Tracks That Seemingly Never Were

[Tracks That Seemingly Never Were]

Thanks Customhouseregular,

What I actually meant (re-reading my post I probably didn't make myself clear) was that they didn't go on to stage speedway at the time.

Never missed a meeting at Romford during their existence at Brooklands, but was the 1948 application for speedway to be held there or somewhere else. Also was Kings Lynn at the current venue or somewhere else?

Thanks for the info re Braintree.

[Tracks That Seemingly Never Were]

I've been looking at some old newspaper items and have come across some names of proposed tracks which never seemed to have materialised. Does anybody know anything about them, eg where they were situated and why they never happened?

 

1, One of the original named members of the new 3rd Division in 1947 was Feltham.

 

2. A year later amongst the applications for preliminary licenses were Charlton, Cheltenham, Worksop, Romford, Braintree, Brighton, Stainforth, Nottingham, Stepps (Lanarkshire) and Kings Lynn.

 

I think Stepps was used as a training track, and Charlton would have been at the old greyhound stadium, but I'm not aware of this or any of the others ever staging speedway.

 

[Dagenham Speedway]

And from the same newspaper dated Saturday 28th May 1938

 

SPEEDWAY DEATH

A verdict of Accidental Death was recorded at an inquest at Romford on Monday on Henry Frederick Rogers, 24, of Grundy Street, Poplar who was fatally hurt when his motor cycle was in a collision during a race at Dagenham Speedway.

The coroner said he was satisfied that the riders did not take undue risks. The track was perfectly constructed.

[Dagenham Speedway]

Taken from The Essex Newsman newspaper dated Saturday 20th August 1938

 

SPEEDWAY FATALITY

CORONER AND A COINCIDENCE

 

Coroner Mr.L.F.Beccle held an inquest at Romford on Monday on David Nicholas Walter Jackson, aged 22, a hop merchant, of Woldringham, Surrey, who died in Oldchurch Hospital from injuries received on the Dagenham Speedway.

The deceased's father said his son had had considerable motor cycling experience, but had only recently taken up speedway racing.

William.S.E.Wenston, groundsman at the track, said the deceased was one of a number of riders practising, and was making his second circuit, when his machine wobbled and stopped dead, throwing him over the handlebars.

Norman.J.Wolsey, of Streatham said he was watching the riders, and it seemed to him that the front tyre of Jackson's machine burst as he came round a bend. He was not travelling fast. As witness went to Jackson's assistance he noticed that the cover of the tyre was off the rim, but when he returned from the Hospital where he had accompanied Jackson he saw the cover had been put back. There was a great strain of tyres as the machines went round bends.

P.C Turner said that when he arrived after the accident the machine had been taken away.

Henry.L.Thornton, manager of Dagenham Speedway said that in eight years there had been twelve fatal accidents on the twenty speedway tracks in the country.

The Coroner: “That makes about half a fatality to each track, yet yours has had two in three months. Perhaps it is a coincidence”. He had seen cases where covers come off wheels.

Dr F.E.Camps said the death was due to cerebal haemorrhage, secondary to a blow on the head.

The Coroner adjourned the inquest for inquiries to be made concerning the motor cycle, and was informed later that the cover and tube were in perfect condition.

A verdict of Accidental Death was recorded.