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| Newcastle
Speedway Part 3 |
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| Brough Park |
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| 1980 Team
Newcastle 1981
Robbie Blackadder
1982 Team
Keith Bloxsome
Bobby Beaton
1983 Team
Martin Scarisbrick
Eddie Ingels
David Bargh
Rod Hunter
Newcastle's 1984
British League Team |
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Federation Specials 1986
Joe Owen's Terrible Injury
Federation Special
Diamonds 1987 Mark Thorpe |
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1987
Tom Owen In His Final Year As A Diamond
1989 Team |
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Newcastle Speedway, Brough Park Stadium,
The Fossway, Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Speedway began here in
1929 and after a few closing down and reopenings lasted til 2022.
The speedway closed due to small crowds and high costs. The
stadium rental was the most expensive in the land and admission
cost £18.00 was just too much for quite a lot of fans |
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| The Sun Has Finally Set On Brough Park |
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| Courtesy of Steve Brock |
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The 1980's dawned and Newcastle continued to dominate. League
championships in 1982 and 1983 brought about elevation into the top flight
British League for 1984. Then the bubble burst and the club closed down at
the end of the 1984 British League season, when promoter, Ian Thomas pulled out. No
speedway at Brough in 1985. The experts said Newcastle should lie dormant
for a few years before risking any re-opening but that didn't happen. Brough was again staging speedway in 1986 and 1987, only to close again at the
end of the 1987 season so maybe the experts were right? 1988 was another year of silence at the track in Byker before
co promoters, Barry Wallace (long time track announcer) and Richard Bailey decided the time was right for
another risky re-opening in time for the 1989 season. |
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Newcastle 1980 |
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| 1980 team: Robbie Blackadder, Derek Richardson, Tom Owen,
Rod Hunter, Nigel Crabtree, Keith Bloxsome, David Bargh and team manager Dave
Younghusband |
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Local Rider
Michael Easton |
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Derek Richardson Tom
Owen Rod Hunter. Front Nigel Crabtree David Bargh Keith Bloxsome
& Michael Easton |
| Lindsay Easton says: Hi John! I have
been looking through your website for my dad and you're right, on your page
of 1980's (page 1) riders, that is my dad on the far right in the black and
white group photo! Michael From Rowlands Gil he has spent his whole life
there and is still there now married with 3 kids. |
| John says: I live
about half a mile away from your dad Michael but we have never met. I
do remember him although not very well. |
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Kym Mauger with His Dad Ivan In 1980 |
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When Ivan Mauger got son Kym signed up with the
Diamonds we were hoping he would emulate his dad but Kym never reached
the heights of his dad on track. Personally, I thought Kym should
have done something else as living up to his Mauger name was likely to
be impossible.. |
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Newcastle 1981 |
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| Glen Mcdonald Robbie
Blackadder Alan Emerson Dave Younghusband Keith Bloxsome Kym Mauger David
Bargh Rod Hunter |
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Robbie Blackadder |
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Rob Best our trackman has been in touch about his old mate
Robbie Blackadder. Rob has this to say: -
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I went to Crayford with Robbie and Rod Hunter in the early
1980's for a Tuesday night match. The plan being
that I drove all the way allowing the 2
riders to rest before the match. In them days
Newcastle's matches were always Mondays, meaning I had
already done a full days work (nothing has changed).
Crayford is a long way, so our plan was that I got to
Robbie's house at 9.30am to get a good start to avoid
traffic on the London North Circular (pre M25). I
got there in good time to wash Robbie's bike and load up
for the trip. When I got there I found him with his
one and only bike in bits. He had decided to put his
engine etc back into his tried and tested twin tubed
diamond frame. This delayed us until lunch time.
We then had to go to Byker to pick up Rod Hunter and then
over to Gateshead to pick up Rod's trailer & bike.
We were eventually heading south (A1 in Gateshead) with me
driving and them resting, by about 1.30pm, so much for an
early start!
When we got on the M1 near London, with me driving still
and them resting still, the traffic was heavy.
Robbie demanded that I drive faster (already doing 70-80
with the trailer) and that I pass other cars on the hard
shoulder!
We got to Crayford (South London) just in time. I
acted as Mechanic for both, we were winning and towards
the end of the meeting Rod fell off, so I was sorting his
bike out during the next heat when I looked over to the
far end of the track to see Robbie doing somersaults!
The doc ruled both of them out of the rest of the meeting
and both of them refused to go to hospital. Oh yeah
we won the meeting!
As they were injured I had to drive on the way home too!
I got as far as the M18 in Yorkshire when I heard "thud,
thud, thud" It was the trailer wheels knocking over
traffic cones at a road works. I had fallen asleep
at the wheel! I stopped woke them up and Robbie
finished the drive off. We got back to Robbie's at
4.30am, I got home at 5am and was at my day job for 7.30am
the next morning.
Sounds like fun Rob!
