StevePass 3 Posted July 8, 2006 How many forum members stood or should I say ducked down behind Romford's white wall and what would the riders of today make of not only the wall but how close the fans were. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25yearfan 476 Posted July 8, 2006 Like a lot of tracks in them days you could stand right against the fence at Romford and almost touch the riders as they went past! Nowadays Romfords fence would of been condemed as solid concrete walls aren't allowed and spectators would of had to stand further away from the fence. Though still to this day tracks in New Zealand and Australia use solid concrete walls that don't move even if cars hit them! Romford were sucessful during their 3 season spell at the now defunct Brooklands stadium. The anti speedway campaign and subsequent closure of Romford was disgusting. I believe that Ipswich Witches legends John 'Tiger' Louis and Tony 'Shrimp' Davey are the joint track record holders, a record that will never be broken! I think Romford Greyhound stadium would be an ideal place to reopen the Romford Bombers speedway team. Though I'm sure obtaining P/P would be difficult I wonder if any promotor has looked into it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KevH 257 Posted July 8, 2006 OK it wasn't a concrete wall, but Canterbury offered the chance to get inches away from the racing too - halcyon days indeed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryn 413 Posted July 8, 2006 Always enjoyed my visits to Kingsmead - especially when Crayford won, which wasn't often! Never did win the dozen eggs donated as a raffle prize by Mrs Moon though! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCB 15 Posted July 8, 2006 Like a lot of tracks in them days you could stand right against the fence at Romford and almost touch the riders as they went past! I believe the last track where you could get that close shut down at the end of last season Exeters 4th bend/start of the home straight had no barrier (other than the solid metal fence) between riders and fans. The best thing was that due to the shape of the track it was almost as if the rider were heading straight for you until they flicked the bike at the last second. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron Butler 0 Posted July 9, 2006 BelleVue [Hyde Road] had a solid wooden fence painted in a white that would have been a credit to the D***X dog. How ell I remember, as a young kid of 14+, leaning on it and ducking down at the last moment. How well I remember leaning over the high pits wall and watching the riders working on their bikes [except for the legendary Jack Parker who never did]. How well I remember getting into trouble when I got home for having a cinderdust face. Grown-ups just didn't understand the finer points of sport. Thank you, Steve, for reving those memories of my speedway infancy. Ron. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trees 2,814 Posted July 9, 2006 Lynn just had it's one set of wooden slat boarding but Shooting Star and I certainly stood right against it on the 3rd bend in the late seventies, like you say, ducking at the last minute ............ never once thought about how much danger we were in, and never once did a rider have a "moment" so we had to evacuate ............... born lucky I guess Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Custom House Kid 45 Posted July 9, 2006 (edited) Spent many a happy evening, dodging shale at brooklands. Used to go on my bike with my mate! I seem to remember a Czech rider going over the wall with his bike. What a great young Czech side. the Verners etc and the Bombers Tony George, Phil Woodcock' Ross Gilbertson. Those where the days! Edited July 9, 2006 by Custom House Kid Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Knowle 51 Posted July 9, 2006 Another great fence to hang over was at Eastville. On my first visit I could not believe how close you could get to the action having previously only been to tracks with greyhound tracks intervening. Happy days! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
star ghost 7 Posted July 10, 2006 The old Firs Stadium at Norwich had a whitewashed board fence throughout the existence of the track. A midget car took out some of it one night. Little Johnny Chamberlain had a collision with Roy Moreton one night and took out some of the fencing. The track "carpenter" soon had it o k again on these occasions. As has been stated Kings Lynn had up to the fence racing with a board fence for many years. It is only relevantly recently that people have been kept back from the fence. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
colin 0 Posted July 10, 2006 Berwicks fence/track of circa 1979 looked interesting!! Colin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Liontamer 202 Posted July 10, 2006 Happy happy days when you could hang over a fence & watch the riders flash past inches away. I remember riding at Crewe & watching the crowd lean back as you went past down the back straight...awsome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tsunami 10,219 Posted July 10, 2006 Remember at Hyde Road the fans in the middle of the straights used to hang over the fence with their programme boards lined up against their right eye. Clever. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tape2tapevideo 0 Posted July 11, 2006 You used to be able to lean on the fence at Arlington until one day those lovely Canterbury fans lifted it of it's hinges!, great memories. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TonyE 822 Posted July 28, 2006 The 'home' straight at Brooklands had additional wooden and chickenwire combination as the concrete wall there was too low. The worst accident in Brooklands three year history was when Bill Moulin of Belle Vue Colts broke his leg and - yes, you guessed it - he hit the home straight fence! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
