Other Local Ventures

There have been other local ventures but none with the fan base or longevity of Newcastle’s Brough Park. However this site is not just about Newcastle Diamonds!

Sunderland had a team in 1964, known as the Saints, then later they were called the Stars and the Gladiators Sunderland Speedway operated from the East Boldon greyhound stadium .
What is the ultimate event on Tyneside? A match of any kind against the "enemy" from Sunderland!.. Here is a copy of a programme that signalled the rallying call. Sunderland v Newcastle circa 1964

A great programme cover, art work excellent and the price too! It would be great to get Sunderland back in operation in the same league as Newcastle what great local derbies we could have against the Saints (Stars Gladiators).

This is Sunderland Speedway Stadium now, alas only the Greyhounds race around this track now. There has been no speedway here for 31 years at the time of writing this in 2005: -

Action from Sunderland Russ Dent gate 2 and George Barclay gate 4, 1972 were you there? let's hear from you if you were

I attended the 2005 Sunderland Re-union and here are some pictures from the re-union night.

Ove Fundin's Jap from early 1950's John (ginger) Abigail is the current owner of this machine.

Above: Newcastle History Site webmaster John Skinner with Ove's bike, (it is nearly as old as John) wishing he owned it!

Pictures from Colin Poole: left ex-riders, Ray Day & Norman Redmond. right Russ Dent & Brian Havelock

Sunderland diehards Bob ferry and Ian Martin have a website for Sunderland devotees. If you want to go there now click this link: Sunderland Website Otherwise note it for later browsing and continue the Newcastle tour on this site.

Ashington Arrows too staged speedway at the towns Portland Park stadium in 1972. They only managed 2 meetings, these are their 2 programmes: -

Ashington's Portland Park. Big and fast but the people of Ashington didn't turn out in sufficient numbers to keep the sport going at Portland Park.

Update: Dave Rowland says: A little update on Ashington for those who might be interested.
With the closure of Newcastle at the end of the 1994 season, the hunt was on to find an alternative venue. I was in touch with Ashington FC and started discussions to bring speedway back at Portland Park. I knew the then Chairman of the football club and we were talking a deal. On the night that George English and myself went there, for me to measure out the track, a certain person who had been passing on the flyover stopped in to see what was going on as the floodlights were on.
Unfortunately, although a deal could have been concluded I then got a phone call from the Dennis Murphy, the then leader of the council and now the MP for Ashington, to advise us that they would not let the football club sub-let the stadium and privately told me that they would not allow any development as they were considering demolishing the stadium and building a supermarket. The football club were subsequently evicted from Portland Park and the new supermarket built.
Ironically, the main problem, if the project had got underway, was the fact that fans could have stayed outside the stadium on the said flyover and watched the speedway for nowt.
Happy days.

Felton near Amble in Northumberland, operated an unlicensed, behind closed doors training school venture between 1978-1988 and also had some drag racing there too.

This is Robin Dixon on the inside at Felton. Do you recognize the other rider?
Helen Charlesworth says: Robin Dixon on the inside of another rider - I'm pretty sure the chap in the orange leathers with white chest stripe is Michael Easton who had a few outings for the Diamonds in the early '80's and was a regular second halfer at Brough.

John Skinner says: Yes, Michael lived in my village Rowlands Gill, just 15 miles from Brough Park

Wendy says this is Bruce Mcallan at Felton, cousin of David McAllan. Bruce had a bad smash in a Stars of Tomorrow at Berwick and never rode again.

Can you name the lads showing their trophies at Felton in the north east mud
Wendy Skinner says: Kenny McAllan (David McAllan's uncle) is the 3rd from the right (he came 3rd overall). Roland Tebbs is 2nd from the left (1st overall). Kenny said that Paul McHale was one of them but I can't remember which one so will have to ask him again.
My memory is pretty ropey but I would say Paul McHale is second from the right
Wendy Skinner says: The tall guy with the curly hair is "someone" McGregor from Edinburgh. I don't think I mentioned that the photo was the really wet 1979 Felton Championship.

Anyone got any pictures of the Drag Racing from Felton? My workmate Bob Armstrong (lost touch with him) had a dodgem car with a mini engine, anyone remember that?

Paul Brassell came up with the goods here, no picture of Bob's mini-engined dodgem but two shots of drag racing at Felton

I first got involved with the North East Hot Rod Association in the early 70's, meetings were at the Bridge Hotel in Newcastle, Drag Racing had already started at Felton and was run on an 1/8 mile straight due to insufficient shut down area.

There used to be a fair turnout of local cars and bikes, drag cars were Big Geordie and Geordie Pride, altered cars were The Incredible Hulk, The Stripper, Slack Alice and an assortment of others as far as I can remember.

