New Cross Rangers


The New Cross Rangers were a Speedway team which operated from 1934 until their closure in 1953. The team started when promoter Fred Mockford relocated his Crystal Palace team. 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. New Cross were originally known as the New Cross Lambs from 1934 to 1935 and then the New Cross Tamers in 1936. The track was often referred to as 'The Frying Pan'. It was built inside the greyhound track and had banking all the way round.
In 1935 Tom Farndon was killed after crashing at the stadium.
In 1937, New Cross Rangers rider Jack Milne from America won the second ever Speedway World Championship.
New Cross Stadium was used as a film set for some of the action and crowd scenes for the film "Once a Jolly Swagman" which starred Dirk Bogarde.

Notable riders