Guest Posted January 14, 2019 Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 (edited) The sad loss of Workington today sparked a query in my mind. Since speedway aka dirt track racing started at King's Oak, High Beech, Epping, in February 1928, how many tracks have there been in Britain over the years? As an off-the -top-of-the-head starter (and I have NOT done an actual count) in London now barren to the sport it must be near to 25? On that figure I would estimate nationally the total would be in the early 100s! Edited January 14, 2019 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted January 14, 2019 Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 Don’t think Workington is in there yet,but this might be a good website to start the count? http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted January 14, 2019 Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 And this one will also help http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/teambyteam.html great website and good topic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andout Posted January 14, 2019 Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 ALDERSHOT Aldershot Sports Stadium ALDERSHOT Aldershot Stadium, Tongham AMMANFORD Ty-Gwaith Pony Trotting Track - MAY BE GRASS-TRACK ARENA ESSEX Arena Essex Raceway, Purfleet ARMADALE Armadale Stadium ASHINGTON Portland Park Stadium AUDENSHAW Ashton Old Road AYCLIFFE Aycliffe Stadium AYR Dam Park BARNET Mays Lane BARNSLEY Lundwood BARROW Little Park, Roose BARROW Holker St. BARROW Park Road Stadium BELLE VUE Zoological Gardens, Hyde Rd.. Manchester BELLE VUE Greyhound Stadium, Kirkmanshulme Lane, Gorton, Manch. BELLE VUE National Stadium BERWICK Berrington Lough Stadium, Ancroft BERWICK Shielfield Park BIRMINGHAM Motodrome Greet BIRMINGHAM Hall Green Greyhound Stadium BIRMINGHAM Alexander Sports Stadium, Perry Barr BIRMINGHAM Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium BIRMINGHAM Wheels Project, Bordesley Green BLACKPOOL Highfield Road Sports Ground BLACKPOOL South Shore Greyhound Stadium, St. Annes Road BOLTON Raikes Park BOSTON Boston Sports Stadium BOTHWELL Bothwell Park Farm BOURNEMOUTH Windsor Hall, Bournemouth International Centre. BRADFORD Fronby Avenue BRADFORD Shelf Moor BRADFORD Greenfield Stadium BRADFORD Odsal Stadium BRAFIELD Brafield Sports Stadium BRIGHTON Hove Stadium BRIGHTON Brighton Centre BRISTOL Knowle Stadium BRISTOL Eastville Stadium BURNLEY Towneley Stadium BUXTON Buxton Stadium BUXTON Buxton Raceway CAERPHILLY Virginia Park Stadium CALIFORNIA Longmoor Speedway CANTERBURY Kingsmead Stadium CARDIFF White City Stadium, Sloper Rd. CARDIFF Penarth Rd. Stadium CARDIFF Millenium Stadium CARLISLE Moorville Park, Kingmoor CARMARTHEN The Showground CASTLEFORD Whitwood Stadium CATFORD Catford Cricket Ground CATFORD Catford Greyhound Stadium CAXTON (near Cambridge) CHALTON ( near Horndean) Clapton See Lea Bridge COATBRIDGE Cliftonhill Stadium COVENTRY Coventry Stadium, Foleshill COVENTRY Brandon Stadium COWDENBEATH Central Park Stadium CRADLEY HEATH Dudley Wood Road CRAYFORD Crayford Stadium CREWE Sports Ground, Earle St. CRYSTAL PALACE Crystal Palace Exhibition Grounds, London DAGENHAM Ripple Road DONCASTER Greyhound Stadium, York Rd. Droyslden See Manchester EARLS BARTON Greyhound Stadium EASTBOURNE Arlington Stadium EASTBOURNE Arlington Stadium Traininjg Track EDINBURGH Marine Gardens, Portobello EDINBURGH Old Meadowbank Stadium EDINBURGH Powderhall Stadium ELLESMERE PORT Thornton Road Stadium EXETER Exwick Fields (single event 21 05 45) EXETER Marsh Barton Stadium, Alphington EXETER County Ground Stadium FARINGDON Faringdon Raceway FELTON (Near Amble, Northumberland) FLEETWOOD Highbury Ave. Sports Stadium GLASGOW Celtic Park GLASGOW Carntyne