Coventry_Bee 467 Posted December 19, 2017 My dad and I were also watching the excellent dvd over the weekend. Excellent memories and footage and if it wasn't clear enough to the younger fan then it certainly is a must watch of what a speedway owner should be like. Charles Ochiltree and Mick Horton couldn't be further apart, he must be going crazy up there looking down at what is happening to the club and stadium he built up to be what we all enjoyed for so many years. The dvd should be sent to Brandon estates and shown to rugby council. They purchased a running/working stadium not a building site. 4 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Jones 2,124 Posted December 19, 2017 1 hour ago, Coventry_Bee said: My dad and I were also watching the excellent dvd over the weekend. Excellent memories and footage and if it wasn't clear enough to the younger fan then it certainly is a must watch of what a speedway owner should be like. Charles Ochiltree and Mick Horton couldn't be further apart, he must be going crazy up there looking down at what is happening to the club and stadium he built up to be what we all enjoyed for so many years. The dvd should be sent to Brandon estates and shown to rugby council. They purchased a running/working stadium not a building site. And,for the many bees fans who grew up with the C O running the show, the last five years at Brandon, watching the club being dragged down year on year, the pain is even greater. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coventry1963 99 Posted December 19, 2017 Charles Ochiltree was respected and, in turn, he respected his customers, the fans. As a youngster in the 1960s, I once went into the office to ask if a race card was available (one of those long ago occasions when the stadium was so full, they sold out of programmes!). I was quite concerned when I saw him in the office but still asked him. Ever the gentleman, he responded to a young lad with the same politeness as to any adult and told me to wait whilst they xeroxed some spares, handing me a copy before I left. Very powerful man in the sport at that time but never lost touch with reality either. 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TesarRacing 1,825 Posted December 20, 2017 On 17/12/2017 at 12:05 AM, Gemini said: I can recommend the 'Memories of Coventry Speedway' DVD if anyone is thinking of getting it. Great value at £16 for 3 DVD's. I have sort of watched part one, with difficulty, and will be watching two and three when Lucy isn't around. What a strange dog she is as she always goes to sleep at meetings yet on TV suddenly finds it really interesting and blocks my view. Where can I get hold of one of the DVD sets Gem? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naffer 442 Posted December 20, 2017 You can’t compare the great CO with the current owner ,he is not fit to tie up Charlie’s shoes. One would be a successful blue chip company executive the other a rug salesman in Morocco. charlie would not be in North Africa 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Booey boy 123 Posted December 20, 2017 7 hours ago, TesarRacing said: Where can I get hold of one of the DVD sets Gem? Retro speedway go to there website Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gemini 4,894 Posted December 20, 2017 (edited) 9 hours ago, TesarRacing said: Where can I get hold of one of the DVD sets Gem? From here. http://retro-speedway.com/homepage Sorry I haven't replied earlier but only just logged on. Edited December 20, 2017 by Gemini Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TesarRacing 1,825 Posted December 21, 2017 Thanks Booeyboy and Gem. Much appreciated for the link! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dornier 794 Posted December 21, 2017 Just watched the trailer to the DVD and must admit it brought tears to my eyes... Its criminal whats happened and they should all be strung up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TesarRacing 1,825 Posted December 21, 2017 Ordered mine today! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coventry_Bee 467 Posted December 21, 2017 The footage is excellent and it really is a trip down memory lane and being 39 I only remember really from 84/85 season but seeing the history of it was something I really enjoyed and wasn't aware of. We have done 2 dvd's so far and savouring the other for over Christmas. Be a lot of work but maybe one day Pete from clean cut sports can do a best of speedway dvd from his time filming at Coventry, must be some great heats and thrills and spills. