In response to our Martin’s lovely piece on Saturday afternoon wrestling, one of our regulars (Herr Cutz I believe) suggested that a nice addition to this series on non-City stuff would be a piece on Speedway.
And so, as if by magic…
As ever, the good folk of MFW were there to answer the call, and into my inbox on Wednesday evening landed a short piece on that very sport.
The gent responsible was one Mr Bernard Owen, to whom I’m very thankful indeed.
All yours, Bernie…
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The Firs may sound like the name of an iconic Norwich pub, and back in the day it was, but something even more iconic shared that same name.
It also happened to be the name of the Speedway stadium in Norwich or, to be more accurate, in Hellesdon.
It was situated just adjacent to the junction of the Cromer Road with Middletons Lane and, of course, opposite the pub of the same name.
Now, this young lad lived at 108 Bush Road, which was the first turning on the right on Middletons Lane if you started at the Cromer Road.
It was no more than a ten-minute walk on foot to The Firs.
We moved into Bush Road in 1958 until Dad’s work moved us to Wiltshire in 1964, and in that time the speedway season loomed large for us. The saying goes that any sport as exciting as speedway will always hook the young kid, and it was true. I was that kid.
The sight and sound of four bikes whizzing around the track, showering the crowd with cinders from the cornering, the overtaking, the crashes, and all helped by the team in yellow and green more often than not winning their home meetings.
And then there was the smell, that unmistakable smell of Castor oil. There really was nothing quite like it. I found out years later it was Castrol R, and even to this very day that smell takes me immediately back to The Firs.
The team was known as the Norwich Stars and their outfit was a big yellow star on a green top, probably deliberately following the football team. (An early example of marketing?).
(Image: Courtesy of Graham Gleave).
And they, like the football team, were my heroes.
The best ever to ride that track was the legendary Swede, Ove Fundin, but he wasn’t the only hero. Others included Billy Bales, Terry Betts, and Ollie Nygren.
The legendary Ove Fundin.
Like a true fan, my top was decorated with badges with the riders’ faces on them. One of each apart from Ove of whom there were loads because I bought a new one of him every season.
It was a magical time and my one great speedway regret was that we moved away from Norwich in 1964 and missed their final-ever season at The Firs. It also happened to be the season the Norwich Stars won the National Knockout Cup.
***
Cheers for that Bernie. Lovely stuff.
If you have any memories of The Firs, The Stars, or anything else speedway related, please feel free to share.
Well done Bernie.
Living that close the roar of the bikes would have either excited you or made your life a misery.
Me and my mates stood on the first bend. Being kids we were down at the front of the crowd and played dare as to who would be the last to duck to avoid the cinders. We’d argue what was the best cornering technique, leg trailing or left leg forward.
At home we had old bike wheels, which we cut out the spooks and painted the rims, and we‘d race them around pretending to be like the Stars.
The older lads went in for cycle track racing – our local team was the Galley Hills Pirates, organised just like the speedway. Rival fans often got worked up into fisticuffs which added to the excitement.
It was then on to motorbikes and the Boundry Buttery Cafe, frothy coffee and jukebox racing, but that‘s another story.
Yeah, the Norwich Stars were equal to the Canaries for many of us lads.
Ove was a superstar.
On our first visit to the speedway we made the classic newbies mistake. Noticing there was loads of spectator space at the corner of the track we made a beeline to stand there to get a good view. But we soon found, the corner of the track is not a good spot and it was clear for a reason! I’m still spitting out gravel 30 years later. (Although that was at Lynn not the Firs!)
Great nostalgic piece though.
Chris, I think everybody has made the mistake of ‘ the corner ‘ once .
Hi Bernie
It’s interesting to see that Speedway was importing stars from other European nations as early as the 1950s and 60s – even outdoing football in that respect. It would be interesting to know what the ratio of homegrown to *imports* actually was.
I can’t be sure but I think it was The Champion just off St Stephens roundabout that had a picture of Ove Fundin on the wall, or at least it did have about 20 years ago.
Between you and me, we wouldn’t be averse to a follow-up article, in this case from somebody who is keen on both playing and watching golf.
Do you know anybody who fits the criteria? 😉
ps I’m glad to have played a minor role in you hitting the big time on MFW!
Hi Bernie,
The only Speedway I got to see was at the Yarmouth Stadium, Caister Rd under the floodlights – a real exciting experience for an 11-year-old.
The Yarmouth Bloaters crashed and burned 1961, just as a few of us were getting into it,and then took on greyhound racing and stock cars.
Lived the far side of the city, near Carrow Road so that was my first stop (aged 10, alone, River End, Oct 59), but enjoyed the Stars a few times too – Ove, Olle, Terry, Trevor etc. Good to remember!
Thanks for the article.
I never knew a speedway track existed in this location.
Everyday is a school day !
Did a track also exist opposite The Brickmakers pub on Sprowston / Wroxham Rd?
The Firs site started in the 1930‘s on a grass field previously used for greyhound racing, I doubt if there would have been a rival location in the City. Maybe the place you mention was used for cycle track racing there were several of those and a local league existed in the 40‘s & 50‘s and they styled themselves on speedway racing.