Wednesday 29th June
Time to move again. Did the “sardine special” to Birmingham but after that the train was less full and I got a seat soon after Coventry. Lowlight of the trip was my mobile phone going off between Wolverhampton and Birmingham with some cretin from Telstra trying to get me to move from Optus. I’m not normally rude but I do make the occasional exception and I reserved some of my best work for this particularly smarmy and obnoxious telemarketer. Put the phone away to some knowing half smiles from a few people around me who I think had been through similar. I was among friends. It was change trains at Winchester for Poole and I was in the capital of English Riviera soon after noon. Very kind of the British rail website, suggesting I change at Winchester meant I didn’t have to change platforms.
I wandered across the road to the George hotel for a few pints of Marstons Pedigree and another lunch of huge Yorkshire pudding filled with sausages, mash and peas. Next time I’m taking a photo before I start eating, it really is a thing of beauty. Dave was due in around 2:30 so rather than getting too relaxed and contented in the pub I thought I’d go and meet him at the station. Waited while three trains came in and then got a message “I’m in the pub, where are you?” Sneaky devil had taken a short cut off the other end of the platform and I’d missed him. Back to the pub I went and after a quick pint of Marstons pedigree we headed to the B&B. Strangely enough the place is called “B&B” which is imagination at its’ best at work. Met the owner Pete and was given the key to my room after parting with the princely sum of twenty quid. Room rates don’t get much lower than that. It was not what you would call a palatial room but never mind, it was all I needed. A bed, a sink, a TV and just enough room to turn around. A quick trip up the launderette (cheers Francis for being so helpful), a quick web surf, Dave stealing my mouse, Dave stealing my internet access (I think I see a pattern emerging here), a short walk via the pub and we were at the alleged jewel in the crown of British speedway. I have to say I was disappointed with the stadium given what I had read. The entrance and main stand is lovely but other than that I thought the place was drab and dreary and a little depressing in a way. Wolves, Ipwsich and Newport were all nicer looking set ups I thought. It was uncanny when we ran into a couple from Victoria who were into bikes and often visit the state motorcycle centre at Broadford and are also close friends with one of Dave’s best mates from a few years ago. They are more road race fans and had Isle of Man TT shirts on so I suspect that was where they had been.
The meeting was another average one. Not good, not bad and entertaining in parts. Poole beat visitors Belle Vue by 47-41 but I thought Belle Vue were unlucky. After being behind most of the meeting Poole finallyhit the lead after heat 13. Poole have a get out of jail card in Chris Holder and Darcy Ward in heats 13 and 15 and visiting teams need to be well in front after heat 12 to have half a chance. Holder & Ward didn’t disappoint and claiming maximum 5-1’s in both heats 13 & 15 pulled it out the fire for Poole. It’s the sign of a good team though, if a team can ride poorly and still sneak the win it’s not a bad thing. Dave Watt backed up the two main aussies really well but the rest of the Poole team (Andersson, Doyle, Newman and James Holder) didn’t do much at all. For Belle Vue Kling was very good, Rory Schlein was excellent but had a engine failure in one of the later heats that really hurt Belle Vue as it came at exactly the wrong time. Chris Harris had a stinker, he is a far better rider than that and he would be kicking himself this morning I would think, a couple of better rides and Belle Vue may have pinched the points. Nice to meet Gavin Elmes and Bob Cole again plus meeting Charlie the ex Mildura track man and BSF’ers Home Straight and Dorset Delight. Also managed to catch the BSF’s main wind up merchant and pee taker Steve Shovlar who paid us a short visit to dispense his interpretation of speedway wisdom. I actually agreed with him on this occasion but I hope no one tells him that.
We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow so it was a quick wander back to the B&B, breakfast teed up for eight o’clock and then pretty soon after that my head hit the pillow and I was out like a light.
Time to move again. Did the “sardine special” to Birmingham but after that the train was less full and I got a seat soon after Coventry. Lowlight of the trip was my mobile phone going off between Wolverhampton and Birmingham with some cretin from Telstra trying to get me to move from Optus. I’m not normally rude but I do make the occasional exception and I reserved some of my best work for this particularly smarmy and obnoxious telemarketer. Put the phone away to some knowing half smiles from a few people around me who I think had been through similar. I was among friends. It was change trains at Winchester for Poole and I was in the capital of English Riviera soon after noon. Very kind of the British rail website, suggesting I change at Winchester meant I didn’t have to change platforms.
I wandered across the road to the George hotel for a few pints of Marstons Pedigree and another lunch of huge Yorkshire pudding filled with sausages, mash and peas. Next time I’m taking a photo before I start eating, it really is a thing of beauty. Dave was due in around 2:30 so rather than getting too relaxed and contented in the pub I thought I’d go and meet him at the station. Waited while three trains came in and then got a message “I’m in the pub, where are you?” Sneaky devil had taken a short cut off the other end of the platform and I’d missed him. Back to the pub I went and after a quick pint of Marstons pedigree we headed to the B&B. Strangely enough the place is called “B&B” which is imagination at its’ best at work. Met the owner Pete and was given the key to my room after parting with the princely sum of twenty quid. Room rates don’t get much lower than that. It was not what you would call a palatial room but never mind, it was all I needed. A bed, a sink, a TV and just enough room to turn around. A quick trip up the launderette (cheers Francis for being so helpful), a quick web surf, Dave stealing my mouse, Dave stealing my internet access (I think I see a pattern emerging here), a short walk via the pub and we were at the alleged jewel in the crown of British speedway. I have to say I was disappointed with the stadium given what I had read. The entrance and main stand is lovely but other than that I thought the place was drab and dreary and a little depressing in a way. Wolves, Ipwsich and Newport were all nicer looking set ups I thought. It was uncanny when we ran into a couple from Victoria who were into bikes and often visit the state motorcycle centre at Broadford and are also close friends with one of Dave’s best mates from a few years ago. They are more road race fans and had Isle of Man TT shirts on so I suspect that was where they had been.
The meeting was another average one. Not good, not bad and entertaining in parts. Poole beat visitors Belle Vue by 47-41 but I thought Belle Vue were unlucky. After being behind most of the meeting Poole finallyhit the lead after heat 13. Poole have a get out of jail card in Chris Holder and Darcy Ward in heats 13 and 15 and visiting teams need to be well in front after heat 12 to have half a chance. Holder & Ward didn’t disappoint and claiming maximum 5-1’s in both heats 13 & 15 pulled it out the fire for Poole. It’s the sign of a good team though, if a team can ride poorly and still sneak the win it’s not a bad thing. Dave Watt backed up the two main aussies really well but the rest of the Poole team (Andersson, Doyle, Newman and James Holder) didn’t do much at all. For Belle Vue Kling was very good, Rory Schlein was excellent but had a engine failure in one of the later heats that really hurt Belle Vue as it came at exactly the wrong time. Chris Harris had a stinker, he is a far better rider than that and he would be kicking himself this morning I would think, a couple of better rides and Belle Vue may have pinched the points. Nice to meet Gavin Elmes and Bob Cole again plus meeting Charlie the ex Mildura track man and BSF’ers Home Straight and Dorset Delight. Also managed to catch the BSF’s main wind up merchant and pee taker Steve Shovlar who paid us a short visit to dispense his interpretation of speedway wisdom. I actually agreed with him on this occasion but I hope no one tells him that.
We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow so it was a quick wander back to the B&B, breakfast teed up for eight o’clock and then pretty soon after that my head hit the pillow and I was out like a light.
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