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Walthamstow Wolves

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Walthamstow Wolves
Club information
Track addressWalthamstow Stadium
Chingford Road
Walthamstow
London
CountryEngland
Founded1934
Closed1951
LeagueNational League
Club facts
ColoursRed, black and white
Track size282 yards (258 m)

The Walthamstow Wolves were a speedway team which operated from 1934 and again from 1949 until their closure in 1951.[1]

History

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The club opened in 1934 competing in the National League, when Lea Bridge were forced to find a new venue after their licence was revoked by the Speedway Control Board in late July. Walthamstow Wolves took on their last ten fixtures.[2][3] They finished ninth in the 1934 Speedway National League.[4][5][6]

After the 1934 season the Wolves were forced to relocate due to noise complaints and subsequent court proceedings. They moved to the Hackney Wick Stadium as the Hackney Wick Wolves.[7][8]

In 1949 saw the track join the National League Division Two but struggled to attract good crowds, situated between Division one tracks at West Ham and Harringay. The team raced for three years but finally closed in 1951 due to declining attendance and complaints of noise from local residents.[9]

The track was later covered in tarmac for easier maintenance of the greyhound racing track. The stadium was sold in August 2008 and demolished to make way for a housing development.

Season summary

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Year and league Position Notes
1934 Speedway National League 9th replaced Lea Bridge mid-season
1949 Speedway National League Division Two 6th
1950 Speedway National League Division Two 5th
1951 Speedway National League Division Two 5th

Notable Walthamstow riders

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References

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  1. ^ Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN 0-7524-2210-3
  2. ^ "Speedway Race Control". Daily News (London). 1 August 1934. Retrieved 28 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "Walthamstow Speedway". Defunct Speedway. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  5. ^ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
  6. ^ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - PRE-WAR ERA (1929-1939)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  7. ^ Jacobs, N. Speedway in London, ISBN 0-7524-2221-9
  8. ^ "Woman's Diary of Noises". Liverpool Evening Express. 7 December 1934. Retrieved 28 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 20 August 2021.