HORNSHAY STREET

[kiwi]

New Cross Speedway, Motorcycle Enamel Pin Lapel Badge.

Remember him well, great rider. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[kiwi]

Hornshay Street, Off Old Kent Road, number 53 bus jammed under rail bridge after taking the wrong turning. Ilderton Road in background with Tustin Estate being constructed,1968. Who remembers the cafe

[kiwi]

I was lucky enough to see all these riders, great memories.

left to right, Jimmy Gooch, Eric Williams, Leo McAuliffe, Reg Luckhurst, Split Waterman on bike, Barry Briggs, Tom Sweetman, Bobby Croombs, Johnnie Hoskins(promoter).

[briancreasey44]

I was lucky enough to see all these riders, great memories.
Hornshay Street, left to right, Jimmy Gooch, Eric Williams, Leo McAuliffe, Reg Luckhurst, Split Waterman on bike, Barry Briggs, Tom Sweetman, Bobby Croombs, Johnnie Hoskins(promoter). 1 X..png

Not wanting to wish my life away, but I wish I was around when they were hosting speedway at the NCS!
As a youngster, about 4 years old, I do remember the stock car / banger racing and being petrified with all the cars smashing into each other!
Now, I think I've asked the question before, and I don't know if it was just the result of a bad dream, but I seem to remember a guy in a clown's outfit, running around the arena whilst all the carnage was going on... does anyone remember if that was the case?

-B...

[kiwi]

Hi Brian, I can’t help you with the clown, but believe it or not there was only about 7 meets at New Cross, 4 or 5 in 1954 before they moved to Harringay as the New Cross track was too small. I think they returned to New Cross in the 60s when Harringay was being improved for a couple of meets.
This doesn’t help with the Stock Car Racing, but Split Waterman was known as the Clown Prince, perhaps he was there on a night off from the Bikes.

1954.

[briancreasey44]

Hi Brian, I can’t help you with the clown, but believe it or not there was only about 7 meets at New Cross, 4 or 5 in 1954 before they moved to Harringay as the New Cross track was too small. I think they returned to New Cross in the 60s when Harringay was being improved for a couple of meets.
This doesn’t help with the Stock Car Racing, but Split Waterman was known as the Clown Prince, perhaps he was there on a night off from the Bikes.
Hornshay Street 1954. X..pngHornshay Street, New Cross Stadium. X..png

Hi Ray,

Hope you're keeping well...
Yes, my visits, as a very young boy would have been around 1968/69, so presumably not long before the stadium closed for good!
A concrete section of a stand remained long after the stadium was demolished and became Bridgehouse Meadows.

-B...

[kiwi]

I knew Ray from the time he owned the car sales place in Albany Road, beside the Thomas-A-Beckett Pub. A friend of mine, (Brian Grimwood) we both lived in Guinness Buildings, Pages Walk, and I am still in touch with him, worked at the car mart. Ray even took us to see his racing car, garaged somewhere over the East side of the river (Thames) one day. So sad the day he died crashing at Oulton Park Racetrack (21 Mar.1964). Ray was a nice bloke who I had seen many times racing at New Cross Speedway. R.I.P RAY.

Ray Moore, New Cross Speedway.

[kiwi]

I came across this story in New Zealand and as it is a bit of New Cross Speedway History, decided to post, it’s something I never knew about. Also, in one of my earlier posts it reads as if Speedway started in 1954, obviously this was not the case. The letter is dated 1948 and Fay rode at New Cross in 1947.
Fay Taylour born in Ireland 1904 died in a hospital in Dorset England in1983. Women were banned from riding speedway in the United Kingdom in the 1930s.