Airfences

[TonyMac 720]

As Stan Stevens (briefly a Bomber in 1971) told us in the latest issue of VSM, “people kept on about the concrete fence, but I just stayed away from it!"

 

I'd never heard of that Belle Vue rider getting hurt at Romford - the Czechs were of course notorious visitors but one or two of the Rayleigh boys also got hurt there - Alan Jackson for one.

 

I didn't start going to watch until 1971, the last of their three seasons. Kevin Holden, Phil Woodcock, Bob Coles and Charlie Benham...absolute legends! I once saw the Aussie Bruce Edgar buying a paper in WH Smith's in the town – it was the only time I'd seen him upright for longer than 30 seconds!

 

Long after the stadium was demolished, I used to live just two roads away from Brooklands and it was always difficult to turn the corner and see that horrible housing estate where the Thursday night mecca once stood. It took just one local resident – a Mr Stretch - to get the track shut down on noise grounds...and then he buggered off out of the area within a tear or two.

 

The dog track is a complete non-starter, though, and yes, a number of people have considered it. It's completely hemmed in by houses.

 

But if anyone could find a new site relatively close to the town, with its main rail connections from London Liverpool St. to Southend, it would stand a good chance of being a success. When I win the lottery, the Bombers will be back ... in the Elite League!

 

And with an air fence, naturally!

 

Interestingly, in the latest Backtrack, Lew Stripp comments that Romford was the most intimidating place for him to referee, because of the close proximity of the crowd to the ref's box, low down by the starting gate.

 

Must go now, otherwise I'll feel the urge to write a book about the Bombers era...

[Paul 67]

Must go now, otherwise I'll feel the urge to write a book about the Bombers era...

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OK tmc when this book going to be out? I'll have a copy please. Just to jog your memory you could include some of the most popular characters that visited Romford. Dave Lanning the Eastbourne team manager, he always used to get booed almost as much as Tony Childs [Crayford] as did Len Silver when he came with his Rayleigh Rockets. Then of course there where those team from Ipswich who always came down on the first meeting of the season and win. They always had a secret weapon. In 1970 it was a certain John Louis and then the following year Tony Davey!

Then of course there where the Bombers. Maurice Morley was doing the introductions at the start of the meeting. What a shame Charlie Benham could not be interviewed in this book. He was such a popular skipper and character, unbelievable really thinking about it now. Perhaps his wife Sandra may say a few words? Then there was Bruce Edgar, Frank Wendon, Phil Woodcock, Footie, Des Lukehurst, Dave Percy, dear old Ross Gilbertson, the late great Kevin Holden oh the list could just goes on and on ..... Perhaps we could find the guy who used to sell the programmes at a shilling each. His catch phrase ‘you can have two programmes for two shilling’ Better put my slippers back on, getting a wee bit to excited here now.

We had the biggest supporters club in the country in 1969 with The Cox’s [Gordon and Ruth] running it. The late Pete Lansdale and Wally Mawdsley. Oh the Czech’s who can forget them literally riding the concrete fence.

Oh, then there was a football match between a Romford Boro eleven v Speedway Riders eleven, the Recorder Trophy, Carnival Rosebowl and the Division Two London Riders Championship individual meeting's, oh my god the memories are flooding back. Will this book be out before the end of this season? If not perhaps you could do some exclusive extracts in the Backtrack mag please?

 

Up the Bombers

[sjw ministerofport 1]

I had a perspex program board, it was great for watching Ivan Mauger flying around the boards at Hyde Road.

[Custom House Kid 45]

Dave Lanning the Eastbourne team manager, he always used to get booed

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Dave lanning used to get booed at Custom House! (Well i did anyway) and he was the West Ham Manager at the time!

[MrwulfAndrew 12]

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.

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i found that amazing when i went last year.........it was such a unique track

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

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?

 

Sadly the dog track in Romford could NEVER get Planning Permission for motor sports .

 

Even if a track could be fitted in (it would have to be tiny..) the extremely residential location of the stadium (it's, uniquely, invisible from the neighbouring roads being literally at the back of people's gardens..!!) means they'd never have been even a glimmer of a chance of staging Speedway there...

