Forgotten Race Tracks - Brandon/Coventry Stadium Speedway - Warwickshire
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- Опубліковано 6 чер 2022
- #abandoned #coventry #racetracks
Brandon or Coventry Stadium Raceway will always be remembered for it's offering of all things stock car, banger racing, speedway riding and of course, the legendary Coventry Bees.
Opening in 1928, this raceway has enjoyed a wonderful career however in 2016 it was announced that racing would end for good with housing development imminent. Or is it?
We take to the Air with our DJI drone in this episode to explore what remains of this infamous race venue.
If like me, you enjoy motorsport, history and looking at pieces of tarmac... you'll love "Forgotten Race Tracks" where we take a look at some of the old and abandoned race tracks around England.
From Drag strips to Formula 1 circuits, in this short series, we'll be investigating what remains of Britain's motor racing history.
It's absolutely worth having a look at the Save Coventry Speedway website - www.savecoventryspeedway.com/
Twitter - @JonShenanigans - Авто та транспорт
So sad to see this. Went there first to watch with my dad as an eleven year old in 1983 and raced there twice in my F2 stock car in 2004. Coventry very much was my happy place.
Not the only speedway stadium to be plundered by so-called developers looking for rich pickings. Coventry Stadium has not been “abandoned” by those who have a passion for motor sport - it has been systematically trashed to suit the developers own ends having failed lamentably to provide any semblance of security at the site. I understand a court case is pending in this regard against the developers in November. The local planning authority had sufficient ammunition with a strong policy position to refuse their housing application long ago notwithstanding arguments over ownership and control of the site so why the prevarication? The housing application should be thrown out whatever “community benefit sweeteners” may have been offered which in no way will be an adequate substitute or compensation for what will be lost. Those in the motor sport community fighting this case should be roundly applauded and supported in any way they can be.
Well said.
Absolutely well said.
I remember Cov Bees with Bomber Harris and Hans Anderson. Always made it so entertaining
I'm an Aussie. But in 2005 I worked in Silverstone, my bosses would take me to Coventry Stadium on Friday nights. Seeing the state of it now blows my socks off.
I remember this place from my childhood, back in the early 70's to watch the speedway, and the Coventry Bees. I can still smell the high octane fuel, still taste the wonderful pasties they served, and as we always stood at one of the bends, feel the chips of asphalt bouncing off us! My hero was a guy called Nigel Boocock - look him up! Awesome video - thank you! I seem to remember that they were also called the 'Brandon Bees'.
Im glad you enjoyed it mate, i went with my dad for a short while before it closed, he went to almost every meeting in the 70s and 80s, so sad to see it go to waste
I was at Coventry stadium every month for the F1 stock cars as a child. It’s such a shame that this has happened to the site.
Be honest you really went to Binley Mega Chippy just down the road 😀
Fantastic well presented the drone footage round bend 1&2 just wow , thank you so many memories
Well If I had known.... ;)
Thanks for watching!
Sad sight to see. Been there a number of times watching Stock Car Racing. Enjoyable evening
Went to a few British finals, Which Gary Havelock won two of them, the old track design then, superb track, massive crowds, old but big stadium, great venue, couldn't wait to see Coventry speedway, sadly missed, i hope they come back, long journeys up from Poole, but great race venue, those British finals atmosphere were amazing.
I went there watching Poole speedway, Tommy Knudsen was amazing to watch for Coventry. So sad to see so many speedway tracks being abandoned and left to rot. So many memories for so many people.
Having going Stockcar racing since I was born in 95 I went to 11 F1 world finals there and many meetings over the years and this genuinely brought a tear to my eye to see it they way it is.
Over the last few years we have lost 5 ovals and it’s only going to get worse. I hope this one can be saved but watching this video how bad of a condition it is in it does not fill me with much hope.
Thanks for the fantastic video! Good to see Stockcars mentioned.
Thanks for watching. It's odd... they keep closing them but then leaving them there un used...
