Newcastle Speedway

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via : the Newcastle Speedway

Newcastle had a great run between 1961 and 1969, good crowds, great riders and great music playing in the stadium.
The signature tune "Diamonds", by ex-shadows bassist Jet Harris was played every week from 1963 onwards! We thought the speedway would go on for ever but by 1970 things had changed, although not the signature tune!
Mike Parker had moved his operations and star man Ole Olsen to Wolverhampton. Ian Hoskins came in with high hopes.

Ian Hoskins, Newcastle boss for 1970. Here he is introducing his previous team Edinburgh at Brough in the 1960's. Ian was doing the big introductions long before the boxing guy.


This team started the season on 30.3.1970. It was the last season the Diamonds would line up in traditional Black Leathers. To me this had been the classic look of a Speedway team for 40 years, but sadly it was the end of an era. It had all changed when Speedway returned to Brough in 1975.



Practice day 1970 Dave Gifford, Anders Michanek, Mike Watkin and Dag Lovaas
The Ian Hoskins regime lasted just the one season and the track went quiet for 4 years...




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