Guest Posted June 23, 2016 Here's an intriguing new brief item from 1929. I know no more than this - but I am certain we have a BSF member/members who may be able to provide more details. Just to emphasise - the project never materialised. 'Daily Mirror' April 1929 ANOTHER SPEEDWAY FOR LONDONRumours of yet another speedway for London, it is to be laid on the Arsenal Football ground at Highbury, an excellent position of course, but can London stand it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,987 Posted June 23, 2016 Wasn't there another London football ground where it was announced speedway might move into?Down at Charlton Athletic in the 70s.Not sure what happened there apart from nothing much Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triple.H. 1,986 Posted June 23, 2016 The Arsenal would no doubt have been a team of technically excellent riders who just couldn't get over the finish line. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HertsRacer 222 Posted June 23, 2016 (edited) Wasn't there another London football ground where it was announced speedway might move into?Down at Charlton Athletic in the 70s.Not sure what happened there apart from nothing much Though Midget Car racing was held at the Valley just after the war, the attempt to bring speedway to Charlton was at the greyhound stadium just up the road in 1966 (I think). Even got to the stage of signing riders before the stadium owner changed his mind and sold the place for redevelopment. Edited June 23, 2016 by HertsRacer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted June 23, 2016 (edited) Though Midget Car racing was held at the Valley just after the war, the attempt to bring speedway to Charlton was at the greyhound stadium just up the road in 1966 (I think). Even got to the stage of signing riders before the stadium owner changed his mind and sold the place for redevelopment. That is the correct assessment in regard to an attempt to bring speedway to Charlton in about 1966. I have an idea there had also been a previous attempt around 1947 but that was objected to by New Cross because of its proximity to their stadium. There was one midget car meeting at The Valley in 1948 by an American team then based in London and it attracted a 50,000 crowd. But the Americans declined further midget car meetings at Charlton because of the odd shape of the track laid round the football pitch and its surface. Edited June 23, 2016 by Guest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HertsRacer 222 Posted June 23, 2016 That is the correct assessment in regard to an attempt to bring speedway to Charlton in about 1966. I have an idea there had also been a previous attempt around 1947 but that was objected to by New Cross because of its proximity to their stadium. There was one midget car meeting at The Valley in 1948 by an American team then based in London and it attracted a 50,000 crowd. But the Americans declined further midget car meetings at Charlton because of the odd shape of the track laid round the football pitch and its surface. Not aware of any earlier attempts for speedway at Charlton. There was an application for the sport to be held at that time at Selhurst Park, home of Crystal Palace F.C. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted June 23, 2016 That is the correct assessment in regard to an attempt to bring speedway to Charlton in about 1966. I have an idea there had also been a previous attempt around 1947 but that was objected to by New Cross because of its proximity to their stadium. There was one midget car meeting at The Valley in 1948 by an American team then based in London and it attracted a 50,000 crowd. But the Americans declined further midget car meetings at Charlton because of the odd shape of the track laid round the football pitch and its surface. Not aware of any earlier attempts for speedway at Charlton. There was an application for the sport to be held at that time at Selhurst Park, home of Crystal Palace F.C. I agree that my recollection of the Charlton and New Cross speedway affair is sketchy and you may well be correct HertsRacer. But I do recall the 1947 application for Crystal Palace and the use of the Selhurst Park ground. The man behind the application then was Frank Arnold who in later years was involved with the promotion at Rayleigh. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,987 Posted June 24, 2016 Though Midget Car racing was held at the Valley just after the war, the attempt to bring speedway to Charlton was at the greyhound stadium just up the road in 1966 (I think). Even got to the stage of signing riders before the stadium owner changed his mind and sold the place for redevelopment. Maybe there were two attempts at speedway in Charlton?I am sure I read it in the Speedway Star and found the article in one of my Stars a few years back.And I didn't start buying the Star until 1973........ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted June 24, 2016 (edited) Maybe there were two attempts at speedway in Charlton?I am sure I read it in the Speedway Star and found the article in one of my Stars a few years back.And I didn't start buying the Star until 1973........ This gives some basic insight into old London speedway tracks: http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=42554 Edited June 24, 2016 by Guest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HertsRacer 222 Posted June 25, 2016 I agree that my recollection of the Charlton and New Cross speedway affair is sketchy and you may well be correct HertsRacer. But I do recall the 1947 application for Crystal Palace and the use of the Selhurst Park ground. The man behind the application then was Frank Arnold who in later years was involved with the promotion at Rayleigh. Just been looking through some old newspapers and found that there was a preliminary application for speedway at Charlton in 1948 along with Cheltenham, Worksop, Romford, Braintree, Brighton, Stainforth, Nottingham, Stepps (Lanarkshire) and Kings Lynn. I know that Romford was turned down by the local council and Stepps was refused a licence. Anybody know why the other applications came to nothing at the time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted June 29, 2016 Just been looking through some old newspapers and found that there was a preliminary application for speedway at Charlton in 1948 along with Cheltenham, Worksop, Romford, Braintree, Brighton, Stainforth, Nottingham, Stepps (Lanarkshire) and Kings Lynn. I know that Romford was turned down by the local council and Stepps was refused a licence. Anybody know why the other applications came to nothing at the time. Ha, and interestingly when they did open at Brooklands in '69 they actually did so WITHOUT Planning Permission! Happy days!! 'Daily Mirror' April 1929 ANOTHER SPEEDWAY FOR LONDON Rumours of yet another speedway for London, it is to be laid on the Arsenal Football ground at Highbury, an excellent position of course, but can London stand it? Is this a genuine extract from the Daily Mirror? In what context was this written? A letter to the Sports pages or in another article? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,987 Posted June 29, 2016 (edited) I do wonder how suitable the old Arsenal Stadium was for speedway.Don't think it was that big,there was no fencing around the pitch,and the front rows of the terracing werea few feet below the pitch so spectators heads were about pitch level.Any speedway fence would have made the use of the first dozen terrace steps useless,i'd guess.Not the same at Stamford Bridge and Wembley and White City for instance as they had a different shape that allowed a track outside the football pitch.Ok Wembley had to have the corners up,but at Arsenal the track would have caused far greater problems i would have thought http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/worlds-greatest-ground-photographic-centenary-celebration-highbury?page=0%2C4 Edited June 29, 2016 by iris123 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,110 Posted June 29, 2016 I do wonder how suitable the old Arsenal Stadium was for speedway.Don't think it was that big,there was no fencing around the pitch,and the front rows of the terracing werea few feet below the pitch so spectators heads were about pitch level.Any speedway fence would have made the use of the first dozen terrace steps useless,i'd guess.Not the same at Stamford Bridge and Wembley and White City for instance as they had a different shape that allowed a track outside the football pitch.Ok Wembley had to have the corners up,but at Arsenal the track would have caused far greater problems i would have thought Maybe that's why it never happened? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,987 Posted June 29, 2016 Maybe that's why it never happened? That would be my guess Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted June 29, 2016 I do wonder how suitable the old Arsenal Stadium was for speedway.Don't think it was that big,there was no fencing around the pitch,and the front rows of the terracing werea few feet below the pitch so spectators heads were about pitch level.Any speedway fence would have made the use of the first dozen terrace steps useless,i'd guess.Not the same at Stamford Bridge and Wembley and White City for instance as they had a different shape that allowed a track outside the football pitch.Ok Wembley had to have the corners up,but at Arsenal the track would have caused far greater problems i would have thought http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/worlds-greatest-ground-photographic-centenary-celebration-highbury?page=0%2C4 You're right - the pitch at Highbury was the SMALLEST in the whole football league! Mind you this apparent extract is from 1929 and I don't think either the West or East Stands (in their Art Deco glory) were built by this point - so the situation at the ground (a ground I knew and loved so well later..) wasn't as any of us (except perhaps for John!!) would be able to remember... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites