martinmauger

Kingswood, Hull....

My Speedway Star arrived today, Saturday, can't complain too much only 3rd time it's been overdue since March or so. Have noticed though on the rare occasions the 'Star is late we don't get any post at all, so there's that. Also in Asda last nite (top tip: shop after 7pm you get the entire store almost to yourself, sweet) no Speedway Stars on the shelves. I didn't look as from the old days of 'the newsagent says is late but I don't believe them, oh look there it is on the supermarket shelf afterall' but out of interest to see who was on the cover, knew my copy was 'stuck in the post' somewhere....

Made the effort and finally got round to watching one of these 'online' re-runs'. Edinburgh v Hull 2004 then, ex-Monarchs securing a win with last heat 5-1, Booey & the Hull camp were having kittens but Magnus & Ross were confident of getting the result. Bit of Hull 2004 info; I'm pretty sure the team was put together as being solid due rider availability. Originally I understand Peter Carr was to ride for Hull, the rider and both clubs were happy about this then Edinburgh decided to release the Wolves' loan rider Karlsson instead, though Carr may also have been on loan from Belle Vue to the Monarchs. The final piece in the puzzle for Hull was when Danny Norton was injured and Joel Parsons signed. This changed team building ideas as while would clubs like to have an all-out no.1 to win heat 1 and score maximums every week, Hull were solid 1 - 7. As a rider's average dropped a bit, he went to no.6 or 7 and another rider made it to the main body of the team, so if a rider had an off night there was always more than suffficient cover. We always seemed to have 4 or 5 heat leaders, so even when we lost Ross Brady then Emil Kramer to injury late in the season, we were still strong enough to continue the all-out assault on the treble. Many in Hull still recall our 'season in the sun' that was 2004....

Thanks for the info, I'll have close look. For some reason I used to think the C.O.'s office was maybe at the far end of the main bar, recall there was a door with 'private' on it. I filmed the very last (slowest ever) lap of Craven Park as I walked round literally hours before the track was dug up for pitch widening, sad but I felt it had to be done as likely no-one else would. Should clarify that I held the camera as I walked, I wasn't filmed walking around the track, did the same at the Boulevard in 2008 or so whilst the dog track was still in situ, also what was left of Hedon (not much after 60-odd years) and a potential new site which didn't happen. The greyhounds left Craven Park in 2003 and moved across Hull to the Boulevard, hopes were high of a bigger & wider track at CP, similar to Workington, but it wasn't to be.....

Brilliant yet also very sad footage, some skillful dronemanship, I visited Coventry a few times so many good memories. Can anyone indicate where Charles Ochiltree's office was, this was considererd a real inner sanctum and few were permitted entry....

Speedway lost another character, believe he designed the original Hull Vikings body colour in 1971. RIP....

I 'get' with SD lifted somewhat folk are keen to get out and have them some much-needed jollies but it's ridiculous & irresponsible to pack certain beaches. We are surrounded by 1,000's of miles of sand, it isn't difficult to have some coastline to ones self. Maybe I'm being naiive and hope I'm wrong, really I do, but I can't see this behaviour boding well....

Only made it to Smallmead the once to watch Hull, natch (7 August 2000 the Vikings won 53-39 ), thought it was a great stadium ideal in size for speedway not too big, just needed some TLC. Had some banter with the late photographer Alf Weedon, asked me to pass on an amusing but rather rude mesage to the late track shop guy Dave Rattenbury who sold the Hull souvenirs at Hull back then . Also should mention 'lemon' custard powder' was used at Newport Queensway Meadows (30 July 2000 Hull won 47-43 ); "we have a yellow inner edge and start line here at Newport Speedway, and why not", proclaimed the announcer. Good times, shame both tracks are no more....

Feel for small businesses with little or no income the last 3 months, know a few owners who are seriously worried about becoming bankrupt. Just hope when people are able to move around a bit more freely they don't decide the play the 'how many peeps can be crammed into a Mini or Smart Car for charidy' type of game like they did the other week when more shops re-opened....

Recall one away coach trip, to either 'the' 1979 League Decider at Coventry or 1981 World Final at Wembley, several coaches set off from Hull; 1 broke down all passengers were spread across the other coaches some sitting in the centre aisle (!), another coach, mine, one of the centre roof air vents blew off, meant everyone was absolutely feezing, but it was replaced at the meeting so a bit warmer trip home. I hated, and still hate, actual coach travel, but had great speedway away days, having a laugh with other team's fans and one occasion a car park football match; Vikings against a Scunny select team. What fun we had back then....

The bends were ok but it was defo a tad (a tad?!) skinny on the straights, inevetable when stadium-sharing. Without being over-defensive what surprised me when I was old enough to be allowed to travel to away fixtures, and saw other tracks on TV or video, was quite a few others weren't a lot wider. Like Eastbourne, Oxford, Sheffield (though I think it was altered at some point), Peterbrough I couldn't believe how narrow it was when I first went in 1987, it was defo widened in 1996 or so, Poole also pre-1996. Joe Screen once told me Hull, Craven Park wasn't narrow as such, though it could also have done with a few more feet, but it was relatively narrow for the length of the straights. But, yeah many tracks tracks could use a few more feet if possible, like Berwick recently did, but have to make the best of what room they have. 'It is what it is'....

.......as probably thought by less than 10% of the local population of the Boulevard area in 1971-81. Everyone in Hull would at that time have been aware 'something' was happening on Wednesday nites thanks to open-piped JAPs & JAWAs up until about 1976 when silencers were first introduced. Speaking to people, very few worked out exactly what 'that glorious noise' was, being a wee boy I certainly had no idea. Ian Thomas did blooming well gaining planning permission at that time, there'd be no chance today, and many people are extremely pleased that he did. In later years, 1980 or so, many of those houses were demolished, thereby depriving folk of 'that Wednesday nite experience', the Boulevard itself was demolished in 2010 or os....

I'm missing British speedway, yes. Gave the Ben Fund a miss, just got over the flu, still had a cold in der dose, couldn't be bothered "no real sweat there will be loads of other meetings.........". After a tough few years (no tiny violins please, it happens ) I made extensive plans for many leisure & hobby activities this year including taking my parents for days out and a promised treat to self; a visit to the NSS at Belle Vue, but so far all have sadly come to naught. But there are folk worse off, life goes on and hopefully the awful Covid-19 virus will be under control & lockdown will be eased even more soon and we may get to see at least some live speedway this year ....

I'd forgotten BMX which my brother rode. I recall a big thing with cycle speedway used to be 'cotterless pedal cranks' and 'welled wheels'. The cottterless cranks referred to the pedal cranks which attach the pedals to the front (bigger) chain wheel, apparently it was 'essential' to have alloy cranks which attached directly to the center axle in the frame, screwed on I think, as opposed to steel / chrome cranks which were slotted on and held in place by cotter pins. The welled wheels referred to the wheel rims which cross section were shaped like a bell as opposed to being squarish, also the centre hubs were bigger, so shorter spokes. They were admittedly cool as and looked a lot like the front wheel on a proper speedway bike. But we were talking about stripped down pushbikes which one pedalled as fast as one could, cool extras were nice to have and lightened the bike a bit , if one's mummy & daddy paid for such things as some did, but were hardly 'essential', though some riders considered they were....

You can add cycle speedway, moto-x and karting to those sports; weren't we all there just to race and have fun, hmmm ? My first ever speedway meeting; my parents weren't at all interested but one day in 1974 a relative said "I know where the Boulevard is I've watched rugby (Hull FC) there and I'll take you to speedway one nite, 'especially as Hull are now in the 1st division' "....