Rye House 2020

[marko]

It was great to see some positive news in the star around Rye, fingers crossed this will happen, if not this season, at least 2021

[RobMcCaffery]

6 hours ago, winstoncigar said:

All this uncertainty is depressing.

I might put my Inspector Morse head on and go and find out whats happening.

I'll report back next week

It's less uncertain than you think. Just be patient please.

 

Edited January 31, 2020 by RobMcCaffery

[Paul]

Of course I want the Rockets to return. But I’m sorry that ‘floating fan’ isn’t the fan you want. Very few people will travel from London to watch speedway at Rye House. Old speedway fans and I include myself in that statement, think when their club shut, speedway did.

Very few people from Wimbledon, White City, Wembley, Romford, Hackney, Crayford, West Ham, New Cross etc.etc. have either passed away or moved out of London.

You need local people from the Hoddesdon area to follow their team. Yes of course the floating supporter is welcomed but they the floating supporters are getting less and less.

Sunday afternoon would mean Mildenhall racing against them. Yes in years gone by you could do that, but realistically that in my opinion is a no go. Monday to Friday [excluding bank holidays] is another no go. Rye House needs Saturday night speedway. After a massive push locally by whoever runs the club must get more locals in. The future generations [kids] don’t have school the following morning after Saturday night and Fridays, well I’m not even going to comment.

If the club really want people travelling from the capital it needs mega publicity and that just isn’t going to happen, because good publicity costs. How many people travel to Kent from London on the train? Not many I guess. If money was no object then an all in one combined train/speedway ticket, similar to what the IOW used to do, but that isn’t going to happen.

Then there’s the admission price. Not everyone can afford to take a family to speedway and free admission for kids is a must and a realistic adult admission price to.

Anyway hopefully all the issues surrounding the return of speedway to Rye House will be overcome.    

[RobMcCaffery]

25 minutes ago, Paul said:

Of course I want the Rockets to return. But I’m sorry that ‘floating fan’ isn’t the fan you want. Very few people will travel from London to watch speedway at Rye House. Old speedway fans and I include myself in that statement, think when their club shut, speedway did.

 

Very few people from Wimbledon, White City, Wembley, Romford, Hackney, Crayford, West Ham, New Cross etc.etc. have either passed away or moved out of London.

 

You need local people from the Hoddesdon area to follow their team. Yes of course the floating supporter is welcomed but they the floating supporters are getting less and less.

 

Sunday afternoon would mean Mildenhall racing against them. Yes in years gone by you could do that, but realistically that in my opinion is a no go. Monday to Friday [excluding bank holidays] is another no go. Rye House needs Saturday night speedway. After a massive push locally by whoever runs the club must get more locals in. The future generations [kids] don’t have school the following morning after Saturday night and Fridays, well I’m not even going to comment.

 

If the club really want people travelling from the capital it needs mega publicity and that just isn’t going to happen, because good publicity costs. How many people travel to Kent from London on the train? Not many I guess. If money was no object then an all in one combined train/speedway ticket, similar to what the IOW used to do, but that isn’t going to happen.

 

Then there’s the admission price. Not everyone can afford to take a family to speedway and free admission for kids is a must and a realistic adult admission price to.

 

Anyway hopefully all the issues surrounding the return of speedway to Rye House will be overcome.    

 

Of course nobody's doubting you wanting the return of Rye House and of course the supporters of most closed tracks have walked away from the sport. You yourself are proof that not all have. A third of course is that Rye House needs to draw its support locally, but not as narrowly as Hoddesdon. The successful years saw support coming from large parts of Hertfordshire, notably Ware, Welwyn and Stevenage, plus the likes of Cheshunt and Harlow.

To make Rye House work comfortably it needs a mix of local support and any of the floating fans that can be attracted. It would indeed be folly to only seek to attract the latter but even a few dozen or a hundred of such fans could be the difference between success and failure. It costs little to make them feel at home at Rye House and pay due respect to their past. I see frequent comments from forum members lamenting the closure of Rye House who attended even though their own track had long gone. We had supporters from Hackney, Wimbledon and further back such as White City, West Ham, and even Romford and Rayleigh. 

Speedway needs new thinking and rather than chase the impossible 'yoof market' needs to be realistic and draw back some of the fans it has lost, perhaps those who gave up to bring up a family and now have the time and money once more to resume. 

