The National Stadium On Google Earth.

[martinmauger 584]

Hull, Boulevard had very little if any banking and when first constructed in 1995 Craven Park had none. In 1996 a little banking was added, but only 6 inches or so as apparently it would ruin the viewing of greynonds on the dog track which as present until mid 2003. Didn't make sense as, anyone who has been 'to the dogs' as I have will confirm most punters view the races on TV monitors. Both circuits woud be described as 'technical' having long straights and tight bends for the track lengths: Boulevard 415 yds / 379m Craven Park 378 yds / 348m. Coincedentally Craven Park meaured the same as Wembley and shared a smilar shape though Wembley appeared wider on the bends. Like with any track there were some processional races at both venues but also some very good ones. At the Boulevard one could get very, very close to the action (safety zones being a thing of the future) but the best feature of Craven Park was without doubt the view from the seats in the main stand, looking down onto the track similar to the view at Bradford.

 

Anyone out there thinking of building a new track: make the view from the stand at least 40ft in the air .

 

One puzzling aspect of the Craven Park circuit being as it mostly was sandwiched 'tween the dog track & rugby pitch, was from the outside it appeared a tad narrow (though I measured it as 9m on the straights, around 14m on the bends), but when actually walking the track it seemed much, much, wider. Curious....

Edited June 16, 2017 by Martin Mauger

[OveFundinFan 4,141]

Interesting that, martin Mauger, Craven Park being the same size as Wembley 378 yards (yards-pre decimalisation). Wembley was a tricky track to ride, and most foreigners (particularly eastern europeans) could'nt get the hang of it. Exceptions were Igor Plechanov and Boris Samarodov - pity Igor never became world champ and Boris never got the top three. Both deserved that. Igor, I would think, loved Wembley, and became the thorn in the side for Ove Fundin.

[steve roberts 9,246]

Hull, Boulevard had very little if nay banking and when first constructed in 1995 Craven Park had none. In 1996 a little banking was added, but only 6 inches or so as apparently it would ruin the viewing of greynonds on the dog track which as present until mid 2003. Didn't make sense as, anyone who has been 'to the dogs' as I have will confirm most punters view the races on TV monitors. Both circuits woud be described as 'technical' having long straights and tight bends for the track lengths: Boulevard 415 yds / 379m Craven Park 378 yds / 348m. Coincedentally Craven Park meaured the same as Wembley and shared a smilar shape though Wembley appeared wider on the bends. Like with any track there were some processional races at both venues but also some very good ones. At the Boulevard one could get very, very close to the action (safety zones being a thing of the future) but the best feature of Craven Park was without doubt the view from the seats in the main stand, looking down onto the track similar to the view at Bradford.

 

Anyone out there thinking of building a new track: make the view from the stand at least 40ft in the air .

 

One puzzling aspect of the Craven Park circuit being as it mostly was sandwiched 'tween the dog track & rugby pitch, was from the outside it appeared a tad narrow (though I measured it as 9m on the straights, around 14m on the bends), but when actually walking the track it seemed much, much, wider. Curious....

...as did the Boulevard apparently and John Berry and Ron Bagley took it upon themselves to measure said width much to the annoyance of Ian Thomas!

[The White Knight 9,039]

...as did the Boulevard apparently and John Berry and Ron Bagley took it upon themselves to measure said width much to the annoyance of Ian Thomas!

Haha - I remember reading about that. :D

[steve roberts 9,246]

Haha - I remember reading about that. :D

Apparently Ian Thomas called the police in...and if I recall the incident was reported to the Control Board and Ian Thomas failed to put in an appearance at the hearing!

[martinmauger 584]

Apparently Ian Thomas called the police in...and if I recall the incident was reported to the Control Board and Ian Thomas failed to put in an appearance at the hearing!

Absolutely, I still remember that meeting with the 'fun' starting in the 2nd half. The late John Berry & Co did have a point though. Their main area of interest, the back straight, appeared less the regulation at the time of 25 ft in width. Indeed, as seasons passed by, post Mauger's Winter of 1978 pre-signing insistance that the track was widened all the way around (which it was), ever lighter strips of turf appeared on the inside of the back straight. So by the last season of 1981 riders were almost forced to 'race' in single file along it.

 

Possibly too narrow circuits aside, such incedents don't occur these days. E.g. I can remember like it was yessterday whne in 1975 Graham Drury was excluded for something or other, and less than happy with this decision and his red exclusion light stil being lit, he trashed said lamp with a track rake. Prob cost the late Ian Thomas a few quid for a new red light but I can still rememerber the incedent - but not the opposition or the score . The crowd enjoyed it and good publicity....

Edited June 16, 2017 by Martin Mauger

[racers and royals 8,723]

Trelawney was small but rode like a big track- if I remember right.

[mikec 412]

Trelawney was small but rode like a big track- if I remember right.

 

I thought that too R&R. Thinking back it reminds me a little bit of Somerset's track, albeit a smaller version. Pretty sure Matej Zagar & Bomber Harris were in Trelawny colours the night I was there.

 

Can't remember how banked it was, can remember how cold it was - after a warm sunny day too, freezing! What a fabulous setting in which to watch speedway, spectacular!

[racers and royals 8,723]

 

I thought that too R&R. Thinking back it reminds me a little bit of Somerset's track, albeit a smaller version. Pretty sure Matej Zagar & Bomber Harris were in Trelawny colours the night I was there.

 

Can't remember how banked it was, can remember how cold it was - after a warm sunny day too, freezing! What a fabulous setting in which to watch speedway, spectacular!

I remember Armando flying round there an inch from the boards- and loving the place.

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv 10,706]

Trelawney was small but rode like a big track- if I remember right.

I was lucky enough to visit it just once.

 

Great little race track - almost round and actually very flat is my memory of it.

[Tsunami 10,219]

I was lucky enough to visit it just once.

 

Great little race track - almost round and actually very flat is my memory of it.

Trelawny. Greatest venue I have been to for speedway. When we went in 2001/2 they had Zagar. Harris, Wolf?, Phillips, Ondrasic,etc, and we lead them all the way, but they got an 1-8 in heat 14 and won heat 15 with a 1-5 so we lost 47-46. The mist came down early in the meeting and made it eairy, like a film set. Lovely people who made us very welcome, and almost apologising for their win. Wish it was still in use. Good shape and surface once they levelled it to join the PL at the time.

[The White Knight 9,039]

Trelawny. Greatest venue I have been to for speedway. When we went in 2001/2 they had Zagar. Harris, Wolf?, Phillips, Ondrasic,etc, and we lead them all the way, but they got an 1-8 in heat 14 and won heat 15 with a 1-5 so we lost 47-46. The mist came down early in the meeting and made it eairy, like a film set. Lovely people who made us very welcome, and almost apologising for their win. Wish it was still in use. Good shape and surface once they levelled it to join the PL at the time.

Bloody Double Points. :mad:

 

Cost you the Match. :sad:

[SCB 0]

Bloody Double Points. :mad:

 

Cost you the Match. :sad:

But back then double points had to come from 15 metres. So often a great sight, if it was your riders coming from 15 it was amazing, if it was an opposing rider while double points was a little annoying seeing a rider come from 15 metres was often something to behold.

 

I took a friend to a Newport vs Stoke meeting in 2000, only Alan Mogridge was doing anything for Stoke that day, he had won his first two heats by a lot. They sent him out in heat 8 from 15 metres for double points. My friend thought this was amazing, seeing Stokes best rider being handicapped against two of Newports "lesser" riders (would have been Craig Taylor and either Lee Herne or Chris Courage), Moggo won the heat with my mate now thinking Moggo was some sort of super human. Certainly didnt have him muttering, "double points, what a joke". That friend has been to about half a dozen more league meeting over the years and has no interest but he's attended almost all Cardiffs and watches the odd GP on TV.

[steve roberts 9,246]

But back then double points had to come from 15 metres. So often a great sight, if it was your riders coming from 15 it was amazing, if it was an opposing rider while double points was a little annoying seeing a rider come from 15 metres was often something to behold.

 

I took a friend to a Newport vs Stoke meeting in 2000, only Alan Mogridge was doing anything for Stoke that day, he had won his first two heats by a lot. They sent him out in heat 8 from 15 metres for double points. My friend thought this was amazing, seeing Stokes best rider being handicapped against two of Newports "lesser" riders (would have been Craig Taylor and either Lee Herne or Chris Courage), Moggo won the heat with my mate now thinking Moggo was some sort of super human. Certainly didnt have him muttering, "double points, what a joke". That friend has been to about half a dozen more league meeting over the years and has no interest but he's attended almost all Cardiffs and watches the odd GP on TV.

I can understand, I think, why some people feel/felt that 'double points' improves the spectacle. Ipswich and Swindon used to run a handicap race with eight riders in a race...four at the front and four at the back over twelve (?) laps.

 

However my views were/are when I used to go was the fact that a rider starting 15 metres back wasn't actually that big of a handicap because they were able to pick their line going into the first bend rather than having to jostle with three other riders. Often by the first lap they had caught up.

 

Their team mate (if in front) would be attempting to slow the race down (which one could deem as dangerous riding forever looking behind which used to be an excludable offence) and then pull over to allow his team mate thru' for a double points win.

 

Personally I never took to the rule and don't know now what the ruling is nowadays and whether it has changed or altered at all.

[hawks 1975 69]

Enjoyed Trelawny just the once in 2003 and looking back at the photos I took, and my captions, I described it as 'a 230m banked track, with dirt on it, in a stunning setting amidst the clay pits - excellent speedway.' As an old Hackney fan, I remember thinking that is was like a mini-Waterden Road - a bit less banking - but great racing. The match I saw was Trelawny 44 Kings Lynn 46 and featured Bomber Harris, Matej Zagar, Davey Watt, Shane 'Entertainment'Parker and Tomas Topinka amongst others. Happy days!