Trees 2,814 Posted May 16, 2010 Riders going over to the safety fence prior to a race and straightening the front wheel alignment out by leaning the wheel against the fence and turning the handle bars. Yeah lol, they never do that anymore, was it just a habit? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mervjankefanclub 48 Posted May 16, 2010 Cars with speedway related Sun Visors I can still remember being on an FA coaching course as a youngster back in the early 80s (near enough to the 70s ) We were based in Sandwell and it seemed that every other vehicle I saw had some sort of speedway related stickers on the windows. I was well impressed, as it was something you never saw much of up here. We were also taken to Dudley Wood for a meeting one Saturday night, which was the highlight for me The Midlands really was a hotbed of speedway back then Although with the revival of the Brummies and hopefully Leicester next year, it will be again What about the model speedway bikes made by Britains, I used to have loads of them and spent hours firstly racing them round the oval pattern on my mums 70s style carpet before progressing to a piece of wood with a track marked out on it, filling out old programmes as I went Wish I had kept hold of them as they now seem to fetch quite a few sheckles on Ebay. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bavarian 766 Posted May 16, 2010 I miss the variety and the big events of the 1970's speedway. Most of all the Test matches, the winter tours of Australia by the British Lions and other. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
george.m 3,063 Posted July 19, 2010 (edited) When riders started putting wee name plates on their rear mudguard I'd forgotten about them. I used to see these when I mingled in the pits after meetings in the hope of getting an autograph or for some strange reason some of those perspex "visors" thingys which were held in by bulldog clips on the end of helmet duck bill. Also miss Daytona boots and real bull horn handle bars. Edited July 19, 2010 by george.m Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
george.m 3,063 Posted July 19, 2010 Just remembered the vendor in the white coat shouting, "Speedway Star, Speedway Mail". At the start of the meeting he stood at the turnstiles, then during the meeting he walked around. Best bit though was at the end of the meeting when he had copies of the Star from years back on the floor and he sold them cheap! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TonyMac 720 Posted July 20, 2010 Just remembered the vendor in the white coat shouting, "Speedway Star, Speedway Mail". At the start of the meeting he stood at the turnstiles, then during the meeting he walked around. Best bit though was at the end of the meeting when he had copies of the Star from years back on the floor and he sold them cheap! Aye, that would surely be Rab Bryceland, a loyal and dependable seller of Speedway Mail for us for many years in the 70s & 80s. In those days, the bundles of papers would be put on the freight train at London Euston and be thrown off by staff at Glasgow, where Rab would collect 'em from the parcels office before selling them at Blantyre (No.1). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyM 1 Posted July 20, 2010 What I miss most about speedway in the 70s: Hyde Road, best track ever! Big home crowds, week in week out The wealth of different teams - more variety Riders were characters in those days The amazing skills of the likes of PC and Mort The sheer passion and excitement of speedway Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
george.m 3,063 Posted July 20, 2010 Aye, that would surely be Rab Bryceland, a loyal and dependable seller of Speedway Mail for us for many years in the 70s & 80s. In those days, the bundles of papers would be put on the freight train at London Euston and be thrown off by staff at Glasgow, where Rab would collect 'em from the parcels office before selling them at Blantyre (No.1). I can remember him at Paisley and Coatbridge in the 70s. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DW 11 Posted July 21, 2010 I can remember him at Paisley and Coatbridge in the 70s. He continued at Shawfield and the early years at Ashfield Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Panda 366 Posted July 22, 2010 First meeting I went to in 1976.............I was 14 and still got in to Poole at kids rate til I was 21............ The funfair and zoo at Belle Vue..........anyone else remember the pub with the revolving door????????? Being able to go into the pits and often across the centre green to get riders autographs.......... Speedway Mail My jacket with all the badges from the tracks I visited on it...........still got it in my wardrobe and will never part with it............ Going to Cradley Heath and getting home at 2 in the morning and then going to Belle Vue at 6 the same morning............. White City Proper second halves Getting back from Ipswich at the same time as my Dad was getting up to go to work........... Programmes that you could actually read...........still got loads but think the rosettes got binned when we moved 8 years ago Neil Middleditch with long curly hair.................. John Davis with Dark hair............... If I think of any more I'll post them later.............. RP Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scarletrider 66 Posted July 23, 2010 What I miss most about speedway in the 70s: Hyde Road, best track ever! Big home crowds, week in week out The wealth of different teams - more variety Riders were characters in those days The amazing skills of the likes of PC and Mort The sheer passion and excitement of speedway Spot on AndyM - totaly agree with you - PC was the greatest "racer" of them all, and Mort was just a whisker away - and Hyde Road .... WOW! "The Mackem" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
george.m 3,063 Posted July 23, 2010 He continued at Shawfield and the early years at Ashfield Deserves an MBE for services to speedway! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mervjankefanclub 48 Posted July 25, 2010 (edited) He continued at Shawfield and the early years at Ashfield Are you sure he was at Ashfield, DJW I cant remember him being there, in fact I dont even think he was still around during the last years of Shawfield and it was his son who took on the role during this period. Like George mentioned, what I remember most about Rab, was when he sold his old Stars at the end of the night at the last couple of meetings of the season. They would just be spread all over the ground and all the youngsters, myself included, would rummage through them, only interested in the action covers, it was only portrait covers that would be left come the last meeting - happy days Edited July 25, 2010 by mervjankefanclub Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jollie roger 0 Posted August 17, 2010 I see people mentioning their tracks Speedway Star seller, at Blantyre we had Rab Bryceland in his white coat standing at the turnstiles shouting at the top of his voice......"Speedway Star!, Speedway Mail!....... programmes!!!" Then near the end of the season he would lay out all his old Stars on the ground for sale and all the kids would be rummaging around looking for the best front covers. Also remember buying old programmes for two pence from future Tigers team manager Ian Steel who ran the Tigers Den up at the fourth bend. The Scottish Best Pairs Championship Sunny Sunday afternoon meetings, although Friday nights were best and always will be. Walking to the Stadium in the wet, hoping the red and white striped flag was fluttering up the pole at the entrance, which meant the meeting was on. Riders wearing their sponsors body colours during the second half. Every visiting team having a support there. Kids running about with a coke can on their foot acting as a steel shoe. Going for a pee round the back of the small stand at Blantyre One and trying to negotiate all the corrugated steel piled up behind it. Watching meetings from the bookies stalls at the back of the stand. DICK Barrie................nah, on second thoughts <img src="http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_smile_tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_smile_tongue.gif" /> Going to Canterbury to "support" the northern teams. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jollie roger 0 Posted August 17, 2010 I see people mentioning their tracks Speedway Star seller, at Blantyre we had Rab Bryceland in his white coat standing at the turnstiles shouting at the top of his voice......"Speedway Star!, Speedway Mail!....... programmes!!!" Then near the end of the season he would lay out all his old Stars on the ground for sale and all the kids would be rummaging around looking for the best front covers. Also remember buying old programmes for two pence from future Tigers team manager Ian Steel who ran the Tigers Den up at the fourth bend. The Scottish Best Pairs Championship Sunny Sunday afternoon meetings, although Friday nights were best and always will be. Walking to the Stadium in the wet, hoping the red and white striped flag was fluttering up the pole at the entrance, which meant the meeting was on. Riders wearing their sponsors body colours during the second half. Every visiting team having a support there. Kids running about with a coke can on their foot acting as a steel shoe. Going for a pee round the back of the small stand at Blantyre One and trying to negotiate all the corrugated steel piled up behind it. Watching meetings from the bookies stalls at the back of the stand. DICK Barrie................nah, on second thoughts <img src="http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_smile_tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_smile_tongue.gif" /> Going to Canterbury to "support" the northern teams. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
