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How many tracks since 1928?

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The sad loss of Workington today sparked a query in my mind. Since speedway aka dirt track racing started at King's Oak, High Beech, Epping, in February 1928, how many tracks have there been in Britain over the years? 

As an off-the -top-of-the-head starter (and I have NOT done an actual count) in London now barren to the sport it must be near to 25? On that figure I would estimate nationally the total would be in the early 100s!

Edited by Guest

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ALDERSHOT

Aldershot Sports Stadium
ALDERSHOT Aldershot Stadium, Tongham  
AMMANFORD Ty-Gwaith Pony Trotting Track  -   MAY BE GRASS-TRACK
ARENA ESSEX Arena Essex Raceway, Purfleet
ARMADALE Armadale Stadium 
ASHINGTON Portland Park Stadium
AUDENSHAW Ashton Old Road
AYCLIFFE Aycliffe Stadium
AYR Dam Park
BARNET Mays Lane
BARNSLEY Lundwood
BARROW Little Park, Roose
BARROW Holker St.    
BARROW Park Road Stadium    
BELLE VUE Zoological Gardens, Hyde Rd.. Manchester
BELLE VUE Greyhound Stadium, Kirkmanshulme Lane, Gorton, Manch.
BELLE VUE National Stadium
BERWICK Berrington Lough Stadium,  Ancroft
BERWICK Shielfield Park  
BIRMINGHAM Motodrome Greet
BIRMINGHAM Hall Green Greyhound Stadium    
BIRMINGHAM Alexander Sports Stadium, Perry Barr    
BIRMINGHAM Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium
BIRMINGHAM Wheels Project, Bordesley Green
BLACKPOOL Highfield Road Sports Ground
BLACKPOOL South Shore Greyhound Stadium, St. Annes Road
BOLTON Raikes Park
BOSTON Boston Sports Stadium   
BOTHWELL Bothwell Park Farm
BOURNEMOUTH Windsor Hall,  Bournemouth International Centre.
BRADFORD Fronby Avenue
BRADFORD Shelf Moor
BRADFORD Greenfield Stadium   
BRADFORD Odsal Stadium
BRAFIELD Brafield Sports Stadium   
BRIGHTON Hove Stadium
BRIGHTON Brighton Centre  
BRISTOL Knowle Stadium    
BRISTOL Eastville Stadium
BURNLEY Towneley Stadium
BUXTON Buxton Stadium   
BUXTON Buxton Raceway
CAERPHILLY Virginia Park Stadium 
CALIFORNIA Longmoor Speedway   
CANTERBURY Kingsmead Stadium 
CARDIFF White City Stadium, Sloper Rd.   
CARDIFF Penarth Rd. Stadium
CARDIFF Millenium Stadium
CARLISLE Moorville Park, Kingmoor      
CARMARTHEN The Showground
CASTLEFORD Whitwood Stadium
CATFORD Catford Cricket Ground
CATFORD Catford Greyhound Stadium
CAXTON (near  Cambridge)
CHALTON ( near Horndean)
Clapton See Lea Bridge
COATBRIDGE Cliftonhill Stadium  
COVENTRY Coventry Stadium, Foleshill    
COVENTRY Brandon Stadium  
COWDENBEATH Central Park Stadium
CRADLEY HEATH Dudley Wood Road   
CRAYFORD Crayford Stadium   
CREWE Sports Ground, Earle St.    
CRYSTAL PALACE Crystal Palace Exhibition Grounds, London
DAGENHAM Ripple Road    
DONCASTER Greyhound Stadium, York Rd.     
Droyslden See Manchester
EARLS BARTON Greyhound Stadium  
EASTBOURNE Arlington Stadium   
EASTBOURNE Arlington Stadium Traininjg Track 
EDINBURGH Marine Gardens, Portobello     
EDINBURGH Old Meadowbank Stadium
EDINBURGH Powderhall Stadium
ELLESMERE PORT Thornton Road Stadium    
EXETER Exwick Fields                  (single event 21 05 45)
EXETER Marsh Barton Stadium,  Alphington
EXETER County Ground Stadium    
FARINGDON Faringdon Raceway
FELTON                                  (Near Amble, Northumberland)
FLEETWOOD Highbury Ave. Sports Stadium
GLASGOW   Celtic Park  
GLASGOW   Carntyne Greyhound Stadium   
GLASGOW   Nelson Athletic Grounds    
GLASGOW   White City Stadium   
GLASGOW   Hampden Park
GLASGOW   Blantyre Sports Stadium, Blantyre 
GLASGOW   Craighead Park, Blantyre
GLASGOW   Shawfield Stadium
GLASGOW   Ashfield Stadium   
GREENFORD Greenford Driving Park   
HACKNEY Hackney Wick Greyhound Stadium, London   
HALIFAX Thrum Hall Cricket Ground
HALIFAX The Shay Grounds   
HAMILTON Hamilton Showgounds ( 1948-51 )
HARRINGAY Harringay Greyhound Stadium   
HASTINGS Pilot Field Stadium 
HEVINGHAM Norwich Raceway,  
HIGH BEECH Kings Oak  
HIGHBRIDGE Oak Tree Arena                                         (Somerset)
HOLBEACH Bell End Speedway   
HOUNSLOW Staines Road
HUDDERSFIELD Quarmby Stadium
HULL White City Stadium
HULL Hedon Stadium,   Hedon 
HULL Boulevard Stadium
HULL New Craven Park Stadium
IPSWICH Foxhall Heath Stadium    
IPSWICH Foxhall Heath Stadium  (new track inside stock car circuit)  
KETTERING Red House Speedway,  Hannington
IWADE Marshbank Farm
KING'S LYNN Norfolk Arena  
LEA BRIDGE Lea Bridge Stadium, London   
LEEDS Post Hill Speedway, Pudsey
LEEDS Morley
LEEDS Leeds Stadium, Fullerton Park    
LEICESTER Leicester Super  
LEICESTER The Stadium, Blackbird Road   
LEICESTER Beaumont Park
Lathallen See Linlithgow
LINLITHGOW Heathersfield Stadium  (1989-90)
LIVERPOOL Seaforth Greyhound Stadium
LIVERPOOL Stanley Stadium   
LONG EATON Long Eaton Stadium  
LOWESTOFT Kessingland Road
LUTON Luton Greyhound Stadium
LYDD Belgar Farm  
MANCHESTER White City Greyhound Stadium,  Old Trafford
MANCHESTER Moorside Stadium, Droylsden   
MANSFIELD Park Hall
MARCH GER Sports Club
MELTON MOWBRAY Melton Greyhound Stadium
MIDDLESBROUGH Cleveland Park Stadium   
MILDENHALL Mildenhall Stadium, West Row Fen 
MILDENHALL Training track, Mildenhall Stadium, West Row Fen 
MILTON KEYNES Groveway Greyhound Stadium  (1978-88)
MILTON KEYNES Elfield Park Stadium    
MOTHERWELL Paragon Speedway, Clyde Valley Sports Ground 
MOTHERWELL The Stadium, Milton Street  
MOTHERWELL The Stadium, Milton Street.  (New track inside stock car track)
NEATH Neath Abbey Stadium
NELSON Seedhill Stadium
NEW BRIGHTON The Tower Ground
NEW CROSS New Cross Stadium, London  
NEWCASTLE Gosforth Park
NEWCASTLE Brough Park Greyhound Stadium, Fossway
NEWMARKET Newmarket Road Dog Track
NEWPORT Somerton Park
NEWPORT Hayley Stadium, Queensway Meadows
NEWTON HEATH Newton Heath Training Track, Williams Road   
NEWTONGRANGE Victoria Park Stadium ( 1950-51, 1970 )
NORTHAMPTON Hannington
NORTHAMPTON Northampton Greyhound Stadium
NORWICH Firs Stadium  
NOTTINGHAM White City Stadium, Trent Lane   
