RobMcCaffery

A pair of outstanding postings Sean, reviving such clear memories of an excellent speedway and its lifeblood, its people, especially your fine late grandfather Alan. Regards, Rob McCaffery.

I met my wife in the Vic Harding Lounge. Still I have many happy memories of the place despite that. Rob McCaffery

In the mid eighties I was sent to commentate on a series of pro-celebrity bowls matches for Screensport at the first British-style bowling green in Spain, at Estepona, just outside Malaga. During a break in proceedings we were asked if we were the crew that covered speedway and were told that a former rider who'd retired out there would like to meet us. As someone whose original speedway love was Rayleigh I was amazed and delighted to be introduced to Roy Uden. It wasn't just the roundabout that was called the Weir. Like the neighbouring Fortune of War roundabout on the A127 it was named after a large roadhouse pub called the Weir Hotel, a useful stopping point for coach trippers visiting nearby Southend. I remember being in tears as a 15 year old reading in the local paper that my newly-discovered passion of Rayleigh Speedway was to close. In the end our fixtures were published for 1974 before the heart-breaking news that the closure was finally scheduled for the very ironic date of March 15th. The team actually raced for one last time as Rayleigh at Boston. By the time of the second meeting, away to Canterbury the change to Rye House had been made. At the time Rye House was a surprise since after early hopes for a new stadium at Rawreth, to the north of Rayleigh, and latterly at Basildon it seemed we were set to move into Crayford. Yes we nearly had the Crayford Rockets. The following year the Kestrels opened with most of the Rayleigh riders transferring along with many of our supporters who weren't impressed with the trip to Hertfordshire for daylight racing. With the Kestrels regularly taking heavy wins in those early days against the Rockets I think even Bryn and Parsloes would understand why it was so satisfying to turn the tables a few years later. Rayleigh was a primarily a greyhound stadium and also saw us give up occasional Saturday nights for Stock Cars, promoted by Chick Woodroffe who went on to found Arena Essex as a replacement. So, had things happened a little earlier at Purfleet we could today be watching a team called the Lakeside Rockets. I lost the Weir before I'd really got to know it properly but even now, 34 years since the final meeting I still mourn my club. Rye House was never the same. Rob McCaffery.

Bob Garrad Marvyn Cox Karl Fiala Ted Hubbard Kelvin Mullarkey Jens Rasmussen Brian Foote (for being almost all we had at first in 74) Fond memories and thanks to them all for those memories of far happier days. Rob.

Plausible but that has to be weighed against the promotion having already used it at King's Lynn. I think it was perhaps more a personal Nigel Wagstaff "brand". Did they play Lemmy's gentle little ballad at Lynn or Cowley?

Amazingly they did in the early seventies. The progression from the 1968 BL2 revival was Middlesbrough Teessiders - Teesside Teessiders - Teesside Tigers - back to Middlesbrough Bears. As you might imagine the racejacket for the Teessiders was a T.

I believe it was related to the West Riding-based Duke of Wellington's army regiment which used the elephant emblem. http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/033DWR.htm

I didn't know Rye House Rockets were defunct, unlike Roosters/Red Devils. All that just because they lost at home to King's Lynn? Has anyone told their rather charming forum members?

Barrow were called Happy Faces for one season, 1972. They had a sponsorship deal with Duckhams whose logo was a Q. With the smiley being newly in fashion then they put inside the Q - and the Happy Faces entered our sport. I think it was a late change from "Boys" - I seem to remember seeing an away programme with that name in it, just before they took over the West Ham place in the BL2. Yes, an open licence side did get away bookings back then. I expect I was wrong about Ashington. Did the team actually race? I remember an opening meeting in 72 but little more. Picking up on shazzybird's point about Infradex Rockets I didn't realise we were including sponsorships. If so we will need a larger forum.

