Rochester

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

Hmm, with respect does it give any info. about the racing in the 1930s at the track?

Edited February 25, 2015 by Parsloes 1928 nearly

[norbold]

Yes. I recommend you buy a copy.

[Guest]

There's a good book called Speedway in the South East with information about Rochester Speedway.

 

 

Hmm, with respect does it give any info. about the racing in the 1930s at the track?

 

Apart from the "in the Rochester area" grass track events over the years, and answer here P1928 would be definitive in regard to actual speedway at the Kent venue?

[mickthemuppet]

The first official Speedway meeting at the City Way stadium Rochester was on the 1 August 1932 . There was only one other meeting and that was the following week. . Most unusual for a stadium in those days was that Speedway was here before Greyhound Racing. which followed 4 years later. So there were 6 matches under the Rochester Name which were two home open meetings and four away British League Div Two . It became the 55th licenced Greyhound track in this country .The site was redeveloped in 1980.

Edited February 25, 2015 by mickthemuppet

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

Many thanks MtheM - much appreciated!

 

The Grass track meetings referred to above at 'Rochester Stadium' - was that at the (or rather was it..) the Dog track at City Way?

Also do we know what sports took place at the stadium in between those two dirt track meetings in '32 and the Dogs taking over four years later..?

Edited February 25, 2015 by Parsloes 1928 nearly

[Blackbird]

The first official Speedway meeting at the City Way stadium Rochester was on the 1 August 1932 . There was only one other meeting and that was the following week. . Most unusual for a stadium in those days was that Speedway was here before Greyhound Racing. which followed 4 years later. So there were 6 matches under the Rochester Name which were two home open meetings and four away British League Div Two . It became the 55th licenced Greyhound track in this country .The site was redeveloped in 1980.

Two Open Meetings actually at the City Way Stadium? In 1969? Is that right? I thought Planning consent was never actually given meaning no home meetings were ever held?

[Guest]

No sign of 1969 home meetings on the Speedway Researcher at http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/docs/rochester/1969.pdf

[Sotonian]

Two Open Meetings actually at the City Way Stadium? In 1969? Is that right? I thought Planning consent was never actually given meaning no home meetings were ever held?

No is isn't. As mickthemuppet stated, the 2 Open meetings were in 1932 and the 4 away meetings in 1969.

[norbold]

Further to Mick's reply, there were also three trial meetings run at the stadium on 9, 16, 23 December 1931. Another was advertised for 26 December but it is uncertain if it was ever run.

 

The first officlal meeting was held on 1 August 1932, the Chatham Scratch event, and was won by Alf Foulds. The second was om 9 August 1932.

 

There was another unofficial meeting on 14 March 1969, with Reg Luckhurst, Martyn Piddock, Rob Stewart and Judd Drew taking part. The meeting was won by Piddock.

[Guest compost]

 

There was another unofficial meeting on 14 March 1969, with Reg Luckhurst, Martyn Piddock, Rob Stewart and Judd Drew taking part. The meeting was won by Piddock.

 

Norbold, are you able to let me have heat details of this event please ?

[Mimmo]

If you'd ever read that brilliant book, "Speedway in the South East", you'd see that Rochester is mentioned as a Kent league speedway team.

 

By the way, did you know there was speedway at Rochester in 1931 and 32 as well? though not in any league.

Quite right norbold, the dirt-track as they were then called, was constructed at the City Way Stadium in 1931, and some trial meetings were staged in December of that year.

The first actual meeting took place in August 1932 being an open meeting entitled 'The Chatham Scratch', and was won by Clapton rider Alf Foulds.

It was in 1969 that the late Martyn Piddock won a demonstration race and as a result, the City Council granted permission for racing to be re-introduced to the stadium, only to learn later that Kent County Council had refused the planning application.

I can remember a home meeting being advertised, but against whom I can't remember, and I made the journey from my then Motspur Park home, only to find an empty stadium on arrival. As someone else has said, they did ride a few meetings as Rochester 'Bombers' before moving to Romford, and like Bryn, I have the programmes hidden away somewhere in the loft or garage. I think the stadium was going to be demolished in the late 70's or early 80's, and can only assume that happened, and that there is either a housing estate now on the site, or another dreaded supermarket.

[norbold]

 

Norbold, are you able to let me have heat details of this event please ?

Sorry, compost, I don't have any heat details for this meeting.

I think the stadium was going to be demolished in the late 70's or early 80's, and can only assume that happened, and that there is either a housing estate now on the site, or another dreaded supermarket.

The last greyhound meeting was held on 4 October 1979 and the stadium was demolished in 1980.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

Another relevant link

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161609097184?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

This is intriguing...

So this Grasstrack meeting seems to have taken place in 1972 in the stadium which three years earlier had ALMOST become a Speedway venue in the BL2. I wonder how they got around the fact that Planning Permission had been denied in '69? Or in those simpler times perhaps for a one off they felt it didn't matter over much.

Being a schoolboy event and in Kent one wonders if any future Canterbury &/or Crayford riders appeared in this meeting..?

[norbold]

If it was a one-off meeting they probably wouldn't have needed planning permission.

 

Actually, Arnie would probably know the answer to that one.

[mickthemuppet]

 

Norbold, are you able to let me have heat details of this event please ?

There was not any heat details because there were not any heats. It was four rider going round the track in front of council officials to get a track licence. There was one staged race if you could call it a race .

[Guest compost]

There was not any heat details because there were not any heats. It was four rider going round the track in front of council officials to get a track licence. There was one staged race if you could call it a race .

 

Thanks for the clarification. I read Norbold's post as implying that there was more than just a demo race - I thought there might have been a practice meeting or club only meet for instance.

[Guest]

 

 

 

 

How do you know that I am not in contact with John Skinner?

 

 

 

 

Are you?

 

Sorry not to have responded sooner. Yes I am/have been in contact with John Skinner re Rochester for the Defunct Speedway website. This is its initial reference there.

http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/Rochester.htm

Edited February 28, 2015 by Guest

[Guest]

On the Speedway Researcher website re Rochester 1969 season: http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/docs/rochester/1969.pdf

[Penny Cross]

Deleted

Edited March 1, 2015 by Penny Cross

[Penny Cross]

Below is a link to 3 images taken from Google Earth of The Rochester Stadium.

 

1. 1940 appears to show the remnants of a speedway track inside the greyhound circuit.

 

2.1960 no signs of the inner track at all.

 

3.2013 Housing has replaced the Stadium.

 

http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/view.sfly?fid=7a7bbf9ce776aa9a6d9889752d9a603c#1425288803512

 

I only looked into trying to find the Stadium after reading this thread. Fascinating to follow.

 

I have also used the time bar at the top of Google Earth to accurately locate defunct circuits.

 

For instance, New Cross Stadium re appears, Edinburgh very clearly shows up Marine Gardens, Meadowbank, Powderhall and even Armadale in the 40's! Even Exeter from a working arena, to being demolished, to the housing estate it now is.