steve roberts Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 (edited) Yes, Sid, always enjoyed the County Ground, Blackbird Road and Plough Lane too. Just that they didn't seem to have the same 'edge' there as the other venues I mentioned. Never really fell in love with Cowley (sorry Steve) for some reason, or Blunsdon (sorry Sid) - though there was definitely an 'edge' at The Abbey when Billy road there. Good to have you back contributing on the Forum fella. Maybe, just count to 10 now and again before you hit the keyboard when replying to certain posters, eh. I know I have to bite my lip sometimes with certain 'contributors' on here - probably the same ones as you. Used to enjoy some rare 'ding dongs' with 'The Witches' at Foxhall Heath when my team Oxford visited! John Berry was a promoter I admired immensely and I did correspond with him on a couple of occasions via email after he emigrated. From the same page as you Steve, i don't come on here much now still love reading the posts though.For me in my lifetime Eastbourne/Lakeside are my least two favourite tracks both though you have to have quality to ride them. We, as a family, used to visit Arlington regularly back in the seventies and eighties. Used to like the atmosphere but when they changed the track shape...! Visited Arena Essex just the once (in its fenceless days)...didn't like it! Edited April 16, 2016 by steve roberts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 (edited) Yes, Sid, always enjoyed the County Ground, Blackbird Road and Plough Lane too. Just that they didn't seem to have the same 'edge' there as the other venues I mentioned. Never really fell in love with Cowley (sorry Steve) for some reason, or Blunsdon (sorry Sid) - though there was definitely an 'edge' at The Abbey when Billy road there. Good to have you back contributing on the Forum fella. Maybe, just count to 10 now and again before you hit the keyboard when replying to certain posters, eh. I know I have to bite my lip sometimes with certain 'contributors' on here - probably the same ones as you. Thanks "Macca don't come on here much now,still enjoy reading the posts though.As for Bill he did not have much trouble with the Abbey did he ? a great rider.Maybe once in the King's Lynn meeting when really the track was unrideable and he went home early after that year he really reached the top a lot of hard work from his debut 72 season his hard work was bearing fruit. Edited April 16, 2016 by Sidney the robin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 (edited) From the same page as you Steve, i don't come on here much now still love reading the posts though.For me in my lifetime Eastbourne/Lakeside are my least two favourite tracks both though you have to have quality to ride them. Used to enjoy my trips to Arlo,but that was back in the days when they had some great riders like Gordon Kennett,Colin Richardson,Martin Dugard,Dean Barker,Dean Standing etc and also used to be a regular at Arena for the first couple of seasons.Used to work in Covent Garden,so it was pretty easy on the push bike after work to Arena or Hackney Edited April 16, 2016 by iris123 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June01 Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Whose leathers is Andy Galvin wearing in that team photo? They weren't his, I'm almost sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Used to enjoy my trips to Arlo,but that was back in the days when they had some great riders like Gordon Kennett,Colin Richardson,Martin Dugard,Dean Barker,Dean Standing etc and also used to be a regular at Arena for the first couple of seasons.Used to work in Covent Garden,so it was pretty easy on the push bike after work to Arena or Hackney Trips to Arlington watching the Kennett brothers, "Mad' Malc Ballard, Bobby McNeil, Roger Johns, Paul Gachet, Trevor Geer, Eric Dugard, Neil Middledith, Steve Weatherley and one of my favourites...Mike Sampson! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Trips to Arlington watching the Kennett brothers, "Mad' Malc Ballard, Bobby McNeil, Roger Johns, Paul Gachet, Trevor Geer, Eric Dugard, Neil Middledith, Steve Weatherley and one of my favourites...Mike Sampson! Yes,must admit they had some great riders down the years and most came through the ranks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Yes,must admit they had some great riders down the years and most came through the ranks Having the same promotion (Bob Dugard - Eastbourne & Danny Dunton - Peterborough) running Oxford we got to see most of these riders performing at Cowley (either in the team or during the second half). Plus the likes of Laurie Sims, Timmy Ballard and from Peterborough John Davis, Brian Clark, Richard Greer, Ken Matthews and Chris Drewitt (who used to service my motor!) Great days...the second halves were sometimes more entertaining than the main event! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Used to enjoy my trips to Arlo,but that was back in the days when they had some great riders like Gordon Kennett,Colin Richardson,Martin Dugard,Dean Barker,Dean Standing etc and also used to be a regular at Arena for the first couple of seasons.Used to work in Covent Garden,so it was pretty easy on the push bike after work to Arena or HackneyIris Eastbourne and that damn noisy claxon not for me, enjoyed watching Kelly,Kennett/Woods around there though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Iris Eastbourne and that damn noisy claxon not for me, enjoyed watching Kelly,Kennett/Woods around there though. And of course the introduction music...'Sussex by the Sea!' 