Skid Kids...

[van wolfswinkel]

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.

I think that may have been the old Bamptons Coach Works

[Sidney the robin]

I think that may have been the old Bamptons Coach Works

Yes mate sure they had a glass thing outside with a car in it never got vandalised though the good ole days😀😀 Edited April 28, 2016 by Sidney the robin

[van wolfswinkel]

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.

Its great this you tube....just watched Barry Briggs make his debut for Swindon at Oxford in 1964

[Gresham]

Its great this you tube....just watched Barry Briggs make his debut for Swindon at Oxford in 1964

Indeed... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC9SeKCSyiM

50,000 in the Wembley supporter club...see 15mins through to 18...the whole footage is amazing.

[van wolfswinkel]

Indeed... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC9SeKCSyiM

50,000 in the Wembley supporter club...see 15mins through to 18...the whole footage is amazing.

My dad was one of those 50,000.

[Guest]

Indeed... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC9SeKCSyiM

50,000 in the Wembley supporter club...see 15mins through to 18...the whole footage is amazing.

 

 

My dad was one of those 50,000.

 

This is splendid memories of speedway's now lost 'golden era' when it was a mainstream sport.

[Sidney the robin]

This is splendid memories of speedway's now lost 'golden era' when it was a mainstream sport.

 

I thought speedway was still the same as in Yesteryear?

[Guest]

Scroll down this Link and you will come across a full section, compiled mainly by Robin Richardson, devoted to cycle speedway in London.

http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/

 

 

 

This is splendid memories of speedway's now lost 'golden era' when it was a mainstream sport.

 

 

I thought speedway was still the same as in Yesteryear?

 

I know that I can be 'a bit of a thicko' at times but I don't quite understand your reply reference Sidney the robin.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Guest

[Sidney the robin]

Scroll down this Linkd and you will come across a full section, compiled mainly by Robin Richardson, devoted to cycle speedway in London.

http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/

 

 

 

 

I know that I can be 'a bit of a thicko' at times but I don't quite understand your reply reference Sidney the robin.

My fault "gustix" sorry and all that, an honest question " gustix" has speedway changed since Yesteryear in your view if so for the better or not.?

[OveFundinFan]

I lived on the edge of a village and there was some common land nearby, we used to go on our bikes, slosh water from a neaby brook onto this "corner", went flying at the corner and through into slides feet up style as if we were doing speedway.

Another area and we had jumps so emulated scramble riders up in the air.

Close to the end of 1963, Mum Dad and myself went with Bob Duckworth to a Manchester cycle speedway track, Carrs Wood, where Bob was presenting trophies.

The programme for the day was advertising a junior league for the winter 63-64, so I went back to my village, got all the lads to work on making this track using crushed cinder type stuff from a top a good half mile away. using wheelbarrows we did enough to create the bends, the straights (too long) were grass. Mum made us race bibs, red and yellow vertical stripes, and away we went into the league...... coming last! That was the start and end of Partington Flyers, but most of the team signed up for the summer season with Belle Vue for 1964 and then Wilmslow Hammers in 1965 and on.

All good fun.

Only a few tracks then were really well constructed, Carrs Wood was one, Offerton Devils was another. Offerton had Derek Garnett and Vic Hinchcliffe who were nationally the riders to beat in the 60's and 70's. Some brilliant riders around the Manchester scene back then.

Clips I now see on You Tube show the standard of the tracks and safety requirements far exceed those of the 60's - very professional now, and I would imagine top cycle speedway ridwers now are like top speedway riders (and other sportsman) - dedicated to the cause, manage not only the body but what one puts into the body etc.

[Gresham]

I lived on the edge of a village and there was some common land nearby, we used to go on our bikes, slosh water from a neaby brook onto this "corner", went flying at the corner and through into slides feet up style as if we were doing speedway.

Another area and we had jumps so emulated scramble riders up in the air.

Close to the end of 1963, Mum Dad and myself went with Bob Duckworth to a Manchester cycle speedway track, Carrs Wood, where Bob was presenting trophies.

The programme for the day was advertising a junior league for the winter 63-64, so I went back to my village, got all the lads to work on making this track using crushed cinder type stuff from a top a good half mile away. using wheelbarrows we did enough to create the bends, the straights (too long) were grass. Mum made us race bibs, red and yellow vertical stripes, and away we went into the league...... coming last! That was the start and end of Partington Flyers, but most of the team signed up for the summer season with Belle Vue for 1964 and then Wilmslow Hammers in 1965 and on.

All good fun.

Only a few tracks then were really well constructed, Carrs Wood was one, Offerton Devils was another. Offerton had Derek Garnett and Vic Hinchcliffe who were nationally the riders to beat in the 60's and 70's. Some brilliant riders around the Manchester scene back then.

Clips I now see on You Tube show the standard of the tracks and safety requirements far exceed those of the 60's - very professional now, and I would imagine top cycle speedway ridwers now are like top speedway riders (and other sportsman) - dedicated to the cause, manage not only the body but what one puts into the body etc.

Thanks for that fella...brought some other memories back.

 

The talk of wheel barrows fetching from a mile away...would kids do that nowadays?

 

I remember learning to play golf around about 12 years of age, and cycling with my golf clubs and bag on my back, at least 10 miles each way to a municipal course so we could learn. Can't imagine kids doing that nowaday's either.

