MAN ON THE TERRACE Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 (edited) http://www.cradley-speedway.com/news.php?extend.1903 Edited November 26, 2019 by MAN ON THE TERRACE 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragdoll64 Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 Sad........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbuck Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 As a lifelong supporter of Birmingham, I am genuinely sorry to hear this news. This is a sad blow for speedway as a whole, not just the Heathens supporters. I hope that the search for a site for a permanent home for speedway in Cradley Heath will go on as I am sure it will, and I wish the club and their loyal band of supporters all the best for the future. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundp Posted November 26, 2019 Report Share Posted November 26, 2019 Sad but inevitable without a home of our own.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner85 Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 I find it difficult to believe there is not some industrial land available for a new track.More likely that the Council are nor behind Speedway returning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris116 Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 1 minute ago, Gunner85 said: I find it difficult to believe there is not some industrial land available for a new track.More likely that the Council are nor behind Speedway returning. A problem that NIMBY's vote! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 Rest in Peace, Heathens. as a former resident of Dudley Metropolitan Borough (and briefly employee) I find it staggering that none of the many disused industrial brownfield sites in that borough, or indeed neighbouring areas were considered suitable for a speedway stadium by the council who have obviously decided that professional sport is for others. Indeed Dudley must be the only borough in the old West Midlands county with no professional sport at all. Shame on them. Well done for surviving for 10 years without a home of your own. Only a special speedway club could achieve that. You could say that the killing of Cradley Heath Speedway over 20 years ago would be unlikely to have been allowed for most other sports where authorities bend over backwards to save sporting teams. Cradley was a rarity - a genuine part of the local sporting fabric. No question of "Oh, is it still goingt" when I lived in the area, Speedway needs Cradley needs speedway! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundp Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, RobMcCaffery said: Rest in Peace, Heathens. as a former resident of Dudley Metropolitan Borough (and briefly employee) I find it staggering that none of the many disused industrial brownfield sites in that borough, or indeed neighbouring areas were considered suitable for a speedway stadium by the council who have obviously decided that professional sport is for others. Indeed Dudley must be the only borough in the old West Midlands county with no professional sport at all. Shame on them. Well done for surviving for 10 years without a home of your own. Only a special speedway club could achieve that. You could say that the killing of Cradley Heath Speedway over 20 years ago would be unlikely to have been allowed for most other sports where authorities bend over backwards to save sporting teams. Cradley was a rarity - a genuine part of the local sporting fabric. No question of "Oh, is it still goingt" when I lived in the area, Speedway needs Cradley needs speedway! The perfect site for Cradley would be around the area of the old freightliner depot in between Dudley Zoo and The Black Country Museum https://www.google.com/maps/place/Black+Country+Living+Museum/@52.5189036,-2.0770964,238m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x80fb90ace73738fb!8m2!3d52.5200852!4d-2.0752618 However the leader of Dudley Council says the site is earmarked for other uses, and the Chairman of the Black Country Museum in his wisdom doesnt want to help, in my opinion they are very short sighted views which could boost visitor numbers at both of those sites by fans going to the Speedway making a day of it.. Edited November 27, 2019 by greyhoundp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lefty Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 It's a shame the stadium wasn't moved to the Black Country Museum. Gents bogs without a roof and spitfire nose cones would frighten the youngsters nowadays! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbuck Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 Dudley Council have been claiming that the old Freightliner Depot site is "earmarked for other uses" for the last 20 years. The speedway club could have been using it for the whole of this time if Dudley MBC had shown just a modicum of enterprise. I'm told that this "other use" is for a station for the new Metro tram extension, and by my reckoning, there is ample space on that site for a tram station, a speedway stadium and a large carpark. Dudley Council's performance has been pathetic. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnybegood Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 I think mark Robinson should step up to the plate, put his money where his mouth is and show everyone how it should be done. Anyone can “ talk the talk............” 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigred Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 17 minutes ago, Jonnybegood said: I think mark Robinson should step up to the plate, put his money where his mouth is and show everyone how it should be done. Anyone can “ talk the talk............” More so now “the management” have said they’d gladly hand it over to someone .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac101 Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 If M R thinks it makes loads of money he should jump at the chance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnybegood Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 I would support M R , he knows all about track prep, accounting, has shown he has some money , he would treat riders with respect , Great on a microphone....get on son !! If he got a racetrack / stadium built I would gladly give him a tenner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabba59 Posted November 27, 2019 Report Share Posted November 27, 2019 What aload of sh.. M.R. knows f...k all about track prep and running a club . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted November 28, 2019 Report Share Posted November 28, 2019 6 hours ago, brianbuck said: Dudley Council have been claiming that the old Freightliner Depot site is "earmarked for other uses" for the last 20 years. The speedway club could have been using it for the whole of this time if Dudley MBC had shown just a modicum of enterprise. I'm told that this "other use" is for a station for the new Metro tram extension, and by my reckoning, there is ample space on that site for a tram station, a speedway stadium and a large carpark. Dudley Council's performance has been pathetic. I know the site well and it would be perfect for a speedway stadium. Yes, there would be ample space for a Metro station. It won't be a terminus - that will be in Brierley Hill so should only be a basic station like the rest of the tram stops - a couple of lines and a couple of platforms with cover and ticket machines. The BCLM doesn't have the best of reputations for co-operaton though. The site's at the junction of two major roads out of town, right by the zoo and Dudley Castle and only a short walk from he town centre and bus station. There is no railway station in the town centre. Taking all of that into account there can only be one explanation why the Heathens aren't already racing there.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccolo Posted November 28, 2019 Report Share Posted November 28, 2019 23 hours ago, greyhoundp said: The perfect site for Cradley would be around the area of the old freightliner depot in between Dudley Zoo and The Black Country Museum https://www.google.com/maps/place/Black+Country+Living+Museum/@52.5189036,-2.0770964,238m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x80fb90ace73738fb!8m2!3d52.5200852!4d-2.0752618 However the leader of Dudley Council says the site is earmarked for other uses, and the Chairman of the Black Country Museum in his wisdom doesnt want to help, in my opinion they are very short sighted views which could boost visitor numbers at both of those sites by fans going to the Speedway making a day of it.. Nigel Pearson was told Mr Strudwick at the Zoo would object to this because of impact on the animals. The closest they came was Canal Street Brierley Hill, they even had an architect draw up plans for the site to present to the Merry Hill owners only to be told the new tram route planned for years was finally going to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Reddy Posted November 28, 2019 Report Share Posted November 28, 2019 Are the animals at Dudley Zoo more sensitive than the animals at Belle Vue were? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lefty Posted November 28, 2019 Report Share Posted November 28, 2019 36 minutes ago, Ruth Reddy said: Are the animals at Dudley Zoo more sensitive than the animals at Belle Vue were? There was speculation that Dudley Zoo was the first Zoo in Britain. Prior to that they were all called 'Zoological Gardens'. But Dudley doesn't understand 'logical', so dropped it! Seriously though the freight depot would be a great site to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbuck Posted November 28, 2019 Report Share Posted November 28, 2019 (edited) Well it doesn't need me to remind everyone that the speedway would have run 15 one minute races over a 2 hour period, whilst two Metro trams would pass the site every seven minutes from early morning until late at night, on seven days of the week Perhaps a polite letter to Andy Street the existing Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority might generate a bit of action? Mr Street is a former Chairman of the John Lewis Group and is well known for his encouragement of enterprise. If it isn't treading on the toes of anyone connected with Cradley who may be doing something I/we aren't aware of, I'm willing to give this a try and see what the response is. Edited November 28, 2019 by brianbuck 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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