mervjankefanclub Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Aye, one of these baby's, Wuffy's was silver if i remember rightly! http://www.citroenspecialists.com/images/CX.jpeg You sure thats no a herse FB .......that looks like a herse tae me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted October 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Speedway Stop Press (the 70s equivalent of the internet at London tracks in the early 70s). Rosettes. Tracks with solid board/concrete/steel 'safety' fences where you could lean over and literally touch the riders. Peanut shells on the Hackney terraces. Riders pulling up in Ford Zephyrs, Corsairs and Cortinas and, later, the Granada. Basic pits where riders were lucky if they had a toolbox to sit on. The shock of seeing a top rider bring TWO bikes to a meeting. The box of four coloured balls that the colour/pits marshall shook to determine gate positions in the second half final (funny how the away team rider(s) always seemed to get the worst draw. Second half finals that turned out to be the best race of the night...even though the four in it had already pre-arranged to split the points money. The 'vultures' race before heat one (second division), where local juniors had their chance to win a team place on the night. Millions of coaches all heading to the BLRC at Hyde Road. Meetings sponsored by tobacco and alcohol companies. The Gulf Oil British League - and those luminous orange anoraks that all BL promoters wore in the mid-70s. The Belle Vue funfair and zoological gardens. Riders smoking during the meeting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falkirkbandit Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 You sure thats no a herse FB .......that looks like a herse tae me Hahaha aye its a huuuuge motor right enough! Just reading a few other posts there, as i say, not the 70's, but i used to love getting into the pits at Berrington for autographs etc, no problem back then, no riders were bothered either, obviously you never bothered them when they were getting ready to race but great memories! Just ignore me, i've gone into nostalgia overdrive since my Berrington visit, c'mon Marty son, you're 35, not 5, snap out of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dietbowers Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Hahaha aye its a huuuuge motor right enough! Just reading a few other posts there, as i say, not the 70's, but i used to love getting into the pits at Berrington for autographs etc, no problem back then, no riders were bothered either, obviously you never bothered them when they were getting ready to race but great memories! Just ignore me, i've gone into nostalgia overdrive since my Berrington visit, c'mon Marty son, you're 35, not 5, snap out of it! I won`t mind betting that you`ll feel all of your 35 years in the morning when you wake up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falkirkbandit Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 I won`t mind betting that you`ll feel all of your 35 years in the morning when you wake up DB - did you see my Berrington pics from last weekend? Here's a few of them, i'm well chuffed to have them included on the site http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/Berwick%20Berrington.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dietbowers Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 (edited) DB - did you see my Berrington pics from last weekend? Here's a few of them, i'm well chuffed to have them included on the site http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/Berwick%20Berrington.htm Yep,I did see them,good photo`s although tinged with a good helping of sadness from you I should imagine. Just hope the present site does`nt go the same way,I really hope something can be sorted out quickly. Edited October 22, 2008 by Dietbowers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falkirkbandit Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Yep,I did see them,good photo`s although tinged with a good helping of sadness from you I should imagine. Just hope the present site does`nt go the same way,I really hope something can be sorted out quickly. Cheers mate, and i'll call you that as i always get a laugh on here with you, thats what its all about for me, a bit of fun as well as some serious chat now and again I think there were 17 or 18 pics but John could only manage 7 of them on the site, but he picked the best 7 in my opinion, epecially to contrast with the two or three that were there of BL in its heyday! Yeah it was quite emotional, i just think its such a waste of an area already established track, but just left to rot, when around the country we're struggling to get tracks up and running, as i walked round the track, i actually thought to myself, what it took to get it all off the ground back in the early 80's, when it was absolutely nothing in the first place, seeing it last week, yeah, you're missing the back straight stand, a small stand down from the refs box and the terracing, turnstiles, wee shed that was the shop etc! And with Peter's announcement, a very emotional day, but funnily enough, one i was glad to be there to hear for myself. Regardless DB, i had a great day out, i'm looking forward to Armadale on friday but i can't wait to see Berwick on saturday in the 1st leg of the final, i can't afford the 2nd leg, still, i'll be there at