New Cross Rangers

British motorcycle speedway team that existed from 1934 to 1953

New Cross Rangers

Club information
Track address| New Cross Stadium
Hornshay Street
Old Kent Road
London
Country| England
Founded| 1934
Closed| 1963
Club facts
Colours| Orange and black
Track size| 262 yards (240 m) (1934-53) 278 yards (254 m) (1959-63)
Major team honours
| National League Champions| 1938, 1948

|

London Cup Winners| 1934, 1937, 1947

The New Cross Rangers were a motorcycle speedway team which operated from 1934 until their closure in 1953. They also rode as the New Cross Lambs from 1934 to 1935 and then the New Cross Tamers in 1936.[1][2] The team were League Champions in 1938 and 1948.[3][4]

## History

[edit]

The team started when promoter Fred Mockford relocated his Crystal Palace team at the end of the 1933 season. Originally known as the New Cross Lambs from 1934 to 1935 and then the New Cross Tamers in 1936.[5] In 1935 Tom Farndon was killed after crashing at the stadium[6][7] and in 1937, New Cross Rangers rider Jack Milne from America won the second ever Speedway World Championship.

The New Cross club colours were a black Maltese cross on a burnt orange background. The significance of the cross was purely down to the 'Cross' in the team's name. The colours were brought with the team from Crystal Palace when promoter Fred Mockford transferred the whole operation. The official speedway track length was 262 yards from 1934 until 1953,[8] when the track reopened in 1959 until its final closure in 1963 the official speedway track length was 278 yards.[9]

New Cross Stadium was used as a film set for some of the action and crowd scenes for the 1949 film "Once a Jolly Swagman" which starred Dirk Bogarde.

Before The track reopened in 1959 under Johnnie Hoskins for a series of open meetings and then in 1960 and 1961 operated in the National League. After closing at the end of the 1961 season they re-opened again under Pete Lansdale and Wally Mawdsley in the Provincial League in 1963, but had to close down before completing the season. .[5][10] The track was often referred to as 'The Frying Pan'. It was built inside the greyhound track and had banking all the way round.[11]

## Season summary

[edit]

Extended content

| Year and league  | Position  | Notes

|
|

1934 Speedway National League | 3rd | Lambs
1935 Speedway National League | 6th | Lambs
1936 Speedway National League | 6th | Tamers
1937 Speedway National League | 3rd |
1938 Speedway National League | 1st | champions
1939 Speedway National League | 7th+ | +when league suspended
1946 Speedway National League | 5th |
1947 Speedway National League | 5th |
1948 Speedway National League | 1st | champions
1949 Speedway National League | 3rd |
1950 Speedway National League | 4th |
1951 Speedway National League | 8th |
1952 Speedway National League | 7th |
1953 Speedway National League | N/A | withdrew, results expunged
1960 Speedway National League | 8th |
1961 Speedway National League | 8th |
1963 Provincial Speedway League | N/A | withdrew, results expunged

## Notable riders

[edit]

*   * Barry Briggs
*   * Tom Farndon
*   * Joe Francis
*   * Eric French
*   * Stan Greatrex
*   * Ron Johnson
*   * Frank Lawrence
*   * Jeff Lloyd
*   * Bill Longley
*   * Nobby Key
*   * Jack Milne
*   * George Newton
*   * Geoff Pymar
*   * Cyril Roger
*   * Bert Roger
*   * Harry Shepherd
*   * Split Waterman
*   * Eric Williams
*   * Lionel Van Praag

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129\. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
2. ^ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - PRE-WAR ERA (1929-1939)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
3. ^ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
4. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
5. ^ a b Lanning, Dave (1966) "Winter Roundabout", Speedway Star, 25 February 1966, p. 4
6. ^ Jacobs, N. Out of the Frying Pan, ISBN 978-0-7524-4476-5
7. ^ Jacobs, N. and Chaplin, J. Tom Farndon The Greatest Speedway Rider of Them All, ISBN 978-0-7524-5140-4
8. ^ Official New Cross speedway programme (1946). Track measurements, 25 September 1946. New Cross Speedway.
9. ^ Official New Cross speedway programme (1960). Track measurements, 31 August 1960. New Cross Speedway.
10. ^ Jacobs, Norman (2001). Speedway in London. Stroud: Tempus Publishing ISBN 0-7524-2221-9
11. ^ Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. , ISBN 0-7524-2210-3