Defunct Speedway Tracks


 
 
Hackney Speedway
 
Hackney Wick Greyhound Stadium, Waterden Road, London E15 2EQ  Speedway operated between 1935-1996.
In 2011, Hackney were revived as a National League team in a joint Lakeside Hammers-Rye House promotion with home matches at both venues.
 
 
 
 
 
Hackney Badges  Hackney 1930s  Norman Jacobs Photos  Graeme Smith  Jim Blanchard's Photos 
Phil Small's Photographs
 
 
Courtesy of Steve Cummins
 
 

 
 
Hackney
Car Sticker
 
Courtesy of Tom Roe
 
 

Hackney Badges
 
1930 1930
     
1930 (2003 remake) 1964 1966
     
 
1966 1967  
     
 
  1969
   
   
    1969
     

1970
1970 1971
     
 
1971   1973
     
 
  1973 1973
     
1973 1973 1973
     
1974 1974 1975
     
1975 1975
     
   
    1976
1976 1977 1977    
     
   
1977    
     
1977 1978 1978 
     
 
1978   1979  
     
1979 1979 1980
     
Most of the images in this "badges section," were sent by
Wattie Dunlop 
1980     
     
 
1981    1981  
     
1982 silver 1982 gold 1982
     
1983 1983 1984
     
1984 silver 1984 gold 1985
     
1985 1985 1986
     
1986 1987 1987
     
1987 Silver 1987 Gold 1987
 
  1988 1988
     
1988 1988 Silver 1988 Gold
     
1988 1989 1989
     
1989 1989 1989
     
1990 gold 1990
 
1990  1990 gold
1990 1990 silver
     
 
                                           1990        1990 silver
   
1990 1990
     
1991
 
1991 Gold
     
1991 Gold and Silver
     
1995  1996
     
 
2000 
     
Year Unknown 1 Year Unknown 2 Year Unknown 3
     
Year Unknown 4 Year Unknown 5 Year Unknown 6
     
Badges above are from Wattie Dunlop
 
 

 
 
Badges from Russell Earl
 
 

 
 
Hackney Wick Track During Construction In The 1930s
 
Supplied by Norman Jacobs
 
 

 
 
1930's Action
 
 
All I know about the above picture is the rider's names and approximate year. Possibly 1935 (The year Hackney opened) one rider is Tom Farndon, probably in the lead.  The other rider's name is Wilks.  So can you help with the track, riders, teams and year?  John
 
Bryan Tungate says: Hi John, This looks like Tom Farndon leading George Wilks at Hackney Wick. 
On 22 July 1935 they met in heat 6 of a League Match and Tom suffered engine failure in that race. This is shown on Speedway Researcher 1935 results. I cannot find them in another meeting together during that season. This was not long before the crash which cost Tom his life.
 
John says: Thank you Bryan. You have come to my rescue again, the cheque is in the post!
 
 

 
 
Hackney 1936
 
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
 
 

 
 
Norman Jacob's Photographs
 
 
 
 

 
 
 Hackney v Cradley Heath 1963 or 1964?
 
 
John says 2nd bend action from Hackney Wick back in 1963. The Home team are wearing the diagonal stripe, not the more familiar Hawk icon.  Cradley Heath CH were easy to recognise.  Such a shame that both teams are defunct.  I know this is Hackney v Cradley in 1963 and Colin McKee is one of the riders.  Can you help please John
Steve Remington says:  don't know who the Oxford riders were  ( John says: Nah incorrect Steve, It's CH at Hackney) and I think the Cradley riders are Eric Hockaday and Ken Wakefield at the back
Chris Roper says: The Hawks are Les McGillivary and Colin Mckee
Colin Jewes says: The 2 CH riders are Alan Totney and John Belcher, (who always wore a green shirt.) (from a Cradley supporter of the 1960s,)
Alan Garner says: Agree with identification of the Hackney riders McGillivray and Mckee. However as McGillivray was not a Hackney rider in 63 (he sat out the early part of 63 season and signed for Rayleigh about May and stayed till season end) he rode for Hackney from 64 until  he retired. I am of the opinion this is photo was taken in 64 (20th May or 29th July)
Colin Jewes says: John Belcher didn't ride for Cradley in '64 (nor anywhere ?), only at the very  end of '62 and throughout '63.  Record books don't show McGillivray and McKee together at Hackney, so I doubt L.McG: I can recognise McKee, so its 1963, but who is outside on the left? 
Nigel Bird says: Hackney v Cradley 1963?. I think Colin Jews has got it right, 1963 Totney and Belcher (I was a Cradley fan) Mckee on right, don't recognise the rider on the left as McGillivray, Handlebars, style etc. Possibly Trevor Hedge who did partner Mckee for a while.
Alan Best says: Unknown Hackney rider is Jimmy Heard
 
 

 
 
1964 Team
 
 
Hackney Speedway has had only one base: Hackney Greyhound Stadium, Waterden Road, London. They operated from there 1935-1996.
 