Rickie Bookes ran The Stripper with a Jaguar 3.8 with a Mini body !, last saw him at Santa Pod spectating at least 10 years ago and lost contact. We built a Jaguar powered, roof chopped Viva van for a while until the infamous bumps caught us out, named Yorkshire Pudding, it handled like one. Moved on from there, raced a dragster at New York Raceway for a while and then family and work commitments forced a change, now living in Shropshire, still go to Santa Pod occasionally, anybody got any photo's of Felton ?

Hi,

Im a long time friend of Bob Armstrong who is now in Mexico, He still keeps in touch now and again, Bob was helper mechanic and pusher for my Dodgem at Felton in the seventies. see the picture above. Im still daft as a brush and building weird things down in New Zealand, bit warmer than Whitley Bay. Have you got any info or film footage of Brough Park when Mike Parker Had the 'Helldrivers"? I was number 519, won 2 trophies which I still have, I raced a Jag then a mini. The engine from the mini went into the Dodgem when the Helldrivers wound up. I still have newspaper cuttings from when I won the Northumbria Cup. Mike Parker said ' it was the best race he had ever seen'. I won it on the last bend of the last lap and the Jag went across the start/ finish line sideways!!!. I have searched youtube and cant find any footage of the Helldrivers. Check out my latest escapades on Youtube. user name "MadGeordie', oh and subscribe I need the advertising revenue for further projects. Regards Alan Sutton. NZ

John Says: I remember the dodgem did not have a cooling system as there was no room for a radiator etc. I also remember it was usually raining when I went to Felton/Bockenfield as Alan's photo shows.

So has anyone any photos and/or video footage of the Helldrivers at Brough Park? If so send me an email John

Aycliffe stadium near Darlington and Barford known as the "Barford Foxes" near Barnard Castle should have been other homes to speedway but ventures into speedway at both venues never got off the ground and they are better known for stock car racing.

Barford Raceway is definitely worth the trip from Tyneside. Cyril Whitfield and his team are a friendly bunch of people who will welcome the Speedway Fan to their stockcar circuit. No reason why Stocks and Bikes can't co-exist in the North. The stock car boys have a website so check out Barford Stock Cars if you are interested.
Cyril Whitfield says: We did run speedway on the Barford tarmac twice, the first time was 6th August 2006 and then 7th September 2008, we don't have any pictures available

Burnhills Race Track near Greenside in Co Durham was at its height in popularity from 1928 until the mid 1930's and the stars were Tiger Sanderson, Parsons and Fewster. They rode in race meetings for the Golden Helmet and Silver Gauntlets. Here is the evidence from the local newspapers archives.

Buses were laid on from Bewick Street in Newcastle and left at "frequent intervals for the Greenside track". The meeting took place on Whit Sunday 1929 to avoid clashing with Whitley Bay who had a meeting on Whit Monday.

Bob Grainger informs us that 1928 had eight meetings at Greenside run by the Newcastle and District Motor club with Jack Ormiston the star, this track operated for several years without league status being applied for and has apparently slipped the net as far as most authors are concerned. Perhaps it was more grass track, scrambling than speedway. I intend researching the track, so watch this space!

Well Burnhills never was a speedway it was a pre war grass track & scrambling venue.

This programme from 1928 shows the rider list and the bikes they were mounted on.

1928 predates any actual speedway on Tyneside and a glance at the names on the Burnhills programme reveal a number who became speedway riders. No 22 Harry Huntly for example became a well known rider at Newcastle Gosforth, Whitley Bay and Brough Park.
Chris Sawyer says: Hi John, I found your site whilst researching my bike. On the Burnhills programme at #4 is Bill Martin who owned my 1928 Cotton and I wonder if there are any more records of him or the bike. Hoping you can help. Regards Chris Sawyer.

Team Valley Gateshead near Newcastle. I believe there was a one off junior level, challenge match between Durham and Northumberland, most likely on grass. The following programme is of the 1945 contest.

Not much is known about the event held at Team Valley in 1945. There is a trading estate there now. If you have any knowledge please let me know John

Belmont Park Race Track near Durham Operated pre war and in the 1950's and 60's it was Grass and scrambling.