Shielfield, i can't wait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatDave Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 The open-face helmets, the leather facemasks, the scarves, the rugby jerseys under the club racejackets, Castrol R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Seems you lot have forgotten the thing that sticks in my mind about the 70s.Mike Patricks trews Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 (edited) In addition to some of the fabulous tear-jerkers already mentioned, here are some other things I remember (not all from the 70's though) : Badges with year bars Buying Trebor Bitter Orange and Bitter Cherry hard sweets from the kiosk under the second bend at Wimbledon The Golden Helmet Ken Tozer introducing "Hedgehopper" and "Slim Jim Tebby" Speedway Express and Speedway Post Black leathers Not knowing what a "blue groove" was Custom House Star riders from other tracks competing in the second half "With a 2-4-6-8, Who do we appreciate?" Wright-Wood Reading the league results in the Daily Mirror Chrome bikes Riders jumping on someone else's chrome bike when theirs wouldn't start! Alf Jarrett selling the photos at Wimbledon "Make It a Date, Friday at Eight" Olle Nygren's white boots Barry Crowson's blue facemask Ronnie Moore's green scarf £5 fines for delaying the start Eddie Novak, a well-known supporter who used to travel by motorbike Torchlight parades at Plough Lane The Superama Riders wearing footy socks The Winged Wheel Having to leave in the morning in order to get to Belle Vue in time Bobble hats "Angus Kix's Glamour League" in Speedway Star "Seery's Statistics" in Speedway Star After-the-meeting practices For the real old 'uns, "Supplementary reserves", although I never did figure out what the term meant… Steve Edited October 23, 2008 by chunky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_Jones Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Peanut shells on the Hackney terraces. That's a good one that I'd completely forgotten about... ...and leads me on to thoughts of Rye House in their Infradex team leathers. Speedway Mail is the one I really miss though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sotonian Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Bikes looked like bikes, not hidden under plastic covers Riders with neck scarves Pre-meeting parades without crash helmets Winning team's lap of honour on the tractor Track lighting that only lit the track, not the infield Easily identifiable team race jackets with no sponsors names Special race jackets only used for 2nd halves Being able to park in the carpark at Poole after 7pm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted October 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Chris Pusey's polka dot leathers. Two (or three) bikes pulled along on a trailer. The long, hot summer of '76. The Warnersports train to Katowice ('76). 5,000 British fans in Katowice to cheer PC, Simmo, Mort, Flier Wyer and Tiger John. Danny Leno of Warnersports, sponsors of Mike Lee and Hackney's Superama. Dougie Wyer's tassled white leathers. Daytona Boots. Leathers worn OUTSIDE the boots. Nigel Boocock's all blue leathers; and Broady's all red. Nitro. Garry Middleton protesting about everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molestrangler Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Carrying Ronnie Moore’s bags for him and getting in for nothing. Waiting for the ‘Middletons a bum’ chant and banner against Hackney. Drooling over Eddie Novak’s (Kovac’s?) Harley; wouldn’t be seen on one now. Hairdressers bike! Jim Tebby beating Ivan Mauger (did I dream that?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Peanut shells on the Hackney terraces. That's right... You used to see the same peanut seller at White City on a Wednesday, Wimbledon on a Thursday, Hackney on a Friday and then I'd see him on the Clock End at Highbury on every other Saturday (doubtless he was slumming it at White Hart Lane the alternate weekends! ). My goodness, what a lucrative trade - and one which was destroyed by the combo. of the Speedway tracks closing and all-seater stadia across London's senior Football clubs.. A shame... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 The deaf and dumb bloke selling pens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 speedway in london! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 (edited) The Start Marshall at Plough Lane in his smart red with yellow trimming(?)suit and even the rakers had Dons pullies.Think they also done the Wembley meetings as well. And all those riders like McKinlay who wore scruffy old bobble hats Edit:And after seeing the news today......in the 70s at least 90% of the top riders rode in Britain.One or two didn't.But now it seems to be almost like 1 or 2 do and the rest don't want to know Edited October 23, 2008 by iris123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REBELS77 Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Enlgand not Team Great Britain being Number 1 in the world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dietbowers Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 The deaf and dumb bloke selling pens. I remember him as well Grachan,used to see him at Somerton Park and Swindon,plus other tracks up and down the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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