Why Did Rye House Move Tracks In 1958

[cityrebel 2,960]

does anyone know why rye house moved from the now go kart circuit to the present track in 1958.

[norbold 7,125]

They moved to the present track in 1960, not 1958. Briefly what happened was:

 

In 1958, the new owner of Rye House, Les Lawrence, was really only interested in greyhound racing so he closed the speedway down. A number of Rye House supporters got together and contacted their former hero, Mike Broadbank, to ask him if he would speak to Mr Lawrence about retaining speedway at Rye House. Broadbank agreed and approached Lawrence saying that if he could give him a piece of land elsewhere within the Rye House grounds he would be prepared to build a new track himself at no cost to the new owner. Lawrence showed Broadbank a very marshy field at the back of the greyhound track and said he was prepared to give it to him for nothing if he felt he could make something of it. Broadbank, together with his father, Alf, looked at the field and agreed to take it. So a new track was built and racing took place there.

 

At the end of 1959, Lawrence sold the speedway track to an organisation who wished to use the area for a Go-Kart track but he had been so impressed with the work put in by Broadbank and the level of support the speedway was bringing in that he asked Broadbank if he would like to move the track back to the main stadium, only inside rather than outside the greyhound track. Which is what happened.

 

The full story is in "70 Years of Rye House Speedway" by...er...er...forgotten his name.

Edited September 10, 2009 by norbold

[cityrebel 2,960]

so the site of the go kart circuit was only used for two seasons in 1958 and 1959. does that mean that the current track is still in the original stadium that opened in the 1930's.

[norbold 7,125]

Yes.

[britmet 233]

This is confusing! - ?

In "The Homes of British Speedway" by Bamford & Jarvis, it identifies the 2 locations as Hoddesdon Stdm, - the first, 1935 - 1957, (at 440yds,) and the second as Rye House Stdm, 1958 onward, (325yds and smaller.)

It says in1958 racing moved to the adjacent current track, the original becoming a Go-Kart track, still in use today,(ie. when published, 2001.)

 

So which story is correct ?

[cityrebel 2,960]

This is confusing! - ?

In "The Homes of British Speedway" by Bamford & Jarvis, it identifies the 2 locations as Hoddesdon Stdm, - the first, 1935 - 1957, (at 440yds,) and the second as Rye House Stdm, 1958 onward, (325yds and smaller.)

It says in1958 racing moved to the adjacent current track, the original becoming a Go-Kart track, still in use today,(ie. when published, 2001.)

 

So which story is correct ?

that is why i started this topic. in the homes of british speedway book it gives no reason for the move.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

This is confusing! - ?

In "The Homes of British Speedway" by Bamford & Jarvis, it identifies the 2 locations as Hoddesdon Stdm, - the first, 1935 - 1957, (at 440yds,) and the second as Rye House Stdm, 1958 onward, (325yds and smaller.)

It says in1958 racing moved to the adjacent current track, the original becoming a Go-Kart track, still in use today,(ie. when published, 2001.)

 

So which story is correct ?

 

Norbold's is correct!!

He is always right - though don't listen to him when he talks about my driving...!!

[norbold 7,125]

Homes of British Speedway is wrong.

 

I have spoken to a number of people involved in the change. I spent a day with Mike Broadbank while researching my book and he filled me in on a great amount of detail regarding the two changes. Him and his father built both tracks. As I said, it is all in my book. His story was corroborated by Pete Sampson and Tommy Sweetman, both of whom were involved at the time as well.

Edited September 10, 2009 by norbold

[cityrebel 2,960]

Homes of British Speedway is wrong.

 

I have spoken to a number of people involved in the change. I spent a day with Mike Broadbank while researching my book and he filled me in on a great amount of detail regarding the two changes. Him and his father built both tracks. As I said, it is all in my book. His story was corroborated by Pete Sampson and Tommy Sweetman, both of whom were involved at the time as well.

thanks for solving that mystery.

[cityrebel 2,960]

i have found a greyhound racing history website that states - dog racing was first staged at hoddesdon stadium in 1935 and ran until its closure in 1957, the dogs then moved to rye house stadium. was there another stadium located in the hoddesdon area and not part of the rye house site. if there was maybe this is where some of the confusion comes from regarding the two speedway tracks.