We put out the original Defunct British Speedway Tracks DVD back in 2014 and it’s a sad sign of speedway’s precarious existence that 11 more venues have been lost to our sport since then, hence this follow-up double-set, produced in Nov 2022, that spans around three-and-a-half hours.
* ARENA-ESSEX/LAKESIDE
* BELLE VUE (Kirkmanshulme Lane)
* BUXTON
* COVENTRY
* EASTBOURNE
* EDINBURGH (Armadale)
* NEWCASTLE
* RYE HOUSE
* SOMERSET
* STOKE (Loomer Road)
* SWINDON
* WORKINGTON
Plus, we’ve new and rare footage from numerous other tracks that wasn’t featured in the first DVD, including: BELLE VUE (Hyde Road), BOSTON, CRADLEY HEATH, ELLESMERE PORT, HACKNEY, HALIFAX, HULL (Craven Park), LEICESTER, MIDDLESBROUGH, NEWPORT (Somerton Park), RAYLEIGH, READING (Smallmead) and WIMBLEDON.
Before Monarchs’ fans start bombarding our complaints department with ‘we’re not yet dead!’ protestations, yes, we do realise that Edinburgh have secured a stay of execution to spend at least one more season at Armadale, and hopefully even beyond 2023.
But . . . when we began advertising the DVD with an Armadale stadium pic featured on its front cover sleeve, Edinburgh announced to the world that they were about to close, and did in fact stage what they billed as their ‘farewell meeting’ on October 15. Within just a few days, though, they declared that the stadium owners have given their blessing to at least one more term.
So we’ve left the Armadale race clips on the DVD for your enjoyment - and all the more pleasing it will be, too, for those looking forward to more to come at the West Lothian venue next season.
These are worrying times, though, for track bosses and fans looking anxiously over their shoulder as avaricious property developers eye up prime sites that, for years, have been home to speedway teams. Ironically, the UK’s grim economic outlook could help to prolong the bikes at places that would otherwise be transformed more rapidly into new homes and shops. Peterborough are understood to have just one more year left to run at the East of England Showground - but who knows, it may yet be longer?