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1948 season new applicants

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Been re-reading the winter 97/98 issue of the VSM and I noticed that the intro to the final League tables for 1948 says 'There were 30 applications for new licences to stage Speedway ...'. 

 

The article then mentions that only 5 were accepted - Edinburgh, Coventry, Hull, Poole and Yarmouth.

 

Does anyone know who the remaining 25 were (it is possible that Hastings and Fleetwood were 2 of them as these venues ended up taking over the licences of existing tracks at Eastbourne & Wigan)  ?

 

Just wondered where all those venues that missed out, possibly forever, were.

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1 hour ago, compost said:

Been re-reading the winter 97/98 issue of the VSM and I noticed that the intro to the final League tables for 1948 says 'There were 30 applications for new licences to stage Speedway ...'. 

 

The article then mentions that only 5 were accepted - Edinburgh, Coventry, Hull, Poole and Yarmouth.

 

Does anyone know who the remaining 25 were (it is possible that Hastings and Fleetwood were 2 of them as these venues ended up taking over the licences of existing tracks at Eastbourne & Wigan)  ?

 

Just wondered where all those venues that missed out, possibly forever, were.

It was reported in December 1947 that Clapton was one of the tracks applying for a licence for 1948.  Another former track at Nottingham was also hoping to re-open.  Although Eastbourne relocated to Hastings for 1948 there had been a report that a new track would be constructed at Hampden Park, near Eastbourne railway station, with Arlington also to remain in operation as a member track of a suggested Sunday league.  The proposed new track was to be 380 yards, with a capacity of 15,000.   Three other new tracks hoping to operate in 1948 were Romford, Charlton and Mitcham.  The Romford track, to be run by Tippy Atkinson, was proposed to be constructed at the football ground, with a capacity of 20,000.                                                                                                       

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After the Second World War, austerity was the watchword of the day. It wasn't just food and clothing that was rationed, entertainment was too. With people desperate for something to contrast the dull daily grind speedway flourished. In 1946 over 600,000 people went through the turnstiles at Wimbledon. The 12 league teams reported an aggregate profit of £160,000 (equivalent to £4.5 million today). Seeing the opportunity to profit from the sport's new-found popularity, dozens of applications to open new tracks reached the speedway authorities. By the start of 1951 the number of league teams had risen from 12 to 37.

Potential new applicants had to overcome two hurdles. The first was to get a licence from the Speedway Control Board, but permission was also required from the Home Office. The Government feared that leisure activities might undermine industrial production and frowned on weekday tracks in particular.

The list of applicants for 1947 makes interesting reading. Among those granted permission were pre-war venues such as Harringay (the original Racers) and Southampton, and new tracks like Cradley Heath. Among the unsuccessful applicants were Charlton, Crewe, Peterborough, Yarmouth, Staines and Reading.

The following year Reading again appeared on the list of 18 applicants for a licence to stage speedway. Among the hopefuls were Leicester, Worksop, Poole, Coventry, Romford and Leeds.

Come 1949, and again Reading failed to get a licence, unlike Swindon and Oxford. Swindon, originally granted an open licence, replaced Hull in the league mid-season.

'Tears & Glory' - page 10

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On 12/8/2018 at 12:40 PM, arnieg said:

After the Second World War, austerity was the watchword of the day. It wasn't just food and clothing that was rationed, entertainment was too. With people desperate for something to contrast the dull daily grind speedway flourished. In 1946 over 600,000 people went through the turnstiles at Wimbledon. The 12 league teams reported an aggregate profit of £160,000 (equivalent to £4.5 million today). Seeing the opportunity to profit from the sport's new-found popularity, dozens of applications to open new tracks reached the speedway authorities. By the start of 1951 the number of league teams had risen from 12 to 37.

Potential new applicants had to overcome two hurdles. The first was to get a licence from the Speedway Control Board, but permission was also required from the Home Office. The Government feared that leisure activities might undermine industrial production and frowned on weekday tracks in particular.

The list of applicants for 1947 makes interesting reading. Among those granted permission were pre-war venues such as Harringay (the original Racers) and Southampton, and new tracks like Cradley Heath. Among the unsuccessful applicants were Charlton, Crewe, Peterborough, Yarmouth, Staines and Reading.

The following year Reading again appeared on the list of 18 applicants for a licence to stage speedway. Among the hopefuls were Leicester, Worksop, Poole, Coventry, Romford and Leeds.

Come 1949, and again Reading failed to get a licence, unlike Swindon and Oxford. Swindon, originally granted an open licence, replaced Hull in the league mid-season.