This channel is a hidden gem. Well done mate
Great shame, I was a swindon robins fan for many years until there demise! Used to travel up to brandon to watch the robins v the bees. Two great speedway teams now sadly reduced to the history books! What id give to see this sport make the big time again like it was in the 60s and 70s! Great vid, thankyou for posting.
Great video , my late mum made leathers so most Saturdays sat in the stand where you filmed from , very sad , speedway was once the biggest spectator sport in the country
Oxford is alive again. Make it relive. Coventry needs this.
My Dad an uncle visited they many times in the 70/80s good memories ❤ and my dad an uncle used to be top of the game in Bangor racing RIP Kenneth Holyoake ( Dad) 🙏
Used to visit there regularly in the 80's to watch the stox in particular my neighbour Mo Masters race. Those were the days.
Used to go there in the 1960's to watch both the speedway and stock-car racing. I can still remember the smell of that special fuel used for the bikes. By the way, back then they were called the "Brandon Bees" and not "Coventry Bees".
Been a Speedway fan my whole life and never knew they used to be the Brandon Bees! Haha. Alliteration, nice.
I must say you have your soundtrack bang on! Great drone footage too. Won't be too long before the YT algorithms earmark yr channel for sponsorship...
Thank you... I spend ages in the royalty free catalogues searching for appropriate tunes, it's quite an important element for me.
Had some great nights in that place, travelling from the North East then Yorkshire for fantastic stock car meetings. Heart breaking to see it like that...
This was a lovely video, so much history is buried and forgotten
Funny how many of these sites seem to catch fire after being purchased by a developer, we have had several in our area too not just 1 fire but multiple. Both sites were listed which limited what the developers could do, but now, because of the damage, the local planning committee have"reluctantly" given the go ahead for the developers plans, coincidence I think not. It would be nice if just once the developers got held to account, haha, I won't hold my breath. Good luck to the local community, maybe they can actually buck the trend . Very interesting video , thank you John for all the info, love your style mate.
Well that insurance isn't going to pay out all by itself...
As a Glasgow Tigers Speedway supporter it always sad to see clubs close and disappear 😢
So sad. I grew up at that place watching Coventry all the time. Luckily 9 years ago, I got to ride an Elite 500 bike around the track for the afternoon. Last time I had been there I was 16, 40 when rode the bike and the place was exactly the same lol
What a place this was unbelievable specially at the coventry Masters unlimited meetings I miss the place and worth the travel there and back RIP GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTON
Only ever went to a meet at Brandon once - Parents took me and my brother, around 1975/76.
Bees raced against Hackney Hawks.
Very upsetting to see it like this, such great memories of this place.
First went to Brandon in 1966 to the Stock cars then 1969 went to my first speedway meeting. Been a fan of the Bees ever since. Its criminal what has happened to the track. BRING BACK THE SPEEDWAY AT BRANDON!!! Wish I had the money to buy the place
It'd be great to buy it wouldnt it! step one... get millions of pounds.
Cant believe this iconic stadium is derelict...i saw many classic British Finals There.
My wife and I used to travel from Darwen in Lancs and stay in the premier inn up the road and walk down to watch the f1 stock cars, about 10 years ago.
Cracking video, brought back so many childhood memories👍🏻 I used to go there with my old man to watch the stockcar, when those big V8's opened the taps it was thunderous.. Great memories of a great stadium, such a shame to see it like this..😔
Appreciate the mention of speedway unlike on the Lakeside vlog.
Very sad sight 😥😥😥
The Bees will be back! 🐝🐝🐝
They filmed a Top Gear segment there with the Coventry Bees some years ago when a friend of mine from school used to ride in their youth team. He's no longer with us now and it's really sad to see the raceway in such a state 😕
went here the otherday to check it out with a friend, took the drone up to take some photos and saw there was a van and a couple of people in hi-vis there,they must have active security now and loads of signs warning you not to come in and a metal fence round the whole site so we didn't try to get in. I saw on the drone photos that it has been heavily vandalised which is a shame to see. Anyways great video and whilst we were in the area I went along the m45 and its lovely, no traffic at all!
Yes the landlord/owners are being given a hard time from the council for letting it sit there as an "unsafe" structure whilst people like me let themselves in. They've been told to secure it better.
