speedyguy 20 Posted February 21, 2009 These are the London area tracks featured on the London Speedways discussion site. Debate is both historical from 1928 onwards to the present time. ARENA ESSEX/LAKESIDE HAMMERS BARNET. CATFORD. CLAPTON/ALSO KNOWN AS LEA BRIDGE CRAYFORD. CRYSTAL PALACE. DAGENHAM. ELSTREE. GREENFORD. HACKNEY/LONDON LIONS (1996). HARRINGAY. HIGH BEECH. LEA BRIDGE/ALSO KNOWN AS CLAPTON. LONDON LIONS/HACKNEY. LONDON WHITE CITY. NEW CROSS. ROMFORD. RYE HOUSE. STAINES. STAMFORD BRIDGE. WALTHAMSTOW WEMBLEY WIMBLEDON. Go to http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/index.cgi Should the late 1950s training track at Chiswick be added as a former London speedway? Go to http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/index.cgi Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted February 22, 2009 Should the late 1950s training track at Chiswick be added as a former London speedway? Well I'd say Chiswick's as much 'London' as Barnet, Staines, Rye House (Hoddesdon), Elstree, Greenford and High Beech... So yes.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyguy 20 Posted February 22, 2009 Well I'd say Chiswick's as much 'London' as Barnet, Staines, Rye House (Hoddesdon), Elstree, Greenford and High Beech... So yes.... And Crayford... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted February 23, 2009 And Crayford... Well, Crayford (disregarding its alleged '30s incarnation - as a grass speedway track I believe.. ), as a League track was ALWAYS in a London Borough (LB Bexley...) as opposed to an UDC of Kent... High Beech and Hoddesdon are not and never have been in London Boroughs.. Barnet & Staines are now..: but not sure if there were when Speedway was there; and fairly certain the same would've applied to Elstree and certainly Greenford... And Thurrock (where Arena Essex is...) has also never been in a London Borough So, yes, actually Crayford is far more of a London track than any of those other ones...!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyguy 20 Posted February 23, 2009 Well, Crayford (disregarding its alleged '30s incarnation - as a grass speedway track I believe.. ), as a League track was ALWAYS in a London Borough (LB Bexley...) as opposed to an UDC of Kent... High Beech and Hoddesdon are not and never have been in London Boroughs.. Barnet & Staines are now..: but not sure if there were when Speedway was there; and fairly certain the same would've applied to Elstree and certainly Greenford... And Thurrock (where Arena Essex is...) has also never been in a London Borough So, yes, actually Crayford is far more of a London track than any of those other ones...!!! Fully agree. Perhaps someone will point this out on the site eventully? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted February 23, 2009 Should the late 1950s training track at Chiswick be added as a former London speedway? Go to http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/index.cgi I'd certainly be interested in hearing more about the Chiswick Track, especially as my father was captain of the homeless Chiswick "Nomads" circa 1957. I remember him telling me that the Promoter was the ex-Aldershot boss Ted Payne (father of Steve, who himself rode in the 80's for Milton Keynes). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyguy 20 Posted February 23, 2009 (edited) I'd certainly be interested in hearing more about the Chiswick Track, especially as my father was captain of the homeless Chiswick "Nomads" circa 1957. I remember him telling me that the Promoter was the ex-Aldershot boss Ted Payne (father of Steve, who himself rode in the 80's for Milton Keynes). There is a mention about Roy Pickering on the site. http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/index.cgi Edited February 23, 2009 by speedyguy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyguy 20 Posted February 27, 2009 (edited) Latest topic on http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/index.cgi is should the Norwegian rider Leif 'Basse' Hveem be regarded as one of West Ham's all-time great riders? Edited February 27, 2009 by speedyguy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyguy 20 Posted March 8, 2009 Now included on http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/index.cgi are the London team squads for 1929, 1932 and 1946. Various members are compiling lists, hopefully, for a complete listing through to 2008. Sadly, it will take time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,053 Posted March 8, 2009 Well, Crayford (disregarding its alleged '30s incarnation - as a grass speedway track I believe.. ), as a League track was ALWAYS in a London Borough (LB Bexley...) as opposed to an UDC of Kent... High Beech and Hoddesdon are not and never have been in London Boroughs.. Barnet & Staines are now..: but not sure if there were when Speedway was there; and fairly certain the same would've applied to Elstree and certainly Greenford... And Thurrock (where Arena Essex is...) has also never been in a London Borough So, yes, actually Crayford is far more of a London track than any of those other ones...!!! Barnet and Staines were not in London when there was speedway there. Clapton (Lea Bridge) was never in London when it was operating as a speedway either. West Ham and Wembley were not in London until their respective revivals in 1964 and 1970. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyguy 20 Posted March 8, 2009 (edited) Barnet and Staines were not in London when there was speedway there. Clapton (Lea Bridge) was never in London when it was operating as a speedway either. West Ham and Wembley were not in London until their respective revivals in 1964 and 1970. I will have to check with my copy of 'Speedway in London' to verify all this new data. It has also raised concerns as to whether Crystal Palace (Penge and Anerley UDC) and Wimbledon were also bona-fide London tracks. More importantly, it also gives doubt as to the validity of both the London Riders Championship and London Cup in the sport's early days. If the culling of clubs advocated for the London Speedways was to be followed, I can only see these as genuine London tracks - Catford, Harringay, Hackney, New Cross and Stamford Bridge...and the Chiswick training circuit. http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/index.cgi Edited March 8, 2009 by speedyguy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted March 8, 2009 It has also raised concerns as to whether Crystal Palace (Penge and Anerley UDC) and Wimbledon were also bona-fide London tracks. More importantly, it also gives doubt as to the validity of both the London Riders Championship and London Cup in the sport's early days. If the culling of clubs advocated for the London Speedways was to be followed, I can only see these as genuine London tracks - Catford, Harringay, Hackney, New Cross and Stamford Bridge...and the Chiswick training circuit. Surely NOT Chiswick!!??? Wimbledon was always a London post-code was it not..? As I'd have said was Clapton (Lea Bridge)..?? And you've forgotten White City, s-g.. No doubt, surely, that Shepherds Bush is 'London'..!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,053 Posted March 9, 2009 (edited) Having a London postcode didn't mean places were in London. The Clapton track was in Leyton in the beautiful county of Essex. Edited March 9, 2009 by norbold Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyguy 20 Posted March 9, 2009 Having a London postcode didn't mean places were in London. The Clapton track was in Leyton in the beautiful county of Essex. How did they decide eligibility for the London Cup and London Riders Championship in the 'good old days' then? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,053 Posted March 9, 2009 (edited) I don't suppose they had any hard and fast rules. Clapton, West Ham and Wembley were all near enough I suppose. Incidentally, West Ham, Clapton and High Beech used to take part in the Essex Cup as well. Edited March 9, 2009 by norbold Share this post Link to post Share on other sites