West Ham How Good Was The Track.?

[cityrebel 2,960]

If I remember rightly Harrfeldt struggled from the off (having missed the previous season through injury) and them got another bad bang. I think that's when they introduced Christer Lofqvist. I also seem to remember Sverre becoming team manager post Lokeren.

Garry Hay did ride and escaped from Belgium with minor injuries, then had a terrible crash in the close season which left him paralysed.

harrfeldt broke his arm on the same night lofqvist made his debut for the hammers. A hard first turn by peter Murray ended his evening. I remember this, because it was my first ever visit to west ham, v wimbledon may 1970. An early birthday present from my old man!

[norbold 7,116]

Briggo was good around the big tracks.

He certainly wasn't as good round small tracks. I think the year he rode for New Cross was just about his worst ever - well, since he had become a top clas rider in the mid 50s.

[BL65 657]

A letter to the Speedway News editor in November 1953 asked about changes to shorten the Custom House track, with the response being that the speedway authorities were anxious to proceed but were awaiting approval from the greyhound authorities, who were the stadium owners.

 

At the end of December 1953 Speedway News reported that Coventry track manager Alf Elliott had been loaned to West Ham to carry out the alterations, with work to begin in January to shorten the circuit by ‘roughly 30 yards’, by widening the bends and thus leaving the football pitch intact by not taking anything away from the sides of the pitch or changing the track straights. The report went on to say ‘It is thought that the wide bends will greatly improve the racing, for Alf is after the same effect he achieved at Brandon last winter – an equal chance for the rider on the outside and the man on the line’. Coventry and West Ham were both operated by Alan Sanderson, hence the connection.

 

Speedway News reported that the Speedway Control Board met on 12^th January and rejected a proposed breakaway by West Ham, Wimbledon and Bristol to form a London and Provincial League. Jack Young is understood to have been one of two leading West Ham riders who had indicated to the Speedway Riders’ Association that they would not remain with their team if the proposal went ahead.

 

At the same meeting on 12^th January, West Ham asked how the Board felt about stock car racing and were told that the Board had no authority to grant approval as this was a matter to be dealt with by the R.A.C. The greyhound company, as stadium owners, had been approached by stock car representatives only to be told that the rights of all motor sport at West Ham were in the hands of Mr Sanderson. It was also reported that at that time the Greyhound Racing Association was against the use of their stadia by stock cars.

 

The lead article in Speedway News 10^th February 1954 edition accompanied a picture of the West Ham track alterations which were in progress. The article by Len Went started with ”Too much processional racing” was the cry at the quarter-mile Custom House circuit last year. The article went on to describe the nature of the work, as well as Alf Elliott’s experience as a rider at Sheffield, Wombwell, Poole and Oxford, followed by his track alterations at Wigan, Cardiff, Aldershot, Oxford, Coventry, Poole, Wombwell and Ringwood. The picture showed Jack Bibby, Pat Clarke, Reg Fearman and Alf Elliott working on the track alterations.

 

The sequence of events outlined above suggests that the West Ham speedway authorities decided on track alterations in the latter part of 1953, well before any arrangement was made for stock cars to use the circuit and the West Ham proposal to join a newly created London and Provincial League was the main cause of Jack Young’s discontent, resolved when the Control Board rejected the idea.

Edited July 30, 2017 by BL65

[Guest]

BL65 === I found your references in the preceding Post in regard to stock car racing making overtures to stage meetings at West Ham for the 1954 season.

The snub in regard to West Ham led to the group staging their first British meeting at New Cross on Good Friday 1954. They raced before a record crowd, many spectators were locked out. The success led to other tracks staging the sport and it has now evolved to its present standing in small oval car racing.

West Ham did eventually stage stock car racing - and the Sanderson quoted in BL65's Post was the promoter of the sport at Custom House. I saw some top class racing there and because of its size and shape, West Ham-cum-Custom House provided some of the best racing during the period of stock car racing development in Britain.

Edited July 31, 2017 by Guest

[25yearfan 476]

West Ham was a wonderful big fast track and the stadium was huge, although it still had created good atmosphere even if under a fifth full!

 

I often wonder whether West Ham Hammers speedway team would have survived up to the present if the stadium had been saved from redevelopment?

[cityrebel 2,960]

Probably not. The stadium stands were mainly made of Wood, which would have been a fire risk in itself. The upkeep on such a large venue would have been expensive, considering the crowds were falling on a yearly basis.

[Guest]

The most successful speedway rider turned stock car driver to appear at West Ham was former High Beech and California-in-England rider Ted Pankhurst, who was third in the 1961 Brisca Formula One World Championship behind Jock Lloyd and Johnny King.

[Guest]

From the DEFUNCT STOCK CAR, MIDGET & BANGER TRACKS website re stock cars at West Ham:

"...West Ham. The legendary Custom House stadium (not the football club's ground) which was 'The Daddy' of London tracks run by the same people as Coventry. It boasted a 575 yard dog track, the biggest in the country, and a 100,000 capacity. It was sold off in the late 60's, the profit paid for Coventry's upgraded grandstands and restaurants and PRI ran there until it finally closed down in 1972. Now a rather unappealing housing estate with streets named after speedway riders and one after promoter Johnnie Hoskins..."

