Vintage Speedway Race From 'Once A Jolly Swagman' 1948

QUOTE FROM BRITISH PICTURES.COM---
It's the mid-thirties and an up and coming youngster takes on all opposition to become a leading speedway star. Naturally this goes to his head and by the time the war starts he has few friends and a broken marriage. He returns from the war a changed man and has to choose between resuming his career or rebuilding his marriage.

[@Dallas-Nyberg]

Great movie... exciting race scenes...on cinders! ... the bikes really have not changed all that much over the years... they sound great.. love the speedway..

[@alfiehenshall688]

Hats off to whoever did that stunt! I wonder if the film was speeded up for that clip of the rider somersaulting? ♣

[@kernowdel]

Brilliant. It's so sad about all these tracks closing. I live in west Cornwall but had a look round exeters old track and it's now a housing estate. So sad.

[@jonty1954]

New Cross one of the smallest track ever, one scene from the film is the one where a rider comes off, the Ambulance boys run on, pick him up and dump him on the centre green, priceless, And I seem to remember that Split Watreman was one of the stunt riders in the film. Brilliant, well done knackeroo

[@spiritoveradversity1]

Yesterday I spent a few hours walking around the site of the old NEW CROSS STADIUM (now just a grass field) where this was filmed, As I walked, scenes from this film wer going through my mind, Although the outline of the stadium still exists, It looks so small now, Hard to believe the stadium (that I remember) stood on such a small area, In its "hayday" thousands of people would be at the stadium on race nights, just like in the film, Now its just an empty wasteland, A sad end to a lost era.

[@SteveMagr]

It was filmed at New Cross stadium in London

[@spiritoveradversity1]

Update on my previous posting, I recently returned to the site of the old New Cross stadium only to discover that the whole area is no longer accessible to the public, A new railway line is being built across the site and all trace of the old stadium has now been completely obliterated.

[@NazisArePigs]

Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway Auburn, California. Civil War every October, mullets vs dye jobs from LA. Nothing better.

[@HANNspreeGirl]

Got any more clips from this classic film ? Please post them !

[@spiritoveradversity1]

@contactjug Thats interesting, any chance you could give some identification of him in the film ? I know someone else whos farther was the sound engineer.

[@Shadders5]

@coach77cfc New Cross as previously mentioned, but some of the scenes were filmed on a specially constructed track at Pinewood Studio's.

[@coach77cfc]

wow that was great is this the film that had Sid James as the team manager? anyone know where it was filmed please thanks

[@garrykneller6693]

The New Cross circuit where the speedway shots were filmed was known as the "Frying Pan" by many fans because of its size. Regular speedway racing commenced there in 1934 finally coming to an end in 1963. The stadium originally opened circa 1900 as an athletic track, and also played host to regular Greyhound and Stock Car Racing. Its was finally demolished in 1975 becoming a public open space called Bridge House Meadows following the collapse in plans to redevelop Millwall Football Clubs original ground "The Den".

[@spiritoveradversity1]

+Garry Kneller I don't suppose you would know if Millwall fc bought the stadium before it was pulled down would you ? I know it was owned by the GRA when it closed but I have always been curious to know how a privately owned stadium presumably worth quiet a fair amount of money could end up being just a piece of open "wasteland".

[@garrykneller6693]

spiritoveradversity1 The stadium demolishment in 1975 was in relation to develop the old football ground. However the plans fell through creating an empty space or waste land for a number of years. The site is now known as Bridge House Meadows, and of course the football club eventually moved to a completely new home.

[@spiritoveradversity1]

+Garry Kneller Thank's for your reply, I have, in the past attempted to find out who actually owns this piece of land now but have been unable to identify exactly who it is, the local authority insist it is not their's, on a separate point, did you know that part of the south terrace of New Cross stadium still exists intact ? when they demolished the stadium that end was simply "earthed over" and left, until a few year's back it was still clearly visible, (you could actually walk round it) but when they built the new railway line it was covered over during the works but even now the outline is still evident.

[@kenbarlow6147]

Don't talk wet. Fundin was still a kid when this film was made.

[@matelot95]

I believe it was Ron Johnston was in the white leathers

[@matelot95]

Sorry Ron Howes!