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Robbie riding a smooth looking track but hey he's wearing a
white helmet cover so it may not be Brough. He relished the bumpy Brough Park where he took some
beating. There was a bump going into turn 3 which he hit on every lap
often the bump would cause him to rear on his back wheel but he
often overtook on turn 3. |
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| 1982
Team |
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Left to right: Alan Emmerson, Tom Owen, Joe Owen, Paul Mchale,
Bobby Beaton, Robbie Blackadder, Keith Bloxsome. Brough Park was owned by
Ladbrokes in those days and you can see the Ladbrokes Stadium sign in the
background. |
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When I looked at the photo I
thought my eyes were playing tricks on me! Paul McHale in the
centre looks very much like Tom Owen and I had to look twice
before accepting that it was Paul. However, as Tom is also
in the picture and on comparison to Paul then the difference is
noticeable! I never had any trouble recognizing the two on the
track of course! This team line up consisted of 5 heat
leaders and wiped the floor with the opposition in 1982 winning
the League Championship, Supernational & KO Cup.
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Civic Reception
1982
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Triple
trophy winners Newcastle Speedway were invited to the civic centre
for a civic reception to celebrate their achievements Joe
Owen Alan Emerson Keith Bloxsome Rod Hunter Bobby Beaton Unknown
Front Dave Younghusband Ian Thomas The Lord Mayor and his
Wife Tom Owen and Brian Larner
Helen Charlesworth says: Hi John, Just to let you know the
'unknown rider' in the team at the Civic Centre reception is
Robbie Foy
John says:
Thanks Helen, Now you mention it I can see it is him. Thank you,
John
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| Keith Bloxsome |
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Keith Bloxsome spent 4 years with us 1980-82, 1986.
Newcastle sides during 1980-82 were very strong and as a result Keith
was in a reserve berth for much longer than he would have been in a
weaker team. He scored well on most occasions. I seem to
remember him notching an 18 point maximum on one occasion. |
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| Keith was kept at reserve by our very powerful teams. His double figure
scoring from reserve made him a match winner away from home |
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| Bobby Beaton |
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| 1983/1984 |
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Scotland's Bobby Beaton part of the all-conquering Newcastle
Diamonds side of 1982.
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| 1982 Press Day |
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1982 press day. Bobby Beaton, Robbie Blackadder, Keith Bloxsome, Paul
McHale, Joe Owen, Alan Emerson and Tom Owen on the bike
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| 1983 Team |
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| Ian Thomas David Walsh ?? Joe
Owen Bernie Collier Dave Younghusband. front Alan Emerson Martin
Scarisbrick Rod Hunter Bobby Beaton |
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| Lada Viking |
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Martin Scarisbrick
1984 only |
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| Eddie Ingels
1984 only |
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| Eddie came to us for the British League
campaign in 1984 from sunny California. He was quite a character and got
himself married on the Brough Park track (see below)! He and Joe Owen were the riders
that the crowd wanted to see. Eddie was based on Tyneside and he ran some
training schools at a track at Felton in Northumberland. Eddie never
reached the heights of some of his countrymen but we all thought him capable of
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| Eddie In Action |
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| The Wedding |
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| Brough closed its doors yet again at the end of
the top flight season (1984) and Eddie moved on. So did our promoter and
entrepreneur Ian Thomas. With Thomas leaving, Newcastle's most successful
spell ever, came to an end. Thank you Ian for what you achieved in your
time here. None of us will forget the top teams you assembled for us. 1975
to 1984 if you missed it, you missed a helluva lot! Update: Ian Thomas and
Kenny Carter have since passed away! |
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| David Bargh |
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| New Zealander David Bargh spent 7 years
with the team, namely:-
1975-78, 84, 1991-92 |
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Barghie says: I would like to say a big thank you to Newcastle
speedway fans for all the fun over the years and good times it has
been good to look back on, would love to do it again all of which
could not happen without the fans and promoters. I would like to
acknowledge all the help I had from a lot of good people. Have
been earthmoving contracting for the past 19 years building river
stopbanks, roading and tower sites for New Zealand windfarms, also
doing subdivision work for new housing in Palmerston North and
irrigation dams plus other farm work building cow races.
We would
love to come over to the UK at some stage,
please
say hi to Rob Gittus for me.
Please let Eddie, Tom, Chris know all is well may be meet up one
day Regards David and Vickie Bargh
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| David Bargh with his mechanic, John Abel, May 1981.
A great shot of the two guys but also of the once great stadium!
The big grandstand shown was the back straight stand. I used to
get in there for part of each match and have a couple of bottles of
Newcastle Brown Ale |
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John Abel says: In red jumper is Mike
Fullerton with Keith Bloxsome and Rod Hunter, In the background to
right of Keith, the man in the yellow boiler suit is Mick Oldham,
former pit staff, who still keep in contact. To right of
David leaning on wall is Tony Coupland in yellow shirt, former
Teesside Team Manager talking to Mike Caroline, Berwick rider and
local Newcastle Boy.
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| Derek Richardson |
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Derek was born 22.07.1958, Earlsheaton,
England. He rode for the Diamonds 1980-81, 1989 and is best
remembered for his on track rides partnered with David Bargh.
