Walthamstow Stadium

[KevH 257]

Gone, another supermarket. :-( (never made it there)

 

That's a shame - I saw the World Stock Car Championship there many years ago and the view from the grandstand was excellent - it was really high.

[Sean 3]

Sadly Harringey became a Sainsburys,and a DIY superstore but i believe the train station still carries the name.

Romford is still there, and like Walthamstow, and Catford, are simply just Greyhound stadiums.

As you say, maybe with some good publicity, Hackney (London) could have been a success, and then maybe if they left the " Hackney" title, it would have had more success, but then some of these places just get that one chance, pretty much like we have faced up at Norwich with The Local Council there.

[Tom Thumb 81]

Sean, has speedway ever been held at the Romford dogs? thought it was at Brooklands home of Romford F.C.

[KevH 257]

Have there been any recent attempts to re-introduce speedway to Catford that you know of?

[Sean 3]

Sean, has speedway ever been held at the Romford dogs? thought it was at Brooklands home of Romford F.C.

 

not 100% sure TT, i'll take your word thou, better get the "NORBOLD BOOK OF LONDON SPEEDWAY HISTORY" out and have a look.

[Sean 3]

Have there been any recent attempts to re-introduce speedway to Catford that you know of?

 

i had a quick look at Catford around two years ago, whilst on the Wimbledon project, and first thoughts is the track would be very small, actually probably too small. and there is a lot of housing around there so we brushed over it, although interestingly, it is also owned by The GRA, and managed by the same people that are at Wimbledon.

Wimbledon was a better option at the time as it needed no motor racing licenece with the stock cars there.

[Guest cheetahhawk]

TT you are right the speedway at Romford was at Brooklands,the football stadium and as far as I know never held at the doggies track.

Sean and Kevin,I didn't think it was the GRA at Hackney,wasn't it BAGS :?: I could be wrong about that though, but when Hackney were Hackney as opposed to London Lions it was definately BAGS that ran the dogs there.Did the GRA have any control over Hackney when it became the London Stadium :?: :?

 

Kevin,many years ago when Scorpio was a baby we lived right behind Harringay Stadium but couldn't see into the stadium from our flat,we could hear the stock cars going round though.The station is now called Harringay Green Lanes and has been since they built Sainsbury's on the site. :-(

Back in 1996 there was a meeting/collectors fair at the Sainsburys and there were some pictures from Harringay speedway put in Sainsburys foyer.I think that Norbold may have gone along that day,I know that Alf Hagon and Nobby Stock were there 'cos my other half got their autographs.

[Paul 67]

Now Sean, my spies tell me you where a head of speedway knowledge.Romford never had meetings at the dog track! Perhaps you could speak to them though. Oh, I forgot Arena are only a few miles away.Mr Russell may have something to say about that if he ever got the idea Romford would try to re-open! Now there's a thought.

Talking of Arena their programme makes no mention of Colin Brine or Adrian Kearney this year. Alan Sargent is only mentioned as press officer/programme editor. Is there a Russell take over? Could this be why the Arene website has gone down? Anybody know?

[KevH 257]

TT you are right the speedway at Romford was at Brooklands,the football stadium and as far as I know never held at the doggies track.

Sean and Kevin,I didn't think it was the GRA at Hackney,wasn't it BAGS  :?: I could be wrong about that though, but when Hackney were Hackney as opposed to London Lions it was definately BAGS that ran the dogs there.Did the GRA have any control over Hackney when it became the London Stadium  :?:  :?

 

I've got to say I'm not sure CH - never really got into the doggie side of things, but I'm sure someone will know!

[Sean 3]

Now Sean, my spies tell me you where a head of speedway knowledge.

dunno where you got that from!!!

Romford never had meetings at the dog track!  

Perhaps you could speak to them though.

ok i stand corrected, i should have consulted my speedway in london book before saying it, but i wasn't aware there was two stadiums over in Romford, and not being familiar with the area, i didn't think to look

Oh, I forgot Arena are only a few miles away.Mr Russell may have something to say about that if he ever got the idea Romford would try to re-open! Now there's a thought.

ah..now that man gets in my way again!

Talking of Arena their programme makes no mention of Colin Brine or Adrian Kearney this year. Alan Sargent is only mentioned as press officer/programme editor. Is there a Russell take over? Could this be why the Arene website has gone down? Anybody know?

interesting thoughts...CB was on the turnstiles the first meeting, but as for AK,...i'll ask my contacts

[Sean 3]

Sean and Kevin,I didn't think it was the GRA at Hackney,wasn't it BAGS  :?: I could be wrong about that though, but when Hackney were Hackney as opposed to London Lions it was definately BAGS that ran the dogs there.Did the GRA have any control over Hackney when it became the London Stadium  :?:  :?

 

no, can't help there either. and cannot say i've heard of BAGS.

i am presuming its the BRITISH ASSOC OF GREYHOUND somethings!

i'll have a ask around.

[Custom House Kid 45]

Romford is still there, and like Walthamstow, and Catford, are simply just Greyhound stadiums.

 

Romford rode at the Football ground, now flats, never at the greyhound track :!:

 

Now no football or speedway team :evil: :evil: although there are sum attempts to get the football up and running again!

 

 

How about indoors at the Dome

[Addy 1]

Ahhh Walthamstow -

near Chigwell, n'est pas?

 

I had my picture taken there :x

 

(By the way the new owner has called he Fiona -

and has made a right mess with the superglue )

[Jeff. 2]

BAGS is just the Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service. They are dog meetings put on purely for transmission into the nations betting shops, I dont believe admission is charged for anyone attending the actual meeting

[norbold 7,108]

Sean, has speedway ever been held at the Romford dogs? thought it was at Brooklands home of Romford F.C.

 

not 100% sure TT, i'll take your word thou, better get the "NORBOLD BOOK OF LONDON SPEEDWAY HISTORY" out and have a look.

 

Thanks for all the plugs, Sean! Actually the history of Romford speedway is in Speedway in the South East not the London book. But, as everyone has already told you, the speedway track was at Brooklands, not the greyhound track.

 

I think there are two problems with Walthamstow, which have already been mentioned. One is its situation, very close to a residential area and secondly, the GRA see Walthamstow as the jewel in its doggie crown and don't want it messed up with speedway.

 

Still, as you say, we should never say never, because if we did, Wimbledon would never have come back, but I think it will be an uphill battle.

 

Have you thought about Yarmouth????