Five tracks you never got to but wish you had

[fatface]

25 minutes ago, Kester said:

I've been to two of those.  Cradley was the track nearest to me growing up.  Trelawny was great, like no other track, it really was like speedway on the moon but with a double decker bus.  

I too wish I'd gone to White City.

Yep. Cradley is a real gap...just never got down there. Perhaps it was to do with it being a Saturday night track like Belle Vue. Still, I got to Coventry umpteen times. More recently based in Devon, I certainly had a few chances to get to Trelawny and missed that one too. Doh! 

[norbold]

30 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

There's a few places where you can still see some of the remnants of the speedway track and/or stadium - Nelson and Hastings spring to mind. 

You can still see the outline of the track and the banking at the granddaddy of them all - High Beech.

[iris123]

25 minutes ago, norbold said:

You can still see the outline of the track and the banking at the granddaddy of them all - High Beech.

Was there actually a stadium as such at High Beech. Not something I ever looked into, but just imagined it was just a track in the middle of a field. At those early meetings did they actually charge admission ? 

[norbold]

56 minutes ago, iris123 said:

Was there actually a stadium as such at High Beech. Not something I ever looked into, but just imagined it was just a track in the middle of a field. At those early meetings did they actually charge admission ? 

Yes, there was stadium of sorts there and they certainly charged admission - 6d.

Edited August 20, 2021 by norbold

[fatface]

1 hour ago, norbold said:

You can still see the outline of the track and the banking at the granddaddy of them all - High Beech.

Raced there myself...in a cross country run...not in a 1928 motorcycle racing meeting! Utterly oblivious it was the same hallowed turf at the time though 

[steve roberts]

2 hours ago, Kester said:

I've been to two of those.  Cradley was the track nearest to me growing up.  Trelawny was great, like no other track, it really was like speedway on the moon but with a double decker bus.  

I too wish I'd gone to White City.

Pleased to say I was a regular when the "Rebels" located to Wood Lane between 1976 and 1978. Continued to support the "Cheetahs" at Cowley during that period so experienced the best of both worlds! Great days!

[Sidney the robin]

17 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Pleased to say I was a regular when the "Rebels" located to Wood Lane between 1976 and 1978. Continued to support the "Cheetahs" at Cowley during that period so experienced the best of both worlds! Great days!

Was the league racing better at White City than the international events Steve? I did not see alot of league racing there certainly did not see Kennett really push on in his career there .

Edited August 20, 2021 by Sidney the robin

[steve roberts]

22 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Was the league racing better at White City than the international events Steve? I did not see alot of league racing there certainly did not see Kennett really push on in his career there .

Like most tracks Sid there were both good and poor meetings. Gordon really blossomed as a rider at Wood Lane and became a more complete rider having been brought up on small tracks. No one could ride ride the outside devoid of any real banking better than Marek Cieslak but it was sad to see Dag Lovaas struggling with the track. He was one of very few riders who stuck with the JAP and perhaps it wasn't the best engine for the vast City Bowl? One memorable race was the emerging Kai Niemi who on the last lap passed both Terry Betts and Michael Lee (one on the outside the other the inside) to cross the line first. Another race Gordon outwitting the team riding Ole Olsen and Alan Molyneux! Great memories!

Edited August 20, 2021 by steve roberts

[Sidney the robin]

20 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Like most tracks Sid there were both good and poor meetings. Gordon really blossomed as a rider at Wood Lane and became a more complete rider having been brought up on small tracks. No one could ride ride the outside devoid of any real banking better than Marek Cieslak but it was sad to see Dag Lovaas struggling with the track. He was one of very few riders who stuck with the JAP and perhaps it wasn't the best engine for the vast City Bowl? One memorable race was the emerging Kai Niemi who on the last lap passed both Terry Betts and Michael Lee (one on the outside the other the inside) to cross the line first. Another race Gordon outwitting the team riding Ole Olsen and Alan Molyneux! Great memories!

The race that stuck out for me was the Nielsen v Sigalos encounter in the British open. Dennis was top class and we have spoke about it on endless occasions 1981/ 86. Penhall, Sigalos, Shawn , Hans, Erik, Tommy, Michael, Kenny, Billy,  how it never quite happened.

 

 

Edited August 20, 2021 by Sidney the robin

[bruno]

Only ever went to White City once and it was rained off, remember a massive stadium. Must have been 76 or 77 I suppose

[salty]

Went to the last few Speedway meetings at White City in the early 80's. Racing could be processional, but there was usually a good race or three. Also went to the last Greyhound Derby there in 1984? Very good atmosphere. To be honest it was amazing the place stayed open so long, given it's size and location.

[Halifaxtiger]

7 hours ago, salty said:

Went to the last few Speedway meetings at White City in the early 80's. Racing could be processional, but there was usually a good race or three. Also went to the last Greyhound Derby there in 1984? Very good atmosphere. To be honest it was amazing the place stayed open so long, given it's size and location.

My memory is a bit  hazy but I can recall catching the tube to see the Inter Continental Final there in 1983 (my one and only visit).  I went to Cradley in 1984 when Wimbledon ended their long home league winning streak. 

A trip to Park Road, Barrow during their truncated 1985 season is the one I'll always remember.

Edited August 21, 2021 by Halifaxtiger

[Sidney the robin]

1 hour ago, Halifaxtiger said:

My memory is a bit  hazy but I can recall catching the tube to see the Inter Continental Final there in 1983 (my one and only visit).  I went to Cradley in 1984 when Wimbledon ended their long home league winning streak. 

A trip to Park Road, Barrow during their truncated 1985 season is the one I'll always remember.

