Speedway arrived at New Cross Stadium 1934 as promoter Fred Mockford relocated his Crystal Palace team in the new stadium at Hornshay Street, just off the Old Kent Road in London, England. The track was often referred to as ‘The Frying Pan’. It was built inside the greyhound track and had banking all the way round.
New Cross beat West Ham 32-21 in a National League match before a rambunctious Wednesday night crowd of over 14,000 spectators. Numbers that speedway can only dream of these days, sadly.
The stadium was home of the National League Speedway Champions in 1938 & 1948 and also to winners of the London Cup in 1934, 1937 and again in 1947.
The New Cross Rangers Speedway team operated from 1937 until their closure in 1953. New Cross were originally known as the New Cross Lambs from 1934 to 1935 and then the New Cross Tamers in 1936.
It’s a proper shame Speedway has died in England. I used to really enjoy going every Friday evening at the Arena shouting for the Hammers.
The only speedway I’ve seen in the last few years was the British GP round at Cardiff. However, it’s difficult, and bloody expensive, to get to the Millenium Stadium. I stopped going a few years ago when trains didn’t run at the times needed to get there and back, using the car took ages when speed limits were dropped, the traffic wardens got a bit over excited and trying to walk back to the car in Cardiff passed the drunken mobs was getting really annoying.
The FIM have dropped Cardiff for 2025 (good job too) and there’s now two rounds of the GP in Manchester at the Belle Vue Aces stadium. Tickets are expensive at £150 each. My days of watching the GP are over I think.
The Bristol Mayor did promise to allow the Bulldogs a stadium but that never materialised (bloody liar). The Somerset Rebels had some good crowds but that shut down so my nearest circuit now is Poole Pirates. The teams are few and far between these days.
Good to see Woofy is out of hospital after his accident. I wish him well for his recovery and hopefully he’ll get his form back.
I’m amazed he’s even out of bed. One tough cookie and a really nice bloke apparently.
Manchester are running two rounds back to back (4 and 5 I think). The stadium will be packed both days I reckon. They’ll be massive Polish crowds complete with their air horns.
If anyone is considering going (and not taking an air horn) I suggest booking an air horn free section especially if a Polish or British rider wins.
especially if a Polish or British rider wins.