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singy13

Derwent Park Workington

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On 9/7/2021 at 11:44 PM, BEATTHEBOOKIEBOB said:

I was at speedway practice today and got talking to the gent who had told me Northside were due to do training in September - He now says the plan is November - I hope he is right -  I also managed to talk to another old un like myself whom I asked about grass track racing to which he pointed in a direction away from the current Iwade track and confirmed that yes they did have grass track racing years ago ‘ over there’ so nothing wrong with your memory there Singy 13 - 

What I do recall was knowing there was a track of some sort nr Sittingbourne, so yes at Iwade, from reading of the racing in the Speedway Star of that era. I was determined to have a peek considering 'er indoors Aunts house was so handy. Although to make amends I did take my better half to Sittingbourne's main shopping street for a strict max of 30 mins shopping...bad man was I?

Must add that I was very impressed with the Canterbury speedway set up later that night...a large crowd, good atmosphere....Much better than the next day's visit to Arlington's mish mash of a venue, with a weirdly shaped track giving too much home advantage...although Mr. Lanning on the mike did whip up lots of enthusiasm....great memories!!!!!!!!

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49 minutes ago, Piotr Pyszny said:

According to wiki, Workington Town RLFC’s highest league attendance in 2021 is 1,457.

1400 at Town match yesterday, despite it being a non event with league placings already sorted.

Wish Comets could have still attracted similar 3 years ago...

Can't really see Northside being viable.....but would still support it if it happens.

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On 9/11/2021 at 8:46 PM, martinmauger said:

At the risk of being slightly annoying; whilst perusing Scunny v Poole proggie half saw a report on BBC2 Newsnight Friday night about the political situation in Workington, something about "the football & rugby club are working together to save their ground" then a brief shot of what MAY have been Derwent Park, back straight stand.  No mention of speedway or the Comets though....

Not sure what you saw there. The plan a few years ago now was for a new shared stadium {football and rugby} being built on the soccer stadiums land....and the Rugby/Speedway stadium i.e. Derwent Park was to be flattened once the new stadium was complete....therefore no speedway facility planned at all....but as yet nothing happening, probably won't.

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On 9/13/2021 at 7:10 PM, singy13 said:

1400 at Town match yesterday, despite it being a non event with league placings already sorted.

Wish Comets could have still attracted similar 3 years ago...

Can't really see Northside being viable.....but would still support it if it happens.

Good crowd. Don't know if any of you are rugby fans, my cousin's son-in-law Scotty played for Worky, think he moved to Leeds? My rellies live in Prospect near Aspatria. One played union for GB students, one cousin coaches Wigton juniors RL. Remember when I lived there briefly that Cumbria was a League hotbed, apart from Carlisle which was football. 

One relative remembers going to the first speedway meeting at DP, 1970, hundreds got in for free across a pipe over the river. Next meeting it was greased so peeps fell in.:lol:

 

Edited by auntie doris
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On 9/14/2021 at 12:16 PM, auntie doris said:

Good crowd. Don't know if any of you are rugby fans, my cousin's son-in-law Scotty played for Worky, think he moved to Leeds? My rellies live in Prospect near Aspatria. One played union for GB students, one cousin coaches Wigton juniors RL. Remember when I lived there briefly that Cumbria was a League hotbed, apart from Carlisle which was football. 

One relative remembers going to the first speedway meeting at DP, 1970, hundreds got in for free across a pipe over the river. Next meeting it was greased so peeps fell in.:lol:

 

Yes there was an Ian Scott who was a good player for Town in early 1990's....guessing it's the same 'Scotty' then. And yes he did sign for Leeds Rhinos, wish he hadn't though ha, ha.

Re the Ian Thomas/Geoff Brownhutt intro of Speedway to Derwent Park in April 1970 I have read of that attendance being anywhere between 4 and 6 thousand......I remember the queue being massive....I know exactly which 'pipe over the river' you say was used to get a freebie....never used it myself though...honestly.  Also on bend three people used ladders and planks outside fence to watch for nowt every meeting....the fence was raised to counteract this....but they just brought longer ladders... the evidence of those freeby folks escapades is still visible to this day....sadly no speedway for them.

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Ian thomas when asked about those who stood on ladders to watch over the fence allways said he would worry when they stopped looking over !

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1 hour ago, geoff100 said:

Ian thomas when asked about those who stood on ladders to watch over the fence allways said he would worry when they stopped looking over !

Yes I believe so.....Workington were lucky to have such a genial promoter at the helm, twice in fact.

During the 1999 re-incarnation, the 'Stoney' era that was, when asked about crowd levels his stock answer was...'the honeymoon isn't over yet'.....he was a class act for sure.

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On 9/15/2021 at 1:44 PM, singy13 said:

Yes there was an Ian Scott who was a good player for Town in early 1990's....guessing it's the same 'Scotty' then. And yes he did sign for Leeds Rhinos, wish he hadn't though ha, ha.

Re the Ian Thomas/Geoff Brownhutt intro of Speedway to Derwent Park in April 1970 I have read of that attendance being anywhere between 4 and 6 thousand......I remember the queue being massive....I know exactly which 'pipe over the river' you say was used to get a freebie....never used it myself though...honestly.  Also on bend three people used ladders and planks outside fence to watch for nowt every meeting....the fence was raised to counteract this....but they just brought longer ladders... the evidence of those freeby folks escapades is still visible to this day....sadly no speedway for them.

In 1970 don't think I paid for one meeting at Swindon's Abbey stadium;)

Edited by auntie doris

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On 9/14/2021 at 12:16 PM, auntie doris said:

Good crowd. Don't know if any of you are rugby fans, my cousin's son-in-law Scotty played for Worky, think he moved to Leeds? My rellies live in Prospect near Aspatria. One played union for GB students, one cousin coaches Wigton juniors RL. Remember when I lived there briefly that Cumbria was a League hotbed, apart from Carlisle which was football. 

One relative remembers going to the first speedway meeting at DP, 1970, hundreds got in for free across a pipe over the river. Next meeting it was greased so peeps fell in.:lol:

 

Of course, for a couple of decades, Carlisle did have its own semi-pro rugby league club, based first at Brunton Park then Gillford Park.

Around the same time, the Carlisle & District Amateur Rugby League competition extended to two divisions.

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On 9/20/2021 at 11:24 AM, Piotr Pyszny said:

Of course, for a couple of decades, Carlisle did have its own semi-pro rugby league club, based first at Brunton Park then Gillford Park.

Around the same time, the Carlisle & District Amateur Rugby League competition extended to two divisions.

And Carlisle Border Raiders RLFC were a very good team during their Gillford Park era.......Sadly the good sporting public of Carlisle preferred to support soccer so dwindling crowds forced Carlisle to merger with Barrow and move to south Cumbria.....the merger was basically just the end of Carlisle.

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Ian Thomas was good at his job. I remember all the riders shaking hands with "Del Boy" on the opening meeting in 99. He looked up at Leggy Powell and said "Cor Blimey! What you doing here Rodney?". Classic.

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I remember going to St Austell, in the clay pit. It was a track miles from anywhere, with no public transport, but got a good crowd when I went.

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3 hours ago, Trevor said:

I remember going to St Austell, in the clay pit. It was a track miles from anywhere, with no public transport, but got a good crowd when I went.

Great little racetrack

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