Terry Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) Hackney was a death trap. Any rider with an ounce of self preservation stayed on the line. Yes if you brave (mad) enough there was a decent line out wide but you ran the risk of hitting someting liable to do harm if it went wrong. In a list of genuinley good race tracks Hackney would be a long way down Have to agree completely Hackney was one of the most dangerous tracks ever. The light stanchions were built into the safety fence.. It was like waiting for an accident to happen.and they did. They would never build a track like that today . Totally disagree. We had the best racing in the land on a superbly prepared track every week. It's true the lamp standards were too close to the track which caused the Vic Harding and Denny Pyeatt tragedies but the outside overtaking from Thomas, Morton, Plech, Petersen, Galvin and Loram was breathtaking at times. I don't think the more conservative riders enjoyed Waterden road but the true racers used to love it. Edited March 3, 2015 by Telboy68 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommelier Posted March 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Totally disagree. We had the best racing in the land on a superbly prepared track every week. It's true the lamp standards were too close to the track which caused the Vic Harding and Denny Pyeatt tragedys but the outside overtaking from Thomas, Morton, Plech, Petersen, Galvin and Loram was breathtaking at times. I don't think the more conservative riders enjoyed Waterden road but the true racers used to love it. No Finn Thomsen in your list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Hackney was one of my favourite tracks i ever went to,under Silver Friday at eight was a decent night out.Death trap has been mentioned but surely Exeter was as dangerous? all tracks were dangerous.And alot of the tracks that were run were old fashioned stadiums that were run down even Wimbledon looked dangerous Exeter was the scariest track i ever went to.A very fast track exciting and i enjoyed my every visit, as i did at the great Shay again that was a very fast circuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 I have to agree with you Telboy. As a regular visitor to Waterden Road back in the day, I must say there was some fantastic racing. I'm not sure about the danger angle...having sadly witnessed the Dave Wills and Tad Teodorowicz tragedies at West Ham I can't say Hackney was more dangerous. Tragedies have occurred at tracks everywhere, particularly 40+ years ago when safety standards were much lower, so I would not have labeled Hackney a death-trap. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 No Finn Thomsen in your list! Great team man Finn, but never the most exciting! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 I have to agree with you Telboy. As a regular visitor to Waterden Road back in the day, I must say there was some fantastic racing. I'm not sure about the danger angle...having sadly witnessed the Dave Wills and Tad Teodorowicz tragedies at West Ham I can't say Hackney was more dangerous. Tragedies have occurred at tracks everywhere, particularly 40+ years ago when safety standards were much lower, so I would not have labeled Hackney a death-trap. I do agree that Hackney wasn't the safest of tracks, a fact shown by the number of tragedies there. However (and as a Wimbledon supporter, this is embarrassing for me to say!), it was also a superb racing track. It was a track with multiple racing lines, including out in the dirt. Watching Thommo in action there was brilliant! Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Re Coatbridge- I went there once (19th July 1968). It was very interesting to me partly because it was also Albion Rovers Football ground, plus the whole area including adjacent towns like Airdrie. It was programmed as Monarchs v. Belle Vue but half the Belle Vue riders didn't show up--- they were Levai, Maidment, Sjosten(thanx a million guys!!). Bill Powell, Tommy Roper and Chris Pusey did-good for them .I felt really sorry for Ian Hoskins and the Monarchs fans. A meeting was cobbled together called Monarchs v. Northern Aces-with Lex Milloy(didn't he become a stuntman in various movies ) Bobby Beaton and good old Jimmy Tannock. I understand that this scenario of riders not turning up was an ongoing problem for Hoskins- Coatbridge was ,what , say 400 miles from London, 250 from Manchester say-that's about as far as Toronto from Montreal(London)or Toronto to Windsor(Manchester)and I just couldn't believe that riders would fail to show -couldn't they just get their act together!! Anybody remember that, in fact anybody at that meeting. Having said all that- Coatbridge did strike me on that long ago day as a well prepared track. Again too bad the fans(nice folks as I recall) were let down by the no show riders!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 I do agree that Hackney wasn't the safest of tracks, a fact shown by the number of tragedies there. However (and as a Wimbledon supporter, this is embarrassing for me to say!), it was also a superb racing track. It was a track with multiple racing lines, including out in the dirt. Watching Thommo in action there was brilliant! Steve When I first went I thought it was a great racing track, but in my view the advent of 4 valves moved the racing line out and effectively made the track narrower and more dangerous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Romford was also a pretty scary track with a concrete wall as a safety fence for three quarters of the circuit. A nice stadium though, with huge crowds surrounded by houses!