BOBBATH Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 I would have to say Norwich in my case. I started going to speedway in 1964-their last year and I had heard so much about this track and Ove's exploits and also about the dedicated fans. Now I will never get the chance. In 1964 there were 7 NL tracks-over the years got to the other 6 but not Norwich.Was it out in the country or in a district of Norwich-guess either way they would have run special buses.Anybody else have regrets about other tracks they didn't get to??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 I'll go along with Fundin at Norwich - that must have been something to see. Then there would be Craven at Belle Vue. I did see Ronnie Moore at Wimbledon, but he was a bit past his best by then. Â Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Blanchard Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 I would have to say Norwich in my case. I started going to speedway in 1964-their last year and I had heard so much about this track and Ove's exploits and also about the dedicated fans. Now I will never get the chance. In 1964 there were 7 NL tracks-over the years got to the other 6 but not Norwich.Was it out in the country or in a district of Norwich-guess either way they would have run special buses.Anybody else have regrets about other tracks they didn't get to??? Â Malmo WF in 1961. I so wanted to go on my own but I was prevented by my parents as I was only 12 at the time. I saw the WF at Wembley in 1960, '62 and 63. I had to settle with the International Final at Harringay instead. Â I never saw Fundin at Norwich or Craven at Hyde Road but it never bothered me really. I saw them both enough at New Cross, Wembley and Wimbledon and of course Harringay. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andout Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 Interesting that so far most have said Norwich......I too would have liked to have seen racing there but it was rained off when I went BUT...and this is a big one....I did have the pleasure of meeting Peter Craven and talking to him for quite a while with my parents......will always be in my mind that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervjankefanclub Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 Hyde Road Even though I started watching speedway in 1977 I was never taken there I had been to places like Plough Lane, County Ground, Wimbourne Road, Dudley Wood(which I loved, as it had a special Saturday night atmosphere), Brandon etc, but never to the greatest speedway arena ever, unbelievable . Ironically enough, in 1988 as a young apprentice engineer I had an accident at work, where I lost part of my fingers and as a treat my old man took me the BLRC, and it had to be the year the Aces moved to Kirky Lane didnt it , pity I never crushed them off a year earlier .............that has always been my biggest regret in speedway - never seeing Hyde Road in all its glory as it just looked magical. A packed out Custom House is another I would liked to have witnessed aswell, incidently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 Yet another one here who would have loved to see the legendary Fundin in his prime at Norwich. And other tracks I would have liked to have witnessed racing at are New Cross and Harringay - two London circuits where racing had ceased prior to me getting hooked on this great sport of ours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 I started to go to Speedway in 1972 so just too late for West Ham.. For the whole of my adult, working life I've lived and worked in the East End/East London so meet people all the time who remember Custom House so fondly. In fact for people of a certain age around here, it's extremely rare for them NOT to have been regulars at West Ham Speedway.. Feel really left out that I never saw the place.. Would particularly have loved to have seen my good pal George Barclay ride there.. Â And of course, with my East London connection a similar thing applies with Romford, which I also only just missed out on... Â It's so sad that two awesome stadiums like Custom House & Brooklands are no longer with us... How East London misses and all the poorer for their loss... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 Norwich, Crystal Palace, Lea Bridge, High Beech and Stamford Bridge. Â But what I would have most wanted to see is Tom Farndon riding...anywhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulco Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 I started going to speedway in the last year Glasgow were at the White City . And as i was only nine , my memories are few and faded . I would love to have been old enough to appreciate Glasgow Tigers / Edinburgh Monarchs derbies when they rode out of the White City and Old Meadowbank respectively , and both sides were in the top flight . A place i never made it to was Odsal , would have loved to have seen a league meeting there . And having loved the Coatbridge circuit , i would have enjoyed " The Shay " when Eric Boocock was in his pomp . I'm afraid Halifax was another one i missed out on . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Witch Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 Gelsenkirchen. So near, yet so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star ghost Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 It is noticeable that all mentions of the Firs at Norwich are coupled with Ove. Great Man that he was I would have thought that the sight we did see, Bert Spencer in the 40s, legtrailing on the white line should get a mention. A track I only saw once, at the age of 7 was Glasgow White City which will always remain in my memory, though I dont remember much about that match with Norwich, I missed out on the Aldershot of Southern Area days. Any Sunday meetings from the S A L were always great days, Rye House, Ringwood, California, Eastborne & Brafield. The riders would not have got rich but they showed heart. The grass-track speedways in the Fenlands and the Kings Lynn Flood disaster meetings of the early 50s were meetings I wish I had seen also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHALEWAY69 Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 Brisbane Ekka and Archerfeld in Brisbane are two tracks I wish I had seen action at. as I now live equa distance of 10 k from each, if only I had moved here earlier!! TONY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 I started to go to Speedway in 1972 so just too late for West Ham.. For the whole of my adult, working life I've lived and worked in the East End/East London so meet people all the time who remember Custom House so fondly. In fact for people of a certain age around here, it's extremely rare for them NOT to have been regulars at West Ham Speedway.. Feel really left out that I never saw the place.. Would particularly have loved to have seen my good pal George Barclay ride there.. Â And of course, with my East London connection a similar thing applies with Romford, which I also only just missed out on... Â It's so sad that two awesome stadiums like Custom House & Brooklands are no longer with us... How East London misses and all the poorer for their loss... west ham was always my favourite track as a child. as for romford i was lucky enough to go there once to see the czechs ride in 1970, as a dons fan i was at plough lane most thursdays. the venue i regret not going to the most must be crewe. i would have loved to have seen phil crump blast round that massive track! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falkirkbandit Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 All of them! Â Â I dread to think how many times i've went through my Homes of British Speedway book just looking at all the pictures and reading about them. Â Â Â I'd particularily have loved to have been able to see Hyde Road, Powderhall & Wembley though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 New X,Stamford Bridge,Crystal Palace,West Ham and Celtic Park Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halifaxtiger Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 A place i never made it to was Odsal , would have loved to have seen a league meeting there . And having loved the Coatbridge circuit , i would have enjoyed " The Shay " when Eric Boocock was in his pomp . I'm afraid Halifax was another one i missed out on . Â Never really liked Odsal, Paulco, and I went a few times - including the 1985 World Final. You should see it now !! Â New Cross, Romford & Trelawny spring to mind for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Blanchard Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 Gelsenkirchen. So near, yet so far! Â Must have been bloody awful for you LW. I guess it would be hard to imagine that an inside venue would get cancelled because of a water logged track. We do seem to live in crazy times. Â I took some guys from the States who had purchased some bikes from the South London dealer I worked for at the time to Custom House, and I am sure Ivan Mauger was racing that night there. They really enjoyed 'Speedway' for the first time. I think it was about 1971. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seb the Snail Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 I think that a Wembley World Final would be my choice. My Mum went to several in the early 60s and says that they were magical. Â Domestically I think that Cradley would be my first choice, on a balmy summer evening when the Wolves were in town! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 (edited) Since many of thes replies are not only about tracks but about specific riders on those tracks, I'd like to add another. Jack Young at Meadowbank must have been something else. Edited November 11, 2008 by Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 Trelawney - always meant to go but kept putting it off...and then they closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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