 

A few sites up on the A12 near Marks Gate/Harold Wood might, though, be suitable for a return of the Bombers..: but when push comes to shove might as well remember that Arena Essex is in a Romford post-code area so another track not really viable....

[Reviresco 708]

Brooklands was the first place I saw team speedway. Was taken by the dad of my school mate John Butcher and just fell in love with it all. I used to go and see the football team (think they won the old Southern League in 1968?) but speedway then took over. Stood on the 1st & 2nd bends.

 

Charlie Benham was the immediate favourite. Didn't Bruce Edgar ride in white boots at some time? And of course the classy Kevin Holden, such a shame when he had that accident at Poole.

 

Certainly remember John Louis (and Dave Jessup?) winning heats by half a lap there. Also remember going to see the Bombers ride in a 4 team tournament at Eastbourne and them having a unicycle competition for the riders during the interval and, I think, Doug Sanders fell off and broke his collar bone.

 

I started a campaign in the Romford Recorder to bring the speedway back to the borough and was told to 'Get on my Bike' by a local councillor of the time. In a way, I like to believe that that campaign led to Arena Essex starting up. Unfortunately, I really can't see speedway returning in that area again. Too many houses, too many people ready to complain.

 

Now please put me right on this, but I think Romford took over the licence from Rochford who couldn't get permission for their track but had already ridden 2 away meetings. Managed to instal a track at Brooklands in under 2 weeks (think I read that was a world record somewhere once). Were evicted despite massive crowds, especially when the Czechs were there. Moved to Custom House for a season, then the licence went to Workington?

 

If that book ever gets written, I definitely want a copy.

Edited August 22, 2006 by macca56

[The Third Man 2,217]

it was rochester who did ride some away matches under that name and then transfered "just like that" to romford, no planning problems back in 1968 obviously

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

And they transferred to Barrow in 1972, not Workington.

[Reviresco 708]

Cheers guys. Of course it was Rochester and Barrow. Thanks for that.

 

Romford to Barrow via Custom House? Good they kept it local, eh?

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

Cheers guys.  Of course it was Rochester and Barrow.  Thanks for that.

 

Romford to Barrow via Custom House?  Good they kept it local, eh?

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Barrow was running as an open licence track so was a convenient emergency alternative base, if not geographically.

[Custom House Kid 45]

Brooklands was the first place I saw team speedway.  Was taken by the dad of my school mate John Butcher and just fell in love with it all.  I used to go and see the football team (think they won the old Southern League in 1968?) but speedway then took over.  Stood on the 1st & 2nd bends.

 

Charlie Benham was the immediate favourite.  Didn't Bruce Edgar ride in white boots at some time?  And of course the classy Kevin Holden, such a shame when he had that accident at Poole.

 

Certainly remember John Louis (and Dave Jessup?) winning heats by half a lap there.  Also remember going to see the Bombers ride in a 4 team tournament at Eastbourne and them having a unicycle competition for the riders during the interval and, I think, Doug Sanders fell off and broke his collar bone.

 

I started a campaign in the Romford Recorder to bring the speedway back to the borough and was told to 'Get on my Bike' by a local councillor of the time.  In a way, I like to believe that that campaign led to Arena Essex starting up.  Unfortunately, I really can't see speedway returning in that area again.  Too many houses, too many people ready to complain.

 

Now please put me right on this, but I think Romford took over the licence from Rochford who couldn't get permission for their track but had already ridden 2 away meetings.  Managed to instal a track at Brooklands in under 2 weeks (think I read that was a world record somewhere once).  Were evicted despite massive crowds, especially when the Czechs were there.  Moved to Custom House for a season, then the licence went to Workington?

 

If that book ever gets written, I definitely want a copy.

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You may have already been looked but try Here

[Reviresco 708]

Thank you very much for that. Absolutely brilliant.

 

EDIT to earlier post - of course it was Colin, not Doug Sanders (he was the golfer who lost an Open in a play-off I think.)

Edited August 23, 2006 by macca56

[pingy 0]

Halifax had a steel fence, imagine hitting that on a freezing cold night.

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

Halifax had a steel fence, imagine hitting that on a freezing cold night.

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I am reminded of Bruce Cribb's advice on coping withe Exeter's metal fence... "Don't hit it".