 

 
 
Ladies Race at Hackney
 
Courtesy of George Tolman & Kirstin Sibley
 
Hi John, I recently came across an article about Beryl Swain racing Mary Mansfield for Queen of the Cinders on 11 September 1964 at Hackney Speedway (please see attached - above article). I thought it might be of interest for your Lady Riders page. The copy of the article is thanks to George Tolman (Beryl's brother). Unfortunately I don't have the specific publication or its date.   Beryl was the first woman to ride solo in the Isle of Man TT in 1962, but was banned from international racing by the FIM later that year. I would be really interested to hear if she pursued speedway, apart from this race! I'm doing an exhibition on Beryl in June this year for the E17 Art Trail in Walthamstow, where Beryl was born. Best wishes Kirstin
 
 

 
 
 
Hackney v Cradley Heath
 
26th June 1963
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
Promoter Mike Parker opened Hackney in 1963.  Mike is better known as Newcastle's promoter who brought Ivan Mauger back to the UK.
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
 
1964 Riders
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
 
Hackney v Glasgow
 
8th October 1965
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
 
Bengt Jansson
1967
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
Bengt Jansson
1968
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
 

 
 
Les McGillivray
 
 

 
 
Colin Pratt
 
 
 
When you think of Hackney, Colin Pratt comes to mind.  Was he the greatest ever hackney rider?  He was certainly one of the best British riders of his era
 

 
 
Wal Morton &
Colin McKee
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
Jack Biggs & Newcastle's
Ole Olsen
 
Courtesy Ted Hearn
 
 

 
 
Tommy Sweetman
 
Courtesy Ted Hearn
 

 
 
Garry Middleton
 
Courtesy Ted Hearn
 
 
Garry indulging in a spot of leg trailing
 

 
 
David Crane
 

Courtesy of Nick Short

 
John says: Photo came to me with caption D Crane.  What does the D stand for? and what team jacket is he wearing.  I assume it wasn't solid white as per this photo? John
Nick Short says: The D in D crane is I believe David, I haven't got a clue why Body colour is white unless he was riding mainly second half’s (remember them) at the time.
Lee Dunton says: D Crane is David Crane ex Boston & Kings Lynn, relative of Cyril Crane think it must be late 70's early 80's. I think he also had outing's for Oxford but not 100% sure on that.
Col Greenwell says: I found this in the book Owlerton Legends by Matthew Jackson & Paul Rickett.  I would think this could be the guy in your photograph.
 
 
John says:  As this photo was looking like a picture of a Coventry rider at the time (late 1960s) and as we know Coventry is not Defunct I was about to delete it all from the Hackney page then along came the email shown below from Cov Security
Cov Security says: Think you will find photo taken at Hackney in 1963 when David had rides for the Hawks aged 16
 

 
 
Graeme Smith
 
Courtesy of Dave Jones
 
Courtesy of Graeme Smith
 
 
4 Of Hackney's Best
Garry Middleton 1969 – 1971, Zenon Plech  1976 -1981, Finn Thomsen 1978-1983, Dave Morton 1973-78
 

 
 
Hackney 1970
 
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
 
 
Hackney
WCQR
1970
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 

 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 

 
 
1972 Geoff Maloney
 
 
 

 
 
Jim Blanchard's Photographs
 
Jim Blanchard has answered my requests for Hackney pictures.  The 3 photos shown below are of Jim at a Len Silver / Gary Middleton training school held at Waterden Road in 1972
 
 
 
 
Jim's Photos also show the stadium in a good light
 
 

 
 
1980 Programme
 
 
 

 
 
1990 Programme Board
 
Courtesy of Andrew Gallon
 
Andrew Gallon says: Hackney (1990) - picked up on my sole visit to Waterden Road
 
 

 
 
Memories
 
Hi, I found your website page devoted to Hackney Speedway Stadium and was fascinated by it.
I myself worked there in the mid 80s - early 90s with my family (mostly covering the greyhound track with sheets in preparation for the Friday night meetings).  My dad ran the training school on Saturdays, and I spent most of my childhood there.  I was there the night Vic Harding lost his life in '79, I saw it happen.
The site was later used to host car-boot sales, by which time the magic of the place had long gone. Just wanted to say thanks for posting some wonderful photos, which brings back the memory very vividly. There was one picture in particular that completely sums up my Hackney experiences in amongst that lot. Looking from the second bend over towards the starting line from the steps where the kiosk used to be.  That is where I used to watch the meetings from and behind there was the toilets that STANK. Regards Dave 
 
 

 
 
Hackney 1988
Phil Small's Photos
 
Courtesy of Phil Small
 
 
 
 
4 pictures of Hackney Stadium taken by Phil in 1988
 
 

 
 
Hackney 1990
 
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
 

 
John Coombs says: Hi John, Hope all is well with you, I see that the Defunct Speedway site goes from strength to strength, well done on this.
Not sure if you would be interested but the following link http://hereeast.com/  shows details of what will become of the Olympic Media Centre - the venue which was built on the site of the former Hackney Stadium. This is a stone throw from the Velodrome and the Copper Box and about 5-10 minutes from the Olympic Stadium.  The redevelopment work has started this month, and if this holds any interest I will try to get over and get some pictures when I am passing.
 
 
 
The site is looking for more pics, programmes etc from the Hawks history email John 
 

The contents of the site are © and should not be reproduced elsewhere for financial gain. The contributors to this site gave the pictures and information on that understanding.  If anyone has any issue or objections to any items on the site please e-mail and I will amend or remove the item.  Where possible credit has been given to the owner of each item. 


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