Best thing about the 60s &70s

[customhouseregular]

7 hours ago, andout said:

Pretty sure I was on the Glasgow one! Wouldn't remember if it were Lacey's Coaches though.

From memory I did organised Hammers trips in 67/68 to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Coventry, Long Eaton, Cradley, Swindon, Newport and Poole.

[iris123]

7 hours ago, tigerowl said:

This thread makes me feel so sad. I feel honoured to have watched the sport in the 1970s and 1980s but it's so depressing to feel that those glory days are well and truly over and it's never coming back.

At least I've got all my speedway magazines right back to the 1930s and can read about it at my leisure, but it was a massive part of my childhood and teenage years and  I sort of feel a sense of bereavement about speedway as it is today. 

It really does. Almost like two different sports in a way

Some of my most vivid memories are the queues, the packed terraces and trying to find a place to sit at some of the big meetings like the Internationale, Division 2 Riders Championship or one England v USA test. And of course the atmosphere when the lights dropped and the track was lit up, the colour of the fans with their rosettes, hats and scarves and flags. There was a buzz about the sport that made it feel important and you was part of something special

There is none of that today. For me at least. 

[tigerowl]

I suppose Cardiff is the closest we get to that in this country now, but even that's not the same. I remember being at a BLRC at Hyde Road in the early 1980s stood on the back straight and it was so packed I couldn't get my arms up to fill in my programme, they were just pinned to my sides. 

I feel like the fabric of the sport in the UK is under threat now with tracks like Poole and Wolverhampton struggling in the post pandemic world. I don't think it will disappear completely here but might end up like it is in Germany with a bit of a league and some open meetings. I am sure we will never see the packed houses like the BLRC and British Final night at Coventry again.  

[Sidney the robin]

12 hours ago, tigerowl said:

This thread makes me feel so sad. I feel honoured to have watched the sport in the 1970s and 1980s but it's so depressing to feel that those glory days are well and truly over and it's never coming back.

At least I've got all my speedway magazines right back to the 1930s and can read about it at my leisure, but it was a massive part of my childhood and teenage years and  I sort of feel a sense of bereavement about speedway as it is today. 

I am like you OWL  love the sport still do when it is right what a product it is a great night out terrific..My youth was speedway/ Speedway/ speedway now that has gone no Swindon for me now.Still follow the sport but don’t miss it as much as i should me thinks it is going a slow death hurts me to say it.

[cityrebel]

1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said:

I am like you OWL  love the sport still do when it is right what a product it is a great night out terrific..My youth was speedway/ Speedway/ speedway now that has gone no Swindon for me now.Still follow the sport but don’t miss it as much as i should me thinks it is going a slow death hurts me to say it.

We've all been weaned off it Sid. Last year i attended 4 meetings, my lowest total since 1968, which was my first season. This year I've done 9, which includes 2 amateur meetings at Lydd and 1 on the grass. I really feel we are entering the last professional era for the sport in this country.

[Ovalman]

Watching speedway at all the London tracks. Climbing into speedway at Blunsdon and getting money back on hubbly bubbly bottles. All my mates getting the special speedway bus. Rosettes, souvenirs. Big crowds, lots of teams, lots of away fans. Speedway on bbc and itv. Results and league tables in daily papers. Golden Helmets and individual meetings. Local heroes.

[customhouseregular]

I could add... being a Hammers fan, watching my speedway at England’s finest speedway stadium, though old-time Belle Vue fans may disagree. 

[cityrebel]

21 minutes ago, customhouseregular said:

I could add... being a Hammers fan, watching my speedway at England’s finest speedway stadium, though old-time Belle Vue fans may disagree. 

England's two most historical speedway stadiums for sure, and two of the greatest race tracks.

[iris123]

7 minutes ago, cityrebel said:

England's two most historical speedway stadiums for sure, and two of the greatest race tracks.

Why isn't for instance Wembley or Wimbledon included ? Both as historical as West Ham and Belle Vue surely ?

Think Plough Lane hosted speedway earlier and longer than West Ham. Wembley possibly longer/more seasons as well although speedway started later

Edited June 18, 2021 by iris123

[cityrebel]

26 minutes ago, iris123 said:

Why isn't for instance Wembley or Wimbledon included ? Both as historical as West Ham and Belle Vue surely ?

Think Plough Lane hosted speedway earlier and longer than West Ham. Wembley possibly longer/more seasons as well although speedway started later

Wimbledon and Wembley were far too posh. Watching speedway at custom House and Hyde road felt like being in a museum, you could feel the history. Just a personal opinion of course, everyone has their own favourite tracks and memories.

[iris123]

10 minutes ago, cityrebel said:

Wimbledon and Wembley were far too posh. Watching speedway at custom House and Hyde road felt like being in a museum, you could feel the history. Just a personal opinion of course, everyone has their own favourite tracks and memories.

Fair enough. Personal opinion of course. Never went to Custom House, but did manage Hyde Road

As for Plough Lane, well of course the grandstand was posh. But I thought the rest of the stadium was like a museum if you want. The walkway under the stands, especially in the period we are discussing here, with the shops underneath was fantastic as a youngster. The Supporters club shop and then there was a great stall from memory selling old programmes etc. It was like a dungeon down there. Was there also a snack shop as well ? Tbh I still even now, sometimes dream about those days and being at the programme stall and snapping up lots of old memorabilia and then I am not sure if it all was just a dream or it really was there

Edited June 18, 2021 by iris123

[cityrebel]

1 minute ago, iris123 said:

Fair enough. Personal opinion of course. Never went to Custom House, but did manage Hyde Road

As for Plough Lane, well of course the grandstand was posh. But I thought the rest of the stadium was like a museum if you want. The walkway under the stands, especially in the period we are discussing here, with the shops underneath was fantastic as a youngster. The Supporters club shop and then there was a great stall from memory selling old programmes etc. It was like a dungeon down there

I know, i was a lifelong Wimbledon fan who worked at the stadium for 22 years. I helped clear the place out after the Bradford fire. So many flammable items were stored under the stands, it was a minor miracle it stayed intact.

[iris123]

9 minutes ago, cityrebel said:

I know, i was a lifelong Wimbledon fan who worked at the stadium for 22 years. I helped clear the place out after the Bradford fire. So many flammable items were stored under the stands, it was a minor miracle it stayed intact.

Oh I was going to say, even your team White City beat West Ham for longevity at least. Think they held their first meeting before West Ham and the last meeting after Custom House closed 

[E I Addio]

Light summer evenings at West Ham . You could see over the grandstands to the ships funnels in Victoria Docks , a quarter mile away. Looked fantastic with everything lit up. Great race track ( Barry Briggs favourite). The history came from the great riders of the past that had ridden there, Bluey Wilkinson, Tiger Stevenson,  Split Waterman and above all the great Jack Young , and the great riders of the present especially the wonderful Hurri- Ken McKinlay,  and Sverre Harrfedlt, then later Olle Nygren , who a I hated as a Don but became a favourite when he joined the Hammers. 
Then the sadness of the Lokkoren disaster, and the loss of such talent as Martin Piddock and Peter Bradshaw. I never really got over that.

And finally in the closing days the amazing talent of Christer Lofqvist. Such a tragedy he died of a brain tumour at such a young age. I used to literally have dreams that I was still there on and off for years after it closed. Hackney was never quite the same although I did like it there.

 

[customhouseregular]

2 hours ago, iris123 said:

Why isn't for instance Wembley or Wimbledon included ? Both as historical as West Ham and Belle Vue surely ?

Think Plough Lane hosted speedway earlier and longer than West Ham. Wembley possibly longer/more seasons as well although speedway started later

Just a personal view obviously but in my opinion the racing was better at Custom House and Hyde Road. Having said that I always enjoyed my trips to Wembley and Plough Lane, though did not see a lot of league racing at Plough Lane and only went to Hyde Road for the BLRC meetings.

[cityrebel]

2 hours ago, iris123 said:

Oh I was going to say, even your team White City beat West Ham for longevity at least. Think they held their first meeting before West Ham and the last meeting after Custom House closed 

A lot of blank years inbetween. I loved Wood lane. It was a short ride on the 220 bus. I only missed 4 meetings there from 1976 to 83.

[customhouseregular]

1 hour ago, E I Addio said:

Light summer evenings at West Ham . You could see over the grandstands to the ships funnels in Victoria Docks , a quarter mile away. Looked fantastic with everything lit up. Great race track ( Barry Briggs favourite). The history came from the great riders of the past that had ridden there, Bluey Wilkinson, Tiger Stevenson,  Split Waterman and above all the great Jack Young , and the great riders of the present especially the wonderful Hurri- Ken McKinlay,  and Sverre Harrfedlt, then later Olle Nygren , who a I hated as a Don but became a favourite when he joined the Hammers. 
Then the sadness of the Lokkoren disaster, and the loss of such talent as Martin Piddock and Peter Bradshaw. I never really got over that.

And finally in the closing days the amazing talent of Christer Lofqvist. Such a tragedy he died of a brain tumour at such a young age. I used to literally have dreams that I was still there on and off for years after it closed. Hackney was never quite the same although I did like it there.

 

Lovely post and agree with every sentiment.

[customhouseregular]

58 minutes ago, cityrebel said:

A lot of blank years inbetween. I loved Wood lane. It was a short ride on the 220 bus. I only missed 4 meetings there from 1976 to 83.

I must admit I enjoyed my few visits to Wood Lane.

[norbold]

4 hours ago, E I Addio said:

Light summer evenings at West Ham . You could see over the grandstands to the ships funnels in Victoria Docks , a quarter mile away. Looked fantastic with everything lit up. Great race track ( Barry Briggs favourite). The history came from the great riders of the past that had ridden there, Bluey Wilkinson, Tiger Stevenson,  Split Waterman and above all the great Jack Young , and the great riders of the present especially the wonderful Hurri- Ken McKinlay,  and Sverre Harrfedlt, then later Olle Nygren , who a I hated as a Don but became a favourite when he joined the Hammers. 
Then the sadness of the Lokkoren disaster, and the loss of such talent as Martin Piddock and Peter Bradshaw. I never really got over that.

And finally in the closing days the amazing talent of Christer Lofqvist. Such a tragedy he died of a brain tumour at such a young age. I used to literally have dreams that I was still there on and off for years after it closed. Hackney was never quite the same although I did like it there.

 

Yes. Exactly that.

I'd also like to add the magnificent, the unbeatable, Bjorn Knutson - class personified - and following the rise to stardom of Malcolm Simmons. Plus my old mate, Stan Stevens.

And to the old timers, Aub Lawson.

[customhouseregular]

9 minutes ago, norbold said:

Yes. Exactly that.

I'd also like to add the magnificent, the unbeatable, Bjorn Knutson - class personified - and following the rise to stardom of Malcolm Simmons. Plus my old mate, Stan Stevens.

And to the old timers, Aub Lawson.

Bjorn and Sverre... what a joy and privilege to have them in our team.