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10 hours ago, Derrickn said:

The shay was unique in that as well as being a super racetrack,it was five minutes walk from Halifax town centre,and a Saturday race night as well,so a complete night out for many.It also helped that in the early years,most of the team lived within 10 miles of the track,so a real sense of them being 'our ' team.

It had everything going for it thats for sure and was a major part of the fabric of the Town!

 

The subsequent fortunes of speedway in West Yorkshire and Shay owners Halifax Town football club after the 1985 finish of speedway there gives a firm indication of how successful Halifax Dukes speedway was!

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On 4/4/2022 at 7:04 PM, ch958 said:

it can't be Halifax in Bradford, although if it was in Halfax there'd be better crowds

 

Too true...

Loved seeing riders learning to ride the Shay... and having pre & post beer in the 'Three Pigeons' is one of the greatest ticks on a shale lovers 'Bucket List'. 

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We glad Oxford Cheetahs back!!! i hope we get another old teams back as well???

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I visted both the Shay  & Odsal, in days before & after Hull's 1995 return, and enjoyed both.  As at Hull, Craven Park, the view from the main stand at Odsal was great but of the two I preferred The Shay though, reasons of smaller stadium so better atmos and in pre-2m safety barrier days (which must be said was defo needed at The Shay !) one could literally get more than up close and personal with the racing and great pits viewing too.  Racing was mostly brilliant at the Shay, unless it was a hot, dry day and then it got pretty slick, otherwise it was great.  Both sadly missed venues still, Odsal has a shale track once more so looking good for poss speedway return.....

Edited by martinmauger
more sppeelling
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3 hours ago, martinmauger said:

I visted both the Shay  & Odsal, in days before & after Hull's 1995 return, and enjoyed both.  As at Hull, Craven Park, the view from the main stand at Odsal was great but of the two I preferred The Shay though, reasons of smaller stadium and in pre-2m safety barrier days (which must be said was defo need at The Shay !) one could literally get more up close and personal with the racing and great pits viewing.  Racing was msotly brilliant at the Shay, unless it was a hot, dry day and then it got pretty slcick, otherwise it was great.  Both sadly missed venues still, Odsal has a shale track once more so looking good for poss speedway return.....

Never got to see any racing at Halifax but called in many years later to view the stadium and with some imagination could visualise where the track once was?

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3 hours ago, steve roberts said:

Never got to see any racing at Halifax but called in many years later to view the stadium and with some imagination could visualise where the track once was?

I think it was in 1975 saw Charlie Monk win an open meeting with the prize being a brand new Weslake Engine ,he beat the very best of the old Gulf League that night .Loved going there  the shape and size  similar to Crewe actually  Paul O'neal ,Ian Cartwright and John Jackson rode for both teams a sometime or another .

Edited by FAST GATER
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1 hour ago, FAST GATER said:

I think it was in 1975 saw Charlie Monk win an open meeting with the prize being a brand new Weslake Engine ,he beat the very best of the old Gulf League that night .Loved going there  the shape and size  similar to Crewe actually  Paul O'neal ,Ian Cartwright and John Jackson rode for both teams a sometime or another .

Charlie Monk... first class rider

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8 hours ago, FAST GATER said:

I think it was in 1975 saw Charlie Monk win an open meeting with the prize being a brand new Weslake Engine ,he beat the very best of the old Gulf League that night .Loved going there  the shape and size  similar to Crewe actually  Paul O'neal ,Ian Cartwright and John Jackson rode for both teams a sometime or another .

I used to have chats with Ian when visiting "Mouseman of Kilburn." A very nice person and told some fascinating stories regarding his speedway career.

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On 4/9/2022 at 6:30 PM, steve roberts said:

Never got to see any racing at Halifax but called in many years later to view the stadium and with some imagination could visualise where the track once was?

I didn't ever see any racing at Halifax, but did once see the stadium when the track was still down. It did look a tight squeeze, as I recall. :t:

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On 4/9/2022 at 10:12 PM, martinmauger said:

I visted both the Shay  & Odsal, in days before & after Hull's 1995 return, and enjoyed both.  As at Hull, Craven Park, the view from the main stand at Odsal was great but of the two I preferred The Shay though, reasons of smaller stadium so better atmos and in pre-2m safety barrier days (which must be said was defo needed at The Shay !) one could literally get more than up close and personal with the racing and great pits viewing too.  Racing was mostly brilliant at the Shay, unless it was a hot, dry day and then it got pretty slick, otherwise it was great.  Both sadly missed venues still, Odsal has a shale track once more so looking good for poss speedway return.....

I always enjoyed my trips to both, but my recollection is of Odsal being the better race track. I remember the steep banking of the Shay, and Kenny Carter being nigh on unbeatable. Of the two, I probably have fonder memory of the Shay, but don't recall that the racing was brilliant, and the dvds I have of meetings there seem to support that. 

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21 hours ago, waiheke1 said:

I always enjoyed my trips to both, but my recollection is of Odsal being the better race track. I remember the steep banking of the Shay, and Kenny Carter being nigh on unbeatable. Of the two, I probably have fonder memory of the Shay, but don't recall that the racing was brilliant, and the dvds I have of meetings there seem to support that. 

I only went to Halifax once, but I remember peering over the fence on turn one, and the banking made me think it was a huge wall-of-death! The racing when I went wasn't brilliant either, but then were crap! We lost 56-22... :(

I used to enjoy my visits to Odsal, and racing was decent.

Edited by chunky

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not sure i ever saw anyone overtake at the Shay, spectacular though

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Seemingly I am in the minority but I made several visits to Halifax for matches against Belle Vue, Test matches and occasional other matches and I thought it was a poor race track…very very fast and very very processional…even videos I have since watched back show the same to me…..Odsal was a far superior track in my opinion 

 

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22 minutes ago, ch958 said:

not sure i ever saw anyone overtake at the Shay, spectacular though

Should have seen Sheffield there, we had some good meetings, used to love going to Halifax

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1 hour ago, ch958 said:

not sure i ever saw anyone overtake at the Shay, spectacular though

Saw Kenny Carter blast underneath Bruce Penhall coming out of bend four - brilliant piece of riding - think it was a match race thing (silver/golden helmet - not sure of the metal) 

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