Coventry Bees Speedway - Brandon Stadium

The smell of the track used to draw me. As well as the riders of course

Hello, Do you remember the smell of the Dope? Why was it called Dope, please? I'm sure that I can remember seeing a can marked Dope amongst the fuel cans. One area where I never did any finance work was combustion. I used to hear my dad talk about Dope stuff. It wasn't drugs. PS. I had toy aeroplane engines that were fuelled on Dope. That was on the tin label, I've just remembered.

Hello, Not Coventry, but did he ever ride here? Memories Ivan Mauger .

He certainly did on many occasions racing for several different teams against the Bees. I met him a few times here in Australia in his last year of life - he was a mumbling shadow of his former self. So sad that such a great rider ended up that way.

Hi everyone - FYI. Philip suggested you might be interested! As of today I will be Secretary of the Australian Speedway Riders Association. FYI - here is my nomination that got me the job, with a bit of my background in speedway. It's going to be a lot of work. ASRA was originally the Veteran SRA and the legacy lingers on - 90% of its current membership is over 70! First job is to make it relevant to current riders - there's been virtually no effort to do that up to now. Wish me luck! Feel free to use it in the Forum. Nomination for ASRA Secretary / Public Officer This is to introduce myself as a Nominee for ASRA Secretary - Assoc Prof John Walker B.Sc.(Econ), Aust. Sports Medal. I have been involved in speedway since I was four years old, but it wasn't until I overstated my age to be selected on the Coventry Speedway track staff as a 14-year-old that I made a contribution to the sport under the management of Charles Ochiltree. Initially a pits pusher and track raker, I was also employed by Mr Ochiltree to assist in all forms of track preparation during University holidays. Charles demonstrated the ultimate in professionalism in running speedway meetings, and I have always tried to follow his example. On moving to Melbourne in 1973 and then to Canberra in 1975, I simply followed speedway whenever I could, but in 1981 my wife and I met a number of NSW country-based riders at Nepean who complained of the lack of opportunities - the common complaint was "you have to be at least B-grade to get on the programme - so how do you get to be B-grade?". We then founded the Canberra Bu lls Speedway Club which ran regular meetings at Quamby and Tralee Raceway and flourished until tracks in NSW turned to clay for the sprintcars in the late 1980s. With the help of the NSW Riders' Association we created the NSW Speedway League of five clubs - Newcastle, Sydney, Liverpool, Wollongong and Canberra - providing young riders with regular racing. It was during this period that I had a few hot (well, "lukewarm") laps on a bike, but that only proved that I'd left it a bit late to be a champion speedway rider. On moving back to Melbourne during 2001-4, I joined the committee of the Speedway Sidecar Riders' Association based at Broadford and gained Level 3 status for Clerk of the Course and Referee, officiating at Victorian tracks including Broadford and Undera (Vic), and later at Tralee, Gosford, Bega, Nepean, Moruya and Wagga in NSW (both qualifications now lapsed). On returning to Canberra, I used my links with Broadford and the NSWSRA to organise a Victoria vs. NSW teams match at both Open and veteran classes the same night at Myrtleford. . Since 2016 I have served on MNSW's Speedway Committee, during which I have tried to steer MNSW, and MA, from a purely "regulatory" stance towards focussing on promoting the sport. In 2018, I led a bid to bring the Speedway Grand Prix to Canberra, utilising the 25,000 capacity Bruce Stadium. Despite support from the stadium management and MNSW, our bid failed due to ACT government antipathy to motor sports in general and to an absurd conflict over ticketing rights (SGP uses Tickitek and Bruce Stadium uses Ticketmaster, or vice versa).

Mmm, pits pusher and track raker. When did your poetry come on the scene JW ?

Hello Johnnie Myself and my sister were regular supporters of the 'Bees'. Having trouble with the old grey matter now but I can recall 'Crusty Pye' (in Red) clinging to the inside edge all the way round the circuit and the little chap Lionel Levy (was he Australian ?) full throttle roaring round the outside and possibly another regular rider George Smith ? A good exciting night out.

Hi StPauls Lionel Levy was indeed Australian, and I know his grandson, Keith, who yesterday opened a new speedway museum near my son's place in north-western Sydney. Keith was a sidecar speedway rider. Lionel continued racing in Australia almost into his fifties but sadly died in a racing accident. I also remember Crusty Pye but I never got to see George Smith - he was regarded as a possible future World Champion but was killed while racing - I think - for Harringay, or was it New Cross? Another of my favourites from those days was Reg Duval, who passed away only last year at the age of 96. I had my first race at the age of 40 - filling in for a guy who didn't turn up. I was scared stiff, had never done a clutch start in my life, but hit the throttle, dropped the clutch then "feathered" it to maintain traction and I reached the turn first! After that, they just left me in their dust! It's so sad to see the way those developers have destroyed the stadium. I only hope that it can be restored to speedway and the Bees will fly again!

Yep Johnnie. Saw all these race, in fact I was about to add that last night the old grey matter clocked on to Bob Fletcher & Vic Emms. I can still picture that hell for leather charge to the first corner. I do believe my sister and her mate also had a few chats with George Smith at the Stadium.

Good afternoon I came across this forum and wondering if someone here could help me. Due to the bereavement of a huge Coventry Bees Fan, I am in possession of a large collection of Coventry Bees memorabilia. Including, photo albums programmes from 1946 up until the 90s. Programmes made in to books, magazines, books and numerous other things. Including a 1950s subuteo speedway table top game. I don't know what to do with them if I am honest and wondered if anyone had any advice. I'd like them to go to a museum maybe or a collector perhaps but somewhere or someone they will be appreciated. Does anyone have any ideas? Many Thanks Karen

Hi Karen, welcome to the forum Sorry to hear of your bereavement. There are Coventry Bees fans here who might have ideas, although it might take a few days. The Coventry motor museum might be interested but you'd have to sound them out about what they'd be after. The hope of something happening at Brandon Stadium seems as far away as ever. The best way to find a good home might be to sell the items on Ebay, first letting people know ahead of time, here and on FB etc. You could sell individually or as a number of job lots. I'm not into the Bees but I know that I cherish my own collection of Coventry stuff, more than any museum. It might not be a problem but be aware of the new tax on selling stuff above a certain total amount.

Regarding your Coventry Bees Speedway items Karen, a unique collection like that would be perfect if it could all be kept together as one lot and especially if it were to be preserved by the staff at Coventry's Archive Centre in Town, which is just inside the entrance to the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum ! It would be such a shame (after all those many years of collecting) if a collection like that were to be broken up and at least it would all be safely kept and preserved in there, so that future generations will one day get to see it all then if they so wish ? If your late friend's collection were to go to somewhere like "Coventry Archive Centre" (or failing that, the "Coventry Transport Museum" !), it in a way would help to keep their memory alive and would certainly be a lovely legacy for them to have left behind to any Coventry Bees fans here in the City of Coventry and beyond !!!!!

I agree CKV 1D, it should stay together, so anything donated to a museum needs to be discussed beforehand to find out what they'd do with it and or how policy might change over time.