Sidecar racing from Belmont Park, It drew large crowds. I believe this picture was taken in 1961

The map was drawn by ex Newcastle speedway rider Harry Huntly who was heavily involved at Belmont

Middlesborough was the closet of the successful teams to Brough Park (38 miles away down the A19). The “Bears”, like the "Diamonds", have been around since 1928/29 although both clubs have closed down and re-opened on a number of occasions. Rivalry is fierce between the 2 sets of fans, but speedway fans are not hooligans and most derby matches are enjoyed in a noisy atmosphere with rival fans exchanging nothing more than friendly banter. The Bears have made a return to speedway in 2006 under the name Redcar Bears. You can count on my money through the turnstiles from time to time, or you can let me in for free for advertising your club on this website ha ha, some history of the bears follows but Middlesbrough have a top class history site of their own, visit it here Middlesbrough Speedway History Site

Middlesborough's influence in the North East was immense in 1929. Johnnie Hoskins under the name Albion Auto Racers Ltd., had been operating at Middlesborough before the Tyneside tracks got under way. The Boro's first track in the back end of 1928 was 410 yards then for the English Dirt Track league campaign of 1929 it was resized down to 335 yards. The first race meeting took place in August 1928 before a crowd of 15,000. Tees-side based riders Walter and Fred Creasor, and Phil Blake were in Newcastle's team for 1929 and as can be seen from the above clipping were responsible for Newcastle beating their home town team in the first ever Tyne Tees local derby clash held at Cleveland Park.

My first visit to the new track was Redcar V Newcastle. The track produced some good racing but needs time to settle down. The stadium facilities also need time for permanent fixtures to be installed but the many mobile units served the large crowd well. Welcome back middles er Redcar

Mrs Amy Lloyd-Hughes says: Hi there, I'm sorry to trouble you but I was hoping you could help me with something. I have just discovered your website whilst doing some family research. My late grandfather used to take part in speedway racing in his youth with his brother, their names were Henry and Gerald Johnstone. Anyway your website has a photograph of them during a sidecar race in Druridge Bay from the journal dated 1961 I think. I was abosolutley fascinated to see this and was hoping you could tell me how you found this and if there would be any way of me finding a copy somewhere or even any further photographs of them?
Webmaster John says: The clipping was sent to me some time ago and as it says it was from the Newcastle Journal of July 24 1961. If you contact Newcastle City Library they hold microfilm of all Journals and Evening Chronicle's Why not contact the Journal as well and ask if they still have a print you can buy. I will have a go at improving this scrapbook quality photo of the Johnstone's and email it to you.

Graeme Hartshorn says: My father Alan and his passenger, brother in law Norman Bolton racing at Druridge Bay in 1961 on their 500cc JAP powered outfit with sidecar on the right hand side.

The Image on the left was supplied by Paul Brassell, thanks Paul and on the right by the Vast Collection/ Ian Huntly

There was little going on in the North East for the speedway fan. Newcastle closed at the end of 1951 season. So events on the sands at Druridge Bay on the Northumberland coastline would have been supported by speedway fans from Newcastle. The sands were used by Newcastle riders in the 1960's Don Wilkinson ran training schools in the early 60's and Mike Hiftle did the same in the late 60's. I believe the bay is now in the hands of the National Trust who are very unlikely to allow any bikes there now!

In 1948 there was no petrol for pleasure purposes. John Hunter would get up early for a day at the seaside, with a difference. He would put his speedway bike on the local coast train at his home station, Wallsend and get it off again at Tynemouth. He would then push the bike down to the Long Sands (Tynemouth Beach). He got in some practise, but only if the tide was out! These photos were taken at 7.00am. He would wake everyone up and attract the attention of the local police. The plod would stop John, warn him about the frivolous waste of petrol and tell him motorbikes were banned from the sands. John would patiently explain that speedway bikes ran on wood alcohol, not petrol and produce a copy of the beach by-laws showing that there was no ban on bikes using the beach at that time of year. He would then continue his session on the beach.

1948: John, his sister and two friends pose for this photo during one of the early morning sessions on the beach at Tynemouth. The modern day Tynemouth inhabitants would have a fit if they were woken by speedway bikes at dawn.

A great old stadium used for greyhounds and as a base for Gateshead FC. In 1967 this stadium almost housed speedway. Ex-Newcastle promoter Dave Rowland remembers a few facts about Redheugh Parks close involvement in the local speedway scene
Dave Rowland says: Hi John,
Yes, speedway nearly did go to Redheugh Park in 1967. After Mike Parker and Reg Fearman had fallen out, and shared the tracks out, contact was made by a lady called Cathy Breeze and her sister plus one other man. Cathy knew a Gateshead Councillor who was sympathetic to bringing speedway to Gateshead. Together with my late father in law, Johnny Hewlett, and a young Ian Hoskins, tests were carried out at what was the then home of Gateshead Football club. Unfortunately there was vandalism and I believe a major fire which destroyed the main stand. In view of the uncertainty of it, the project was then dropped and of course Brough closed it's doors to speedway a few years later. The main person here to contact, I would suggest, is Ian Hoskins. I don't know anybody that was involved that is still alive so Ian is probably the only one that could add to the above.
Dave,

Thanks Dave lets hope I can turn over a few stones and get a nice juicy story or maybe just a couple of worms!