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 I was at Romford's opening meeting and fully agree. As I understand it only one householder complained about the noise but he still got Romford shut down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrycuda Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 (edited) For those with memories of Custom House West Ham. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDpoHFZuVLM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yma-qc9vGU For those with memories of Hyde Road Manchester the Belle Vue Aces. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyd3bN6PGxE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCGmLcq5c6s Edited March 4, 2015 by Barrycuda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 For those with memories of Custom House West Ham. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDpoHFZuVLM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yma-qc9vGU For those with memories of Hyde Road Manchester the Belle Vue Aces. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyd3bN6PGxE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCGmLcq5c6s Thank you Mr. Cuda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommelier Posted March 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 For those with memories of Custom House West Ham. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDpoHFZuVLM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yma-qc9vGU For those with memories of Hyde Road Manchester the Belle Vue Aces. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyd3bN6PGxE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCGmLcq5c6s Some fab footage, thanks for the link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishRoundabout Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Hackney was one of my favourite tracks i ever went to,under Silver Friday at eight was a decent night out.Death trap has been mentioned but surely Exeter was as dangerous? all tracks were dangerous.And alot of the tracks that were run were old fashioned stadiums that were run down even Wimbledon looked dangerous Exeter was the scariest track i ever went to.A very fast track exciting and i enjoyed my every visit, as i did at the great Shay again that was a very fast circuit. Have to agree Sid. The Shay was superb, but saw Mike Keen badly injured there. Equally, riders like Geoff Bouchard who were prepared to put their back wheel in the dirt would succeed. Think I saw Geoff score 16 points there one Saturday night in the 70's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert72 Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Hackney was very dangerous,I think there were 4 riders who died on that track and many seriously injured. It's frightening to think what it would be like with todays bikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldace Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Hackney was very dangerous,I think there were 4 riders who died on that track and many seriously injured. It's frightening to think what it would be like with todays bikes. I can recall 5 deaths at Hackney. Dusty Haigh was killed there in the 30s but between 1972 and 1989 it claimed Allan Clegg, Vic Harding, Denny Pyeatt and Paul Muchene. A shockingly dangerous track, even by the much lower standards of the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 This is turning in to something of a morbid subject, but now that it has been raised does anyone know if Hackney holds the very dubious record for track fatalities. We all know speedway is dangerous but statistics like those above bring things to stark reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldace Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 This is turning in to something of a morbid subject, but now that it has been raised does anyone know if Hackney holds the very dubious record for track fatalities. We all know speedway is dangerous but statistics like those above bring things to stark reality. In the UK, very likely, but the Sydney Showgrounds must have claimed many many more lives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 This is turning in to something of a morbid subject, but now that it has been raised does anyone know if Hackney holds the very dubious record for track fatalities. We all know speedway is dangerous but statistics like those above bring things to stark reality. If that is where you feel a need to make research, this website could provide the answers you seek: http://speedwayinmemoriam.yolasite.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I can recall 5 deaths at Hackney. Dusty Haigh was killed there in the 30s but between 1972 and 1989 it claimed Allan Clegg, Vic Harding, Denny Pyeatt and Paul Muchene. A shockingly dangerous track, even by the much lower standards of the time What a ridiculous statement. Dusty Haigh and Paul Muchene fell and were hit by the following rider which could happen on any track. I don't know what happened with Allan Clegg although I believe it was a Saturday training school accident. I don't hold with all this 'dangerous track' talk. It was a well prepared racers track which favoured the brave and produced great racing week in and week out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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