Mountbatten track

Quick profile:

Former Portsmouth C C member (1948 to 1953)
Currently living in Canada (1953 to present)
Racing in Canada since 1967
Racing with Ontario Masters Cycling Association since 1971 (at age 40) ... http://www3.sympatico.ca/bikemaster/omca.htm
Started riding the Forrest City Velodrome (London, Ontario) this season (at age 79). This is a 138 meter, indoor board track. ... http://www.forestcityvelodrome.ca/

I have two questions somebody reading the forum may be able to answer. First, what is the length of the Mountbatten Center track? I seem to recall it was around 500+ meters. Second, what was the length of the Gosport track? (Now defunct I presume). I raced both in the track league back in the late 40's, early 50's ....

Thanks.

Roy Conway

Its about 500 meters I think as you said,
I found a few pics the other day of the club on the track that might intrest you:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pnecc/4432956744/in/photostream/

and i've never heard of the gosport one,someone else will probably know about it:roll:
hope is some use!

The Portsmouth one is exactly 1/3 mile per lap. Our Time Trial Sec, Sheila Martin (nee Sheila Pretty) is ex-Gosport CC but I doubt she'll remember the size of the Gosport track, the impression of which can still be seen in the park. If I get the chance I'll ask around as there are plenty of older cyclists around who might just know.

In metric the track is 535 m long

Ah Robert!

Please remind your Dad that I have loads of new design PNE clothing in stock just your size.

Having spoken to Richard Walker last week it's pretty much a done deal that we will be registering this design as the official one for Road and Track in 2011.

Paul

Roboman wrote:In metric the track is 535 m long

Thanks for the info. Now, if somebody can remember the length of the Gosport track, I'm done! I suspect it was a 1/4 mile but I need confirmation. I remember the concrete surface was hard on the skin when you crashed... and I did!

P.S. What is the best bike shop in the Portsmouth area? I will be there in Sept. 2011 and would like to drop in to look around.

Roy

I would recomend velocity cycles by cosham train centre it has a range of bikes for every ones price range. I myself have just brough my next bike from them.

Unfortunatly i have know knowledge of the gosport velodrome.

Don't know how accurate you want your measurements but the link below shows an aerial shot of where the 'Dell" Velodrome stood The rugby pitch dimensions may assist in discovering the measurements

"Every little helps..."

http://wikimapia.org/531456/The-Dell-Former-Cycling-Velodrome

Thanks!
Assuming a standard size rugby pitch, I figure the cycling track would have been about 560 meters. That's bigger than I remember but it's been 60 years since I rode it....
It's interesting that the outline is still visible.

Thanks to all that contributed to this thread.

Roy Conway

PNECC life member Ken Waller used to race for the Gosport CC in the 1950s before he joined the Royal Navy and can confrm that Gosport track was a quarter of a mile in length. He still holds the record for 5 miles there!

Regards

Paul

A quarter of a mile is what I would have guessed, thanks for the confirmation. My last ride there would have been in the summer of 1950. I joined the RAF in October of that year. I would guess that Ken and I would have raced in some of the same events, although I do not recall the name. Others I do remember..... Dave Arthur, Ken Wilkes, John Mugridge, Paddy Mullaly, Wally Errington, Brian (Bim) Osbourne.
Lots of fond memories of that era!

This is what I am riding these days. Not racing on it, just recreational, training sessions.
183 meters/lap, 58 degree end banking. Built inside a ice hockey arena. Open year round.
Fun, fun, fun!!!!!!

Check out the pics............ http://bobsteer.zenfolio.com/p362907169/slideshow

Hi all,
interesting reading about the velodrome in gosport, i have lived in gosport since 1981, it was probably gone way before then, i worked for Bim Osborne as his mechanic back in 1990/1991 hes a great guy, i bumped into him in commercial road last year he looks great for his age, he retired a few years ago from his shop in gregson avenue, bridgemary,(his dad used to have a shop in queens street, portsmouth) years ago...

Bim was a mate of mine long before either of us were serious cyclists. He lived near me in Widley (He in Lone Valley, me in Bushy Mead) and we both attended Purbrook Park High School. At the time his dad had the Queen Street store which moved to Waterlooville after I left for Canada. I bought my first track bike from him in 1948, a used, repainted, E.F. Russ.
Bim, me and a few other guys rode round trip to London sometime in the summer of '48, the A3 all the way with very little traffic.
On a vacation trip to England back in the 80's I visited Bim and his wife Molly at their Waterlooville home. He was no longer into cycling but was an enthusiastic golfer.
Say hello from me if ever you see him.

Roy Conway

Hi thanks for reply, i would love to see him again hes a great guy taught me all i know about bikes etc, back in 1990 when i first joined pnecc as a 19yr old man a member of the pne had some old programmes from the track and i noticed bim was in it, so when i went to work bim was so pleased and he kept them, he was over the moon, no doubt you would be in their too...
If you remembered bims full address i would post a note in his letter box to get in touch with you, as id like to get in touch with him myself.
Thanks again,
HUGH BEAVER