Gresham Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJRd4ZTxD4k I don't know whether this has been posted before, but it did make me laugh. Took me back to my own childhood. We had cycle speedway teams as kids and would hold weekly meetings after school...each 'road' having their own track. We all wanted the Raleigh Grifter...as when it came out, it was the nearest looking to an actual speedway bike. Anyone else do this, pretending to be their hero's? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Fascinating clip! A group of us used to cycle speedway on a make ship track in Littlemore back in the early seventies. I went to watch the Horspath 'Hammers' on a couple of occasions and it sure was rough...anything seemed to go (except someone got excluded for swearing at the official I seem to recall!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van wolfswinkel Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 (edited) In Swindon most blocks on our council estate had their own cycle speedway teams. I was promoter, captain, manager, secretary, fixture-arranger, trackman, clerk of the course, dogsbody, and programme writer for Carshalton Crusaders, and of course number 1! We made race-jackets out of old vests worn over leather-jackets. Edited April 28, 2016 by Downsman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 In Swindon most blocks on our council estate had they're own cycle speedway teams. I was promoter, captain, manager, secretary, fixture-arranger, trackman, clrk of the course, dogsbody, and programme writer for Carshalton Crusaders, and of course number 1! We made race-jackets out of old vests worn over leather-jackets. Funny but we called ourselves the 'Crusaders'! The jackets were based on the Canterbury version but were red instead of blue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van wolfswinkel Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Funny but we called ourselves the 'Crusaders'! The jackets were based on the Canterbury version but were red instead of blue. Would have been a good match...Swindon Crusaders v Oxford Crusaders. We had blue sabres done in marker pen, like Canterbury. Most of us lived in Carshalton Road. Our street cricket and football team had the same name, but jumpers for goalposts. As I remember we were unbeaten in all 3 sports, and were the most hated team on the estate, the Poole of the day! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gresham Posted April 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Brilliant...glad to know it wasn't just the kids around my area....we had Hawks, Tigers and Wildcats all named after the road each team lived in...for example Highworth Hawks. Loved it when it rained, you could actually drift slide into the corners...I seemed permanently caked in mud back then lol Just watched cycle speedway, the crash files on youtube...crazier than actual speedway it seems... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van wolfswinkel Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 (edited) Brilliant...glad to know it wasn't just the kids around my area....we had Hawks, Tigers and Wildcats all named after the road each team lived in...for example Highworth Hawks. Loved it when it rained, you could actually drift slide into the corners...I seemed permanently caked in mud back then lol Just watched cycle speedway, the crash files on youtube...crazier than actual speedway it seems... Highworth just 6-miles up the road from me...I think Rosco and Mad Wellie started cycle speedway at Swindon, they still have the track at The Oasis. I still look back in fondness when I drive past our old patch by Coate Water that served as Football, Cricket, and Speedway ground in late 60s/early 70s. Edited April 28, 2016 by Downsman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 (edited) Good grief what memories! We purposely banked one of the bends so that you could really give it some wellie around the outside. The other bend was flat...and I mean flat...to catch out the opposition! Highworth just 6-miles up the road from me...I think Rosco and Mad Wellie started cycle speedway at Swindon, they still have the track at The Oasis. Used to stop off after a visit to Blunsden to buy Fish and Chips at Highworth. Used to drive thru' the back roads to Faringdon via Coleshill. Didn't Ivan Mauger do cycle speedway as a young kid? Edited April 28, 2016 by steve roberts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van wolfswinkel Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 (edited) Good grief what memories! We purposely banked one of the bends so that you could really give it some wellie around the outside. The other bend was flat...and I mean flat...to catch out the opposition! Used to stop off after a visit to Blunsden to buy Fish and Chips at Highworth. Used to drive thru' the back roads to Faringdon via Coleshill. I do that drive every Tuesday morning on way to work at Faringdon...one of the best drives around, through Coleshill. Edited April 28, 2016 by Downsman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 I do that drive very Tuesday morning on way to work at Faringdon...one of the best drives around, through Coleshill. I remember when driving back in the dark near Colehill where there was a slight dip that could easily catch you out as it was out of range of the headlights...really takes me back to happy times! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gresham Posted April 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Highworth just 6-miles up the road from me...I think Rosco and Mad Wellie started cycle speedway at Swindon, they still have the track at The Oasis. I still look back in fondness when I drive past our old patch by Coate Water that served as Football, Cricket, and Speedway ground in late 60s/early 70s. I know Highworth being a regular at Swindon. But ours was the name of a road. Remember the track at Oasis too. What memories...we had a 'roundabout' at the end of our cul de sac which was the exact shape of a cycle speedway track...it was perfect and hardly any cars about back then. We also used an old ash track that was next to a disused railway like. It was also perfect for cycle speedway. Compacted coal dust and dirt. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van wolfswinkel Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 I remember when driving back in the dark near Colehill where there was a slight dip that could easily catch you out as it was out of range of the headlights...really takes me back to happy times! The road is bad enough daytime, especially in my rattly old banger...wouldn't fancy doing it in the dark! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Brilliant thread lads! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van wolfswinkel Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 I know Highworth being a regular at Swindon. But ours was the name of a road. Remember the track at Oasis too. What memories...we had a 'roundabout' at the end of our cul de sac which was the exact shape of a cycle speedway track...it was perfect and hardly any cars about back then. We also used an old ash track that was next to a disused railway like. It was also perfect for cycle speedway. Compacted coal dust and dirt. Which area was this? We used a roundabout they were building as well, as it resembled a real track surface, until chased off by workmen! Brilliant thread lads! Yep makes me wanna get me bike out of the garage and go for a spin at the ripe old age of 60!yMy missus wouldn't be impressed. Perhaps I'll just put a card in the back wheel! I remember Briggo saying it was an unfair advantage for gate 4 on cycle speedway, and he suggested slanting the tape to make it fairer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gresham Posted April 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Which area was this? We used a roundabout they were building as well, as it resembled a real track surface, until chased off by workmen! It was Yate near Chipping sodbury. It was a new Housing Estate when my father moved there from Bristol for work. The cul de sac is still their I think...but the railway cutting was built on with new housing. Used to work not far from the Oasis back in the day. Was a QS on site when Lydiard Tregoze was being built. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 (edited) Good grief what memories! We purposely banked one of the bends so that you could really give it some wellie around the outside. The other bend was flat...and I mean flat...to catch out the opposition! Used to stop off after a visit to Blunsden to buy Fish and Chips at Highworth. Used to drive thru' the back roads to Faringdon via Coleshill. Didn't Ivan Mauger do cycle speedway as a young kid? Ivan Mauger did ride cycle speedway for one of the tracks in the south west London/Surrey area in the late 1950s, shortly after he arrived in the UK to join Wimbledon. This Link may give a mention of that period... ...http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/thread/1112/ivan-mauger-skid-kid Edited April 28, 2016 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gresham Posted April 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Highworth just 6-miles up the road from me...I think Rosco and Mad Wellie started cycle speedway at Swindon, they still have the track at The Oasis. I still look back in fondness when I drive past our old patch by Coate Water that served as Football, Cricket, and Speedway ground in late 60s/early 70s. unbelievable what's online http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/image_galleries/historic_highworth_photos_gallery1.shtml?20 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van wolfswinkel Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 unbelievable what's online http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/image_galleries/historic_highworth_photos_gallery1.shtml?20 Bloody ell Swindon Roobins would be happy to have a crowd that size. I've read that Stratton were one of the top teams in the area. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gresham Posted April 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 More... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31013387 I'm on a roll haha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJA6WQu1lbY I've stumbled on a whole new world I never knew about. Surfing the net, you can find some cracking photos from the past. Didn't realise cycle speedway was so popular back in the day. Some cracking little tracks about and surprisingly good facilities...this is fun. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Would have been a good match...Swindon Crusaders v Oxford Crusaders. We had blue sabres done in marker pen, like Canterbury. Most of us lived in Carshalton Road. Our street cricket and football team had the same name, but jumpers for goalposts. As I remember we were unbeaten in all 3 sports, and were the most hated team on the estate, the Poole of the day!Remember riding cycle speedway at a place called Bamptons, on the Stratton Rd before the County Ground .It was great the surface was grey gravel just like the shay, we used to all get punctures galore great days though. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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