Belle Vue 2016

[Trevor]

Not sure why you can call 'the National Stadium a laughing stock'. If you read the SS article the root cause was a problem with the base beneath the shale. No one can spot that unless you dig down. The stadium is superb and a credit to the Aces and Speedway, when the problem is fixed, will you still be rolling around laughing?

[Aces51]

But, most importantly Philip, is Colin Meredith still confident everything will be fine in a day or two like you so wretchedly reported in the midweek after the Peter Craven fiasco ?

 

And maybe you as a journalist might like to find out just how much speedway expertise there is within those involved in this project among either the city council or the contractors because it seems that they're both as clueless as each other about what they're supposed to do to resolve this farce.

 

Overall, we currently appear to have a clueless city council dealing with an equally clueless bunch of contractors who've been given the specifications of the track by the two clowns in charge of running Belle Vue.

 

Still wondering why the National Speedway Stadium is currently such a laughing stock ?

Funny isn't it how people who clearly haven't got a clue about what has been going on feel qualified to pass judgement on others.

[Alan_Jones]

Not sure why you can call 'the National Stadium a laughing stock'. If you read the SS article the root cause was a problem with the base beneath the shale. No one can spot that unless you dig down. The stadium is superb and a credit to the Aces and Speedway, when the problem is fixed, will you still be rolling around laughing?

 

So did this problem base just appear from nowhere? In an ideal world the laying of the track, from base to shale surface, would have been under the control of speedway personnel. As that wasn't possible then they should have been constantly monitoring the process to advise where necessary. The project is currently a laughing stock and the promotion and PR has been abysmal. At such time as the problems are solved then that will become, and hopefully remain, a thing of the past.

[damosuzuki]

Obviously it's just the way I'm reading it but, yes, Belle Vue sound as if they are standing in a corner with their eyes closed until the council come back and say 'try it again now'. SURELY their track curator is overssing all the work?????

[arnieg]

Belle Vue Press Release 6 April:

 

Brimming wth confidence after their superb victory in Norfolk, Belle Vue are fired up and ready to tackle their first home match of the season against the struggling Leicester Lions on Friday.

With the forecast in their favour, and a successful practice under their belt, the Rentruck Aces are particularly eager to entertain their home crowd having last done so in the 2015 EL Grand Final.

Team boss Mark Lemon, who meticulously watched over Wednesday’s closed-doors session, says the increasing anticipation for this meeting is making his squad all the more feisty in the build up.

He said: “Any doubts over the condition of the track have been put to bed in the wake of today’s closed practice. The boys had a good session and are exceptionally keen to get things moving.

 

I am prepared to believe that the lions share of the blame lies with the contractors, but this (and other pronouncements) makes it hard to believe any subsequent assurances about progress on the track.

[The White Knight]

Whilst I agree that the start of the National Stadium has been less than ideal - I am disgusted at some of the comments on here. It is almost as if some so called Speedway Supporters are actuallly revelling in Belle Vue's misfortune, rejoicing in it indeed.

 

Mr. Gordon and Mr. Morton are trying to produce a Speedway asset that will last both Belle Vue and our Country for many years to come. They should be praised for this - not vilified. Various explanations are given on here regarding the problems, the Contractors and the Council seem to be, in the main, responsible for the debacle. Mr. Gordon and Mr. Morton have arranged the financial backing for this Project - they did not actually build the Stadium or the Track. Specifications were provided, yes but after that they were in the hands of the Council and the Contractors.

 

The only criticism that I have in the Promotion is that their obvious enthusiasm to open as soon as possible was, with hindsight (always easy to view things after the event) overly optimistic. I have great sympathy for those who turned up for the Opening Meeting only for it to be called off. Belle Vue are apparently, and quite rightly, issuing Ticket Refunds to Supporters. As for travelling expenses, Days off taken etc. this is all part of supporting Speedway. I have attended a lot of rained off Meetings over the years and I have never, ever received any travelling expenses for my pains - that, as I say, is how supporting Speedway works and probably has done since time immemoriam.

 

After all of these early problems, Belle Vue and our Nations young Riders will have a Stadium and Track which will provide great racing in an Arena which will be among the very best in the World. The Promotion should be praised for their foresight. Without it the new Speedway Stadium would not exist. Without the new Stadium we would not have a place where the very best of our young Riders can be trained and will, hopefully, go on to be World Champions.

 

Finally, instead of all the carping and nastiness, which drove me off this Forum in the first place, could we please have a little understanding for the feelings of those people who have moved heaven and earth to bring this new Stadium and Track to fruition. THEY WILL HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB!!

 

I, for one, THANK them.

 

UP THE 'ACES'!!!!

[Aces51]

David Gordon has explained that the track was OK after the Wednesday practice and that it was at about 5pm on the Thursday that he was called to look at the 3rd and 4th bends and saw that, following the inclement weather, water had risen to the surface to the extent that there was a river of water on the track. Having seen that and knowing that there was a possibility of further rain on the Friday a decision was made to call off the meeting.

 

Further investigation has shown that the fault lies with the track base and following a meeting with the Council on the Friday a decision was made that the complete 3rd and 4th bends will be dug up and the base rebuilt to the original specification, as should have been done originally.