NOTTINGHAM Highfields             ( grass track with sand on the bends)
OXFORD Cowley Stadium  
PAISLEY Love Street
PETERBOROUGH Eastfield Speed Park
PETERBOROUGH East of England Showground
PLYMOUTH Pennycross Stadium  
PLYMOUTH St. Boniface Arena
PONYTPRIDD Taff Vale Park
POOLE Poole Stadium, Wimborne Road
PORTSMOUTH Wessex Stadium, Copnor Gardens
PORTSMOUTH Portsmouth Greyhound & Sports Stadium, Tipnor  
PRESTON Farringdon Park
RAYLEIGH Rayleigh Stadium, Laindon  
RAYLEIGH Rayleigh Weir Stadium (1948-57,59-61,63-65)
READING Reading Greyhound Stadium, Tilehurst
READING Smallmead Stadium
READING Reading Training Track, Smallmead     
REDCAR South Tees Motorsports Track
RINGWOOD Matchams Park (at rear of later stadium)   
RINGWOOD Matchams Park  
RINGWOOD   Matchams Park  (smaller track inside the stock car track)
ROCHDALE Athletic Grounds  
ROCHESTER City Way Stadium
ROMFORD Brooklands Stadium
ROTHERHAM Greyhound Stadium, Hellaby  
RYDE Smallbrook Stadium, Isle of Wight
RYE HOUSE Hoddesdon Stadium  (Outside Greyhound track) 
RYE HOUSE Hoddesdon Stadium  (Inside Greyhound track) 
RYE HOUSE Rye House Stadium, Hoddesdon  
SALFORD Salford Albion Stadium, Cromwell Rd. 
SCUNTHORPE Quibell Park Stadium
SCUNTHORPE Ashby Ville Stadium,  Ashby
SCUNTHORPE Normanby Road
Seaforth See Seaforth Greyhound Stadium, Liverpool
SHEFFIELD Owlerton Sports Stadium  
SHEFFIELD Sheffield Training Track, Owlerton  
SITTINGBOURNE Marshbank Farm, Iwade    -   SEE IWADE
SITTINGBOURNE Central Park
SKEGNESS Skegness Stadium, Marsh Lane, Orby. 
SMALLFORD Smallford Speedway, Hatfield Rd, near St. Albans
SOUTHAMPTON The Stadium, Banister Court  
ST. AUSTELL Cornish Stadium, Par Moor   
ST. AUSTELL Clay Country Moto Park, Nanpean
STAINES Staines Greyhound Stadium
STAINFORTH Stainforth Greyhound Stadium
STAMFORD BRIDGE Stamford Bridge Stadium, London
STOCKPORT Hazel Grove Greyhound Stadium,  Hazel Grove
STOKE Hanley Stadium,  Sun Street   
STOKE Newcastle-Under-Lyme Stadium, Loomer Rd., Chesterton   
SUNDERLAND Sunderland Greyhound Stadium, East Boldon  
SWINDON Swindon Autodrome, Gorse Hill  
SWINDON Abbey Stadium, Blunsdon
TAMWORTH Mile Oak Speedway,  Mile Oak
TAMWORTH Deer Park, Watling St., Fazely
THORNE Thorne Stadium
TRAGO Trago Stadium,  Bodmin
TREDEGAR Recreation Ground
WALTHAMSTOW Walthamstow Stadium, London  
WARRINGTON Arpley Motordrome
WEMBLEY Empire Stadium,  London
WEST HAM Custom House Stadium,  London
WEYMOUTH Wessex Stadium     
WEYMOUTH Wessex Stadium    (Behind original stadium around football practice pitch)
WHITE CITY White City Stadium, London    
WHITLEY BAY Hillheads
WIGAN Greyhound & Sports Stadium, Woodhouse Lane 
WIGAN Poolstock Stadium       
WIMBLEDON Wimbledon Stadium    
WIMBLEDON Wimbledon Stadium   (New track built inside the original)    
WOLVERHAMPTON Monmore Green Stadium,  Monmore Green 
WOMBWELL Ings Road Stadium,  Low Valley   
WOMBWELL South Yorkshire Sports Stadium    
WORKINGTON Lonsdale Park    
WORKINGTON Derwent Park Stadium   
WORKINGTON Northside Arena
YARMOUTH Yarmouth Stadium,  Caister-on-Sea  

