DK Rides Again 4 Posted February 10, 2009 Title says it all really, but.................. Prompted by reading the excellent 'Speedway In The South East' (Norman Jacobs/Tempus Publishing, is that OK Norbs ) I don't recall ever seeing any reference to speedway in Thanet. Speedway has popped up in some pretty obscure places over the years, but it seems odd to me that it would appear it never made it to one of Britain's most popular holiday and day/weekend trip destinations, particularly as Margate and Ramsgate were in their heydays at the same time as speedway. There is a dog track at Dumpton, between Broadstairs and Ramsgate, that I've driven past hundreds of times and often wondered if speedway was ever held there, or even thought about. So what does anyone know, if anything? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted February 11, 2009 Well I'm a North Kent geezer so forgive me if my geography even of my home county is incorrect, but is Lydd not in the vicinity at least of Thanet..?? The track at Lydd, though sadly not officially sanctioned, is still very much alive and kicking as I understand it.. http://www.lyddspeedway.co.uk/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DK Rides Again 4 Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) Well I'm a North Kent geezer so forgive me if my geography even of my home county is incorrect, but is Lydd not in the vicinity at least of Thanet..?? The track at Lydd, though sadly not officially sanctioned, is still very much alive and kicking as I understand it.. http://www.lyddspeedway.co.uk/ I think you would be struggling to get Lydd accepted as part of Thanet; when I worked for Thanet Local Radio, we thought we were pushing the boundaries by including Sandwich and Deal, and we ended up dropping them from our audience survey area, because the link was too tenuous. I'm guessing a bit, but I would think Lydd is covered by either Canterbury or Dover council, as it's somewhere between the two, nearer Dover really. EDIT: just looked at the link and it's covered by Shepway, which essentially means Dover. Edited February 11, 2009 by DK Rides Again Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted February 11, 2009 Ah, so my geography was out..!!! When we need that Man Of Kent (who masquerades as a Taffy..! ), Mr Williams, where is he..?? Sunning himself down under, that's where... I'd be surprised if a Thanet track emerges though...: from the mists of history, I mean.. In the future..: well who knows?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DK Rides Again 4 Posted February 11, 2009 Ah, so my geography was out..!!! When we need that Man Of Kent (who masquerades as a Taffy..! ), Mr Williams, where is he..?? Sunning himself down under, that's where... I'd be surprised if a Thanet track emerges though...: from the mists of history, I mean.. In the future..: well who knows?! So where does Bryn hail from? I can't imagine there being a future track in Thanet, but I'm very surprised that there isn't one in or near Maidstone; the Kent County Showground could easily swallow up a purpose built track, it would be difficult to prove noise objections, there's a precedent set by the nearby grasstrack circuit (although I gather that this has now closed down) and there's no problem with vehicular access. Why hasn't anyone thought of it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IAN2 64 Posted February 11, 2009 Title says it all really, but.................. Prompted by reading the excellent 'Speedway In The South East' (Norman Jacobs/Tempus Publishing, is that OK Norbs ) I don't recall ever seeing any reference to speedway in Thanet. Speedway has popped up in some pretty obscure places over the years, but it seems odd to me that it would appear it never made it to one of Britain's most popular holiday and day/weekend trip destinations, particularly as Margate and Ramsgate were in their heydays at the same time as speedway. There is a dog track at Dumpton, between Broadstairs and Ramsgate, that I've driven past hundreds of times and often wondered if speedway was ever held there, or even thought about. So what does anyone know, if anything? Thought you might be interested to know that in the late 1970s Cradley Heath Promoter Dan McCormick did indeed propose to put a track in to the Dumpton Park dog stadium but it came to nothing mainly due to Wally Mawdsley protesting that the Ramsgate track was well within 40 miles of the Kingsmead Stadium in Canterbury. Sadly Dumpton Park is now a housing estate and only the fitness centre remains near to the Greyhound Pub. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wessex Wanderer 148 Posted February 11, 2009 In the early days of the BL2 someone had a look at Ramsgate dog track. Not knowing the area at all I don't know whether this would be the same as the Dumpton track. Strictly from memory I seem to remember that it was the Wally Mawdsley/Pete Lansdale duo who were doing the looking (possibly at the time they relocated Weymouth to "Rochester" and Romford). Would be a bit ironic if so, considering Wicked Wal's later objection to Dan McCormick's plans. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IAN2 64 Posted February 11, 2009 In the early days of the BL2 someone had a look at Ramsgate dog track. Not knowing the area at all I don't know whether this would be the same as the Dumpton track. Strictly from memory I seem to remember that it was the Wally Mawdsley/Pete Lansdale duo who were doing the looking (possibly at the time they relocated Weymouth to "Rochester" and Romford). Would be a bit ironic if so, considering Wicked Wal's later objection to Dan McCormick's plans. The Ramsgate dog track and Dumpton Park were one and the same venue very similar to the old Hackney Wick stadium. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DK Rides Again 4 Posted February 11, 2009 Thought you might be interested to know that in the late 1970s Cradley Heath Promoter Dan McCormick did indeed propose to put a track in to the Dumpton Park dog stadium but it came to nothing mainly due to Wally Mawdsley protesting that the Ramsgate track was well within 40 miles of the Kingsmead Stadium in Canterbury. Sadly Dumpton Park is now a housing estate and only the fitness centre remains near to the Greyhound Pub. In the early days of the BL2 someone had a look at Ramsgate dog track. Not knowing the area at all I don't know whether this would be the same as the Dumpton track. Strictly from memory I seem to remember that it was the Wally Mawdsley/Pete Lansdale duo who were doing the looking (possibly at the time they relocated Weymouth to "Rochester" and Romford). Would be a bit ironic if so, considering Wicked Wal's later objection to Dan McCormick's plans. Well, I guess that answers my question, so thanks chaps. Now all that remains is for some enterprising individual to start talking to the good folk at Detling................ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
duncrusadin 2 Posted February 24, 2009 The Invicta Motorcycle Club held at least one closed to club grasstrack meeting at the "Loop" at Manston in the late seventies and I believe grasstrack also took place at the old Ramsgate Airfield at Rumfields (now the Pysons Rd Industrial Estate) in the fifties and sixties. Chris Fenn's book book on Hackney Speedway reveals that Hawks' promoter Fred Evans had invested money into plans to run speedway at Ramsgate (presumably at the dog-track) but these were scuppered by the onset of the Second World War. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
