Ovalman Posted March 7, 2019 Report Share Posted March 7, 2019 On 3/5/2019 at 8:14 PM, Tsunami said: I was only there once in 1963(it's last year but I didn't realise that at the time). I loved it and the racing was great. It didn't ride like a circle like Somerset, but could be ridden very fast for a small track, I would image it could be ridden by big and small track riders alike. I suppose a bit like Mildenhall. Without being racist and controversial, it was a big shock for me and my mate visiting New Cross and seeing everyone coloured until we went into the Post Office and got serve by a white guy. It was a shock and eyeopener for someone who comes from Newcastle/North East and had never seen that before at home. Cramlington was full of black faces when the pits were there! Went to see a Millwall game 4 months ago, New Cross has big ethnic population, but very few in the New Den. Most of the white faces have moved to Kent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted March 8, 2019 Report Share Posted March 8, 2019 18 hours ago, auntie doris said: Cramlington was full of black faces when the pits were there! Went to see a Millwall game 4 months ago, New Cross has big ethnic population, but very few in the New Den. Most of the white faces have moved to Kent. Most real Londoners have fled the nest, me included. I still work in the smoke, but i hate the place. Now Rye and Lakeside have gone, ill be there even less. Although i still travel in to watch the gooners, which is more pain than pleasure these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted March 8, 2019 Report Share Posted March 8, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, cityrebel said: Most real Londoners have fled the nest, me included. I still work in the smoke, but i hate the place. Now Rye and Lakeside have gone, ill be there even less. Although i still travel in to watch the gooners, which is more pain than pleasure these days. Left souf-east London for Swindon in1967, used to go back in the 70s to watch The Arsenal. Over a million Londoners left to settle in the 50 overspill expanded/new towns, plus the few million others, mainly working class.Peckham has been part gentrified, so locals are priced out. Couldn't live there now meself, too noisy, fast, and crime ridden. Used to watch New Cross Wimbledon Ackney Wet Spam but now probably Kent and Eastbourne are nearest to the capital with no Rye or Lakeside. Edited March 8, 2019 by auntie doris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Doctor... Posted March 8, 2019 Report Share Posted March 8, 2019 3 hours ago, auntie doris said: Left souf-east London for Swindon in1967, used to go back in the 70s to watch The Arsenal. Over a million Londoners left to settle in the 50 overspill expanded/new towns, plus the few million others, mainly working class.Peckham has been part gentrified, so locals are priced out. Couldn't live there now meself, too noisy, fast, and crime ridden. Used to watch New Cross Wimbledon Ackney Wet Spam but now probably Kent and Eastbourne are nearest to the capital with no Rye or Lakeside. I'm in Gustix territory a bit south of Peckham but totally agree. South of the river is either gentrified or the other extreme and is no place to grow old i think. I definitely plan to visit Eastbourne as much as i can this season. Only an hour and a bit down there from here i reckon and not been there in years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted March 9, 2019 Report Share Posted March 9, 2019 8 hours ago, The Doctor... said: I'm in Gustix territory a bit south of Peckham but totally agree. South of the river is either gentrified or the other extreme and is no place to grow old i think. I definitely plan to visit Eastbourne as much as i can this season. Only an hour and a bit down there from here i reckon and not been there in years. I was born and bred in south west London. When the local eateries start putting tables and chairs on the pavement you know things are changing. The vast majority of my meetings next season will be at Eastbourne, Kent and the IOW. My trips north of the river will be few and far between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted March 9, 2019 Report Share Posted March 9, 2019 (edited) 15 hours ago, The Doctor... said: I'm in Gustix territory a bit south of Peckham but totally agree. South of the river is either gentrified or the other extreme and is no place to grow old i think. I definitely plan to visit Eastbourne as much as i can this season. Only an hour and a bit down there from here i reckon and not been there in years. South of Peckham...Dulwich very expensive, Sydenham, Crystal Palace.If I was a millionaire would live in Richmond upon Thames.Swindon property prices are half of London, even