Hyde Road (speedway)

Hyde Road Stadium was the home of the Belle Vue Aces speedway team. The stadium's` capacity was 40,000 and it was built in 1928 and used until demolished in 1987. It was claimed to have been the first purpose built speedway track in Britain.

Belle Vue Aces in 1963

History

It was named after Hyde Road, a road which begins at the east end of Ardwick Green South in Ardwick and runs east towards Hyde. At the boundary between Gorton and Denton it continues as Manchester Road.[1]

The opening speedway meeting here was staged on 23 March 1929, when Arthur Franklyn won the Golden Helmet. Following the announcement that Stuart Bamforth had sold the stadium for redevelopment, the last speedway meeting was staged on 1 November 1987, when a double header took place. Firstly, Belle Vue defeated the Coventry Bees in a replay of the League Cup before losing to the Cradley Heath Heathens in the final league match ever raced at Hyde Road.[2] Speedway returned to Belle Vue Greyhound stadium and remained there.

2015 sees a new project and a new home for The Aces, a National Speedway Stadium is being built on Kirkmanshulme Lane, next to the Greyhound Stadium. Once the project is complete The Aces will move next door to a state of the art complex and the Grand Opening Event will take place on March 19th 2016. The Peter Craven Memorial Trophy makes a triumphant return to the club’s fixture list with some of the sport’s biggest names scheduled to star in the flagship event. [3]

Some of the more famous riders who rode at Hyde Road, either for international meetings, as a Belle Vue Ace, or as a visiting team rider include Speedway World Champions Jack Young, Peter Craven, Ronnie Moore, Ove Fundin, Barry Briggs, Ivan Mauger, Ole Olsen, Peter Collins, Anders Michanek, Egon Müller, Michael Lee, Bruce Penhall, Erik Gundersen, and Hans Nielsen.

The speedway at Hyde Road was 382 metres (418 yards) in length.

The site of the old Hyde Road stadium is now the site of the British Car Auctions Ltd.

Speedway World Finals

Hyde Road hosted the Final of the World Pairs Championship in 1974 and 1977.

World Pairs Championship

References

  1. ↑ Geographia Manchester Colour Map. London: Geographia, 1986 ISBN 0-09-218190-2
  2. ↑ "History Hyde Road".
  3. ↑ http://www.bellevueaces.co/news.aspx

External links

Coordinates: 53°27′50″N 2°11′41″W / 53.46389°N 2.19472°W / 53.46389; -2.19472

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