Barrow Bombers
Encyclopedia
The Barrow Bombers were a Speedway
team promoted in Barrow-in-Furness
. Speedway had been promoted at a number of venues. In 1930 a number of meetings were held at Holker Street
, the home of Barrow A.F.C.
the towns football club. Racing moved to Little Park, Roose in 1931 but crowd levels were insufficient. Speedway returned to Barrow in 1972 back at Holker Street
when the former Romford Bombers
promotion who started the season at the West Ham Stadium
in London
moved the team north.
The team were initially called the 'Happy Faces' as their sponsor at the time was Duckhams oil - its happy face logo was prominently displayed on the teams race jackets. The team were renamed 'Barrow Bombers' for the 1973 and 1974 seasons. Despite good crowds, a new home had to be found for the team after the end of the 1974 season, when problems with ground sharing became insurmountable.
Local businessman Cliff Hindle built a new stadium at Park Road, which opened half-way through the 1977 season for a short series of open meetings. In 1978 a team was entered under the name Furness Flyers, but finished bottom of the National League
. Crowds were poor and the track closed after only one season.
Speedway in Barrow was revived under ex-Barrow rider Chris Roynon in 1984. A series of challenge matches were held to gauge public support. Interest was such that a team was entered for the 1985 season under the name of the Barrow Blackhawks. After a disastrous start to the season with an understrength team, the Blackhawks were thrown out of the league. A number of challenge matches were held for the remainder of the season in front of low crowds before the track once again closed.
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
team promoted in Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
. Speedway had been promoted at a number of venues. In 1930 a number of meetings were held at Holker Street
Holker Street
Holker Street, also known as the Furness Building Society Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is a sports stadium located in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. Currently and originally used as a football ground, it has also previously been used for speedways races...
, the home of Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
the towns football club. Racing moved to Little Park, Roose in 1931 but crowd levels were insufficient. Speedway returned to Barrow in 1972 back at Holker Street
Holker Street
Holker Street, also known as the Furness Building Society Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is a sports stadium located in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. Currently and originally used as a football ground, it has also previously been used for speedways races...
when the former Romford Bombers
Romford Bombers
The Romford Bombers were a speedway team which operated from 1969 until their closure in 1971. They had originally started the season at Rochester in Kent and entered the league as the Rochester Bombers...
promotion who started the season at the West Ham Stadium
West Ham Stadium
West Ham Stadium was a stadium that existed between 1928 and 1972 in Custom House, in east London...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
moved the team north.
The team were initially called the 'Happy Faces' as their sponsor at the time was Duckhams oil - its happy face logo was prominently displayed on the teams race jackets. The team were renamed 'Barrow Bombers' for the 1973 and 1974 seasons. Despite good crowds, a new home had to be found for the team after the end of the 1974 season, when problems with ground sharing became insurmountable.
Local businessman Cliff Hindle built a new stadium at Park Road, which opened half-way through the 1977 season for a short series of open meetings. In 1978 a team was entered under the name Furness Flyers, but finished bottom of the National League
Speedway National League
The National League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1932 until 1965 when it became known as the British League. Prior to 1932 there were only small regional leagues competing within the sport in the UK. The National League was re-incarnated in 1975 as the second division...
. Crowds were poor and the track closed after only one season.
Speedway in Barrow was revived under ex-Barrow rider Chris Roynon in 1984. A series of challenge matches were held to gauge public support. Interest was such that a team was entered for the 1985 season under the name of the Barrow Blackhawks. After a disastrous start to the season with an understrength team, the Blackhawks were thrown out of the league. A number of challenge matches were held for the remainder of the season in front of low crowds before the track once again closed.
External links
- http://home.clara.net/barrowfan/BarrowSpeedway.htm