I'll tackle those from my time about in the sport. Sorry if some of these coincide with lists from others but I don't have time to cross-check, going roughly north to south: Motherwell Golden Eagles Newtongrange Saints Paisley Lions Coatbridge Monarchs/Tigers Barrow Happy Faces/Bombers/Blackhawks Workington Tigers Ashington Saints Sunderland Saints/Gladiators Middlesbrough Bears/Teessiders/Tigers Teesside Teessiders/Tigers Bradford Northern/Barons/Dukes Nelson Admirals Ellesmere Port Gunners Crewe Kings Halifax Dukes Castleford Kings Long Eaton Rangers/Invaders Nottingham Outlaws Scunthorpe Saints/Stags Chesterton Potters Boston Barracudas Norwich Stars Rye House Roosters/Red Devils Milton Keynes Kinights Leicester Lions Birmingham Brummies Cradley Heath Heathens Newport (no nickname - 1973-6) Exeter Falcons Weymouth Eagles/Wizards Southampton Saints Canterbury Crusaders Rochester Bombers Crayford Highwaymen/Budgies (sorry, Kestrels) Hackney Hawks/Kestrels West Ham Hammers/Bombers Romford Bombers Wimbledon Dons Wembley Lions White City Rebels I'm sure there are some glaring omissions but it's just off the top of the head.

Sadly I sold my speedway records and programme collection after leaving Rye House so I don't have anything but memory to go on but I'm pretty sure Laurie had outings at Rayleigh and Hackney at least. Okay Ken, as soon as I can rub a few fivers together you have a sale That reminds me, I must order some of my own programmes from the Tape 2 Tape video vault - I have very few copies ironically.

Thanks, I am delighted to learn something. That was one that never made it into the public domain. Was it at the Great Leighs site?

That was in the list of meetings on a historic DVD and had me confused - it must have been a typo because the closest I remember Chelmsford ever getting to speedway came about as follows: About the time Rayleigh's number was coming up there were proposals to run speedway at the Essex Showground at Great Leighs near Chelmsford. Despite being in a remote location there were noise objections.

I am reminded of Bruce Cribb's advice on coping with Exeter's metal fence... "Don't hit it". Was Halifax's better to hit on a warm afternoon?

I am reminded of Bruce Cribb's advice on coping withe Exeter's metal fence... "Don't hit it".

Ah but are we sure that's not just a tax dodge? You know what these promoters are like........

I note Geoff Maloney is missing from this list (sniff).

Given Ms.Taylour's recently-revealed politics I'd expect she'd have had Herbie shot... Greetings ex-employer

Barrow was running as an open licence track so was a convenient emergency alternative base, if not geographically.

"Culling" was strongly suspected to allow the creation of one league of theoretically viable teams. I am sure that the former NL sides involved soon found out the reality.

And they transferred to Barrow in 1972, not Workington.

As a footnote we had a rather unusual round of the four team tournament at Rye House in 1992 with both Milton Keynes and Mildenhall appearing, despite the news that both were sadly about to close. Indeed I don't think their legs were staged but it is a long time ago now and my memory is flawed. There was a real sense of speedway contracting at the time, and a fear that it was not quite accidental. Rye House followed suit in 1993 and not long after there was the amalgamated league.

Well it would be good for Terry and Paul to know that their influence was still being felt on the Rockets 20 years later. They both played a large part in getting me hooked on this sport through their announcing and writing. Little did I know as a 13 year old in 1971 I might one day be following in their footsteps.

I announced at the Groveway in the mid eighties. Without breaching too much confidentiality the crowds simply weren't good enough to keep it going. The move to Elfield Park didn't improve matters and problems with the design of the place, principally the drainage made the situation far worse and eventually caused problems with the authorities. Like so many failed tracks they simply weren't making enough money despite the huge efforts of promoters like Ted Jarvis and Terry Cheney and their many helpers.

In view of speedyguy's interest in four wheeled oval racing and Mr.Hyam's role with the Midget cars I had been wondering for a while whether speedyguy and Mr.Hyam had ever been seen in the same room together. In view of this it is time to confess that I am in fact, er me, as below. I do wonder if life would be so much easier - and honest - in these forums if we did use our real names. I've only used rmc as an abbreviation, but then I have nothing to hide. Time for me to edit my profile I suspect and let rmc go for a well-earned rest.