God I miss this place some of the meetings we had there wow Coventry Masters for one pissing it down all night one of the best days/nights for a long time just a sad end to what was a mint track and the People there too very sad
So glad you got to enjoy the track in it's hey day.
As a massive speedway and motor racing fan in general I would love to visit this stadium
An easy day out for an experienced urbexer ;)
The raceway has history, I remember the races there when it was covered by sky sports, I used watch it every Sunday on the tv, shame the developers don’t put plans in to build a modern raceway with everything spectators need, and a new track in the same layout It had and all riders and racers remember.
It’s something I would do if I had the money to buy the land it’s on and redevelop it, I’d also build a go cart track on the land for people to get into racing and have on site racing school that would allow them to get to Clio cup amateur and further there career with other brands such as Ginetta. I would also build a few workshops and have it setup teaching old school vehicle repairs and allow members to use the tools for repairs to their racers, while on a track/ practice day, And have each member pay a monthly subscription to all services on site to help keep the place running alongside ticket and memorabilia sales and food from the food stalls I’d have setup for anyone to buy from.
We have lost so many tracks it's sad😔
Went there a few times when I used to work for a fireworks display company.
Used to love spending evenings up there 😪
It was a shock to hear of the demise of speedway there. There are few of the tracks left that I visited, from Manchester down to Exeter, including my home track of Chesterton.
I went to Exeter in '96. Sad that it's closed down. Sad when any track closes down. Like Arena Essex, Somerset, Rye House, Eastbourne, and most recently Newcastle. ANd now even Peterborough is under threat.
At least Oxford just re-opened after sitting there doing nothing for many years.
Another Speedway track, my local team the Edinburgh Monarchs are set to leave their stadium which is a shame, seems to be the case build more houses!!
Something exciting about going to the speedway, the smell of the bikes, the atmosphere the bikes powering through the shiel track.
Great video as always mate.
Used to work on a burger van here from 2006-2009
Had a look at the history of this - seems the developers have no foibles but have been successfully fined for their neglect of the site by the council. Here’s hoping that the campaign to get the place reopen succeeds - I guess it will need a complete rebuild now though
Wow I've Seen many brisca f1 stock car world finals here and to see it in this state is shocking and upsetting! It really is a shame coventry isn't used no more! Someone has to bring it back!🙏
Someone has previously commented that there are plans to attempt to bring it back to life... that'd be amazing!
Always went to watch Coventry bees😢
Hi a nice video for this track. It's so sad it's gone like this but hoping we'll bring it back.
There is a glimmer of hope still out there for this track...
Some unusual time on my hands so catching up the back catalogue. Solid stuff 👍
I went there in around 1980, with my Uncle Charlie Barsby that used to ride for the Leicester Hunters in the late 50's up to about 1961, we went to watch my uncles workmate practice on his speedway bike.
I was offered a go but declined as I was not a big fan of making a fool of myself.😊
That was the stadium where I turned up as the visiting speedway teams official photographer for the first time. Was a pleasant change not to be stepping in Greyhound sh1t like when at a home meeting.
I used to visit this place to watch Coventry Bees, maybe 10 years ago - what a foolish decision to lose this track
I can still see the ghosts of Nigel Boocock and Barry Briggs dicing on the track...
OMG! Someone who remembers my heroes! Nigel and Barry were my absolute favourite racers, and I was literally a small child back then! I loved speedway so much, and I'll never forget those guys. You have made my day by mentioning those two speedway heroes! Thank You!
i came down here with cradley heath when cradley were the best wayyyy back in the day, very nostalgic to see it here shame to see it so run down.
Cradeley Heath vs the Bees was an event you never wanted to miss! Those were great days!
Good to see your subs are getting near 1000.
It's getting there isn't it... it's been a year in the making! Thanks for watching!
