auntie doris 2,342 Posted October 9, 2019 Was in the city the other day at Kingsmead..remember the Kent team riding there late 60s 70s. I think Wally Mawdsley promoted there. They rode in blue yellow sabres. Any more info..cheers? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chunky 6,094 Posted October 9, 2019 2 hours ago, auntie doris said: Was in the city the other day at Kingsmead..remember the Kent team riding there late 60s 70s. I think Wally Mawdsley promoted there. They rode in blue yellow sabres. Any more info..cheers? And into the 80's... I went there many times. Big open track, and they served the hottest tea on the planet! Steve 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auntie doris 2,342 Posted October 9, 2019 (edited) Was it on the now Sainsbury's site? The taxi driver was too young to remember It! Edited October 9, 2019 by auntie doris Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chadster 221 Posted October 9, 2019 Went there in the first season (1968) for a challenge match (remember them?) against Reading for the Kent-Berks Trophy, obviously a name that has stuck in my memory for 50 years. There was an odd incident in the second half when a young second halfer went out for his first ride before the previous race had quite finished, went the wrong way round the track and met the finishers as they were winding down coming off the second bend. Caused quite a commotion.. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auntie doris 2,342 Posted October 9, 2019 Tilehurst... another old site passed on the mainline train. Miss the old Swindon-Reading-Oxford derbies.And Newport and Bristol. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy Downes 48 Posted October 10, 2019 used to love going to see the Kestrels generally lose (Crayford version) / win (Hackney version) at Kingsmead ... nice blast down the M2/A2 on the bike, 7:00 p.m. start and an early finish which meant you could get back home to Sidcup in time for last orders! I remember that most of the junior races were over three laps ... Also remember being much amused one evening by Jamie Luckhurst riding into the back of the tractor and watching his bike being dragged around the third bend by the grading machine 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cityrebel 2,960 Posted October 10, 2019 I first saw Birmingham there in 1973. I think i went to about 60 odd meetings there up until their final season in 1987. A big track, too narrow to produce really good racing, although Barney Kennett always seemed to find the room to move his opponents off the white line to get past!. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted October 11, 2019 Visited once in 1983 when the visitors were Newcastle. As has been suggested the track appeared somewhat narrow in my opinion. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
June01 270 Posted October 13, 2019 (edited) On 10/9/2019 at 6:37 PM, auntie doris said: Was it on the now Sainsbury's site? The taxi driver was too young to remember It! No, opposite. The old track is now a housing estate. Closed in 1987. Edited October 13, 2019 by June01 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted October 13, 2019 Our cycle speedway team Cowley "Crusaders" adopted the Canterbury race jacket except with a red background. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racers and royals 8,730 Posted October 13, 2019 Take a look and re-kindle some memories 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chunky 6,094 Posted October 13, 2019 On 10/9/2019 at 1:37 PM, auntie doris said: Was it on the now Sainsbury's site? The taxi driver was too young to remember It! If you find the Kingsmead Car Park opposite Sainsbury's, and look across to the other side of the river, there is a curved housing terrace on Westwood Drive. That would have been on the centre green. The treeline on the south side of the park area opposite was where the stand and starting gate was. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevehone 3,429 Posted October 13, 2019 3 hours ago, racers and royals said: Take a look and re-kindle some memories no don't watch, that's '87, the track was bloody horrible 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auntie doris 2,342 Posted October 14, 2019 17 hours ago, steve roberts said: Our cycle speedway team Cowley "Crusaders" adopted the Canterbury race jacket except with a red background. What a coincidence..our team in Swindon was Carshalton Crusaders..white and blue. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cityrebel 2,960 Posted October 15, 2019 On 10/13/2019 at 11:02 PM, stevehone said: no don't watch, that's '87, the track was bloody horrible Awful and seriously narrow. It made the old track look as wide as West Ham! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites