Constancy

[customhouseregular]

Speedway, as we all know is a transitory sport. The number of tracks that have closed, even over the 50 or so years that I have followed the sport defies belief. Yet certain tracks have remained constant with unbroken activity, such as Coventry, Sheffield and Kings Lynn. Why is this?. It can't be the promoters as clubs change hands over such a long period. It can't be the fans as the fan base will change over time. It can't be the proximity of a large population base, not in Kings Lynn's case at least. In any event, consider London's population yet all London's tracks have closed.

 

So...how can some clubs/teams/tracks continue staging speedway for 50/60 years when dozens, if not hundreds have disappeared?.

[norbold]

Luck?

[customhouseregular]

Plays a part for sure but there must be more to it than that...yes?.

[The White Knight]

It is a very difficult question to answer CHR. I suppose it depends on what Promoter you get. We, at Sunderland, started off in 1964 with Parker and Bridgett their main Teams (Newcastle and Wolverhampton) were not doing well o they closed Sunderland after NINE Meetings giving the reason of bad weather and poor Crowds despite there being 8,000 at the penultimate Meeting (Source:- Sunderland Echo).

 

In 1971 to 1974 we did OK under Allied Promotions we were then sold on and ended up with some Promoters who didn't have much idea of how to run a Track- the result we lost ALL of our first ten or so Home Meetings - you can't expect to do that and keep the Crowds we lost loads of Supporters and closed down. Speedway has never been seen in Sunderland since.

[Deano]

1) Luck

2) Decent long term promotion

3) Land lord never selling the land for redevelopment.

 

 

It's generally the third option that kills a team for good.

 

The next one up the list to kill teams for good is a promoter that leaves a trail of debt.

 

There is also the 30 mile rule that stops a track starting before it's got off the drawing board.

 

No long term speedway vision, just stumbling from one season to the next.

 

That before any local politics get involved......

Edited January 9, 2015 by Deano

[mickthemuppet]

Luck has nothing to do with it. The main reason why all these tracks have gone is because the value of the land. If it were not some of the local councils making a stand there would be even less tracks than there are now. Both Wimbledon and Oxford stadiums are being held up by their local councils making a stand. This does not only affect speedway . In London there used to be 33 greyhound stadium some having speedway as well. There are now only two Wimbledon and Romford. Unless the local council make a stand Coventry will go as well and possibly Swindon. When you think that in Southern England plots tp put houses on are worth £100,000 + in makes these stadiums highly sought after if you can get planning permission for them to put houseson them

[The White Knight]

Luck has nothing to do with it. The main reason why all these tracks have gone is because the value of the land. If it were not some of the local councils making a stand there would be even less tracks than there are now. Both Wimbledon and Oxford stadiums are being held up by their local councils making a stand. This does not only affect speedway . In London there used to be 33 greyhound stadium some having speedway as well. There are now only two Wimbledon and Romford. Unless the local council make a stand Coventry will go as well and possibly Swindon. When you think that in Southern England plots tp put houses on are worth £100,000 + in makes these stadiums highly sought after if you can get planning permission for them to put houseson them

The old Boldon Stadium, Sunderland still stands mick. In great condition, quite palatial in fact, and it is probably the premier Dog Track in the North East.

 

Sadly it is now Forty One years since Speedway graced the Stadium.

[BOBBATH]

Excellent question-wish I had thought of it myself!! Here is my feeling. One is the price of land e.g. London tracks-West Ham (RIP) it was too valuable for the existing use, also secondly change in demographics as someone said the old working class white east enders(and lets face it speedway was mainly a working class sport) have gone elsewhere. This doesn't explain how Sheffield continues-maybe it won't for much longer.-Sheffield is a wonderful track to visit -as an away fan right up there with Long Eaton and Cradley Heath. So perhaps the future is for rural tracks mainly. Wish I coukld go back to the old times though-(barman gimme a pint of Watney's Red Barrel please)!!!

[norbold]

Luck has nothing to do with it. The main reason why all these tracks have gone is because the value of the land.

Well that sounds like everything to do with luck to me. Where the stadium happens to be.

 

Anyway, even your answer doesn't answer why there is now no speedway at Sunderland and Yarmouth just to give two examples.

[arnieg]

Interestingly two of the tracks named by the OP have had fallow years [King's Lynn 1996 and Sheffield 1989-90].

 

longest running tracks are:

 

1948 Poole and Coventry

1949 Swindon

1969 Ipswich and Eastbourne*

1970 Peterborough

1984 Wolverhampton# and Lakeside

 

Several of these have come close to closure at some point.