Making strangers part of the family doesm't cost much and the benefits can be rewarding. I'm not talking huge numbers but how often do we heear "If only we could get another 100 fans on the terraces". Rye House as the unique survivor has an equally unique chance to do so. I can think of a dozen non Rocket fans on here who state that they would attend Rye House and that's just a small sample. Despite the beliefs of some the BSF is only that small sample. 

If whoever opens Rye House think that only the old ways will be good enough then I hope they have plenty of capital to shore up the losses. Rye House can be a success but like all successes will need to attend to the details and use some lateral thinking. I'm not talking about filling the place with Hackney and Wimbledon fans, but a few would help. 

 

Edited February 1, 2020 by RobMcCaffery

[RobMcCaffery]

Having posted the above I have a couple of final points, and they are final. My ideas were formed last year when it was highly probable that I would be playing a part in running the club and would resume my place on the mic for the first time in 20 years. Since then it is clear I won't be doing either. I'm trying still to voice ideas to hopefully help the club. I had plenty more in development for presentation. They are best left where they are.

I get frustrated when Ideas not just mine are either misunderstood as in this case, or dismissed out of hand. Unlike others I haven't just walked away from the sport although I have been kept away for a while by ill health. It's probably best from now on that I keep my thoughts to myself. I wish whichever promotion gets the rights to Rye House have huge success and it would be nice to think I could see a few more meetings once more there.

I hope my thoughts have been helpful. If not they were at least well-intentioned. Time moves on and people like me are speedway's past, certainly not its future.

I'll still enjoy my speedway but firmly back on  the terraces. What is the point in expressing ideas if they aren't understood? You do get tired of fighting. 

 

Rob.

 

 

Edited February 1, 2020 by RobMcCaffery

[Chris116]

20 minutes ago, RobMcCaffery said:

Having posted the above I have a couple of final points, and they are final. My ideas were formed last year when it was highly probable that I would be playing a part in running the club and would resume my place on the mic for the first time in 20 years. Since then it is clear I won't be doing either. I'm trying still to voice ideas to hopefully help the club. I had plenty more in development for presentation. They are best left where they are.

I get frustrated when Ideas not just mine are either misunderstood as in this case, or dismissed out of hand. Unlike others I haven't just walked away from the sport although I have been kept away for a while by ill health. It's probably best from now on that I keep my thoughts to myself. I wish whichever promotion gets the rights to Rye House have huge success and it would be nice to think I could see a few more meetings once more there.

I hope my thoughts have been helpful. If not they were at least well-intentioned. Time moves on and people like me are speedway's past, certainly not its future.

I'll still enjoy my speedway but firmly back on  the terraces. What is the point in expressing ideas if they aren't understood? You do get tired of fighting. 

Rob.

During the years since the Stock Cars stopped at Rye House I was a regular having lost all my more local tracks (Wimbledon was my closest but I made regular visits to West Ham, Romford, Crayford, White City, Arena Essex and Hackney over the years). Rye was in fact my first track but I was in a pushchair at the time and don't remember anything about that first visit. The tube and train from south London to Rye House was a reasonable journey and most meetings in the last few years saw around 20 fans catching the train after the meeting with most going to Seven Sisters or all the way to Liverpool Street to then continue their journey by other trains or buses. Those 20 did not keep BMR in business but they certainly would have helped any promotion nearer to break even than BMR were.

[RobMcCaffery]

4 hours ago, Chris116 said:

During the years since the Stock Cars stopped at Rye House I was a regular having lost all my more local tracks (Wimbledon was my closest but I made regular visits to West Ham, Romford, Crayford, White City, Arena Essex and Hackney over the years). Rye was in fact my first track but I was in a pushchair at the time and don't remember anything about that first visit. The tube and train from south London to Rye House was a reasonable journey and most meetings in the last few years saw around 20 fans catching the train after the meeting with most going to Seven Sisters or all the way to Liverpool Street to then continue their journey by other trains or buses. Those 20 did not keep BMR in business but they certainly would have helped any promotion nearer to break even than BMR were.

Thank you Chris. There are two aspects - firstly giving supporters like you  a track they can get to and help in a small way to keep RH solvent: secondly....there's more to sport than money. A little sentiment does no harm and helps people to keep an attachment to the sport. Sadly there's very little room for sentiment in society let alone sport. 