 

The difficulty has been that the problem has literally been hidden under the surface. Repairs were done to parts of the base after the PCMM meeting and seemed to have solved the problem until the inclement weather, which resulted in the water rising to the surface.

[Yoozy]

Sounded to me like Belle Vue have had a gagging order on us. How frustrating for CM and DG watching someone they trust to build a stadium every genuine fan wants, of any club, only to balls the most important thing up,,,,,, and for them to take all the flack!

That's how I heard it and all I'll say on it. Up the Aces

[Starman2006]

Its not the drains, they are fine, the problem was caused by quote "turns 3 and 4 not being built in accordance with the specification in terms of base materials and membrane".

 

 

But bends one and two were.. Strange that., my guess is that 3-4 were rushed.

Edited April 14, 2016 by Starman2006

[colin wood]

Most Belle Vue fans have accepted whats happened and are right behind the management.What's a few more weeks wait when we have waited 9years for such an exciting future.The moaners on here will probably never visit Belle Vue anyway. One fan I was stood with on the opening meeting fiasco was complaining about the acoustic stand on the back straight was made out of metal!! Then he said he used to watch at Cradely Heath years ago. Yeah right that was some back straight stand wasn't it.We should all be grateful for any new stadium at speedway these days!

[SCB]

But bends one and two were.. Strange that., my guess is that 3-4 were rushed.

Christ, I agree with starman!

[Starman2006]

Christ, I agree with starman!

See, we can agree sometimes..

[waiheke1]

Christ, I agree with starman!

Tbh he is a master of stating the obvious, so from time to time it is inevitable!

[Haza]

But bends one and two were.. Strange that., my guess is that 3-4 were rushed.

we had a look at the track and Stadium last November from Start line bends 1and two and half the back straight the track was laid then the rest of the track was just a building site with just the out line of the track showing I wasn't surprised there is problems.

[Reviresco]

Sadly for the unusual suspects Belle Vue have not lied about the track or anything else for that matter, sorry to disappoint you.

 

That appears to be contradicted by the Press Release quoted in Post #1389.

 

So, what was said at the Fans' Forum last night then?

[A ORLOV]

It would be interesting to know if the Council and contractor used and asked for or employed the expertise of a speedway track person when building the track.

 

The council here in Swindon have recently carried out a complex project and cocked it up because they did not ask for and ignored the offer of advice from local experts, they relied on consultants from elsewhere. The job has been signed off, again by the council, without asking the local experts if what had been done was ok or not and now the rate payer have a six figure repair bill to correct all the mistakes made.

[Phil The Ace]

It would be interesting to know if the Council and contractor used and asked for or employed the expertise of a speedway track person when building the track.

 

The council here in Swindon have recently carried out a complex project and cocked it up because they did not ask for and ignored the offer of advice from local experts, they relied on consultants from elsewhere. The job has been signed off, again by the council, without asking the local experts if what had been done was ok or not and now the rate payer have a six figure repair bill to correct all the mistakes made.

Sounds very familiar

 

At the fans Forum last night David said that they had give the contractors specific material to use. They have used this round bends 1 and 2 and both straights but when they did a proper inspection of track after the opening meeting (a proper dig up to see what was causing problems) they saw that the contractors dIddnt use anything they was told to. It was a poor material they used.

 

Assume the pressure the contractors was under forced them to rush the end of the track through.

 

The problem with the track apparently as been the cold weather. Not so much the rain. As when it's cold the damp is rising from the base and onto the track.

 

New contractors are arriving today with the machinery to do the repair work. They expect a 7-10 day period of working on the track.

 

They will only run if track is 100% n

Which they are pretty sure will be sorted before the poole meeting.

 

They hope to get a meeting on before poole come on 27th

[A ORLOV]

Sounds very familiar

 

At the fans Forum last night David said that they had give the contractors specific material to use. They have used this round bends 1 and 2 and both straights but when they did a proper inspection of track after the opening meeting (a proper dig up to see what was causing problems) they saw that the contractors dIddnt use anything they was told to. It was a poor material they used.

 

Assume the pressure the contractors was under forced them to rush the end of the track through.

 

The problem with the track apparently as been the cold weather. Not so much the rain. As when it's cold the damp is rising from the base and onto the track.

 

New contractors are arriving today with the machinery to do the repair work. They expect a 7-10 day period of working on the track.

 

They will only run if track is 100% n

Which they are pretty sure will be sorted before the poole meeting.

 

They hope to get a meeting on before poole come on 27th

Do you know if this repair is being done under the supervision of a proper track person, now that it has been shown that it was done wrong once.

[Phil The Ace]

Do you know if this repair is being done under the supervision of a proper track person, now that it has been shown that it was done wrong once.

I would hope so. But I don't have a definite answer to your question sorry.

[Starman2006]

Do you know if this repair is being done under the supervision of a proper track person, now that it has been shown that it was done wrong once.

I asked the same question ages ago and drew a blank. The track curator SHOULD be present to oversee any repairs. And he also should have been present when the base and top was laid. If not, why not..

we had a look at the track and Stadium last November from Start line bends 1and two and half the back straight the track was laid then the rest of the track was just a building site with just the out line of the track showing I wasn't surprised there is problems.

Just goes to prove what a rush job it was ..

Edited April 15, 2016 by Starman2006