 

Ultimately I think it is a combination of stability (Coventry with 50 years of Charles Ochiltree being the prime example) and luck. A stadium on land with low redevelopment potential and latterly a lack of a Premiership football club are also helpful.

 

* Eastbourne didn't start in 1991, but reopened when Wimbledon relocated to arlington mid-season.

# Wolves have been open since 1961 with only a two year break (1982-83)

[norbold]

Although not continuous in the sense of every year like the examples you give, Arnie, I think the point should be made that some tracks like Coventry (Brandon) have been operating since 1928, Eastbourne since 1929 and Rye House since 1935 with very few breaks. Also, of course, there is Belle Vue, the club having been operating continuously since 1928 (including the War years),albeit at different tracks.

[The White Knight]

Although not continuous in the sense of every year like the examples you give, Arnie, I think the point should be made that some tracks like Coventry (Brandon) have been operating since 1928, Eastbourne since 1929 and Rye House since 1935 with very few breaks. Also, of course, there is Belle Vue, the club having been operating continuously since 1928 (including the War years),albeit at different tracks.

My point exactly norbold - but - I wasn't able to Post it. I did try - unsuccessfully.

[BOBBATH]

I think Poole did not race in 1957, when the two NL divisions combined into one. I reckon Poole finished bottom of NL 1 in 1956 and pulled out. So maybe shouldn't be included in the list. Might be wrong though

[arnieg]

I think Poole did not race in 1957, when the two NL divisions combined into one. I reckon Poole finished bottom of NL 1 in 1956 and pulled out. So maybe shouldn't be included in the list. Might be wrong though

They operated on an open licence - and actually staged a couple of National League matches for Rayleigh.

 

The second list - of pre-war tracks still operating - should also include Kirky Lane, Brandon, Wolves, Birmingham, Newcastle and Sheffield.

[norbold]

Do you mean my list, Arnie, the one that does include Brandon and also (by default), Kirky Lane?

 

Also, the point I was really making there was that those tracks I mentioned have missed very few seasons in all those years; the ones you've added had much longer fallow periods.

[arnieg]

 

OK I've done a list of the tracks that have operated for most seasons. I have included any track that staged at least one speedway meeting. In some cases these are ACU licensed amateur meetings (e.g. Exeter 1934, Middlesbrough 1953-55) or pirate meetings (e.g. Coventry 1936, Cradley 1959). There are examples (notably Eastbourne and Rye House) where training took place but no actual meetings took place - these have not been included.

nb 2015 included for those tracks who are running this year.

Principal sources: 'Homes of British Speedway' and Speedway Researcher website

I don't claim this list is 100% accurate, and there are some areas open to interpretation (e.g. just how many tracks have there been at Rye House?).

 

So counting down to number one, here we go with the first five:

 

(note: I can find details of meetings for at least 37 seasons at Iwade (Sittingbourne) between the years 1972 and 2013 – but have not included them in the list)

 

20 Mildenhall 39 seasons (1974-2015)

includes training matches staged in 1974

 

19 Stoke, Loomer Road 42 seasons (!973-2015)

only missed 1993 since opening

 

18 Wembley 43 seasons (1929-1981)

nearly half of these consist of just one or two big meetings

 

17 Cradley 43 seasons (1947-1995)

includes 1959 when just one pirate meeting was staged

 

16 Peterborough 46 seasons (1970- 2015)

Unbroken since opening

[norbold]

Technically there have been three tracks at Rye House, but all within the same overall stadium area.

[arnieg]

Technically there have been three tracks at Rye House, but all within the same overall stadium area.

I know - I read it in a book somewhere

Edited January 13, 2015 by arnieg

[arnieg]

and continuing:

 

 

15 Middlesbrough, Cleveland Park 50 seasons(1928-1996)

includes 1953-55 when 7(?) closed to club ACU licensed meetings were staged

 

14 King's Lynn 50 seasons (1965-2015)

does not include one-off charity grass speedway meetings staged in 1952 & 53. Since opening 1996 has been the only year without speedway at Saddlebow Road

 

13 Newcastle, Brough Park 58 seasons (1929-2015)

in no less than eight seperate spells

 

12 Belle Vue, Hyde Road 59 seasons (1929-87)

without interruption including wartime period

[arnieg]

and the next batch:

 

 

11 Wolverhampton 61 seasons (1928-2015)

includes a single open meeting in 1950

 

10 Exeter 61 seasons (1929-2005)

includes amateur meetings in 1934

 

9 Oxford 62 seasons (1939-2007)

includes 59 consecutive seasons, does not include mixed meetings post 2007 which included a few 'dirt-track' races

 

8 Wimbledon 62 seasons (1928-2005)

The highest placed track no longer operating