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I wonder if the mods have yet spotted an interest for cycle speedway and will decide to set up a special discussion section for the sport? The main season gets underway in a couple of weeks - and there is overseas interest including Holland, Australia and the USA.

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Was this the club based at Sydenham or another one..? And what were the circs Ivan turned out for them?

 

Garratt Park, not Sydenham

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Was this the club based at Sydenham or another one..? And what were the circs Ivan turned out for them?

 

The only team from that area I have a record of is Sydenham Stars but I don't know when or where they raced.

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Here is some details about cycle speedway from the VCSRA site that may be of some interest:

 

Cycle Speedway History

Opened in April 2007 the National Speedway Museum located in The Paradise Wildlife Park at Broxbourne, Herts. has a corner devoted to the history and development of CYCLE SPEEDWAY.

The Cycle Speedway display, sponsored and maintained by the VCSRA is a brief visual history illustrated with pictures and memorabilia of the sport from its birth in the ‘Skid Kid’ days of 1946 to the current, highly sophisticated short track cycle racing of today.

For details of how to get to The Paradise Wildlife Park go tohttp://www.pwpark.com

Cycle Speedway Today

Cycle speedway is still flourishing in the UK although not as widespread as in the heady days of the 40's and 50's. Racing is held under the auspices of British Cycling and all details, fixtures, results etc. can be viewed on the British Cycling-Cycle Speedway web sitehttp://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/bc/cys/cs_latest_news.asp

OR

http://www.spokesman-online.co.uk

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tbh, I was thinking of Churchfields which is more Beckenham than Sydenham... So many place names in South London - confuses even a 'native' like me! :oops:

I see from a quick bit of Googling about that track that a current associate (well I know him from Lakeside...), Martin Jarvis was a three times in a row British Youth champ as a Beckenham rider in the early '70s. :approve:

Martin's involved at East London now and informs me that the promised indoor Cycle Speedway venue as part of the Olympics site never materilised. It MAY, I suppose, still happen when Eastway/Temple Mills on Ruckholt Rd. is turned back into a cycling venue...

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Terry Stone once spoke to me about all the tracks around East London - wish I'd had a recorder rolling as it was a lot of info! Where was the Beckton Aces track, speedy?

The Beckton Aces track was in Ellesmere Street, Poplar E4.

 

This list of London cycle speedway clubs may be of interest to yoiu:

http://londonspeedwa...play&thread=824

You're kidding me!! I know Ellesmere St. really well!!!!! Why was it called Beckton though when based in that part of Poplar!!?

I don't know. I'm a South Londoner - originally from Deptford. I think that I went to the track about three times. Then they dropped me!!!

They didn't seem to like reserves who came in half a lap behind the other three riders!

 

Well the passage of time for more than 60 years has got me!

Firstly, the East End team I rode for around 1952 and run by Vic Duffy was NOT Beckton Aces as I "claimed" but Ferndale Stars. They were based on a track near the Ferndale pub by the entrance to one of the Docks. That was where we used to go to in convoy after meeting as a group near the old Royal Arsenal in Woolwich. I was already tired out by then having cycled to the meeting place from the Lewisham area.

Nor were the Beckton Aces in Ellesmere Street, Poplar. They were members of the East London League and had a track in Manor Way in the area where there was - or still could be - a ski practice slope.

Edited by speedyguy

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The Newcastle Cycle speedway has reformed, found a track and are currently in hard practice with some taking it very serious with new bikes and things. No new members but olduns giving it another go. :lol: Seem to be enjoying themselves.

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ELITE LEAGUE FIXTURES

APRIL 2012

 

Sunday April 8

Horspath v Wednesfield

Leicester v Ipswich

Sheffield v Poole

 

Sunday April 15

Wednesfield v Birmingham

 

Sunday April 22

Birmingham v Sheffield

Ipswich v Poole

Wednesfield v Leicester

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Nor were the Beckton Aces in Ellesmere Street, Poplar. They were members of the East London League and had a track in Manor Way in the area where there was - or still could be - a ski practice slope.

 

That makes a lot more sense! Couldn't see any way a club called Beckton would be based in Poplar! I take it there was a track on Elleseme St., E14 as well though .?

 

You're right about what they call the Beckton Alp (though sadly the one time dry ski slope there has long since now closed down). Incidentally the 'alp, was created to bury underneath it a second world war Gunnery site..: one very similar to the one used now as a Speedway track in Iwade!

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Well last night I had my first taste of Cycle Speedway. Got to Birmingham Monarchs track, nice little venue in the corner of Perry Park.

 

Met couple of the guys who ride for them who gave me a background to the sport, teams, leagues etc. Some of the first team were their going around so I got to see them see how fast it really is!

 

Then they gave me a bike and I had my first go. I learnt fast to put the ball of your foot on the pedal otherwise your foot clips the tyre! It was a little manic to start and the scariest bit was hurtling into bends 3 & 4 with the banking. There was couple more youngsters, so we started from the gate as well and seemed to make good starts.

 

I will definately go again next week and get more confidence with the bikes and track and and take it from there.

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Cycle Speedway doesn't look very healthy at the moment unless I'm misunderstanding the fixture list. I mean are there really only two meetings at Leicester from April to September? Also what's happening with the Premier League now Hull and Southampton have pulled out?

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Cycle Speedway doesn't look very healthy at the moment unless I'm misunderstanding the fixture list. I mean are there really only two meetings at Leicester from April to September? Also what's happening with the Premier League now Hull and Southampton have pulled out?

 

Last years Premier League has been re branded as the Elite League. The new Premier League was going to be a slightly lower level of racing but with only four teams who starting with Southampton followed by Hull pulled out leaving a two team league, this was scrapped with Birmingham accepting an invite to join the new Elite League. Leicester will have 6 home Elite League fixtures as well as their midland and local league stuff

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