Anyway, it's academic. I do hope you have a speedway track soon that you can get to - and I know how much you'd value a stock car track. 

Anyway, enough from me and the sport has sadder matters to consider tonight. For those who are unaware go to the speedway news section. 

[westhamboy66]

On 1/28/2020 at 2:59 PM, Sotonian said:

I see a few references to the M25 as an issue. Being unfamiliar with that area, are there really no feasible alternative routes?

There are other routes which include the north circular the A10 M11 A128 A414 each of which from where I live near Arena Essex are bad enough on a weekday night but twice as bad on a Friday hence all the problems travelling to Lakeside on a friday night. The obvious answer is weekend racing as has always been the case prior to the BMR Fiasco

[marko]

Absolutely westhamboy, I wouldn’t likely attempt travelling on a Friday night for the reasons you give.

[Ray Stadia]

On 2/1/2020 at 11:58 PM, westhamboy66 said:

There are other routes which include the north circular the A10 M11 A128 A414 each of which from where I live near Arena Essex are bad enough on a weekday night but twice as bad on a Friday hence all the problems travelling to Lakeside on a friday night. The obvious answer is weekend racing as has always been the case prior to the BMR Fiasco

Even Sunday afternoon will be busy on the roads. Since Sunday trading was allowed, the roads are very busy during the shopping hours. 

[marko]

RE Sunday, absolutely, the A414 you have the North Weald market traffic as well as the horse boxes to deal with, like Arena Essex, it really comes down to one true option, Saturday evenings.

[Technik]

Rye House under the BMR flag was made into a fantastic race track. All the improvments were looking good except the god awful infield & then the end of the money.

To come back the infield needs to flat for a start.New electrics installed conneced to the main grid.

As for the raceday I think Saturday would be best but I think an earlier start time, possibly 17:00 might be better.

[Ben91]

On 2/1/2020 at 5:30 PM, Paul said:

Of course I want the Rockets to return. But I’m sorry that ‘floating fan’ isn’t the fan you want. Very few people will travel from London to watch speedway at Rye House. Old speedway fans and I include myself in that statement, think when their club shut, speedway did.

 

Very few people from Wimbledon, White City, Wembley, Romford, Hackney, Crayford, West Ham, New Cross etc.etc. have either passed away or moved out of London.

 

You need local people from the Hoddesdon area to follow their team. Yes of course the floating supporter is welcomed but they the floating supporters are getting less and less.

 

Sunday afternoon would mean Mildenhall racing against them. Yes in years gone by you could do that, but realistically that in my opinion is a no go. Monday to Friday [excluding bank holidays] is another no go. Rye House needs Saturday night speedway. After a massive push locally by whoever runs the club must get more locals in. The future generations [kids] don’t have school the following morning after Saturday night and Fridays, well I’m not even going to comment.

 

If the club really want people travelling from the capital it needs mega publicity and that just isn’t going to happen, because good publicity costs. How many people travel to Kent from London on the train? Not many I guess. If money was no object then an all in one combined train/speedway ticket, similar to what the IOW used to do, but that isn’t going to happen.

 

Then there’s the admission price. Not everyone can afford to take a family to speedway and free admission for kids is a must and a realistic adult admission price to.

 

Anyway hopefully all the issues surrounding the return of speedway to Rye House will be overcome.    

 

Hoddesdon is a small town with a population of just over 40,000. To make Rye House a success the floating fan is very much needed. Not perhaps to be attending every week religiously but to put money in the till as often as they can be enticed to travel to Rye.

To do that you need to ensure the race night is one that is easiest for fans from further afield to attend. Undoubtedly Saturday. Let’s not forget away fans also, some teams do still take travelling support. 

I agree completely with pushing the sport to local schools and in the local area as that has never really been done before either under BMR or Len Silver. There’s not that much to do in Hoddesdon, take advantage of that and let the people in the town know that something exciting is going on in the town. Advertising in London won’t come cheap and won’t attract fans either I’d suggest. Start local and build outwards. 

[Guest]

11 hours ago, Ben91 said:

Advertising in London won’t come cheap and won’t attract fans either I’d suggest. Start local and build outwards. 