I remember that meeting in 1983 tiger remember Michael Lee making a terrible mistake and letting Kenny Carter through.

[Halifaxtiger]

2 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

I remember that meeting in 1983 tiger remember Michael Lee making a terrible mistake and letting Kenny Carter through.

You have a better memory than me, Sid. I can only recall getting there 

[norbold]

15 hours ago, falcace said:

Yep. Cradley is a real gap...just never got down there.

I got to Cradley once, the night West Ham won the League (and treble) there in 1965. A great night!

Actually, it's another of my college stories....As I said earlier, I was at college in Norwich in 1965, and I really wanted to get to Cradley to see West Ham win the League, so I rounded up three friends, who had never been to speedway before, and we hired a car to drive across to Cradley. After getting lost in Halesowen, we finally made it. When we got there I joined the group of West Ham fans who had come up by coach. After the meeting, I celebrated with the Hammers' fans and decided to go back on the coach to London with them to continue the celebrations. My college friends slept the night in the car. Fortunately one of them could drive as well, so they drove back to Norwich the next morning.

[steve roberts]

10 minutes ago, norbold said:

I got to Cradley once, the night West Ham won the League (and treble) there in 1965. A great night!

Actually, it's another of my college stories....As I said earlier, I was at college in Norwich in 1965, and I really wanted to get to Cradley to see West Ham win the League, so I rounded up three friends, who had never been to speedway before, and we hired a car to drive across to Cradley. After getting lost in Halesowen, we finally made it. When we got there I joined the group of West Ham fans who had come up by coach. After the meeting, I celebrated with the Hammers' fans and decided to go back on the coach to London with them to continue the celebrations. My college friends slept the night in the car. Fortunately one of them could drive as well, so they drove back to Norwich the next morning.

Went to Cradley many times during the Nielsen era and more often that not we turned the "Cabbage Patch Kids" over! Not one of my favourite tracks I have to admit but it was always nice coming away with a win!

[E I Addio]

Belle  Vue Hyde Road,  Wimbledon ( only saw stock cars there), Swindon , Somerset, Haringey.

I was tempted to say New Cross, but I once worked with someone who had been there and she said there was absolutely no crowd atmosphere, although it must have been just before it closed. Can anyone comment on that ? It seems to have had huge crowds at one point..

 

[norbold]

38 minutes ago, E I Addio said:

Belle  Vue Hyde Road,  Wimbledon ( only saw stock cars there), Swindon , Somerset, Haringey.

I was tempted to say New Cross, but I once worked with someone who had been there and she said there was absolutely no crowd atmosphere, although it must have been just before it closed. Can anyone comment on that ? It seems to have had huge crowds at one point..

 

1963 was a bad year for New Cross; the crowds were small and the atmosphere nothing like it had been. In 1960 and 1961 the atmosphere was great. I don't want to upset chr too much, but I think the atmosphere at New Cross was better than West Ham. Being such a small stadium with the crowds more compact into a smaller area made it one of the best.

I think the problem with 1963 was that the New Cross crowds were used to seeing the best. They had always been a "First Division" team and, good as the likes of Jimmy Squibb and Reg Reeves were, they weren't Barry Briggs, Ronnie Moore and Ove Fundin. What made matters even worse was the early injury to Reg Reeves, leaving New Cross as a candidate for bottom of the league - the second league at that! - as they lost 12 out of 14 matches. The crowds drifted away and even those that were left couldn't get very enthusiastic.

[steve roberts]

8 minutes ago, norbold said:

1963 was a bad year for New Cross; the crowds were small and the atmosphere nothing like it had been. In 1960 and 1961 the atmosphere was great. I don't want to upset chr too much, but I think the atmosphere at New Cross was better than West Ham. Being such a small stadium with the crowds more compact into a smaller area made it one of the best.

I think the problem with 1963 was that the New Cross crowds were used to seeing the best. They had always been a "First Division" team and, good as the likes of Jimmy Squibb and Reg Reeves were, they weren't Barry Briggs, Ronnie Moore and Ove Fundin. What made matters even worse was the early injury to Reg Reeves, leaving New Cross as a candidate for bottom of the league - the second league at that! - as they lost 12 out of 14 matches. The crowds drifted away and even those that were left couldn't get very enthusiastic.

My interest in New Cross is based on watching the film "Once a Jolly Swagman" and for those living in London during that era were really spoilt for choice however remember reading Martin Peters' 'autobiography' when he was quoted as enjoying his trips to White City Speedway during his youth!

[fatface]

4 hours ago, norbold said:

I got to Cradley once, the night West Ham won the League (and treble) there in 1965. A great night!

Actually, it's another of my college stories....As I said earlier, I was at college in Norwich in 1965, and I really wanted to get to Cradley to see West Ham win the League, so I rounded up three friends, who had never been to speedway before, and we hired a car to drive across to Cradley. After getting lost in Halesowen, we finally made it. When we got there I joined the group of West Ham fans who had come up by coach. After the meeting, I celebrated with the Hammers' fans and decided to go back on the coach to London with them to continue the celebrations. My college friends slept the night in the car. Fortunately one of them could drive as well, so they drove back to Norwich the next morning.

Great stuff. I frequently dragged University mates along to Powderhall in early 90s. Friday night, student discount, close to city centre, it was a great place to start the weekend. 

On a car related theme, travelled to the Latvian GP once and had to make that terrible drive from Riga to Daugvapils. I contrived to forget my driving license for the car hire company. No problem though. It was though when pulled over the local police for breaking the pedestrian speed limit of 60km/h on the road across Latvia. Still, a few crisp notes popped (about £50) into the policeman's top pocket and we were (less swiftly) on our way again.