Defunct Speedway Tracks


 
 
Birmingham Speedway
Kings Heath
 
The greyhound track at Kings Heath, Birmingham, was situated on Alcester Road at the Alcester Lanes End, with greyhound crowds being brought to the popular meetings by tram. The stadium struggled to compete with its more illustrious greyhound neighbours at Hall Green and Perry Barr.  It was first converted to greyhound racing in 1926 and had opened its gates as one of the earliest tracks on 21st May 1927 and was not only NGRC registered but even offered BAGS meetings. By 1936 the lease of the track was taken over by H Leo Craven, but by 1949 the Greyhound Company had purchased the freehold for the ground.


Brian Buck says: Kings Heath stadium staged only two speedway meetings. One in 1928 and the other in 1929
 
Brian Buck says: John, There is some dispute as to whether the two meetings staged at Kings Heath were speedway or grass-track meetings. Pre-war rider Charlie Bowers who was a member of the track staff at Perry Barr until his death, told me that the first one was part of a gymkhana and that there were only about half a dozen races, but he took part in the second meeting which he says were raced on the grass dog track but which had several lorry loads of cinders thrown over it, so you could describe it as either!  Neither of the meetings were reported in the Birmingham newspapers.
 
In 1961 when Phil Hart's plans to put a new Birmingham team in the Provincial League at Perry Barr were scuppered when Birchfield Harriers refused to do a deal with him, he made extensive enquiries about laying a new track at King's Heath. The stadium owner was receptive to the idea but Phil wanted a long lease which the owner was not prepared to give so the plans fell through.
 
The stadium was ideally situated adjacent to the bus terminus of several routes running from the City centre, and I believe that speedway there could have been successful.  Brian Buck
 

 
 
1928 Douglas Dirt Track Bike
 
 
Bikes like this 1928 Douglas would have been winning races at Kings Heath in 1928/29
 

 
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