😢 very sad to see it in that state if it ever opened again john lund first on world final
I never got to see speedway at coventry but i would have love to and still hope one day i could, they are trying to do the same to Peterborough panthers speedway at the east of England showground, but we aren't gonna go down without a fight, Peterborough will see speedway again one day, i won't stop fighting until we do PETERBOROUGH NEEDS SPEEDWAY ❤️🖤
Up the road to Mallory Park and local villagers (Nimby's) have moved in and complain about noise. Brandon is likely to be a major exception, whereby the villagers support the stadium
If they closed Mallory Park to build houses, I'm sure the local Nimbys would suddenly find their enthusiasm for local motorsport
Thank you that was perfect 👍
No, thank you...!
Another cool video, thank you
Thanks for watching!
These small tracks really live on a knife edge. After Coventry we've also lost Belle Vue in Manchester and Birmingham Wheels Raceway.
They really do, we just don't have enough racing fans to justify it in a lot of cases :(
And it looks like Peterborough is going to be next
@@howardscott1556 Alwalton has been gone for years, a small part of the tarmac oval still exists and is still visible in one of the east of England showground carparks but that's all that is left of Alwalton now, short circuit racing is disappearing in the UK sadly.
@@bungfupanda8936 I was thinking of the speedway. The Panthers have been told they don't figure in the plans the owners have for the Showground site and they have til July 2023 to find a new home.
@@howardscott1556 I heard the speedway track was under threat too, just pointing out that the tarmac oval track has already gone. Brafield (Northampton) known for decades as a tarmac oval has been switched over to a shale oval, how long before that too becomes threatened?
Ooh a speedway vid, nice!
It’s so sad to see the state of this old stadium. So many of the old speedway, hot rods and banger tracks have gone by the way now, victims of the changes in tastes as people watched tv instead of going out to the local track, cinema or pub, etc. Plus of course the generational thing where sons followed dads, grandads and great grandads (and indeed, daughters, mothers and grandmothers and any mixture thereof) in their interests seems to be a dying trend. After all, why go out and physically do something when you can virtually do it from the comfort of your own home and still get your mum to bring your tea up for you? 🤷🏻♂️😜
Great video mate, sad to see but at the same time, tragically beautiful 👍🍀🍻
Tragically beautiful sums it up quite nicely.
We would travel to Brandon the first Saturday in the month from Somerset for the stock cars, particularly in the 70's. A sad sight now..
It’s a sport - it’s a lifestyle - it’s a hobby that brings people and families together , I used to live 9 mikes away and every Saturday night you could hear the engines rusting round.
It’s a landmark of motor sport in the area and it’s so sad ti see it like this , there building bloody house on everywhere that’s special to communities - it’s bloody awful what’s happening it really is.
I’d like to send the stadium to The Repair Shop.
Oh man!! I was well into speedway in the 80's and always wanted to watch Coventry Bees. They were a formidable team! I was a Poole Wildcats fan, same league as Coventry. But what I want to know is why I havn't come across John and his "Stuff" on Auto Shenanigans before? Its a great channel, well presented and well edited with good drone use. Cheers
I think the UA-cam algorithm has just connected John with his audience. The number of subscribers has more than doubled in the last two days and has increased by about 10% in the last couple of hours!
@@sydnorth5868 I'm so glad this channel is finally getting the audience it deserves! I knew it would happen eventually. Well I hoped so anyway haha
Fond memories of going there as a kid to watch the Stock car racing. Very sad to see it in this state
I spent many enjoyable evenings there.
First stock car meeting was at Coventry being from Nottingham not to far away, fair to say at 8 I was hooked within 10 mins now 24 still going most weekends, this was by far the ‘Mecca’ of stock car racing such a shame.
It's great youre still enjoying it all those years later!
What a load of greedy developers !!! Bring back the magic of speedway in Coventry
Nice video
Depressing sight.I live near Rugby & go past fairly often.
And then loudly, not to scare anyone, WOLF!
Perhaps look at an unusual "abandoned" track - Ingliston, west of Edinburgh, which closed, but is still there as part of the Royal Highland Showground!
So sad, all those years of speedway in the 70s.. my dad worked on grading the track in the early 80s for a short time.. me and my dad went to the last meeting and bomber harris won by last minute, the crowd went insane, so sad to see it go..ill never forget those bloody toilets either🤣
Hope the developers don't get their way, we need to keep what green belt we can. As for the fires, I would pick the former rather than the latter.