Greyhound Stadium GLASGOW Nelson Athletic Grounds GLASGOW White City Stadium GLASGOW Hampden Park GLASGOW Blantyre Sports Stadium, Blantyre GLASGOW Craighead Park, Blantyre GLASGOW Shawfield Stadium GLASGOW Ashfield Stadium GREENFORD Greenford Driving Park HACKNEY Hackney Wick Greyhound Stadium, London HALIFAX Thrum Hall Cricket Ground HALIFAX The Shay Grounds HAMILTON Hamilton Showgounds ( 1948-51 ) HARRINGAY Harringay Greyhound Stadium HASTINGS Pilot Field Stadium HEVINGHAM Norwich Raceway, HIGH BEECH Kings Oak HIGHBRIDGE Oak Tree Arena (Somerset) HOLBEACH Bell End Speedway HOUNSLOW Staines Road HUDDERSFIELD Quarmby Stadium HULL White City Stadium HULL Hedon Stadium, Hedon HULL Boulevard Stadium HULL New Craven Park Stadium IPSWICH Foxhall Heath Stadium IPSWICH Foxhall Heath Stadium (new track inside stock car circuit) KETTERING Red House Speedway, Hannington IWADE Marshbank Farm KING'S LYNN Norfolk Arena LEA BRIDGE Lea Bridge Stadium, London LEEDS Post Hill Speedway, Pudsey LEEDS Morley LEEDS Leeds Stadium, Fullerton Park LEICESTER Leicester Super LEICESTER The Stadium, Blackbird Road LEICESTER Beaumont Park Lathallen See Linlithgow LINLITHGOW Heathersfield Stadium (1989-90) LIVERPOOL Seaforth Greyhound Stadium LIVERPOOL Stanley Stadium LONG EATON Long Eaton Stadium LOWESTOFT Kessingland Road LUTON Luton Greyhound Stadium LYDD Belgar Farm MANCHESTER White City Greyhound Stadium, Old Trafford MANCHESTER Moorside Stadium, Droylsden MANSFIELD Park Hall MARCH GER Sports Club MELTON MOWBRAY Melton Greyhound Stadium MIDDLESBROUGH Cleveland Park Stadium MILDENHALL Mildenhall Stadium, West Row Fen MILDENHALL Training track, Mildenhall Stadium, West Row Fen MILTON KEYNES Groveway Greyhound Stadium (1978-88) MILTON KEYNES Elfield Park Stadium MOTHERWELL Paragon Speedway, Clyde Valley Sports Ground MOTHERWELL The Stadium, Milton Street MOTHERWELL The Stadium, Milton Street. (New track inside stock car track) NEATH Neath Abbey Stadium NELSON Seedhill Stadium NEW BRIGHTON The Tower Ground NEW CROSS New Cross Stadium, London NEWCASTLE Gosforth Park NEWCASTLE Brough Park Greyhound Stadium, Fossway NEWMARKET Newmarket Road Dog Track NEWPORT Somerton Park NEWPORT Hayley Stadium, Queensway Meadows NEWTON HEATH Newton Heath Training Track, Williams Road NEWTONGRANGE Victoria Park Stadium ( 1950-51, 1970 ) NORTHAMPTON Hannington NORTHAMPTON Northampton Greyhound Stadium NORWICH Firs Stadium NOTTINGHAM White City Stadium, Trent Lane NOTTINGHAM Highfields ( grass track with sand on the bends) OXFORD Cowley Stadium PAISLEY Love Street PETERBOROUGH Eastfield Speed Park PETERBOROUGH East of England Showground PLYMOUTH Pennycross Stadium PLYMOUTH St. Boniface Arena PONYTPRIDD Taff Vale Park POOLE Poole Stadium, Wimborne Road PORTSMOUTH Wessex Stadium, Copnor Gardens PORTSMOUTH Portsmouth Greyhound & Sports Stadium, Tipnor PRESTON Farringdon Park RAYLEIGH Rayleigh Stadium, Laindon RAYLEIGH Rayleigh Weir Stadium (1948-57,59-61,63-65) READING Reading Greyhound Stadium, Tilehurst READING Smallmead Stadium READING Reading Training Track, Smallmead REDCAR South Tees Motorsports Track RINGWOOD Matchams Park (at rear of later stadium) RINGWOOD Matchams Park RINGWOOD Matchams Park (smaller track inside the stock car track) ROCHDALE Athletic Grounds ROCHESTER City Way Stadium ROMFORD Brooklands Stadium ROTHERHAM Greyhound Stadium, Hellaby RYDE Smallbrook Stadium, Isle of Wight RYE HOUSE Hoddesdon Stadium (Outside Greyhound track) RYE HOUSE Hoddesdon Stadium (Inside Greyhound track) RYE HOUSE Rye House Stadium, Hoddesdon SALFORD Salford Albion Stadium, Cromwell Rd. SCUNTHORPE Quibell Park Stadium SCUNTHORPE Ashby Ville Stadium, Ashby SCUNTHORPE Normanby Road Seaforth See Seaforth Greyhound Stadium, Liverpool SHEFFIELD Owlerton Sports Stadium SHEFFIELD Sheffield Training Track, Owlerton SITTINGBOURNE Marshbank Farm, Iwade - SEE IWADE SITTINGBOURNE Central Park SKEGNESS Skegness Stadium, Marsh Lane, Orby. SMALLFORD Smallford Speedway, Hatfield Rd, near St. Albans SOUTHAMPTON The Stadium, Banister Court ST. AUSTELL Cornish Stadium, Par Moor ST. AUSTELL Clay Country Moto Park, Nanpean STAINES Staines Greyhound Stadium STAINFORTH Stainforth Greyhound Stadium STAMFORD BRIDGE Stamford Bridge Stadium, London STOCKPORT Hazel Grove Greyhound Stadium, Hazel Grove STOKE Hanley Stadium, Sun Street STOKE Newcastle-Under-Lyme Stadium, Loomer Rd., Chesterton SUNDERLAND Sunderland Greyhound Stadium, East Boldon SWINDON Swindon Autodrome, Gorse Hill SWINDON Abbey Stadium, Blunsdon TAMWORTH Mile Oak Speedway, Mile Oak TAMWORTH Deer Park, Watling St., Fazely THORNE Thorne Stadium TRAGO Trago Stadium, Bodmin TREDEGAR Recreation Ground WALTHAMSTOW Walthamstow Stadium, London WARRINGTON Arpley Motordrome WEMBLEY Empire Stadium, London WEST HAM Custom House Stadium, London WEYMOUTH Wessex Stadium WEYMOUTH Wessex Stadium (Behind original stadium around football practice pitch) WHITE CITY White City Stadium, London WHITLEY BAY Hillheads WIGAN Greyhound & Sports Stadium, Woodhouse Lane WIGAN Poolstock Stadium WIMBLEDON Wimbledon Stadium WIMBLEDON Wimbledon Stadium (New track built inside the original) WOLVERHAMPTON Monmore Green Stadium, Monmore Green WOMBWELL Ings Road Stadium, Low Valley WOMBWELL South Yorkshire Sports Stadium WORKINGTON Lonsdale Park WORKINGTON Derwent Park Stadium WORKINGTON Northside Arena YARMOUTH Yarmouth Stadium, Caister-on-Sea YORK There you go, maybe not all but pretty close 225 or more! Burnholme Estate, Heworth 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 14, 2019 Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 (edited) Going on the excellent list of 225 supplied by andout my calculations are that from 1928 to the present year makes for 91 years. Deleting six years for WW2 between 1939-45 from speedway's start in 1928 to date makes for a potential 85 active seasons. This gives an approximate average of three lost tracks each season. The major question as I see it is can that be an acceptable figure in regard to lost tracks/clubs for any sport to sustain? Edited January 14, 2019 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted January 14, 2019 Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 10 minutes ago, gustix said: Going on the excellent list of 225 supplied by andout my calculations are that from 1928 to the present year makes for 91 years. Deleting six years for WW2 between 1939-45 from speedway's start in 1928 to date makes for a potential 85 active seasons. This gives an approximate average of three lost tracks each season. The major question as I see it is can that be an acceptable figure in regard to lost tracks/clubs for any sport to sustain? The sport still survives.So I guess that answers your question to some extent.You should also take into consideration the early boom years,were exploitation years,with track numbers that could never be sustained for any period of time.Even the amount of race nights of 2 meetings per week at some tracks couldn't be sustained for long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest compost Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) Wasn't there a training track at Chiswick ? I've come across reports of speedway at Taunton (not the current stock car track) though I haven't been able to investigate to confirm yet (circa 1939). Didn't they hold noise tests at Swansea Greyhound stadium (just before the second ewport track opened) - does that count ? Was Wisbech grass only ? On the Speedway Researcher website is a pdf of book titled 'Eastern Speedway'. This lists a