The Romford Bombers formerly the Rochester Bombers were a

speedway Speedway may refer to: Racing Race tracks *Daytona International Speedway, a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida. *Edmonton International Speedway, also known as Speedway Park, a former motor raceway in Edmonton, Alberta. *Indianapolis Motor Spe ...

team which operated from 1969 until their closure in 1971.

History

In December 1968, rival companies became interested in promoting speedway at the Rochester Stadium, which had only ever held speedway open meetings back in 1932. The

Exeter Falcons The Exeter Falcons were a Motorcycle speedway, speedway team based in the city of Exeter. The Falcons operated from 1947 to 2005 at the County Ground Stadium in Exeter. History Origins & 1920s Speedway began at the County Ground in 1929, ...

promotion led by

Wally Mawdsley Walter Mawdsley (30 November 1926 – 12 February 2009) was a motorcycle speedway rider, manager and promoter from England. He was the team manager of the England national speedway team from to 1983 to 1984. Biography Mawdsley, born in Salfo ...

called Enterprises Ltd. and Allied Presentations led by Maurice Littlerchild and

Len Silver Leonard George Silver (2 February 1932 – 13 October 2024) was an English motorcycle speedway rider and promoter. He has also served as the Team Manager for the England and Great Britain national speedway team during two separate spells in 197 ...

both entered into negotiations with the stadium owners. In January 1969, the stadium owners agreed to holding speedway and the British Speedway Promoters issued a licence. The team who would be known as the Rochester Bombers, would consist largely of the disbanded Weymouth Eagles team. Rochester Bombers started their league campaign at the beginning of the 1969 British League Division Two season but the Kent council suddenly ruled against permission to use the facility for speedway, despite the Rochester Town Council being in agreement with the speedway. The club promoters Wally Mawdsley and

Pete Lansdale Harry Douglas Lansdale (26 December 1912 – 24 June 1993) was a motorcycle speedway rider and promoter from England. Biography Lansdale, born in Marylebone, London on 26 December 1912, was riding speedway bikes during the 1930s but began his ...

were "left far from satisfied" and started to seek a new venue. The last fixture with the team known as Rochester was on 10 May 1969. A new site was quickly found at the Brooklands Stadium on Brooklands Road, the team changed their name to Romford Bombers and the opening fixture on 29 May, saw 3,000 spectators attend. The team finished the season in a respectable third place. The team spent two more seasons in the

British League Division Two The British League Division Two was created in 1968 and was the second tier of motorcycle speedway, speedway racing in the United Kingdom until the restructuring of British speedway in 1995. It was renamed the New National League in 1975 and the Na ...

, finishing in eighth and twelfth places respectively. The promotion was quite successful but one vociferous local resident obtained a court order closing the track due to noise pollution.Jacobs, N. ''Speedway in the South East''. The promotion transferred to the

West Ham Stadium West Ham Stadium existed between 1928 and 1972 in Custom House, Newham, Custom House, east London, England, on Prince Regent Lane, near the present-day Prince Regent DLR station. The venue was used for Greyhound racing in the United Kingdom, ...

and renamed the team the West Ham Bombers for the 1972 season but were forced to close in May of that year after only seven meetings at the stadium in

Custom House A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting ...

. Their place in the league was taken by the non-league team running at

Barrow-In-Furness Barrow-in-Furness is a port town and civil parish (as just "Barrow") in the Westmorland and Furness district of Cumbria, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the county of Lancashire, it was incorporated as a municipal borou ...

, who later renamed themselves as the Barrow Bombers.

Season summary

References

{{Reflist History of the London Borough of Havering Defunct speedway teams in the United Kingdom Speedway teams in London Romford