[Daytripper 1,123]

Probably not. The stadium stands were mainly made of Wood, which would have been a fire risk in itself. The upkeep on such a large venue would have been expensive, considering the crowds were falling on a yearly basis.

 

Yes the stadium was pretty well life expired and needed a lot of investment. The back-straight stands burned down sometime around the late sixties when some oily rags left laying around caught fire and the whole wooden framework went up in flames, and I suppose that was the beginning of the end. The fire risk was then evident and money would need to be spent. I am not sure about falling attendances though. I have no figures but from memory the crowds always seemed pretty good until the Lokoren tragedy, but after that the patched up team was so weak its not surprising crowds fell away. All very sad.

Edited July 31, 2017 by Daytripper

[BL65 657]

Further to my comments in post #33, confirming Norbold’s account Speedway Star reported on 23rd January 1954 that 'Even some of the Hammers' riders complained about the size of the circuit and star man Jack Young once went so far as to state that he would seek a transfer unless the track were made smaller'.

 

With the West Ham track reduced in size and with the Hammers staying in the First Division, there was a further twist when Speedway Star reported in the 3^rd April 1954 edition that on returning to Britain Jack Young had written to the Control Board stating that he wanted a transfer, with Norwich his preferred destination. Writing in the Star, Eric Linden suggested that an agreement between Norwich and West Ham might include Aub Lawson returning to Custom House, but both riders subsequently stayed with their respective teams. Ironically, the West Ham track had been reduced in size from 440 yards to 415 yards and Young then indicated a preference for the larger 425 yards Norwich circuit.

Edited July 31, 2017 by BL65

[iris123 20,994]

Not being a speedway rider i wonder how much difference it would make to cut 25 yards off the length.2 secoonds off the track record sounds quite a bit,but it was the 'smaller' track that most here saw and Briggo among others loved

 

Hard for me as just a fan to really jiudge whether it made that much difference and made the track less of a full throttle to a more technical track.Plus again guessing i would have thought Young would have been used to big tracks in Australia?

Edited July 31, 2017 by iris123

[BL65 657]

Not being a speedway rider i wonder how much difference it would make to cut 25 yards off the length.2 secoonds off the track record sounds quite a bit,but it was the 'smaller' track that most here saw and Briggo among others loved

 

Hard for me as just a fan to really jiudge whether it made that much difference and made the track less of a full throttle to a more technical track.Plus again guessing i would have thought Young would have been used to big tracks in Australia?

Following the 1953 Wembley World Final there was a comment in the Speedway News that the wet conditions had not suited Jack Young and his gating was so bad that he was fighting from behind most of the time. There had been comments about processional racing at Custom House during that season and perhaps Young and others, particularly those who were slow out of the starts, felt that by taking the bends in it would make for better overtaking prospects. Nevertheless, during 1953 Young averaged 11.48 in team matches at West Ham and that included dropping 6 points in one meeting against Norwich when he had two pointless rides out of five, so he clearly wasn't experiencing too many problems on the 440 yards circuit.

[iris123 20,994]

Following the 1953 Wembley World Final there was a comment in the Speedway News that the wet conditions had not suited Jack Young and his gating was so bad that he was fighting from behind most of the time. There had been comments about processional racing at Custom House during that season and perhaps Young and others, particularly those who were slow out of the starts, felt that by taking the bends in it would make for better overtaking prospects. Nevertheless, during 1953 Young averaged 11.48 in team matches at West Ham and that included dropping 6 points in one meeting against Norwich when he had two pointless rides out of five, so he clearly wasn't experiencing too many problems on the 440 yards circuit.

Thanks for your often enlightening and interesting contributions Always add something to the debate

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

He certainly wasn't as good round small tracks. I think the year he rode for New Cross was just about his worst ever - well, since he had become a top clas rider in the mid 50s.

Going back to 1960 as you said "norbold" it was not a great year for Briggs he even scored only paid 3 at Hyde Rd which is unbelievable to be honest.I often thought were Briggs/Craven better on the bigger tracks? where as Fundin and Mirac were generally the same level everywhere.Saying that from Southampton/Swindon onwards Briggs stats are mighty impressive they speak for themselves i think the hard times he had at early Wimbledon made him the rider he was.

[norbold 7,116]

Going back to 1960 as you said "norbold" it was not a great year for Briggs he even scored only paid 3 at Hyde Rd which is unbelievable to be honest.I often thought were Briggs/Craven better on the bigger tracks? where as Fundin and Mirac were generally the same level everywhere.Saying that from Southampton/Swindon onwards Briggs stats are mighty impressive they speak for themselves i think the hard times he had at early Wimbledon made him the rider he was.

Yes, I tend to agree, Sid. I guess first impressions always count for a lot and my first impressions were formed through my first two years at speedway in 1960 and 61. Fundin was almost unbeatable round New Cross (apart from the memorabe occasion when Split beat him three times in one night!) whereas Briggs and Craven never seemed to be able to fully get to grips with it. So I've always tended, probably unfairly, to downgrade Briggs and Craven when considering the "greatest ever" as against Fundin, who I still think is the greatest rider in my time.

 

Interestingly, given the discussion above about Jack Young and West Ham, Youngie was another rider who rode New Cross really well and even though he was past his best by 1961, he still had the beating of Craven and Briggo at New Cross in individual meetings. It made me realise just what a good rider he must have been at his peak.