'Tears & Glory' - page 10

In 1948 there was also an application from Kings Lynn, and in 1947 (I think) from Crystal Palace..

Edited by HertsRacer

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On 12/8/2018 at 12:40 PM, arnieg said:

 

 

The list of applicants for 1947 makes interesting reading. Among those granted permission were pre-war venues such as Harringay (the original Racers) and Southampton, and new tracks like Cradley Heath. Among the unsuccessful applicants were Charlton, Crewe, Peterborough, Yarmouth, Staines and Reading.

The following year Reading again appeared on the list of 18 applicants for a licence to stage speedway. Among the hopefuls were Leicester, Worksop, Poole, Coventry, Romford and Leeds.

Come 1949, and again Reading failed to get a licence, unlike Swindon and Oxford. Swindon, originally granted an open licence, replaced Hull in the league mid-season.

 

Would that be 'Reading' as in California (-in-Wokingham I think) or at a different venue ?  I know California rode pre-war challenge matches under the name of Reading.

 

Many thanks for the replies.  Interesting to see how few of the unsuccessful applicants eventually became licenced venues.  Did the control board get the process right or did the applicants realise what they were up against and give up ?

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4 minutes ago, compost said:

Would that be 'Reading' as in California (-in-Wokingham I think) or at a different venue ?  I know California rode pre-war challenge matches under the name of Reading.

 

Many thanks for the replies.  Interesting to see how few of the unsuccessful applicants eventually became licenced venues.  Did the control board get the process right or did the applicants realise what they were up against and give up ?

No - California reopened in 1948 but never applied to join the leagues (until the SAL came along in 1954). 

The Reading application was for Tilehurst. A couple of attempts were made to stage speedway there pre-war and further efforts in 1963/64 before it finally opened in 1968.

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On 12/13/2018 at 8:11 AM, compost said:

Would that be 'Reading' as in California (-in-Wokingham I think) or at a different venue ?  I know California rode pre-war challenge matches under the name of Reading.

 

Many thanks for the replies.  Interesting to see how few of the unsuccessful applicants eventually became licenced venues.  Did the control board get the process right or did the applicants realise what they were up against and give up ?

Of the tracks mentioned I know that Crystal Palace was deemed to be too close to New Cross, probably the same argument applied to Charlton. The Local Council refused planning permission to stage speedway at Romford, and the stadium owners turned down approaches to run at Nottingham. I assume any application from Clapton was to be at Lee Bridge Stadium which during and after the war was used for allotments and never hosted speedway again. The owners of Staines Stadium introduced Midget Car Racing in 1947 which probably explained why speedway did not get off the ground.

  I suspect many of the applications to join the league were made before obtaining necessary planning permission or agreement with the stadium owners which in the end was not forthcoming.   

Edited by HertsRacer

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On 12/8/2018 at 12:40 PM, arnieg said:

After the Second World War, austerity was the watchword of the day. It wasn't just food and clothing that was rationed, entertainment was too. With people desperate for something to contrast the dull daily grind speedway flourished. In 1946 over 600,000 people went through the turnstiles at Wimbledon. The 12 league teams reported an aggregate profit of £160,000 (equivalent to £4.5 million today). Seeing the opportunity to profit from the sport's new-found popularity, dozens of applications to open new tracks reached the speedway authorities. By the start of 1951 the number of league teams had risen from 12 to 37.

Potential new applicants had to overcome two hurdles. The first was to get a licence from the Speedway Control Board, but permission was also required from the Home Office. The Government feared that leisure activities might undermine industrial production and frowned on weekday tracks in particular.

The list of applicants for 1947 makes interesting reading. Among those granted permission were pre-war venues such as Harringay (the original Racers) and Southampton, and new tracks like Cradley Heath. Among the unsuccessful applicants were Charlton, Crewe, Peterborough, Yarmouth, Staines and Reading.

The following year Reading again appeared on the list of 18 applicants for a licence to stage speedway. Among the hopefuls were Leicester, Worksop, Poole, Coventry, Romford and Leeds.

Come 1949, and again Reading failed to get a licence, unlike Swindon and Oxford. Swindon, originally granted an open licence, replaced Hull in the league mid-season.

'Tears & Glory' - page 10

It was interesting to see Staines listed as applicants to enter speedway for the 1947 season. There was speedway there in 1938 and 1939 when Danny Lee, George Bason and Stan Tebby were among the riders.

In later years from the early 1950s into the 1960s Staines staged stock car racing where among the top drivers were former speedway riders Ted Pankhurst and Ronnie Webb.

In 1947 Staines staged meetings for midget cars.

Edited by Guest

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