Newcastle Programmes

It is my intention on this page to show a programme cover and maybe a bit of information from every year that Newcastle have operated from 1929 to "now".  I may need the help of any collector out there so don't go away.  It has also been suggested to me that the page could show a list of Newcastle riders for each year.  I think that may prove difficult unless there are fans out there with collections who want to share the information they have with the rest of us.  If you can then please email me and we can see what we can achieve.  John
Update: most of the programmes on this page have been provided by Keith Dyer without whose help I wouldn't even had started.

1929

This is the first ever programme. 

Thanks to Harry Huntly's son for sight of the above programme

The meeting was promoted by Newcastle Motor Racing Ltd. The track was opened by the Lord Mayor, Capt., Arthur Lambert JP MC. 

Details deciphered from above as follows: -

Event 1    Junior Match Race for the Sunderland shield.  Four Sunderland riders took part, won by Gordon Byers 97.00 seconds
Event 2    3 Heats: England V Scotland (Four Lancashire riders v four Edinburgh riders) they were Frank Varey (Manchester) Ginger Lees (Burnley) A Franklyn (Manchester) Frank Charles (Burnley) George McKensie (Edinburgh) Eric Burnett (Edinburgh) Sam Reid (Edinburgh) Drew McQueen (Edinburgh)  Heat 1 was won by Frank Varey (mounted on a Scott) second: Ginger Lees.  Heat 2 Arthur Franklyn from Drew McQueen 90.5 seconds
Final England v Scotland Frank Varey, Ginger Lees, Arthur Franklyn and Drew McQueen.  Won by Drew McQueen from Frank Varey in a time of 93.1 seconds.
Event 3 Match Race Andy Milne (Edinburgh) v Walter Creasor (Middlesbrough) won by Walter Creasor 94.2 seconds.
Event 4 Special International Match Race Sprouts Elder (USA) v Drew McQueen (Scotland) won by Sprouts Elder in 91 seconds.
Event 5 Golden Helmet (4 heats and a final) Heat 1 won by Walter Creasor.  Heat 2 won by Arthur Franklyn.  Heat 3 won by Sprouts Elder.  Heat 4 won by Frank Varey.  These 4 riders went forward to the Golden Helmet final which was won by American Sprouts Elder.
 

1930

The track was closed between 1931 and 1937

1938

Programme 1

Programme 2

George Pepper was the individual star of the match with Norman Hargreaves, Maurice Stobbart and Kid Curtis also scoring well for the "Red and White" Diamonds.  I would like to feature a colour photo of the team or a single rider in red and white. Do any colour photographs exist?

I like the idea of a free car park (above right) However in 1938 the majority of our fans probably did not have a car and the car park may not have been very big.

1939

The track was closed between 1940 and 1944

1945

Newcastle ran a series of "open" meetings during 1945

1946

In Post war Britain speedway got off to a great start with fans turning out in their thousands to support their local teams.  The 1946 programme was a plain affair, maybe coloured productions were held back by post was austerity?  Jeff Lloyd was the star on this night with a maximum from four rides.

1947

1948

1949

1950

1951

The track was closed between 1952 and 1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

This programme shows a dead heat in heat 6

1967

1968

1969

1970

The track was closed between 1971 and 1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

50th Anniversary

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

The track was closed 1985

1986

1987

1988

The track was closed again in 1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

Note visiting reserve Jason Crump

1993

1994

1995 & 1996

Track closed

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Awaiting help from Programme collectors can you help me fill the blank years.  We are looking for a scan of a programme from each of the following years:-

1930     email  John if you can help.