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish McRaker 601 Posted December 21, 2017 On 12/17/2017 at 12:05 AM, Gemini said: I can recommend the 'Memories of Coventry Speedway' DVD if anyone is thinking of getting it. Great value at £16 for 3 DVD's. I have sort of watched part one, with difficulty, and will be watching two and three when Lucy isn't around. What a strange dog she is as she always goes to sleep at meetings yet on TV suddenly finds it really interesting and blocks my view. Must have been intimidating for the riders having a gigantic dog on the first bend terracing 4 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gambo 1,338 Posted December 22, 2017 Christmas Statement from the Save Coventry Speedway group. WE would like to extend our Season’s Greetings to all supporters of Speedway and Stock Car Racing at Coventry. Our thanks to all who have supported the Campaign Group efforts over the course of the year, and also to everyone who helped organise and supported the Challenge matches run in 2017 with Coventry Bees not running as part of the official league structure. It has been the worst year imaginable for everyone with a love for the sports at Brandon; from the shattering news that ‘agreements’ for future racing were not to be fulfilled, to the eventual omission of Coventry from the 2017 Premiership, to the deterioration in condition of the stadium throughout the year arising from the lack of security on-site by the owners. Brandon Estates bought the stadium for their own purposes, but in doing so they have shown zero regard for the 89-year history and heritage of the iconic venue, nor the fact that regular visits to Brandon to watch these family sports remained a way of life for many thousands of people throughout the season, right up until the end of 2016. In addition, the intransigence of the owners to engage in reasonable communication is a further indication of their motives, along with the material included within their official representations and public exhibition material – much of which is open to serious question. At the Exhibition in October, comments from the public were invited by planning consultants Framptons. We have seen a number of these responses, and the local reaction is clear - but as with the 2014 Exhibition arising from the initial plans, they appear to be a closely-guarded secret at this time. The display boards also indicated that an outline planning application would be submitted in Autumn 2017. At the time of writing, this has not taken place. We do not know the reason for that, but we can assure Brandon Estates – and their front-man, Monaco-based businessman John Downer – that as soon as their planning application is submitted, we will be ready with strong opposition. They must understand that they cannot simply take two major sports away from the region – sports which were both perfectly viable running in tandem at the stadium – merely on an outrageous speculative bid for development on land which had not been earmarked for that purpose, and expect everyone to sit back and let it happen. Our Campaign Group came together in its present form in the immediate aftermath of Coventry’s exclusion from the 2017 SGB Premiership, and our primary aim was to bring about a return to racing at the stadium for 2018 as well as establishing plans for the long-term continuation of both sports in the area. In those respects, we have regrettably been unsuccessful. The sheer depth of issues to be considered and resolved arising from the activities of recent years has been eye-opening in the extreme, and we have to respect the fact that the timescales of official business are sometimes longer than we would wish for. We believe there is tremendous momentum behind our campaign and overwhelming opposition to Brandon Estates' proposals. So our work will go on into 2018, and there are various events and hearings in the early part of the New Year which will play a vital part in matters going forward. Finally, we must emphasise to all who pass comment on the situation, often on social media, that the status of Brandon Stadium remains absolutely fundamental to the entire argument, and an acceptance that it has been lost to sport permanently is simply not an option. We wish every supporter of Speedway and Stock Car Racing a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and we hope 2018 provides some encouragement to everyone who wishes to see our two famous sports restored to their rightful place. 10 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DC2 11,150 Posted December 22, 2017 Well done, keep it up. Millions of speedway fans world wide are behind you! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shirl 165 Posted December 23, 2017 On 17/12/2017 at 12:05 AM, Gemini said: I can recommend the 'Memories of Coventry Speedway' DVD if anyone is thinking of getting it. Great value at £16 for 3 DVD's. I have sort of watched part one, with difficulty, and will be watching two and three when Lucy isn't around. What a strange dog she is as she always goes to sleep at meetings yet on TV suddenly finds it really interesting and blocks my view. Great to see the dog lapping it up as well as all the huge crowd. how things have changed,I remember countless British finals and visits to Brandon watching the lions( getting beaten every time mind you ) the place was packed and had to park miles away and walk in. fingers crossed for a return to those heady days for a more certain future for the bees.As a lions fan I'm optimistic about this season and will also be going along to watch bees in the nationals at BP. good luck and a better 2018 Shirl 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites