erasuretim 0 Posted November 12, 2009 This is an interesting little film about the closure of West Ham.... http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=72944 Regards Tim Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,154 Posted November 12, 2009 :sad: Thanks for that, Tim. So sad. Good to see my old mate, Stan Stevens, in his younger days though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigerowl 630 Posted November 12, 2009 Fantastic footage. I recognised Brian Foote, Kevin Holden and Stan Stevens. Who was the chap with Arthur Atkinson? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BOBBATH 467 Posted November 12, 2009 Great footage really enjoyed it-liked the stuff on Howard Cole too-if you've got anymore erasuretim that's great and thanx for bringing it to the forum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WembleyLion 413 Posted November 12, 2009 Sadly it's one of the venues that I was unable to get to as I was a too young to travel across London on my own back in 1972. It looks as if it was a great venue though! If I'm not mistaken the reporter was John Stapleton. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deano 1,318 Posted November 12, 2009 (edited) Thank you for sharing.. great footage of a sad, but very familiar story. Edited November 12, 2009 by Deano Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cityrebel 2,960 Posted November 13, 2009 (edited) i'm still mourning for that great venue all these years later Edited November 13, 2009 by cityrebel Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davidba 3 Posted November 13, 2009 Great footage, thanks for posting. Really brings it home how London, once so rich in clubs and traditions is now lost to speedway. I live now only a few miles from where West Ham and Hackney were but have to travel to Hertfordshire or Essex for speedway, tragic. Must have been great to go to different tracks each night within London, oh for a Ashes to Ashes style trip back in time! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RobMcCaffery 2,752 Posted November 13, 2009 Sadly it's one of the venues that I was unable to get to as I was a too young to travel across London on my own back in 1972. It looks as if it was a great venue though! If I'm not mistaken the reporter was John Stapleton. Yes it was John Stapleton. Sadly I just missed out on Custom House for similar reasons :-( Rob McCaffery. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyguy 20 Posted November 13, 2009 (edited) Yes it was John Stapleton. Sadly I just missed out on Custom House for similar reasons :-( Rob McCaffery. No doubt about the interviewer/commentator being John Stapleton - his name is mentioned with the clip.! I first went to West Ham in April 1954 - on an assignment for the long-gone 'Speedway Gazette.' Doug Falby (pre-war business secretary to promoter Arthur 'Westy' Westwood) was then the Gazette's owner-editor. Edited November 13, 2009 by speedyguy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
falkirkbandit 89 Posted November 13, 2009 Great footage, very sad though Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted November 13, 2009 As everyone else has said how sad - but a a great bit of footage. It particularly hurts me as I've spent virtually all my adult life living and working in East London and meet on a daily basis many people who went to Custom House but I sadly never did. Back in '72 I was just a 12 year-old living in Kent and went to my first meeting (at Canterbury) that year...: just weeks after West Ham closed for good..! BTW, the only gripe I'd have with the coverage was there was no attempt to say who any of the people interviewed were! Who were the two riders from the '30s? One was Arthur (is that Arthur Atkinson..?). BTW, anyone else spot Snowy Beattie standing behind said two elderly gentlemen..?!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midland Red 2,383 Posted November 13, 2009 If you search for it, I think there's a lot of old speedway footage on Pathe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cityrebel 2,960 Posted November 13, 2009 did anyone go to west ham when it was a complete stadium. i never went there until 1970 and by this time the back straight and part of the first and all of the second bends had already been demolished. it must have been a great stadium when still intact. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,154 Posted November 13, 2009 Who were the two riders from the '30s? One was Arthur (is that Arthur Atkinson..?). The two riders are Arthur Atkinson and Tiger Stevenson did anyone go to west ham when it was a complete stadium. i never went there until 1970 and by this time the back straight and part of the first and all of the second bends had already been demolished. it must have been a great stadium when still intact. Yes, I did. It was indeed a great stadium. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
