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Post by coombes on Jun 17, 2014 16:21:43 GMT 1
The National Speedway Museum lists a couple of training tracks that I've never heard of Craigmaddie near Milngavie around 2003 Roman Camp near Broxburn circa 1982 Do either of these mean anything to anybody? Any chance of reviving them?
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Post by jim on Jun 17, 2014 19:39:50 GMT 1
Don't know anything about the Broxburn site but this will be the Craigmaddie one. I believe it is on land belonging to a speedway fan (and I think perhaps sponsor?) He usually tries to arrange an open/fun day once a year. I'm sure someone on ET will have more info and has maybe attended. Is there an opportunity for having a spin on the fun days ---- obviously at the participant's own risk?
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Post by jim on Jun 17, 2014 19:44:51 GMT 1
And from "streetview".
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Post by daveallan on Jun 19, 2014 14:53:09 GMT 1
I hadn't heard of Broxburn but I'm wondering if it wasn't just laid out in amongst the shale pits and bings, of which Roman Camp was one. Google brought up this website www.scottishshale.co.uk/GazMines/RomanCamp1Mine.html . Could have been our answer to Trelawny And all that shale just lying about! I'm sure I read on here before James Grieves had some connection with the Craigmaddie circuit. Edit to add that motor looks like a runner, anyone else want it?
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Post by drosser on Jun 20, 2014 2:26:35 GMT 1
I seem to recall that the Craigmaddie one was built by a fan (I think that he may have been a track raker) for his son(s) - far too small for anything other than youngsters but great fun for kids (a few more and we could start a league - like in Denmark).
I have never heard of anything in Broxburn but their speedway 'son', Alastair Brady may have had a hand in it. Too early for his boy - in 1982 Ross would still be in nappies.
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Post by tyretrax on Jun 20, 2014 15:26:38 GMT 1
I'm sure Alan Mackie and Wattie Robertson used to go to a track in that area but I don't think it was at Broxburn.
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Post by drosser on Jun 21, 2014 1:43:54 GMT 1
I'm sure Alan Mackie and Wattie Robertson used to go to a track in that area but I don't think it was at Broxburn. Both would have been long time retired in '82 (if the date quoted is correct). Briech may have been a possibility for them. Alan Robertson was riding second halves late seventies into early eighties. I am not sure if he tried to build a track anywhere prior to Linlithgow. He certainly has tried many places since only to be 'kyboshed' by red tape (mainly noise related). He has even tried a personal approach to Linlithgow's famous son, Alex Salmond, to no avail. Incidentally, Alan tells me that he had the Salmond chappie along to present prizes at Heathersfield.
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Post by coombes on Jun 21, 2014 8:28:55 GMT 1
Breich is near Shotts and was only used in the 60s as far as I'm aware. It may well have been just for one winter, possibly 66/67. Cowdenbeath was used the previous year but the stock cars moved in at the beginning of 66. The Gyle in Edinburgh was used in the late 60s and Motherwell- briefly on the long track - and Newtongrange in the early 70s. After that it was Barrassie beach, now there's a cold place!
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Post by tyretrax on Jun 21, 2014 12:24:10 GMT 1
I think you're right with Breich that rings a bell Drosser.
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Post by drosser on Jun 23, 2014 1:19:32 GMT 1
Breich is near Shotts and was only used in the 60s as far as I'm aware. It may well have been just for one winter, possibly 66/67. Cowdenbeath was used the previous year but the stock cars moved in at the beginning of 66. The Gyle in Edinburgh was used in the late 60s and Motherwell- briefly on the long track - and Newtongrange in the early 70s. After that it was Barrassie beach, now there's a cold place! I am unsure about the dates for Briech. I recall Artie Fisher telling me in the mid seventies that it had been used 'a few' years previously. I tried to track down the farmer who owned the ground, without success. I agree with the others - don't forget that there was a speedway track constructed inside the Motherwell long track. There were a number of training sessions but only one or two attempts at running a meeting. I seem to recall that 'Crazy' Jack Millen was way faster than anyone else around the place.
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Post by coombes on Jun 23, 2014 11:07:00 GMT 1
The night that "racing" was staged on the speedway track at Motherwell was a real farce. The track was soft and cut up badly and I don't think any practices were ever held on it either before the meeting or indeed thereafter. The other problem at Motherwell was you couldn't see much.of the track from the "terraces", the board fence obscuring your view. By heat two most of the fans had clambered onto the stock car track to peer over the safety fence. Never repeated!!
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Post by drosser on Jun 25, 2014 1:30:47 GMT 1
The night that "racing" was staged on the speedway track at Motherwell was a real farce. The track was soft and cut up badly and I don't think any practices were ever held on it either before the meeting or indeed thereafter. The other problem at Motherwell was you couldn't see much.of the track from the "terraces", the board fence obscuring your view. By heat two most of the fans had clambered onto the stock car track to peer over the safety fence. Never repeated!! I agree, it was not the best meeting on, as I recall, a fairly wet track. Viewing, as you say was akin to Armadale - follow the helmet colour. The promotion (Kennedys - wh had a contracting business) ran out of money. However, they did hold at least one practice session (possibly more - it was a long time ago). The fence was not used so, if the riders overshot the bend (very easy on a tight trick track) they had the tarmac stock car track as a 'run-off' area. I recall Ian Paterson (now Cinders to Shale Museum owner) having real problems keeping off the black stuff.
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