about half of Oxford and Reading both 30/40 miles away. Edited March 9, 2019 by auntie doris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted March 9, 2019 Report Share Posted March 9, 2019 (edited) Probably 50-50 with my family.My sister still lives very central in Lambeth Walk and my parents in Merton and a lot of my family still live in Wandsworth.Some though live further afield near Southampton or Bedford and my Auntie live in Kings Lynn Of all places.Lost Touch with others who lived in Bermondsey and Walthamstow , so no idea if any still live there Edited March 9, 2019 by iris123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted March 9, 2019 Report Share Posted March 9, 2019 Can remember that last meeting at New Cross in 63. Stevens won last heat, Squibbo last to cross line. A loss to Poole. My fav was Penniket, number 5. Reg and Eddie Reeves, father and son, Lukehurst, Dugard, Squibbo was the top man. No idea what the crowd numbers were? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted March 10, 2019 Report Share Posted March 10, 2019 18 hours ago, auntie doris said: Can remember that last meeting at New Cross in 63. Stevens won last heat, Squibbo last to cross line. A loss to Poole. My fav was Penniket, number 5. Reg and Eddie Reeves, father and son, Lukehurst, Dugard, Squibbo was the top man. No idea what the crowd numbers were? Probably good by todays standards. In West Ham's last top flight season, attendances averaged 3000. A figure that was considered a disaster at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted March 10, 2019 Report Share Posted March 10, 2019 2 hours ago, cityrebel said: Probably good by todays standards. In West Ham's last top flight season, attendances averaged 3000. A figure that was considered a disaster at the time. Now Swindon only average about half that, and are one of speedway best supported clubs. 3000 at The Abbey is a fantastic crowd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted March 10, 2019 Report Share Posted March 10, 2019 On 3/6/2019 at 1:33 AM, norbold said: Stop it - it's bringing tears to my eyes! I saw my first speedway meeting at New Cross on 11 May 1960. Ove Fundin scored an 18 point maximum and Aub Lawson 16 paid 17 for Norwich but New Cross won and Jimmy Gooch was our hero as he managed to beat Lawson in one race. After that first meeting I was a regular there till it finally closed in 1963. The days of Split Waterman, Barry Briggs, Eric Williams, Jimmy Gooch, Leo McAuliffe, Reg Luckhurst, Doug Davies, Tommy Sweetman, Jimmy Squibb, Reg Reeves, Bob Dugard, Stan Stevens.....oh dear, I've got myself going now... Although Briggo was, of course, top man in 1960, he didn't cope with it as well as some others, Sidney, and I think, from memory, it was his worst year for many years averagewise. The real master of New Cross was Ove Fundin, who was almost unbeatable at the Frying Pan except for the memorable night when Split Waterman beat him three times. Another rider who was a real master of the track was Jack Young. And, iris, I think the name the Frying Pan was coined for the track rather than any pre-existing feature. As I think I've mentioned before, I also saw my first speedway meeting at New Cross in 1960 but only at the end of the season so Norbold beat me by a few months. I saw most of the meetings in '61 though when Gooch, McAuliffe and Luckhurst were the second strings. They all went on to become world finalists by which time I think the heat leaders (Waterman, Davies and Williams) had all retired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andout Posted March 10, 2019 Report Share Posted March 10, 2019 OK, so I'll chime in now.....I also saw my first Speedway meeting at New Cross in 1959, went to most meetings in 1960, 61 and 63 before following West Ham in 1964 until their close in 1972. Just as a side note, also saw West Ham in the two meetings in Holland before the disaster in 1970. Back to NX.....great little track.....wish it were still there! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted March 11, 2019 Report Share Posted March 11, 2019 14 hours ago, andout said: OK, so I'll chime in now.....I also saw my first Speedway meeting at New Cross in 1959, went to most meetings in 1960, 61 and 63 before following West Ham in 1964 until their close in 1972. Just as a side note, also saw West Ham in the two meetings in Holland before the disaster in 1970. Back to NX.....great little track.....wish it were still there! Pretty impressive. I went the the Lokeren memorial meeting on that sunny sunday all those years ago. Sometimes i wish you could bottle those moments in time and visit them again! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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