Gresham Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 ...anyone ever made one? I was reminded of this when posting in the 'Skid Kidz' thread. As kids...when we weren't pretending to be Speedway riders on our cycles, if it was too wet to go out, we would hold speedway meetings and have a league running, in our respective houses after school. We collected the Britain's scale model Speedway riders and painted them into our favourite riders for our own teams. Our tracks were made from hardboard and usually kept under our beds. The track was chalked out, and model dust used for the track and centre green. It was glued down, but a little was left on top to add depth and realism. We built pits, bastardising model buildings, cardboard, paint and glue. We used Subbuteo terracing for the stands. Plus we used the Subbuteo floodlights for that night time glow. We marked the inner kerbs with small numbers. A dice would be rolled to move around the track. Heat leaders would have the dice number rolled plus 1 added. Numbers 2 and 4 would have the same every alternate throw. Numbers 6 and 7 would have 1 deducted from the number rolled, every second throw. It surprisingly gave realistic results. We would race only two laps as otherwise it would take too long. We kept programmes of each meeting in school books. Updated leagues, and worked out averages after each meeting. We each had our own team names...mine was Sunningdale Wildcats. We painted our race jackets on the riders. Mine was the same as Hull Vikings, but instead of a Viking head it had a big black 'W'. Great times...many fun hours spent. Can imagine replicating this again in my Retirement years...long way off yet. Anyone else done anything similar? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 (edited) ...anyone ever made one? I was reminded of this when posting in the 'Skid Kidz' thread. As kids...when we weren't pretending to be Speedway riders on our cycles, if it was too wet to go out, we would hold speedway meetings and have a league running, in our respective houses after school. We collected the Britain's scale model Speedway riders and painted them into our favourite riders for our own teams. Our tracks were made from hardboard and usually kept under our beds. The track was chalked out, and model dust used for the track and centre green. It was glued down, but a little was left on top to add depth and realism. We built pits, bastardising model buildings, cardboard, paint and glue. We used Subbuteo terracing for the stands. Plus we used the Subbuteo floodlights for that night time glow. We marked the inner kerbs with small numbers. A dice would be rolled to move around the track. Heat leaders would have the dice number rolled plus 1 added. Numbers 2 and 4 would have the same every alternate throw. Numbers 6 and 7 would have 1 deducted from the number rolled, every second throw. It surprisingly gave realistic results. We would race only two laps as otherwise it would take too long. We kept programmes of each meeting in school books. Updated leagues, and worked out averages after each meeting. We each had our own team names...mine was Sunningdale Wildcats. We painted our race jackets on the riders. Mine was the same as Hull Vikings, but instead of a Viking head it had a big black 'W'. Great times...many fun hours spent. Can imagine replicating this again in my Retirement years...long way off yet. Anyone else done anything similar? Now your talking...my territory totally! A group of us formed leagues running from 1972-77 (my chosen teams were Wimbledon and Ipswich...big brother got in first re Oxford!) We painted the Britain's riders (in great detail it has to be said - including adapting full face helmets) and adapted the bikes with spoilers etc and each created different tracks (occasionally with working exclusion lights etc) some which had board fences others with spring loaded mesh varieties. Sometimes we would sprinkle loose effect shale and grade in between races. Working starting gates with tapes. We adapted buildings creating pits, stands (often using scalextric buildings) and adapted airfix kit cars with trailers and racks for the bikes. Taped music would play and some of us even printed our own programmes! Worked out the averages for each team...even ran a World Championship one year and a World League Tournament based on the 1973 Daily Mirror Tournament. Great memories and wonderful times spent in my mis-spent youth! Great thread Gresham!! Edited May 5, 2016 by steve roberts 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gresham Posted May 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 Now your talking...my territory totally! A group of us formed leagues running from 1972-77 (my chosen teams were Wimbledon and Ipswich...big brother got in first re Oxford!) We painted the Britain's riders (in great detail it has to be said - including adapting full face helmets) and adapted the bikes with spoilers etc and each created different tracks (occasionally with working exclusion lights etc) some which had board fences others with spring loaded mesh varieties. Sometimes we would sprinkle loose effect shale and grade in between races. Working starting gates with tapes. We adapted buildings creating pits, stands (often using scalextric buildings) and adapted airfix kit cars with trailers and racks for the bikes. Taped music would play and some of us even printed our own programmes! Worked out the averages for each team...even ran a World Championship one year and a World League Tournament based on the 1973 Daily Mirror Tournament. Great memories and wonderful times spent in my mis-spent youth! Great thread Gresham!! You had working starting gate and exclusion lights!!!! Awesome...how did your tapes work? Mine just had the gate marked out and tapes (white cotton) permanently up :-( Did have white card fence on corners and wire meshing down straights though :-) I forgot about the cars and tractors we had too...we adapted a grader for between races haha ;-) I'm sure my father has still got my books with all the results in somewhere. I'll have to search for them next time I'm around his. Just looked on ebay. They have exact reproduction copies of the riders, made from the same moulds for sale...now that's worth knowing. Can see the paint brushes coming out in the future haha ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 (edited) You had working starting gate and exclusion lights!!!! Awesome...how did your tapes work? Mine just had the gate marked out and tapes (white cotton) permanently up :-( Did have white card fence on corners and wire meshing down straights though :-) I forgot about the cars and tractors we had too...we adapted a grader for between races haha ;-) I'm sure my father has still got my books with all the results in somewhere. I'll have to search for them next time I'm around his. Just looked on ebay. They have exact reproduction copies of the riders, made from the same moulds for sale...now that's worth knowing. Can see the paint brushes coming out in the future haha ;-) The tapes using weights (can't remember how exactly now) but the lights were powered by batteries! Even moulded our own helmet colours! Watered the track also...! Edited May 5, 2016 by steve roberts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gresham Posted May 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 The tapes using weights (can't remember how exactly now) but the lights were powered by batteries! Even moulded our own helmet colours! Watered the track also...! Haha...that's brilliant. Just found the last team I ever painted...took a few snaps. I'd like to post a link to them, but for some reason this forum won't allow me to copy and paste a link. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 (edited) Haha...that's brilliant. Just found the last team I ever painted...took a few snaps. I'd like to post a link to them, but for some reason this forum won't allow me to copy and paste a link. It would be great to see some of the snaps! Would you be able to send some images via my email account if I was to forward my address privately? Unfortunately I no longer have any of my models having got rid of them many years ago...to my now dismay! I used to paint in enamels (my brother used acrylic paint) and would paint them accurately based on the particular riders leathers. Goggles, steel shoes you name it! There was a game (Speedway Scene I think?) that had rules but we adopted our own using distance cards, as we called them, depending on the dice thrown. We had injury status rules...all very complex and I even remember holding some of the riders over a candle so as to re-create certain styles of particular riders. We even cut a section out of the torso of a model to shorten the rider's stature! By the way my younger brother had teams King's Lynn, Coatbridge, Hull, Wolves and Bristol during different stages...a perfect replica of Steve Gresham no less!! Edited May 5, 2016 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gresham Posted May 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 It would be great to see some of the snaps! Would you be able to send some images via my email account if I was to forward my address privately? Unfortunately I no longer have any of my models having got rid of them many years ago...to my now dismay! I used to paint in enamels (my brother used acrylic paint) and would paint them accurately based on the particular riders leathers. Goggles, steel shoes you name it! There was a game (Speedway Scene I think?) that had rules but we adopted our own using distance cards, as we called them, depending on the dice thrown. We had injury status rules...all very complex and I even remember holding some of the riders over a candle so as to re-create certain styles of particular riders. We even cut a section out of the torso of a model to shorten the rider's stature! By the way my younger brother had teams King's Lynn, Coatbridge, Hull, Wolves and Bristol during different stages...a perfect replica of Steve Gresham no less!! Sounds like kindred spirits. We did similar. Seemed like I was signing new riders nearly every other weak and painting up the new signings. I also used enamels...I think acrylic might have been easier and less messy. Would love to have seen Gresham...although I did a few myself. PM me your email and I'll send some pics ;-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 Sounds like kindred spirits. We did similar. Seemed like I was signing new riders nearly every other weak and painting up the new signings. I also used enamels...I think acrylic might have been easier and less messy. Would love to have seen Gresham...although I did a few myself. PM me your email and I'll send some pics ;-) Email sent via PM...looking forward in seeing them! The first year we 'operated' we signed whoever we liked (no such thing as points limits and/or rider control in our make believe world!) but we did tighten the rules the following year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reviresco Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 Not sure if this exactly what you meant, Gresh, but I posted about the efforts a set of fans had made to build a model track on the 'Swindon New Era' thread, at the end of January: http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=80463&p=2739214 Or direct link to the story here: http://www.readingspeedway.com/news.php?extend.1751 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 Not sure if this exactly what you meant, Gresh, but I posted about the efforts a set of fans had made to build a model track on the 'Swindon New Era' thread, at the end of January: http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=80463&p=2739214 Or direct link to the story here: http://www.readingspeedway.com/news.php?extend.1751 Brilliant image...wish that I had taken some photos of my efforts but I'm talking over forty years ago now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reviresco Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 (edited) Brilliant image...wish that I had taken some photos of my efforts but I'm talking over forty years ago now! Isn't it just? Finding this led me to discover that there is a world of lego stadia replica out there, and that lego does a range of sports stadia sets including this little beauty advertised on ebay at $5,995: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lego-sports-NBA-Arena-stadium-mechanic-display-exclusive-/171826369738?hash=item2801a654ca:g:myQAAOSwv0tVfhIW And if you simply Google 'lego sports stadia images' you find a treasure trove of amazing replica builds: https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A9mSs3HGNixXVGEACtpLBQx.;_ylu=X3oDMTByZmVxM3N0BGNvbG8DaXIyBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=Lego+Sports+Stadia&fr=mcafee And the story here of a guy who turned his hobby into a business: http://www.guysgirl.com/sports-news/sports/custom-lego-stadiums-18300 I never had the patience to do anything like that, so respect from me for anyone who has ever produced something like this. Maybe you should consider putting together a replica of Cowley in the colourful little Danish inter-locking building blocks, Steve...? Edited May 6, 2016 by macca56 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 (edited) Isn't it just? Finding this led me to discover that there is a world of lego stadia replica out there, and that lego does a range of sports stadia sets including this little beauty advertised on ebay at $5,995: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lego-sports-NBA-Arena-stadium-mechanic-display-exclusive-/171826369738?hash=item2801a654ca:g:myQAAOSwv0tVfhIW And if you simply Google 'lego sports stadia images' you find a treasure trove of amazing replica builds: https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A9mSs3HGNixXVGEACtpLBQx.;_ylu=X3oDMTByZmVxM3N0BGNvbG8DaXIyBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=Lego+Sports+Stadia&fr=mcafee And the story here of a guy who turned his hobby into a business: http://www.guysgirl.com/sports-news/sports/custom-lego-stadiums-18300 I never had the patience to do anything like that, so respect from me for anyone who has ever produced something like this. Maybe you should consider putting together a replica of Cowley in the colourful little Danish inter-locking building blocks, Steve...? Great images! In the latest 'Classic' magazine there are images of both Hyde Road (Belle Vue) and Custom House (West Ham) that were scratch built by enthusiasts. Edited May 6, 2016 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gresham Posted May 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 (edited) If you want model Stadium, google 'Subbuteo' stadiums. This one is a cracker... http://vecchiostamposito.altervista.org/blog/subbuteo-park/ The lego one's are nice, but very childlike...the one I had was more like the scratch built one's as shown in the classic speedway mag. Like Steve said...wish I'd taken photos of mine too...it ended up dumped somewhere when I found girls and beer :-) Edited May 6, 2016 by Gresham 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 My last track incarnation I gave to Peter Hill (brother of Leon - editor of the Oxford programme) when I needed to de-clutter! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reviresco Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 (edited) Great images! In the latest 'Classic' magazine there are images of both Hyde Road (Belle Vue) and Custom House (West Ham) that were scratch built by enthusiasts. I was lucky enough to have seen speedway at both those great stadia and, was at the last ever meeting at Custom House in '72. Like Steve said...wish I'd taken photos of mine too...it ended up dumped somewhere when I found girls and beer :-) Brilliant, Girls and Beer - how much money have I spent chasing and trying to enjoy both, but as two divorces, no current partner and a big belly testifies, I only found success with one of the two. Edited May 6, 2016 by macca56 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van wolfswinkel Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 I was lucky enough to have seen speedway at both those great stadia and, was at the last ever meeting at Custom House in '72. Brilliant, Girls and Beer - how much money have I spent chasing and trying to enjoy both, but as two divorces, no current partner and a big belly testifies, I only found success with one of the two. Never give up son...just find someone with an equally big belly, like wot I did. Only the other day I was at the gym and said to the trainer "Which machine do I need to use to impress that lass over there?. He replied "Try the cash-machine outside the door you fat sod". As long as someone has two arms and two legs you're in with a chance...don't have to have own teeth and hair at that age. And you get discounted meals and travel when 60...it's great. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 Never give up son...just find someone with an equally big belly, like wot I did. Only the other day I was at the gym and said to the trainer "Which machine do I need to use to impress that lass over there?. He replied "Try the cash-machine outside the door you fat sod". As long as someone has two arms and two legs you're in with a chance...don't have to have own teeth and hair at that age. And you get discounted meals and travel when 60...it's great. Great post! Perhaps I should be careful who I agree with in case I'm brushed with belonging to a clique on here...as has been suggested elsewhere! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reviresco Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 Never give up son...just find someone with an equally big belly, like wot I did. Only the other day I was at the gym and said to the trainer "Which machine do I need to use to impress that lass over there?. He replied "Try the cash-machine outside the door you fat sod". As long as someone has two arms and two legs you're in with a chance...don't have to have own teeth and hair at that age. And you get discounted meals and travel when 60...it's great. Thank You. That's one of the best posts that I have ever read on here. Tears are literally rolling down my chins, as I laugh my follicly challenged head right off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van wolfswinkel Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 Thank You. That's one of the best posts that I have ever read on here. Tears are literally rolling down my chins, as I laugh my follicly challenged head right off. At least you save money by avoiding the barbers . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reviresco Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 At least you save money by avoiding the barbers . Indeed, must be at least ten years since I opened a barber's door. Talking of doors, my stomach has opened a few doors for me, so not all bad. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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