Yes Bordesly green or the wheels complex whatever you want to call it ran about 3 chalenge matches, one a match against Oxford with ex brummies Andy Grahame, Neil Evitts and Hans Nielsen amongst others in action. I know they also had a junior challenge match against near neighbours Cradley Heath. The Brummies then had 2 unconvincing National League seasons at the Wheels before the promotion gave up trying to make a success of the underdeveloped venue. Attempts were made to return to the Alexandra stadium, by now the greyhound stadium in 1987 but to no avail. The wheels track then was tarmaced over for stock car racing and the car promotors wouldn't entertain reshaling for a speedway return. Though in the late 90s a planning application was made to build a speedway track elsewhere on the wheels site, but as we know nothing fruitful came of it. The wheels complex is the location for the proposed 60,000 all seater city of Birmingham stadium where the Birminham City football club would play amongst other attractions. When the old Alexandra Stadium held some open meetings in 1960 one of the promotors was a certain Doug Ellis now the infamous dictator sorry chairman of up the road from Perry Bar Prem footy team Aston Villa! Nowadays Perry Bar dog track (original Alewxadra stadium) is a very plush venue. It certainly represents the best potential venue for a Brummies speedway return. As is pointed out in a message on the Brummies website, the GRA (owners of Perry Bar) are currently up for sale. One of the bidders for the GRA is none other than Coventry speedway owner and Birmingham based businessman Mr Sandhu. Now if hes successful in his bid for the GRA would the converted speedway fan Mr Sandhu be interested in resserecting the Brummies speedway team at Perry Bar? - Personally if I was a businessman who had just bought Perry Bar dog track then I would want to fully utilise its earning potential, this would include Birmingham Brummies speedway racing!! We live in hope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfgang Amadeus Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 25yearfan is on the ball, but I believe it was two meetings in 1984, a junior 4TT and the match against Oxford. Birmingham assembled a useful-looking side for the 1985 campaign, but the support was poor in terms of crowd numbers. A pity, given the strong calls for speedway to return to Birmingham both after the demise of Perry Barr and the loss of Bordesley Green. Perhaps many only really supported a return to the north side of the city? The track at Bordesley Green was excellent, long straights, tight-ish banked corners, and very wide. When it was well-prepared the racing was very good. Sadly, the track was too often a dust bowl, probably an indication of the poor financial state of the club. The inside line was moved in on the corners for the 1986 season, reducing the length of the straights by about 10 metres. However, for one meeting when I think the drainage failed, the former inside line was used. The "safety" fence consisted of wooden boards hung over the metal crash barrier. I always thought this was a serious fault, and I recall Paul Evitts and (I think) Chris Pidcock injuring themselves colliding with the fence. The track was tarmaced and now stages car racing, often to crowds no bigger than the speedway used to attract. The Midlands used to be a speedway hotbed. I once did three meetings at different tracks in one day, at Cradley, Bordesley Green and Wolves. It'd be virtually impossible to do that anywhere in Britain now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Main Man Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Three meetings in a day --- and I was announcing at two of them Wolfgang with Dudley Wood in the morning and then off to the Wheels for the afternoon one !! You are correct about the two meetings in 1984 --damn cold if I remember !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stansolo Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Yeah I agree the Bordesley Brummies were poorly supported, but then again we lost a Full season of speedway, We lost First class British Lge racing - We lost a Cracking little stadium in North Brum, We lost Nielsen, Grahame, Evitts, Jorgensen etc and were basically given a track built on a rubbish tip in East Birm a football area?(and with respect) in the "NATIONAL LEAGUE" Although I think at the moment we'd give anything right now for a Birmingham Speedway?....any takers out there. www.brummiespeedway.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfgang Amadeus Posted January 2, 2005 Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 Yeah I agree the Bordesley Brummies were poorly supported... The two pilot meetings in 1984 were very well attended despite the cold. I suppose the combination of going NL, the limited facilities, and not being in Perry Barr put many people off before they gave it a chance. A real shame, as Birmingham were granted a second chance that others were denied. I don't know anything about speedway in Brum pre-Bordesley, but it always struck me as odd that there were two supporters' clubs. Both ran coaches to the away matches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25yearfan Posted January 2, 2005 Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 Yeah I agree the Bordesley Brummies were poorly supported, but then again we lost a Full season of speedway, We lost First class British Lge racing - We lost a Cracking little stadium in North Brum, We lost Nielsen, Grahame, Evitts, Jorgensen etc and were basically given a track built on a rubbish tip in East Birm a football area?(and with respect) in the "NATIONAL LEAGUE" Although I think at the moment we'd give anything right now for a Birmingham Speedway?....any takers out there. www.brummiespeedway.co.uk <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes Stansolo I'm sure all your points were factors in the failure of the Wheels track to attract the crowds. I've always thought that moving to another part of the city, indeed the blue and white half wheras Perry Bar was in the Aston Villa heartland was a big factor. I know football areas shouldn't come into it but I'm sure that a lot of ex Perry Bar regulars felt the Wheels Brummies were a different creature to the pre 84 Perry Bar Brummies. Thats why I think if the Brummies are to return in the future then Perry Bar dog track would be the most suitable venue. Anyway my old team Norwich Stars never got a 2nd chance like the Brummies did! - We would of loved 2nd Division National League racing in the City in the 70's or 80's! - Nowadays it would be great to see Conference League speedway in Norwich! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted January 2, 2005 Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 (edited) I'd love someone to say I was wrong, but wasn't the main sticking point with speedway returning to Perry Barr due to the stadium already running the greyhounds on the night speedway was given permission by the council (think it was a Friday)? This mean't the stadium having to take a gamble and not run the dogs in lew of the speedway, remember the greyhounds is the GRA's core business, so I can understand that. Edited January 2, 2005 by Deano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundp Posted January 2, 2005 Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 Deanno,yes the greyhounds ran on friday night but remember we are talking pre GRA ie Maurice Buckland was the main man he just did not want Speedway at Perry Barr the Friday night dogs were for the semi pro trainers along with Monday nights,Tuesday was trial days/nights wed,thurs and sat were race nights therin was the problem. The main nights for Greyhounds are restaurant nights Thurs,Fri ,Sat,and Sunday lunches,then there are bags days, Speedway would have to be fitted in around that which may prove difficult with the planners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 (edited) Sadly, the track was too often a dust bowl, probably an indication of the poor financial state of the club I think you could be right about that. I have got a couple of photos on my webshots album from Birmingham Wheels, taken in 1985. Heaven knows who the riders are though. As you can see there is plenty of dust being kicked up. If you are interested in any more look at the rest of the album "More Speedway photos" as there are also some from Perry Barr. http://community.webshots.com/photo/246145...246246801nZTsAP http://community.webshots.com/photo/246145...246246386Hsaaum Edited January 7, 2005 by Gemini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stansolo Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
847084 Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 I only went to the Wheels once, Middlesbrough were the opposition, featuring a very young Gary Havelock I think. He broke the track record I believe. Much happier memories of Perry Barr. The first time Sunderland were the visitors. A packed stadium, A huge home victory and a Silver Helmet match race as well. Favourite memory: Birmingham against Wolves. Hans Nielsen's first season. Wolves 8 points up and Ray Wilson is put into heat 8 as a tactical. Hans gates and defies all Wilson's efforts to pass him. Confirmation that the boy was a bit special. 16 years old! He looked even younger in the bar later, nervously drinking a coke. I would still cherish meeting again the Coventry fan I argued with at Brandon a few weeks later about who was the better prospect: Hans Nielsen or Alf Busk! Good luck to the return of speedway in Birmingham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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