Hyde Road (speedway)
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Hyde Road Stadium, in Manchester, England, often referred to as Belle Vue was the home of the Belle Vue Aces speedway team. The stadium's capacity was 40,000 and it was built in 1928 and used until demolished in 1987. It was claimed, incorrectly, to have been the first purpose-built speedway track in Britain.[1]
History
Part of the complex of buildings and attractions that formed Belle Vue Zoological Gardens the Hyde Road stadium was originally constructed in 1886, as an athletics ground. It was named after Hyde Road, a road which begins at the east end of Ardwick Green South in Ardwick and runs east towards Hyde. At the boundary between Gorton and Denton it continues as Manchester Road.[2]
In 1928, the owners of the gardens decided to convert the stadium for use as a speedway venue. It was already used at that time as a football ground for the
Some of the more famous riders who rode at Hyde Road, either for international meetings, as a Belle Vue Ace, or as a visiting team rider include
The speedway at Hyde Road was 382 metres (418 yards) in length.
The site of the old Hyde Road stadium is now the site of the
Speedway World Finals
Hyde Road hosted the Final of the World Pairs Championship in 1974 and 1977.
World Pairs Championship
- 1974 - Sweden (Anders Michanek / Sören Sjösten) - 28pts
- Malcolm Simmons) - 28pts
Other sports use
Several other sports used the ground including amateur
References
- ISBN 978-0415331845.
- ISBN 0-09-218190-2
- ^ "Belle Vue's Big Coup". Athletic News. 25 March 1929. Retrieved 14 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "History Hyde Road". Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
- ISBN 978-0415331845.
- ISBN 0-7524-1571-9.