As a south Londoner - living near Crystal Palace - and without my own transport, it would involve at least a two hour journey each way. It would involve a train to London Bridge (25 minutes), then bus to Liverpool Street (20 minutes). Then train to Rye House (35 minutes). Both the two journeys plus time at the meeting overall six hours and a very late night arrival at home. Even in better times for speedway in London when I attended Wimbledon travel time for me was at least two hours outwards and the same for getting home. 

[iris123]

5 minutes ago, gustix said:

As a south Londoner - living near Crystal Palace - and without my own transport, it would involve at least a two hour journey each way. It would involve a train to London Bridge (25 minutes), then bus to Liverpool Street (20 minutes). Then train to Rye House (35 minutes). Both the two journeys plus time at the meeting overall six hours and a very late night arrival at home. Even in better times for speedway in London when I attended Wimbledon travel time for me was at least two hours outwards and the same for getting home. 

But you aren't interested in modern speedway anyway, as you have stated often enough. Even if someone offered to pick you up and drive you there and back you wouldn't go......

To remind you of what you posted a couple of weeks back

'TBH speedway - modern or historically - has little or nothing to offer me.'

Edited February 6, 2020 by iris123

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, iris123 said:

But you aren't interested in modern speedway anyway, as you have stated often enough. Even if someone offered to pick you up and drive you there and back you wouldn't go......

To remind you of what you posted a couple of weeks back

'TBH speedway - modern or historically - has little or nothing to offer me.'

Nice update after I had responded to the original section (not underlined) of your Post!!!

[iris123]

6 minutes ago, gustix said:

Nice update after I had responded to the original section (not underlined) of your Post!!!

It is what you posted in your own words. And it isn’t the first time you have said you have little interest in modern speedway, nor have any intention in attending a meeting, is it ?

[Chris116]

18 minutes ago, gustix said:

As a south Londoner - living near Crystal Palace - and without my own transport, it would involve at least a two hour journey each way. It would involve a train to London Bridge (25 minutes), then bus to Liverpool Street (20 minutes). Then train to Rye House (35 minutes). Both the two journeys plus time at the meeting overall six hours and a very late night arrival at home. Even in better times for speedway in London when I attended Wimbledon travel time for me was at least two hours outwards and the same for getting home. 

For a Saturday evening the quicker route would be Southern from Crystal Palace to New Cross Gate then Overground to Whitechapel, then Hammersmith and City to Liverpool Street and then Greater Anglia to Rye House. 1 hour 26 minutes according to TfL website journey planner. You would only be a little slower doing Overground from Crystal Palace to Whitechapel and it would save a change. When Rye was open I used to do Southfields to Liverpool Street on the District line to Edgware Road and then H&C or Circle to Liverpool Street with Greater Anglia to Rye House. Took around the same time and I was always home before 11.30pm, normally before 11pm. Given that we both should have a Freedom Pass and a Senior Railcard the extension from Boundrey Zone 6 cost under £5. By the way it is cheaper to book the extension ticket to Hartford East rather than Rye House, don't ask why just be happy you are using their system against them!

[The Doctor...]

43 minutes ago, Chris116 said:

For a Saturday evening the quicker route would be Southern from Crystal Palace to New Cross Gate then Overground to Whitechapel, then Hammersmith and City to Liverpool Street and then Greater Anglia to Rye House. 1 hour 26 minutes according to TfL website journey planner. You would only be a little slower doing Overground from Crystal Palace to Whitechapel and it would save a change. When Rye was open I used to do Southfields to Liverpool Street on the District line to Edgware Road and then H&C or Circle to Liverpool Street with Greater Anglia to Rye House. Took around the same time and I was always home before 11.30pm, normally before 11pm. Given that we both should have a Freedom Pass and a Senior Railcard the extension from Boundrey Zone 6 cost under £5. By the way it is cheaper to book the extension ticket to Hartford East rather than Rye House, don't ask why just be happy you are using their system against them!

I'm near John, and when Rye was open i used to go via new cross gate as you put above.  Simple enough and i was able to have a beer afterwards before the heading back south.

Far easier when i lived in Highbury, north of the river tho.  Went nearly every week then and only up the road.  Would be lovely to see it back running again.

Edited February 6, 2020 by The Doctor...
.

[Rayleigh]

Went to the stadium yesterday

Building work still continuing which is hopefully great news for speedway fans. We just maybe very lucky to have this new landlord after years and years of landlords neglecting the stadium.

Edited February 8, 2020 by Rayleigh