YORK

 

There you go, maybe not all but pretty close 225 or more!

Burnholme Estate,  Heworth

 

 

   
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Guest

Going on the excellent list of 225  supplied by andout my calculations are that from 1928 to the present year makes for 91 years. Deleting six years for WW2 between 1939-45 from speedway's start in 1928 to date makes for a potential 85 active seasons. This gives an approximate average of three lost tracks each season.

The major question as I see it is can that be an acceptable figure in regard to lost tracks/clubs for any sport to sustain?

Edited by Guest

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10 minutes ago, gustix said:

Going on the excellent list of 225  supplied by andout my calculations are that from 1928 to the present year makes for 91 years. Deleting six years for WW2 between 1939-45 from speedway's start in 1928 to date makes for a potential 85 active seasons. This gives an approximate average of three lost tracks each season.

The major question as I see it is can that be an acceptable figure in regard to lost tracks/clubs for any sport to sustain?

The sport still survives.So I guess that answers your question to some extent.You should also take into consideration the early boom years,were exploitation years,with track numbers that could never be sustained for any period of time.Even the amount of race nights of 2 meetings per week at some tracks couldn't be sustained for long. 

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Guest compost

Wasn't there a training track at Chiswick ?

I've come across reports of speedway at Taunton (not the current stock car track) though I haven't been able to investigate to confirm yet (circa 1939).

Didn't they hold noise tests at Swansea Greyhound stadium (just before the second ewport track opened) - does that count ?

 

Was Wisbech grass only ?

On the Speedway Researcher website is a pdf of book titled 'Eastern Speedway'.  This lists a number of venues in Norfolk that held the odd Speedway (and Grasstrack) meeting.  Oulton Broad (Lowestoft Rd), Bradwell (Doles Meadow), Lowestoft (Crown Meadow), Fakenham &, possibly, Downham Market.

 

 

Edited by compost
Typo corrected

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13 minutes ago, compost said:

On the Speedway Researcher website is a pdf of book titled 'Eastern Speedway'.  This lists a number of venues in Norfolk that held the odd Speedway (and Grasstrack) meeting.  Oulton Broad (Lowestoft Rd), Bradwell (Doles Meadow), Lowestoft (Crown Meadow), Fakenham &, possibly, Downham Market.

 

 

A meeting was held on 9 April 1932 at Oulton Broad (Lowestoft Road), Eleven meetings were held at Doles Meadow, Bradwell. A meeting was held on 13 August 1932 at Crown Meadow, Lowestoft, One meeting at Downham Market on 14 July 1932 and two at Fakenham.

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In 1947, nine meetings were held on a track in ELSTREE. The first meeting, held on 10 August, included Freddie Williams, Bill Kitchen, Cyril Brine and Tiger Hart.

Edited by norbold

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42 minutes ago, norbold said:

In 1947, nine meetings were held on a track in ELSTREE. The first meeting, held on 10 August, included Freddie Williams, Bill Kitchen, Cyril Brine and Tiger Hart.

ELSTREE.
Opened August 10 1947. Closed October 1947. Address: Elstree, Herts.

DEFUNCT SPEEDWAY TRACKS
ELSTREE, HERTS.
Nine meetings took place on a track which had been prepared by a local farmer pouring oil on to a grassy field. The only covered accommodation was a canvas marquee which served as a dressing room and everything else. The first meeting was held on 10 August and included Freddie Williams, Bill Kitchen, Cyril Brine, Tiger Hart, Bob Wells and Roy Craighead. All nine meetings were refereed by Arthur Humphries.

Although speedway did not return the following season, or ever again come to that, the meetings were well attended and had sideshows such as beauty contests and knobbly knees competitions.

 

Edited by Guest

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26 minutes ago, gustix said:

ELSTREE.
Opened August 10 1947. Closed October 1947. Address: Elstree, Herts.

DEFUNCT SPEEDWAY TRACKS
ELSTREE, HERTS.
Nine meetings took place on a track which had been prepared by a local farmer pouring oil on to a grassy field. The only covered accommodation was a canvas marquee which served as a dressing room and everything else. The first meeting was held on 10 August and included Freddie Williams, Bill Kitchen, Cyril Brine, Tiger Hart, Bob Wells and Roy Craighead. All nine meetings were refereed by Arthur Humphries.

Although speedway did not return the following season, or ever again come to that, the meetings were well attended and had sideshows such as beauty contests and knobbly knees competitions.

 

That looks familiar. I wonder who wrote that...:rolleyes:

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21 minutes ago, norbold said:

That looks familiar. I wonder who wrote that...:rolleyes:

Just as well Norman Jacobs doesn`t post on here- he would have got really upset if his work wasn`t referenced :)

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3 hours ago, compost said:

 

I've come across reports of speedway at Taunton (not the current stock car track) though I haven't been able to investigate to confirm yet (circa 1939).

 

Grass track speedway was staged at Halcon Corner, Taunton, including team matches in 1939 against Holbeach and Cannfield.

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