The History of Preston Park

The history of this Brighton track goes back to the days when the British army dug out the site of the cycle-track by hand, the work being completed in 1877 with racing starting a year later and competition taking place every year up to the start of the First World War. There was a very nasty crash in 1910 when motorcycles were being used for pacing, and this led to the present bylaw banning motor vehicles from the track.

Between the end of the First World War and 1936, the racing surface was cinders. When riders crashed they were washed down in the clubhouse with hot water and a scrubbing-brush to get all the cinders out. In 1936, a tarmac surface was laid and the first and last bends (the sharpest) were built up to make them safer. There was, of course, no racing during the Second World War. After 1945, most of the meetings were run in conjunction with the local athletics clubs, using the same starter, who would always be dressed in white trousers, a red jacket and a red cap.

At that time, all the main Brighton clubs ran open track meetings, and the league only organised meetings on the spare dates. With no cash prizes allowed in 1953, the awards in the devil in a top-class August 1953 meet were: 1st A canteen of cutlery, 2nd A “Metamex” walnut clock, 3rd A butter and toast cruet.

In 1954, when a new running stadium was built at Withdean, the athletics clubs left Preston Park. By now, evening cycling meetings regularly had 3,000 or so spectators, each paying the princely sum of one shilling to watch, or three-and-a-half shillings to sit in the stands, which were always full. There was a big international meet that year with riders from Australia and Germany taking part.

In those pre-television days, people would arrive early to make sure they got the best viewing positions. The racing was fast and furious and there were many crashes. There would be a first-aider on all of the four corners, and the judges would pull injured riders off the track when there was a crash, so that the racing wasn’t delayed.

Bank holiday meetings were nearly always sell-outs with around 10,000 paying customers, and the gates were closed before racing began. Some of the world’s top pros rode at Preston Park, including the legendary Reg Harris, as well as Hugh Porter, the Dutchman Leo Van Vliet and Australian legends Sid Patterson and Russell Mockridge, both of whom were the only riders to have won both the World Sprint and Pursuit championships. The events were major sponsored meetings, notably ones funded by Dunlop and Fyffe’s.

Dressing Room Corner

In the spring of 1956, following several nasty crashes, the infamous “dressing-room corner” before the finishing straight was banked higher up and made much safer. In those days, the league ran a special “repair fund”, from which you could claim for repairs after a crash.

Among the stalwarts of Preston Park track over the years have been: Tom Boniface, a top rider in the early years of the twentieth century;

• Les Glover, a pre-war sprinter and character who always came out on to the track in a dressing-gown;
• Jimmy Knight and George Woodham who were both riders and promoters in the post-war years;
• George Woodhams, promoter of the Dunlop meets in the 1950s before being cycling correspondent for the Daily Telegraph;
• Eric Wills, prominent rider from the 1950s who founded Brighton & Hove Wheelers;
• Charlie Turner, organiser of countless open meetings;
• the legendary Roy Humphrey who rode and promoted for very many years;
• Alan Limbrey, who won several championships and broke many records on the track;
• Alan Packett, a highly successful sprinter after whom the current sprint championship trophy is named;
• Mick Hasler, who rode for several years at the track and was national junior sprint champion;
• Frank Blake and Ken Wells, who both rode successfully for many years and are still to be seen officiating and assisting at trackside fifty years later;
• Graham Lade who holds the record for the number of seasons ridden at the track: 34.

The popularity of track-racing declined in the 1970s, and in the 1980s Preston Park track league had few regular riders. Dave Barnard and Graham Charlton then arrived on the scene and masterminded a revival. Since 2000, hard-working Vern McClelland has taken on the mantle of organiser and chief commissaire.

The league is now going from strength to strength, with around 120 competitors taking part each season and two national champions among the regular riders. Several-times league champion over the past 15 years, Lee Povey is the national 30-34 years masters sprint champion, while young star Peter Mitchell is the national youth sprint champion.

Exciting racing takes place every Wednesday from the first Wednesday in May to mid-August, starting at 7.00pm and incorporating a great mix of races for both seniors and youths. Riders of all abilities take part. The seniors are divided by category and the youths are banded by age-group. Spectator entry is free and new riders are always made very welcome.

More information about Preston Park track racing can be obtained from Vern McClelland on 01903 814351 or email macbike@tiscali.co.uk.

Many thanks to Frank Blake for supplying the information for this summary, and to Ken Wells for his additional input.

Gavin Smith