Cycle Racing Tracks in and Around London

I remember going to the White City on different occasions and events, other than cycling. On each of my visits I could quite clearly see the remains of one of the bankings that would probably have been the last one, leading into the home straight.

I rode at Paddington track and, much later, organised the first Friday evening meeting there, on behalf of the North London Division. I included a Madison that had five National Champions competing. The evening attracted so many spectators that the (Tuesday) night Track League moved their meetings to Fridays. The track had a narrowish grass track just inside the concrete and then a cinder running track inside that. The track was built under the orders of Hailsham’s father, then Mayor of the Borough. The cinder area was a shallow ditch, filled with water to freeze over in winter for ice-skating!!

I also rode on the Slough Track and, as a spectator, witnessed our late clubmate, Gerry Burgess, crash heavily. He broke his back, as far as I can remember, and never raced again.

There were many grass track events around the country. Not far from Gerry’s GB Components factory was a small park where there was a regular weekly grass track league. I remember my visits there and having to use my car headlights to illuminate the track as the dark nights drew in!

There were also annual carnival grass track events included Watford Carnival Sports (my first ever track race there, when I rode against Don Wiseman, the then RAF Champion – it was a handicap race). Coupled with this was the Carnival track meeting in Hertford – where we all went to race to make a great weekend.

My club ran a number of grass meetings in Headstone – by North Harrow. I rode there too, and later, became the announcer.

The Dog Track in Staines staged an experimental grass meeting that included the top amateur sprinters and also Reg Harris and Arie Van Vliet. I rode there against Jackie Hyde (USA Champion), and Sid Patterson (Australia Champion) – I wasn’t in their heats, but I fell off !! – Smashed my front forks and had to miss the first round of the National Pursuit Championship at The Hill the following week.
I’m sure I wasn’t the only competitor who survived to join the PBC – Don McKellow, aka Solomon Pell, was a leading trackman in those long ago times and, of course, Johnny Dennis, aka Tom Cummins, was also a champion and a great rider behind tandems and the motors.

Later, as a track official, I went up to Suffolk to the Women’s Grass Track Championship meeting. Another time I was invited to Fallowfield, Manchester to join the panel of judges for a meeting that included Reg Harris’s “comeback” sprint in the National Championship that he won. I was honoured for I was the only judge from outside the local team.

I am beginning to wallow in old memories (and there’s lots more) – just like an old man – but, of course, that’s what I am. (80 now).

Kind Regards
Stan. (Joe, The Fat Boy)

PS I know that there are other great riders / ex-riders in the club, but I am really referring to the days when our dear Chelsea Pensioners were mere apprentices.