When they were both on song they were worth the admission money on
their own, team riding to many 5-1s
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| Rod Hunter |
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Rod was born 25.04.1956,
Melbourne, Australia. He rode for us
1978-84, 1989-90 and became a very
good rider, in the lower division maybe, but he was great to watch.
He had great throttle control and entertained his many fans by
popping wheelies and staying up on one wheel when the other riders
had dropped back down. I became a fan of Rod er! not for his
wheelies but for his skill as a rider. If there was a gap
Rod would squeeze through it. He hit a 21 point maximum at
Oxford if my memory serves me right?
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Newcastle's 1984
British League
Team |
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| Photo by Helen Jobson, taken 7th September 1984, left to right: Rod Hunter, Eddie Ingels, David Bargh,
Phil White, Martin Scarisbrick, Joe Owen and Reg Wilson |
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| 1984 Joe Owen |
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| Joe Owen was practically unbeatable
around Brough Park in the lower league. After promotion to the top
rung he again was very hard to beat but the higher league stars often
got the better of Joe. We needed an out and out top rider with Joe
and Eddie Ingels backing him up but top riders do not grow on trees.
Newcastle have never again competed in the top league. Were we
fans bothered to be in the lower league? No not at all just as long as
we had speedway to watch. |
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| 1984 Rod Hunter & Martin Scarisbrick |
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| 1984 British League Team |
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| Photo by Helen Jobson, taken 7th September 1984: left to right
Rod Hunter, David Bargh, Joe Owen Phil White front: Martin Scarisbrick, Reg Wilson and Eddie Ingels |
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1985 Closed Down
No Speedway |
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| Federation Specials1986
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| The team standing left to right:- Paul
Stead, Dave Morton, Keith Bloxsome, Dave Perks, David Blackburn.
Kneeling: Gary O'Hare and Bernie Collier. |
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| Joe Owen's Terrible Injury |
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| Joe had moved on from Newcastle to
join Ellesmere Port. He was involved in an accident which left him
paralysed and wheelchair bound. Such a shame for a young man.
There was a great turnout for his benefit meeting. Pity he hadn't
stayed with the diamonds and avoided the awful injury |
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| Joe's Benefit Meeting |
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L-R Ivan Mauger, Mark Thorpe, Peter Collins, Tom Owen, ?
Neil Collins ? Gary O'hare, Dave Perks,? ? Front row: Les
Collins, ? Erik Gundersen, Joe Owen,
Gary
Havelock, Alan Emerson, Kelly Moran and Nigel Crabtree
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Dan Gibbs says: The photo of the Joe Owen benefit meeting,
I'd like a go at naming them (back row L-R - Ivan Mauger,
Steve Wicks ???, Peter Collins, Tom Owen, Kelvin Tatum,
David Blackburn, Gary O'Hare, Dave Perks, Martin Dixon
???, Bernie Collier ??? Front row L-R Les Collins, Phil
Collins, Erik Gunderson, Neil Collins leaning on Joe Owen,
Gary Havelock, Mark Courtney, Shawn Moran and Nigel
Crabtree.) That’s a pretty good line-up.
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As an older than most Newcastle fan I occasionally wonder
about Joe and Tom too. If anyone is in contact with
the lads please ask them to send me an email and I will
use the site to convey any comments to their friends on
Tyneside. email me here
John
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Federation Special Diamonds
1987 |
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1987 team standing left to right: Mark Courtney, Paul Cooper, Eric Stead
(promoter), Roland Tebbs, Bobby Duncan, Dave Morton. Kneeling: Gary O'Hare and
David Blackburn, with Joe Owen (team manager) in the middle. |
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1987 Tom Owen In His Final Year
As A Diamond
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| Possibly the greatest captain and team man Newcastle has ever
had |
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| Mark Thorpe |
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Mark Thorpe born 26.03.1969,
Christchurch, New Zealand is yet another Kiwi that found his way to
Brough Park. He rode for Newcastle (1989-1994) If Ivan
Mauger was the number 1 Kiwi and David Bargh number 2 then Mark must be
the 3rd best with all due respect to the others like my mate Dave
Gifford, but Giffy was born in England anyway. |
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| Mark Thorpe 2nd From Left |
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| 1989
Team |
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John says: I do not know all the names or the year, can
you help please
John
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Andrew Farrar says: The team photograph is certain 1989
(the presence of Rod Hunter gives it away). The two
kneeling riders are Mark Thorpe and Simon Green, while
Peter Carr is on the bike again. Rod Hunter is standing
extreme right of the photograph and it looks like Derek
Richardson next to him.
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Tony Richardson says: I think it is 1989. Back Row: ?,
Peter Clarke (I think), Tom Graham (Team Manager), Derek
Richardson, Rod Hunter. Front Row: Mark Thorpe, Peter Carr
(on Bike), Simon Green.
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Peter Baldwin says: The rider next to Anthony Hulme is
'David' Clarke, not 'Peter'.
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Another 1989
Line Up |
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Peter
Baldwin says1989 riders: Anthony Hulme, Simon Green, Mark Thorpe, Derek
Richardson, on machine Peter Carr, kneeling David Clarke and Rod Hunter |
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| 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. |