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reviresco Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Used to enjoy some rare 'ding dongs' with 'The Witches' at Foxhall Heath when my team Oxford visited! John Berry was a promoter I admired immensely and I did correspond with him on a couple of occasions via email after he emigrated. We, as a family, used to visit Arlington regularly back in the seventies and eighties. Used to like the atmosphere but when they changed the track shape...! Visited Arena Essex just the once (in its fenceless days)...didn't like it! Good to hear you enjoyed your trips to Foxhall, Steve. Despite it being the place I have seen most of my speedway, it was certainly not the place I enjoyed watching my speedway the most. Funny that I don't feel the rivalry with the Cheetah as much as you. Agreed about the fenceless Arena Essex (never Lakeside for me) but think the current circuit is a good little track and provides some decent racing. Smaller tracks can offer up some great speedway - Rye house and Mildenhall are another couple of my favourites. Thanks "Macca don't come on here much now,still enjoy reading the posts though.As for Bill he did not have much trouble with the Abbey did he ? a great rider.Maybe once in the King's Lynn meeting when really the track was unrideable and he went home early after that year he really reached the top a lot of hard work from his debut 72 season his hard work was bearing fruit. Pleasure Sid. Love your random memories of days and riders of yore. Bill was ok with the track - apart from that day in '82, just never had the greatest reception there and remember the Abbey faithful giving him a rough ride (down to his rivalry with Crumpie senior of course. Oddly enough, Billy had picked me up on the way down to Swindon in '82 and I was in the pits with him that day the track was, lets say, difficult. The journey back was an interesting one. Used to enjoy my trips to Arlo,but that was back in the days when they had some great riders like Gordon Kennett,Colin Richardson,Martin Dugard,Dean Barker,Dean Standing etc and also used to be a regular at Arena for the first couple of seasons.Used to work in Covent Garden,so it was pretty easy on the push bike after work to Arena or Hackney Of course Arlington and as you say, the days of Gordon Kennett, Colin Richardson (lovely bloke), Steve Weatherley and co. For some reason, remember seeing Arthur Browning riding there. His legs seemed to reach from the white line to the fence. A push bike? Wow. Must be some stories there. Steve, see that you mentioned 'Least Favourite' tracks - I will offer: New Hammond Beck Road, Boston and Kingsmead Stadium, Canterbury as mine. And don't start on 2nd Halves being more entertaining than some main meetings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Whose leathers is Andy Galvin wearing in that team photo? They weren't his, I'm almost sure. I think he's wearing his 87 leathers. He wore plain white with orange flecks when the season started. Just noticed a young (and slightly tubby) Paul Hurry in that photo! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 (edited) Of course Arlington and as you say, the days of Gordon Kennett, Colin Richardson (lovely bloke), Steve Weatherley and co. For some reason, remember seeing Arthur Browning riding there. His legs seemed to reach from the white line to the fence. A push bike? Wow. Must be some stories there. Used to travel quite a bit with the bike.Like I said,it was fairly easy from work to Hackney and Arena.They used to let me in with the bike.I'd also ride over to Croydon and then down to the station near Eastie and ride to the track and from inside I could keep an eye on my bike.Sometimes when the weather was good I would ride from South London all the way down and back.Remember Eddie Toogood would pass me going over the hills before East Grinstead.Would also do Rye House on the bike. Then I got a motorbike,but was a bit reluctant to go to hackney as one of my work mates told me he had his battery nicked from his bike at Hackney and also had his car broken into in the car park as well..... Edited April 16, 2016 by iris123 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reviresco Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Used to travel quite a bit with the bike. Great stuff. No lycra riding suit and crash hat in those days I guess. Different times. Must have clocked up a few miles. KIds with ordinary pedal bikes - a thing of the past? And as for having stuff nicked and broken into, you could never trust those tricky East Enders. Though I always felt safer there than some other parts of the country. Maybe just because it was closer to my home patch. There's always the story of parking your van up somewhere and the local lad asking for a couple of quid to look after it (There's an attack dog in the back of the van - Can it put out fires?, etc,) Talking of cars, just thought of Station Road, Long Eaton and parking my car on a hill overlooking the track. Or is my memory playing tricks again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June01 Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 Remember buying the Kestrel News every week with my pocket money from the guy with the money belt. Bryn something, I think his name was... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 Back in the late 60s/early 70s I used to go to speedway three times a week most weeks. Hackney and West Ham regularly plus Wimbledon probably 2 or 3 times a month. And when Wembley re-opened usually got in one a month there as well. Do supporters go travelling round the country these days following their team or get in say 10-12 meetings every month? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reviresco Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 (edited) Back in the late 60s/early 70s I used to go to speedway three times a week most weeks. Hackney and West Ham regularly plus Wimbledon probably 2 or 3 times a month. And when Wembley re-opened usually got in one a month there as well. Do supporters go travelling round the country these days following their team or get in say 10-12 meetings every month? if they do, then not many I would estimate. In my speedway 'heydays', 1975 - 87, I regularly attended over 80 meetings a season and 100+ a couple of years. My 'home' meetings were a round trip of 130 miles each Thursday (200 mile round trips every Saturday to King's Lynn in 1982 and to Boston in 1986) and I wouldn't think twice about travelling to away meetings, which were sometimes closer than my 'home' fixtures. Then, of course, there was a lot more 'top flight' speedway staged on a Saturday in those days, so that made away trips easier. Less traffic and cheaper petrol. Used to go and watch the junior and attached riders in their meetings too, taking in BL1 and BL2 matches all over the country. I'm sure we all have them, but my list of defunct tracks that I have visited is a lot longer than my list of current tracks. There appear to be some speedway aficionados on here, whose posts indicate they they do travel the country taking in meetings at different venues, but they would be a dying breed these days. Would I do it all over again? Yes. Would I do it now? No. (Would I have travelled to a match on a pedal bike like Iris? Again, No.) Edited April 17, 2016 by macca56 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 (edited) if they do, then not many I would estimate. In my speedway 'heydays', 1975 - 87, I regularly attended over 80 meetings a season and 100+ a couple of years. My 'home' meetings were a round trip of 130 miles each Thursday (200 mile round trips every Saturday to King's Lynn in 1982 and to Boston in 1986) and I wouldn't think twice about travelling to away meetings, which were sometimes closer than my 'home' fixtures. Then, of course, there was a lot more 'top flight' speedway staged on a Saturday in those days, so that made away trips easier. Less traffic and cheaper petrol. Used to go and watch the junior and attached riders in their meetings too, taking in BL1 and BL2 matches all over the country. I'm sure we all have them, but my list of defunct tracks that I have visited is a lot longer than my list of current tracks. There appear to be some speedway aficionados on here, whose posts indicate they they do travel the country taking in meetings at different venues, but they would be a dying breed these days. Would I do it all over again? Yes. Would I do it now? No. (Would I have travelled to a match on a pedal bike like Iris? Again, No.) In 1979 i did about 60 plus meetings alot of NL racing Oxford/Milton Keynes but the period between 1984/ 87 i did a couple of 130 plus meetings Reading/Swindon/Oxford everyweek i enjoyed every moment of it.So every year since 1968 i have been going loved it as a young un now at times i go more on habit i don't enjoy the sport as much as i used to.But every now and again i see a great race and the memories come flooding back would i do it all again a big Yes.My greatest memory was seeing a different away team everyweek,with a star no1 and often two cracking heat leaders as well the BL was a very good product indeed. Edited April 17, 2016 by Sidney the robin 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 My first speedway memory is a rider in yellow leathers flying from the tapes. I'm pretty sure it was Dag Lovaas in 74. Being born in 68 I'm sure I was taken to the 'Wick' before then by my speedwaymad father (who used to tell me you could watch speedway at a different track in London every day of the week just after the war.) I think I can count on the fingers of one hand the amount of meetings I missed between then and 91. (I went to most matches in 96 at the new track but it just wasn't the same.) I didn't used to go to many away meetings, maybe three or four a year. Always used to go to Rye House too, Sunday at 4:30. It always seemed to be sunny there in those days! I remember the year we nearly did the double, with the Rockets winning the NL and the Hawks coming second in the BL, (curse those pesky Racers!) I read something quite interesting in Kelly Morans book 'a hell of a life' (great read by the way) Reading had a tough away match coming up at Halifax and Dave Lanning told Jiri Stancl to stay at home and he booked Kelly as a guest. He top scored and Reading got a draw. So I claim a moral victory for the Hawks 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 you could watch speedway at a different track in London every day of the week just after the war. Not quite, but you could just before the War: Monday - Wimbledon; Tuesday - West Ham; Wednesday - New Cross; Thursday - Wembley; Friday - Hackney; Saturday - Harringay. No Hackney just after the War, though Walthamstow ran for a short time, but on a Thursday, same as Wembley. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 Not quite, but you could just before the War: Monday - Wimbledon; Tuesday - West Ham; Wednesday - New Cross; Thursday - Wembley; Friday - Hackney; Saturday - Harringay. No Hackney just after the War, though Walthamstow ran for a short time, but on a Thursday, same as Wembley. I bow to your greater wisdom. My dad was a Harringay fan before Hackney re-opened in the early sixties. Wasn't there speedway at Stamford bridge at one time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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