Another Brian Darby Vintage Speedway site.
2/8/01
This site has been created to commemorate one of the world's great speedway venues. The Sydney Showground Speedway,
" The Royale", at the Royal Agricultural Showgrounds, Moore Park, Sydney . NSW . Australia.
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Synonymous with Australian Speedway and the Sydney Showground, the famous Members stand with the clock tower at the Northern end of the arena. The competitors knew that when the top deck of this stand was full of a Saturday night that they would get more prize money, as they shared the "gate" takings.
The equally famous Suttor stand. The Start / Finish line was in front of this stand. The shell of the Suttor Stand still exists today, is covered in and used as a hall for various functions.
The commemorative plaques to the Royale are mounted on a brick fence just about where the white Hazelton sign is shown here on the old fence.
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The Martin and Angus stand at the southern end of the arena. The "Pits" were located under this big open concrete stand. This stand stood in between turns 3 and 4 of the circuit.
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The Sinclair stand was the "newer" of the stands, the last to be built and stood between the Suttor and the Martin and Angus at the southern end.
The circuit was "egg shaped" and was ( 557 yards / 509 mtrs ) approx. 1/3 of a mile in length. The pointy end of the egg was at the Pit turn, the southern end, while the wider turn was at the northern end between the Members stand and the "Bull Pens" A fast 3 laps were covered in 59 to 60 seconds so this meant an average speed of 60 MPH ( appr. 97kph.) In a 1937 programme the promoters stated that the Royale was the "fastest speedway track in the world" . Speedway racing was first held at the Royale ( although then spelt Royal ) in 1926 and ran for seven decades ( 70 years) until 1996. The last of the regular weekly meetings was held in the 1980s. The final meeting was held on Saturday 27/4/96.
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This aerial view of the Royal Agricultural Showgrounds at Moore Park taken in 1935 shows the race track and the stands as they were in the day. The large stand (bottom of photo) is the Members stand with the clock tower, the stand to the left is the Suttor stand ( main straight) and the stand to the right is the Coronation stand ( back straight). The large open air concrete stand at the southern end of the arena had not been built at this time.
The Royal at night. As depicted on the rear cover of a 1934 Royal programme. The official Electrician stated that it took 25,000 Philips coil type light globes to light up the venue for racing.
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The Coronation stand. The Members stand.
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ENGLAND versus AUSTRALIA 1934
The first Solo Test match between England and Australia held at the Royale, was on Saturday the 15th December 1934. It was the 26 th. Test match between the two countries. The Crowd figure was 50,000 ( yes that's right) and it was an Australian 35 to 19 victory. The last England vs Australia Solo Test match held at the Royale was on 1/1/94.
RESULTS OF THE 1934 MATCH.
Ht.1Grosskreutz Stevenson Little63.2 new track record.
Grosskreutz Stevenson Little63.2 new track record.Ht.2VanPraag Mitchell Langton 65.0
VanPraag Mitchell Langton 65.0Ht.3Wilkinson Case Abbott 64.8
Wilkinson Case Abbott 64.8Ht.4Stevenson VanPraag Mitchell 64.8
Stevenson VanPraag Mitchell 64.8Ht.5Wilkinson Case Langton 66.0
Wilkinson Case Langton 66.0Ht.6Grosskreutz Abbott Little 64.4
Grosskreutz Abbott Little 64.4Ht.7Stevenson Case Wilkinson 65.6 Haigh for Parkinson
Stevenson Case Wilkinson 65.6 Haigh for ParkinsonHt.8Langton Grosskreutz Phillips 65.4
Langton Grosskreutz Phillips 65.4Ht.9VanPraag Varey Mitchell 66.2
VanPraag Varey Mitchell 66.2 AUSTRALIA 35 ENGLAND 19 Max Grosskreutz (Cap)3 3 2 8"Tiger" Stevenson (Cap)2 3 3 8
3 3 2 8"Tiger" Stevenson (Cap)2 3 3 8Wally Little 1 1 - 2Cliff Parkinson - - * 0
1 1 - 2Cliff Parkinson - - * 0Lionel VanPraag 3 2 3 8Eric Langton1 1 3 5
3 2 3 8Eric Langton1 1 3 5Clem Mitchell 2 1 1 4Wal Phillips - - 1 1
2 1 1 4Wal Phillips - - 1 1Dick Case 2 2 2 6Frank Varey - - 2 2
2 2 2 6Frank Varey - - 2 2"Bluey" Wilkinson 3 3 1 7Joe Abbott 1 2 - 3
3 3 1 7Joe Abbott 1 2 - 3Dick Sulway (Res.)D.N.R.-"Dusty" Haigh - * * 0
D.N.R.-"Dusty" Haigh - * * 0 | ||||||
Click here to view photos of Solos at the Royale from the 1930s on.
What do you think of the Royale site.? I'd like to have your views. Please sign my Guest Book below.
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Click here to view the names of the 28 riders and drivers who lost their lives at THE ROYALE
THE FIRST STOCKCAR RACE.