Well said mate, we don’t need to build on our beautiful greenbelt when there’s so many derelict eyesores that could be used instead
Wimbledon Stadium next please!
It’s a football stadium now
Very sad to see venues like this closing. Great video tho 👌
Thanks for watching mate!
Sad seeing sites like this abandoned for more housing which the job market will never be big enough to serve
Shame the local authorities don’t have the version to rebuild the track and small stadium … you could place an community 4G football pitch in the middle (either full size / 7 a side pitch size and/or two 5 a side pitches) … which could be used on all non speedway /greyhound race days … you could also build a road around the stadium perimeter with the stadium on the roads inside and a single row off houses/ 2 level flats on the outside … still leaving plenty off green belt land and making a slight dent on housing targets … indeed those living there would have basically a quiet cul de sac to themselves for 90% off the time which would get busy the other 10% off the time … but as they are moving in only after stadium completion would be part off the deal … everybody’s happy!
> you could also build a road around the stadium perimeter with the stadium on the roads inside and a single row off houses/ 2 level flats on the outside
Queue all of the new "residents" complaining of noise on the very first event. Housing developments built on the parimeter of race tracks have dealt the death of many circuits :(
The local council (Rugby) also want to see it retain as a sports staging site.
What has happened to this country, where everything has to be turned in to housing.
Because bugs arrive on dinghy’s and we welcome them in.
From an outsider's view, you're letting in far too many migrants,to keep the woke lefties happy,and all dem migrants have to live somewhere.
To house the Albanian economic migrants that come here for a free ride thats why
The amount of illegal immigrants is a fraction of annual immigration into the UK.
Thank you for this......there is an ongoing legal battle over Brandon. As you've shown, the site still isn't secure against trespassing.
Indeed, I read the land owners were criticised for allowing the site to be left unsecure, however we spotted more locals on the site than any one else!
Another lost to housing have a look at bell Vue. Simaler story to Coventry but happened twice on different sides of. The same road
Great video but Coventry Stadium in certainly NOT a forgotten raceway. Everyone except the developers and it seems Rugby council want it back.
I can only hope that some day we'll need to go back to document it's grand reopening! :)
In the early 2000s I used to drive past there twice a day on way to and from work. I took my now ex wife there on our second date to watch greyhound racing. Sad that the stadium and our marriage have gone the same way.
Did banger racing most my life der from aged 10 to 15 or 16 wen it got shut down I was well pissed I’d love to buy it if it ever goes up for sale
In the west midlands arson is a very common way of acquiring land, I see it all the time. We have lost so many of our ovals over the years it beggars belief. Doesn`t matter where they are they`re all prime housing land.
nice video
Thanks for watching!
I have no idea if it's a false memory but I think that a spectator was killed there in the early 60s when a wheel came off a stock car and went over the catch fence. Happy memories of watching the stock cars (sorry, never interested in speedway!) and walking freely around the paddock area as a 10 year old ("Careful where you're going son" being the extent of H&S in those days :)
As a speedway fan, boooo stock cars, coming and churning up the track, awful haha. But nah it helps keep the stadiums alive so I appreciated that. Seen a bit of stock car racing, and even better imo, banger racing. That's always a bit of a laugh.
Go karts. Build a go kart track. Don’t know if it’s what Coventry needs but he’ll to it build a go kart track.
At least it’s still there… the one in Hartlepool is now a Morrisons supermarket! Lol
Exactly the same happened to Crewe Stadium, now a retail park.
I second, the resurrection of the track. With the upgrades that today’s track should have, but with the flavor that it had when it was opened originally, and throughout up to, it’s hay day.
If there is enough land. I say that an secondary track is built, so that more enjoyment can be found. Wether it is an smaller oval, for children who ride, can compete on a shrunken oval that is as small as, their smaller bikes.
