On Friday 8th July 1977, a new sport arrived in Blantyre. Speedway! The Glasgow Tigers had found a new home moving from Coatbridge and they held their first speedway race in Blantyre against Crayford Kestrels that day. Pictured is the enthusiastic crowd on that day. Recognise anybody? A bit more about opening day. Programmes were sold […]
Jim Henry shared this with Blantyre Project. This is the cover of a new forthcoming book about local Speedway. The cover photo is of Blantyre’s Tommy Miller. The book explores pre-war days – The Blantyre Crowd and post war – Ken McKinlay and Tommy Miller. Jim added, “The book I have in the pipeline will […]
Jimmy Beaton, speedway promoter. Born: 8 September, 1927 in Blantyre. Died: 9 January, 2018 in Lanark, aged 90. Jimmy Beaton who died aged 90 was a well known popular figure in the Blantyre community and beyond who made his mark in different walks of life. A hero on the occasion he rescued a family from […]
During the winter 1981 into 1982, the Glasgow promotion moved their Speedway team a few hundred metres to Craighead Park (home of Blantyre Celtic), which was situated behind the wall that ran along the back straight of the former track to the west. This was to be the new venue for Blantyre speedway. A new […]
Blantyre Speedway is pictured here in 1980. Looking south across Glasgow Road the houses at Springwells are in the background. Today, much of what you see here would now be ‘Farmfoods’ and carpark. The scene may still look unfamiliar today, not just because the speedway is no longer there, but almost 40 years on, the […]
Riders get their bikes ready at Blantyre Speedway in 1978. Looking south towards the former Co-op building on Glasgow Road, this was only 2 years before the building was demolished. Can you remember days out at the former speedway? Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors […]
Let’s go to 1982 with this fabulous team photo, which shows the “Tigers” at Blantyre Speedway 1, just off Glasgow Road. The date is 18th July. Can you name anybody? Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said: Daniel Anderson Was probably a Mckenna. Was a couple […]