[daveallan81]

Nicky Nicholson's website is worth a look http://glasgowcshistory.tripod.com/

[OveFundinFan]

Just to add, that village I lived in, Partington, has some history.

As me and my mates were doing the cycle speedway thing, another group of locals were doing there thing on big old motorbikes and destined to do much greater things.....

Peter Collins, Dave and Chris Morton (remember Chris's book When the Can Runs Dry), Dave Trownson, Andy Reid and others to follow ie the rest of the Collins clan.

Edited April 29, 2016 by Joe Hatton

[Gresham]

Found this video today...reminded me of this thread and when I was a kid...who'd have thought this was going on in Japan though...

 

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=japanese+speedway&&view=detail&mid=59E62418FD272D2B5D0E59E62418FD272D2B5D0E&FORM=VRDGAR

 

This is a good en for you older London lads ;-)

 

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=cycle+speedway&&view=detail&mid=665797DE8CAEEB2D56BA665797DE8CAEEB2D56BA&rvsmid=665797DE8CAEEB2D56BA665797DE8CAEEB2D56BA&fsscr=0&FORM=VDMCNL

Edited July 2, 2016 by Gresham

[Guest]

Here's another cycle speedway history Link which may be of interest:

 

http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/thread/1354/cycle-speedway-history-site

 

Sadly, the cycle speedway history Link mentioned in the above no longer seems to be active. It was really extensive. I believe the Link's founder passed away more than a year ago which may be why it can no longer- at least by myself - be found?

My fault "gustix" sorry and all that, an honest question " gustix" has speedway changed since Yesteryear in your view if so for the better or not.?

 

​I do apologise for the delay in responding to your Post Sidney the robin. The question you make is one that would need much careful consideration before making any response to. And I also know that were I to attempt this whatever I said would be subject to the usual derogatory comments from a certain section of the BSF membership.

Edited July 3, 2016 by Guest

[Guest]

Here's another cycle speedway history Link which may be of interest:

 

http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/thread/1354/cycle-speedway-history-site

 

Sadly, the cycle speedway history Link mentioned in the above no longer seems to be active. It was really extensive. I believe the Link's founder passed away more than a year ago which may be why it can no longer- at least by myself - be found?

 

 

I have received this email message from a friend who does not want a mention on the BSF in regard to the non-functioning cycle speedway website.

He writes: "Dave Huntley, founder of the website, passed away into 2015. As you say, the website is no more.

"A sad loss."

Edited July 3, 2016 by Guest

[Guest]

This is a forwarded message in regard to the loss of Dave Huntley's much-respected cycle speedway history website:

"he loss of the website is a dreadful happening for cycle speedway not only in London but nationally. "There were many photos, vital statistics and much more in regard to cycle speedway history.

"The word to describe the loss is irreplaceable. It is dreadful news for the sport, although at the same time we must pay belated respects to the late Dave Huntley.
"I am puzzled as to how a major website can just disappear. Is there not some way to recover it?
"How did it just collapse on the sad loss of Dave Huntley?
"Thank you Robin Richardson for your help in this matter."

[Guest]

For some years there was an excellent cycle speedway website carrying basically the history of the sport throughout Britain since its start in the post-war years circa 1945.

Sadly, its founder Dave Huntley passed away early in 2015 since when the website 'has disappeared'.

I have been asked by several people associated with cycle speedway to make inquiries as to whether it is possible to retrieve a website which "has been taken down."

I do recall that when something like this happened to a major speedway history website - about 10 years ago and, I think originating out of Italy (??) - or had a title including maybe the word 'Mars' - also 'vanished' that the general response was that once this happened to a site there was no formula to get back a 'lost website'. But things in technology have moved on since those days - hence this request.

[Guest]

This is the website Link to the 'lost' site mentioned in the preceding message:

www.cyclespeedwayhistory.org.uk/news.shtml

 

If you click on the Link it advises that the site cant be found. I posted it as an indication of what happens to searchers trying to now find the site.

Edited July 3, 2016 by Guest

[Guest]

 

Hi Gustix, copied below is a copy of "whois" and it refers to a Dave Hunting (not Huntley), states the site was set up on 11th May 2011 and last modified 5th May 2015. The allocation of the web address expires 11th May 2017.

All of that seems to tie in with what you state, he passed away early 2015 either he "pulled" the website down off the internet shortly before he died, or someone did it on his behalf. To pull a website down, or modify it, you have to have access to it via security passwords. For example, I have now retired but I have "live" websites because whilst I have notified the people I paid to produce the websites that I have retired, they have not acted on my behalf, and I dont know the access passwords.

I may be wrong, but the only ones who could reactivate the site are those who have the access details.

Come May 2017, when the registration to Dave Hunting expires the name "cyclespeedwayhistory" will be available to others to register for themselves and do what they wish with the name (not the content).

https://www.whoisxmlapi.com/?gclid=CPaX54Sg2c0CFe4y0wodmlsJKw&domainName=cyclespeedwayhistory.org.uk&outputFormat=xml

The above is the text of a message forwarded by Ove Fundin Fan on Monday, July 4, 2016, and currently to be seen in original format in BSF General Discussions as 'Lost Cycle Speedway Website.'.

Edited July 4, 2016 by Guest