Staines Speedway

[Guest Old Codger]

I have been trying in vain for some two years now to find out some - any - information about Staines (Middlesex) Speedway. Although they did not appear in any League that I am aware of, I know that a team representing Staines existed in 1931, and rode at Norwich and Yarmouth, but details of any home meetings are difficult to come by.

I know that a meeting was advertised for the Staines Stadium for 27 November 1938, but no details appear to exist of what exactly happened.

After the war, planning permission for speedway was refused for 2 years in a row,(1947 and 1948) but finally granted in 1949, although it is not clear whether any actual speedway meetings were ever held, even though the South Midland Centre of the ACU ran a meeting for grass track riders on 19 August 1950.

I would therefore be grateful if anyone could supply me with any crumbs of information, such as who rode there, when, who was the promoter(s),any programmes ever produced, badges etc, so that I can try to put together a picture of what actually happened in the long, long ago.

Thanks in advance for any help that you can give.

[Guest cheetahhawk]

Hello Old Codger,I used to live in Staines and when I was a little girl(a lot of years ago now) my Dad told me there was a track in Staines,now covered up by the Staines by-pass,the M25 and a few houses I think.

My Dad is no longer with us so I can't find out anymore information but I don't think any proper speedway meetings took place there,just a few practice type meetings. I'm afraid that Dad never kept anything like programmes or other souvenirs so unfortunately I don't really know anything more about whether there was any speedway held there. :-( .I do remember Dad telling me he saw a stock car meeting there in the late 40's or early 50's but again I don't think he ever kept programmes from the stock cars either. I think that the stadium was used mainly for greyhounds.Next time I go to see my brother ,who still lives in Staines, I will see if I can find out anything more.

[miro 9]

Hello Old Codger

 

Taking this from 'Homes of British Speedway' by Bamford and Jarvis.

 

This book makes reference to a track at the Wraysbury Road Greyhound Stadium. A motorcycle rodeo was held there in 1938, planning permission was granted in 1949 for Speedway one day a week "although no meetings were ever held". There was Grasstrack in 1950, and Stock Cars on a shale track in the 1950s until the closure in 1960 and subsequent demolition of the stadium.

 

Sorry that doesn't tell you much but it does seem that there was no Speedway in Staines itself, hope somebody else can offer more.

[norbold 7,116]

Putt Mossman held one of his famous rodeo meetings at Staines Greyhound Stadium in 1938. Several more amateur meetings were held that year and the following year. In 1947 an application to run speedway at the stadium was turned down by the ACU and again in 1948 following an objection from the local Town Planning Committee. The stadium authorities appealed against the local planning decision and their appeal was upheld, though nothing happened subsequently. In 1956 some sidecar speedway was staged at the stadium.

[Guest Old Codger]

Thanks very much to Cheetahhawk, Miro and Norbold for taking the trouble to reply to my original posting. As I said, any/all information gratefully recieved, and I am grateful to all three of you.

Cheetahhawk; Anything you can pick up from your brother would be equally gratefully received.

The meeting advertised for November, 1938, listed Danny Lee as the four lap track record holder, implying there must have been a previous meeting(s) held to enable him to set it.

I am aware Danny Lee rode for, or was attached to, Birmingham (Hall Green) the year before, 1937. Would anyone know what happened to him subsequently?

[Jungle Jake 0]

i'd love to see my home town club re-open - I have missed their presence

[cyclone 943]

Danny Lee was a West Ham asset and rode at Edinburgh from 1948 - 50/51. Think that might have been his last team

[AndyDB 1]

It would be interesting to have a speedway team in Staines, the by-pass being renamed the pit-pass, and the supporters club being called, in true Ali-G style, ..."The Staines Massive" 8)

[AndyDB 1]

Incidentally, a "miniature" team used to ride, in the early 90's every other sunday, (and some saturdays), under the name of the "Middlesex Magpies".....okay fair enough the "speedway bikes" were push bikes and the "riders" were all (all 3 of them) no older than 12 or 13 and the "track" was about 12 yards (or metres, whatever!) all round....but nonetheless we raced!

 

Actually I remember one race where Brian fell in front of me and unable to avoid him my front wheel ended up all the way up his back!! Ouch!!

[Deano 1,318]

Just found this topic from here.

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/groups/speedway-tracks-uk

 

 

 

So to add to the thread, if the OP is still round....

 

 

http://www.britainfr...image/epw023476

 

https://www.google.c...7!2m1!1e3&fid=7

 

According to the easting and northing co-ordinates the track was situated under the M25 between the Thames and the canal at junction 13.

[Guest]

Another starter at Staines in 1938 was Jack Adams. This was the Southampton rider of that name and not the Jack Adams who rode for West Ham and England in 1929 and 1930.

 

The track did stage stock cars late 1950s and three of the drivers were former California (Southern Area League era) riders - Ted Pankhurst (who went on to become a stock car British champion and a big crowd pleaser at West Ham ) and the Webb cousins Keith and Ron.

[Sotonian 610]

A bit more info here http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/docs/staines/1938.pdf

[Guest]

On the subject of Staines as a speedway track, I was rather surprised when I visited one of my favourite websites 'Defunct Speedway Tracks' and found it was not itemised there.

[HertsRacer 222]

On the subject of Staines as a speedway track, I was rather surprised when I visited one of my favourite websites 'Defunct Speedway Tracks' and found it was not itemised there.

There's a lot of old tracks not included on the site, simply because nobody has sent John any information about them. I'm sure if anybody has any photo's or articles on Staines he would love to include them.

[Guest]

On the subject of Staines as a speedway track, I was rather surprised when I visited one of my favourite websites 'Defunct Speedway Tracks' and found it was not itemised there.

 

 

There's a lot of old tracks not included on the site, simply because nobody has sent John any information about them. I'm sure if anybody has any photo's or articles on Staines he would love to include them.

 

I notice that norbold did a like to the second quote. Dare I say "...over to you norbold..." in regard to a Staines item for 'Defunct Speedway Tracks'?

Edited June 21, 2016 by Guest