Maybe an remote control track, if there is enough people that drive rc cars. If I am not mistaken isn’t there a large group there that flies rc planes? An rc air strip (I would build a miniature traffic control tower, with some buildings that houses, repairs, and other activities that occur at full sized air ports have. If they are built in the largest of the most popular size, then people could bring miniature toolboxes, racks for parts, and everything else that would go into the full size variant. With the smaller hangers being placed where someone taking a video as they taxi their plane out of one, and onto the runway, the other hangers would look further away, and the larger ones would look closer. If it was popular enough. Multiple runways could be built, and especially then painting the lines, along with the lights for landing and inside the buildings, so that people could do realistic videos for their miniature planes. Concession facilities would be needed, not absolute, when there was going to be an event, even when there was none. An average weekday, especially weekends, would welcome a cold beverage, but more likely with your cold and rainy weather being somewhat the image. Hot beverages, when desired.
I even think that along with the race track I see dirt, with the jumps, washboards, and everything else, but an concrete asphalt, or other material track would be neat also. Be sure to build all the facilities only in the proportionate size. I would even have several places designed around the track where when people are racing, even if not officially, they could stand, or sit. For the official races, podiums, chairs, are provided where everything matches and looks official. If there is nothing “official” and the property makes enough profit. Then, the track could host their “official” events. If enough people are going to return to every event. Then point’s could be tallied and then a winner could be awarded periodically, but with miniature prizes.
Imagine the website, pictures of what appears to be race cars going around a track, other lining up for a drag race (yes, delicate things like the tree and other signage would have a way of installing/powering them along with the timers and control over the lights and other details). A air port, with planes flying around, looking like a air show. And don’t forget about the big track, with all of its events. Somebody who is not familiar with there would wonder how anyone could cram a whole air port, motorsports track and an oval dirt track all on one property.
liked @877
sad to see coventry gone down hill
once an industrial town
look into the ALVIS - once stood on holyhead rd / coundon / used to make military tanks etc
cheers
31/08/2022
Sounds interesting..anything left?
My dad worked there too, in the shipping office.
@@AutoShenanigans no nothing left - shopping centre now 25/09/2022
Will really miss brandon had a lot of good nights their
The place had that sort of "community" feel to it and it seems there's a lot of love for Brandon Stadium!
I race a modstox and it was brilliant fun at brandon.
I live not far from here, it burned down again a few weeks ago
That's the right hand side of the grandstand offices near first aid/speedway pits. Was alot of paper around there so was a matter of time
Rather suspicious how it keeps catching fire...
It’s so sad, the track closed due to a dispute over flood lights 🤦♂️ another oval track gone
Is that the reason!? honestly...
No was over noise alleged but more a financial reason. Also spectator numbers were low. And costs were high. If it didn't close in 2016 I'm sure covid would have saw it off.
@@nickc9182no it wasn’t! It was closed because a developer wants to build houses on it.
@andybt3989 I strongly suggest some research needed. Yes there is but that was after it ran into financial issues... Else why was it stripped bare before planning was applied for. @@andybt3989
News is petition going around anyway about the stadium It was only cause we had local residents it closed and all that lot of time
Could you maybe explore belle vue raceway in Manchester because that raceway is abandoned and I used to go there to see stock car racing. If you can
Great suggestion. I'll look into it.
@@AutoShenanigans The Belle Vue Hyde Road Stadium was demolished in the late 80's and a Car auction house was built there. There is literaly nothing there to see anymore sadly. The Aces then moved back to their original home on Kirkmanshulme Lane (inside the greyhound track). They raced there until 2015 when they moved to their brand new Purpose built race track right next door, the National Speedway Stadium. Stock cars and Gh racing continued up until about 2020 but again the site has been demolished for housing, as far as I can see only the Greyhound Racing sign remains
Thanks, you may have saved me a trip... looking on google maps i can see the old track next to the newly built one but you say it's gone to housing now? At least on this occasion a new place was built!
@@AutoShenanigans yes, it was only in the last 12 months that it was all demolished and then the houses are going up now.
Ok thanks
Speedway. Ivan Mauger. Check him out! His daughter used to hang out around Cheshire with me old muckers (when he used to race for Belle Vue in the early 1970's).