The first Stock Car racing in Australia was held at the Royale. It was part of a general 3 star meeting and was scheduled for Saturday the 13th November 1954, but the 13th was a washout and the first Stockcar meeting took place on the 27/11/54 (two weeks later). It involved 1 race only over 20 laps. The race was won by speedcar ace Ray Revell driving Stock Car # 1 which was a 1934 Ford Coupe. In 2nd place was another speedcar veteran, Johnny Peers in car # 12 a 1936 Ford sedan and 3rd was speedcar builder and ace driver Harold Barnes in # 3 a 1937 Chevrolet. It has been said that the attendance for this meeting was an all time record for the Royale, in excess of 50,00 people,( I was there, it was a night to remember) the exact count was never known. The old format of Solos, Sidecars and Speedcars was lost forever after this meeting. Stock Cars were here to stay.
The programme of the first Stock Car meeting in 1954.
Australia's first Stock Car. Harold Barnes stands by his 1937 Ford V8 SV # 3. It was white with a red front and had sponsorship fron Kendall Oils and KLG. It did not have as much armourment as later cars but still survived many hard races.
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Click here view Sidecar Page.
THE VERY LAST EVER ENG.vs AUST. SOLO TEST MATCH at the ROYALE 1/1/1994. Crowd. 17,000
The Final English Solo team to ride at the Royale. Steve Schofield, Paul Thorpe, Joe Screen (capt. on bike) Andy Smith, David Norris. Front. Sean Wilson and Ben Howe.
The Aussie Team. Tony Langdon, Stephen Davies, Leigh Adams (capt. on bike) Jason Crump, Jason Lyons. Front. Craig Boyce and Mick Poole.
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Photos. by Tony Loxley
ENGLAND. 40
Sean Wilson2m1r31 7
2m1r31 7David Norris - 1 -*-* 1
- 1 -*-* 1Joe Screen (Capt.) 2 2 -1r1 6
2 -1r1 6Steve Schofield 3 - 13 2 2 11
3 - 13 2 2 11Andy Smith - - *-- * 0
- - *-- * 0Paul Thorp 2 1 112 3 10
2 1 112 3 10Ben Howe(Res) 3 2 - -** 5
3 2 - -** 5 AUSTRALIA 68.
Leigh Adams(Capt.)33333f15
33333f15Tony Langdon 122113 10
122113 10Jason Lyons - 22-2- 7
- 22-2- 7Jason Crump 13-212 9
13-212 9Craig Boyce 33223215
33223215Mick Poole 11331312
11331312Stephen Davies (Res.) DNR
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Maybe you would like to view my other Websites ? They are:
aussieroadracing.homestead.com A wesite for the lovers of early Aussie Road Racing at Bathurst, Orange, Mt Druitt, Oran Park etc.
if so, just click on the site name above.
Click here to view SPEEDCAR pages..
Go for a trip back in time and visit the Royale's.
Click on the ' Time Tunnel' heading.
Click here for Midget Crash Shots.
Click on the GREEN button for a Profile on one of the World's greatest Speedway riders.
Click here for Stockcars
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There's a bit of talent here !
Phil Crump Australian Solo champion in 1975, 1979, 1984, 1988 and runner up in 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1985 and father of current World title contender Jason Crump. Phil was placed 6th in the World Solo tile in 1975, 3rd in 1976, 14th in 1982.
Phil poses for my camera at the Final meeting of the Royale on the 27-4-96 with the man who is claimed to be the greatest Solo Speedway rider of all time, New Zealander, Ivan Mauger. Ivan ran 3rd in the Australian title in 1963 and won the World Indivdual Solo Speedway title 6 times. 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1977, 1979 was runner up in 1971, 1973, 1974, 4th in 1975, 4th in 1976, and 8th in 1978.
One of my favourite modern day photos.
I'd appreciate your comments.
SPEEDWAY ROYALE
Click here to view a tribute to one of the greatest midget drivers of all time, Frank "Satan" Brewer
Click here to witness a pictorial account of some of the events of the Last Three Days of the famous Sydney Showground Speedway.
Meeting # 5
Click here to view some of the early programme covers.
PAST
ROYALE
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Click on Red buttons .
Most aspects of Australian Vintage Speedway.
A site purely for Midgets ( the real kind ) with input from some ex drivers and owners from America.
A site purely for Solo enthusiasts of yesteryear, some great pics.
Log onto David Batten's great
Old Time Speedway
site here.
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RIGHT: The 1934 - 35 English Test Team on the infield at the Royal. The Coronation Stand on the back straight is visible top right. I saw my first meeting at the Royale from that stand in 1952.
L to R. Joe Abbott, Wal Phillips, "Dusty" Haigh, Bill Clibbert, J.Brook (Mngr.) "Tiger" Stevenson, Frank Varey, Cliff Parkinson.
Members of the First Official English Touring Team 1934 - 35 Series.
The official website of the Vintage Speedcar Association of Queensland.
This page was last updated: May 7, 2008
This website was created and is maintained by Brian Darby
Mob. 0419976557 or bdarby@bigpond.com
A site for old time Sidecar fans.
NOW ! enjoy a short video clip of Midgets at the Royale
Quality DVDs of restored vintage midgets on their track days out, also DVDs of the Last Three Days of the Royale in 1996.
