Ovalman Posted October 9, 2019 Report Share Posted October 9, 2019 Was in the city the other day at Kingsmead..remember the Kent team riding there late 60s 70s. I think Wally Mawdsley promoted there. They rode in blue yellow sabres. Any more info..cheers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted October 9, 2019 Report Share Posted October 9, 2019 2 hours ago, auntie doris said: Was in the city the other day at Kingsmead..remember the Kent team riding there late 60s 70s. I think Wally Mawdsley promoted there. They rode in blue yellow sabres. Any more info..cheers? And into the 80's... I went there many times. Big open track, and they served the hottest tea on the planet! Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted October 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2019 (edited) Was it on the now Sainsbury's site? The taxi driver was too young to remember It! Edited October 9, 2019 by auntie doris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadster Posted October 9, 2019 Report Share Posted October 9, 2019 Went there in the first season (1968) for a challenge match (remember them?) against Reading for the Kent-Berks Trophy, obviously a name that has stuck in my memory for 50 years. There was an odd incident in the second half when a young second halfer went out for his first ride before the previous race had quite finished, went the wrong way round the track and met the finishers as they were winding down coming off the second bend. Caused quite a commotion.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted October 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2019 Tilehurst... another old site passed on the mainline train. Miss the old Swindon-Reading-Oxford derbies.And Newport and Bristol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Downes Posted October 10, 2019 Report Share Posted October 10, 2019 used to love going to see the Kestrels generally lose (Crayford version) / win (Hackney version) at Kingsmead ... nice blast down the M2/A2 on the bike, 7:00 p.m. start and an early finish which meant you could get back home to Sidcup in time for last orders! I remember that most of the junior races were over three laps ... Also remember being much amused one evening by Jamie Luckhurst riding into the back of the tractor and watching his bike being dragged around the third bend by the grading machine 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 10, 2019 Report Share Posted October 10, 2019 I first saw Birmingham there in 1973. I think i went to about 60 odd meetings there up until their final season in 1987. A big track, too narrow to produce really good racing, although Barney Kennett always seemed to find the room to move his opponents off the white line to get past!. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted October 11, 2019 Report Share Posted October 11, 2019 Visited once in 1983 when the visitors were Newcastle. As has been suggested the track appeared somewhat narrow in my opinion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June01 Posted October 13, 2019 Report Share Posted October 13, 2019 (edited) On 10/9/2019 at 6:37 PM, auntie doris said: Was it on the now Sainsbury's site? The taxi driver was too young to remember It! No, opposite. The old track is now a housing estate. Closed in 1987. Edited October 13, 2019 by June01 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted October 13, 2019 Report Share Posted October 13, 2019 Our cycle speedway team Cowley "Crusaders" adopted the Canterbury race jacket except with a red background. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racers and royals Posted October 13, 2019 Report Share Posted October 13, 2019 Take a look and re-kindle some memories 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted October 13, 2019 Report Share Posted October 13, 2019 On 10/9/2019 at 1:37 PM, auntie doris said: Was it on the now Sainsbury's site? The taxi driver was too young to remember It! If you find the Kingsmead Car Park opposite Sainsbury's, and look across to the other side of the river, there is a curved housing terrace on Westwood Drive. That would have been on the centre green. The treeline on the south side of the park area opposite was where the stand and starting gate was. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehone Posted October 13, 2019 Report Share Posted October 13, 2019 3 hours ago, racers and royals said: Take a look and re-kindle some memories no don't watch, that's '87, the track was bloody horrible 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted October 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2019 17 hours ago, steve roberts said: Our cycle speedway team Cowley "Crusaders" adopted the Canterbury race jacket except with a red background. What a coincidence..our team in Swindon was Carshalton Crusaders..white and blue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 On 10/13/2019 at 11:02 PM, stevehone said: no don't watch, that's '87, the track was bloody horrible Awful and seriously narrow. It made the old track look as wide as West Ham! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 On 10/13/2019 at 6:02 PM, stevehone said: no don't watch, that's '87, the track was bloody horrible But ALL speedway back then was far better than the modern crap. Even gustix said that four men going around in circles was boring - although I don't know if that applies to the old days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted October 16, 2019 Report Share Posted October 16, 2019 (edited) 15 hours ago, chunky said: But ALL speedway back then was far better than the modern crap. Even gustix said that four men going around in circles was boring - although I don't know if that applies to the old days? I've always believed that the standard of speedway reflected the relevent track. There were so many tracks back before and during "The Golden Age" and some were very questionable in shape and size. Just to quote one example Somerton Park, Newport (although there were many others during that period I could mention) It rarely produced good racing (although I'm prepared to be corrected) but I would dare to suggest that if it still existed as a a raceway the same would apply today despite the 'advancement' of bikes etc. I travelled around the UK and abroad and the racing was variable but that was very much down to the track in my opinion whereby some offered better fare than others. Edited October 16, 2019 by steve roberts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted October 16, 2019 Report Share Posted October 16, 2019 7 minutes ago, steve roberts said: I've always believed that the standard of speedway reflected the relevent track. There were so many tracks back before and during "The Golden Age" and some were very questionable in shape and size. Just to quote one example Somerton Park, Newport (although there were many others during that period I could mention) It rarely produced good racing (although I'm prepared to be corrected) but I would dare to suggest that if it still existed as a a raceway the same would apply today despite the 'advancement' of bikes etc. I travelled around the UK and abroad and the racing was variable but that was very much down to the track in my opinion whereby some offered better fare than others. How would you rate Crayford and Milton Keynes as tracks. Steve.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted October 16, 2019 Report Share Posted October 16, 2019 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said: How would you rate Crayford and Milton Keynes as tracks. Steve.? I visited Crayford the once Sid (to see Hasse Holmqvist one last time!!) and the meeting shouldn't have really taken place as it was pouring with rain. However the racing was pretty poor (understandably) but I have seen video footage and I wasn't impressed with the very tight bends catching many out. However I saw lots of speedway at Groveway and generally the racing was pretty good...helped by the fact that 'The Cheetahs' oftened produced a win there! Edited October 16, 2019 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted October 16, 2019 Report Share Posted October 16, 2019 8 minutes ago, steve roberts said: I visited Crayford the once Sid (to see Hasse Holmqvist one last time!!) and the meeting shouldn't have really taken place as it was pouring with rain. However the racing was pretty poor (understandably) but I have seen video footage and I wasn't impressed with the very tight bends catching many out. However I saw lots of speedway at Goveway and generally the racing was pretty good...helped by the fact that 'The Cheetahs' oftened produced a win there! I went to Crayford only the once a very technical track in the Woodsy years he was a rider i liked and at Eastie.Milton Keynes i went to a fair few times from 1978/79 i quite enjoyed my visits more so because i got to see the top NL boys ie) Owen (bros) Jacko, Sampson ( ect).The tracks that i really enjoyed visiting were Hyde Rd, The Shay, Owlerton, Blackbird Rd, County Ground, Waterden Rd great days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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