number of venues in Norfolk that held the odd Speedway (and Grasstrack) meeting. Oulton Broad (Lowestoft Rd), Bradwell (Doles Meadow), Lowestoft (Crown Meadow), Fakenham &, possibly, Downham Market. Edited January 15, 2019 by compost Typo corrected Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 13 minutes ago, compost said: On the Speedway Researcher website is a pdf of book titled 'Eastern Speedway'. This lists a number of venues in Norfolk that held the odd Speedway (and Grasstrack) meeting. Oulton Broad (Lowestoft Rd), Bradwell (Doles Meadow), Lowestoft (Crown Meadow), Fakenham &, possibly, Downham Market. A meeting was held on 9 April 1932 at Oulton Broad (Lowestoft Road), Eleven meetings were held at Doles Meadow, Bradwell. A meeting was held on 13 August 1932 at Crown Meadow, Lowestoft, One meeting at Downham Market on 14 July 1932 and two at Fakenham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) In 1947, nine meetings were held on a track in ELSTREE. The first meeting, held on 10 August, included Freddie Williams, Bill Kitchen, Cyril Brine and Tiger Hart. Edited January 15, 2019 by norbold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) 42 minutes ago, norbold said: In 1947, nine meetings were held on a track in ELSTREE. The first meeting, held on 10 August, included Freddie Williams, Bill Kitchen, Cyril Brine and Tiger Hart. ELSTREE. Opened August 10 1947. Closed October 1947. Address: Elstree, Herts. DEFUNCT SPEEDWAY TRACKS ELSTREE, HERTS. Nine meetings took place on a track which had been prepared by a local farmer pouring oil on to a grassy field. The only covered accommodation was a canvas marquee which served as a dressing room and everything else. The first meeting was held on 10 August and included Freddie Williams, Bill Kitchen, Cyril Brine, Tiger Hart, Bob Wells and Roy Craighead. All nine meetings were refereed by Arthur Humphries. Although speedway did not return the following season, or ever again come to that, the meetings were well attended and had sideshows such as beauty contests and knobbly knees competitions. Edited January 15, 2019 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 26 minutes ago, gustix said: ELSTREE. Opened August 10 1947. Closed October 1947. Address: Elstree, Herts. DEFUNCT SPEEDWAY TRACKS ELSTREE, HERTS. Nine meetings took place on a track which had been prepared by a local farmer pouring oil on to a grassy field. The only covered accommodation was a canvas marquee which served as a dressing room and everything else. The first meeting was held on 10 August and included Freddie Williams, Bill Kitchen, Cyril Brine, Tiger Hart, Bob Wells and Roy Craighead. All nine meetings were refereed by Arthur Humphries. Although speedway did not return the following season, or ever again come to that, the meetings were well attended and had sideshows such as beauty contests and knobbly knees competitions. That looks familiar. I wonder who wrote that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racers and royals Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 21 minutes ago, norbold said: That looks familiar. I wonder who wrote that... Just as well Norman Jacobs doesn`t post on here- he would have got really upset if his work wasn`t referenced 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Reddy Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 3 hours ago, compost said: I've come across reports of speedway at Taunton (not the current stock car track) though I haven't been able to investigate to confirm yet (circa 1939). Grass track speedway was staged at Halcon Corner, Taunton, including team matches in 1939 against Holbeach and Cannfield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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