AmberCelt Posted July 25, 2003 Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 AAAH! The Railway End! Such memories(mostly watching the County).Am I right in thinking that Somerton Park was the first track to use floodlights?I'm sure I read it somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Railway End Posted July 25, 2003 Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 Don't know about that but they were a land mark in that part of town. Wish they were still there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmberCelt Posted July 26, 2003 Report Share Posted July 26, 2003 You know who's got them(well not the pylons!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmberCelt Posted July 26, 2003 Report Share Posted July 26, 2003 The Spring issue of Vintage Speedway features an article by John Berry whinging about the tracks at Newport and Exeter during the '70's-T'was ever thus!!! Robbo try communities.msn.co.uk/historyofNewportwasps1964topresent this should be a big help.[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mIcK50 Posted November 2, 2003 Report Share Posted November 2, 2003 I've never seen the Newport track, having lived in Oz all my life, but I'm sure I read something about it years ago which may explain why it was the shape it was. Apparently during the construction of the track, there was a lot of heavy rain and one of the earthmoving machines became so badly bogged in the mud, they couldn't get it out. Time was short, so they just changed the shape of the track to avoid the machine and got it out of the bog when things had dried up a bit later on. I can't vouch for the accuracey of the article I read, but I certainly remember reading about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mart W Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 The problem with Somerton Park was that it had to be built around the football pitch and within the confines of the existing stadium, the shape was about the best they could get. The 'new' track has an excellent shape because Tim Stone started with a blank peice of paper. It's always been difficult for promoters to move into a Stadium as the track has to be constructed to suit the particlar stadium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTL Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 (edited) I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned Tobjorn (Toby) Harisson - saw him in 1967 at White City where he rode to a 15? point max in the pouring rain leaving the usually unbeatable Charlie Monk in his wake. Was brilliant that night. Edited November 15, 2003 by BTL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTL Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 The 'new' track has an excellent shape because Tim Stone started with a blank peice of paper........... It might be a good shape mart W but it didn't have enough dirt or preparation on it in June when we were there. It crocked both Smart and Grieves. Lets not start this one again it's has been flogged to death already. Just making observation re track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevH Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 Cheers,don't look like it was popular place for riders!,it was square because their was a football pitch in the middle!. Keep em coming please Canterbury also had a football pitch in the middle, but was one of the best shaped tracks in the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclone Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Canterbury also had a football pitch in the middle, but was one of the best shaped tracks in the country. Really ! - Agree it was better than Somerton (the worst circuit I have ever watched Speedway at - btw I was a neutral when I saw Ipswich & Belle Vue visit there), but Kingsmead was never anything special, even when I saw the Czechs there in a Test Match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 The 'new' track has an excellent shape because Tim Stone started with a blank peice of paper........... It might be a good shape mart W but it didn't have enough dirt or preparation on it in June when we were there. It crocked both Smart and Grieves. Lets not start this one again it's has been flogged to death already. Just making observation re track. Now now BTL, the post said good shape and I have NEVER heard anything bad about the shape, infact I have heard it is a near perfect shape (unlike Coventry) but it's just not looked after properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevH Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Kingsmead was never anything special, even when I saw the Czechs there in a Test Match. cyclone, Canterbury was widely regarded as one of the best tracks in the country and was the stage for some superb racing - I guess we're never going to agree on this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekker Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 cyclone, Canterbury was widely regarded as one of the best tracks in the country and was the stage for some superb racing - I guess we're never going to agree on this one Plus me. canterbury = 1 line track Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehone Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Canterbury was more than a 1 line track.... Poole (old track) also had a footy pitch inside but was a fantastic shape. Exeter has a rugby pitch and dog track inside and is perfect for racing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclone Posted November 23, 2003 Report Share Posted November 23, 2003 cyclone, Canterbury was widely regarded as one of the best tracks in the country : I must have missed this nationwide survey - certainly never heard any of my friends at various tracks singing the praise of Kingsmead, apart from Dick & Les (aka ZZ Top). Both Ashfield & The Shay(Halifax) have football pitches inside them and both produced far more exciting racing than the tepid stuff I saw at Kingsmead on several occasions. Maybe I was unfortunate in the meetings I went, or should I have purchased rose tinted glasses for watching Canterbury Fair ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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