Anyone remember these clubs?

[Danny]

I was thinking about some old clubs I used to race at from way back in the day, does anyone remember:

Oaks Park Ramblers - Raced here in '88
Thornton Heath Off Roaders - Raced here in '89/'90
Surbiton Off Roaders - Raced here in '94

I dont have any photos at all unfortunately, would be awesome to see any photos/videos if anyone has any!

[martinw76]

Yep I raced at all 3 of them run by eddy,wife and Ian dibly I must have some pictures somewhere they were the days :thumbsup:

[Andy71]

I think I raced at all three, depending on the answers to the questions below :confused:

Oaks Park Ramblers - was that the grass track that was on the entrance to a golf course?

Was Thornton Heath Off Roaders by the crematorium? A worn grass permanent track if I remember.

Surbiton Off Roaders was by a football club, a go-kart track and a caravan park, yes or no? Multi surface from what I recall. Parking/pitting wasn't exactly track side...

[Danny]

Oaks park yes, Surbiton yes, Thornton Heath may have been next to a crematorium, not sure, I mainly remember the football club next door.

Post 'em if you find them Martin!

[martinw76]

Will do if I find them there was also Crawley rc club right next to a football pitch and there was a club in Medway I think next to a boot fair .and one in shoreham

[shinytopman]

The Medway track was at Elm Court Hempstead.

The bootfair was in the field next to the track and just up from the garden center.
Half astro and half concrete if i remember correct.

[fencer39]

What about Taunton when it was at the back of the rugby club?

Best track ever!!

[Andy71]

What about Taunton when it was at the back of the rugby club?

Best track ever!!

Was that the one over the road from the cricket ground?

If it is then I only visited it I think once (maybe twice :confused:) - June 1992 when the Radio Race Car off road series was pretty competitive. It rained which didn't help matters as it was a dirt track with the rostrum up one end which was unusual, I found it quite hard to adapt too.

There were loads of good clubs back then, mainly because the majority were grass based and didn't have the upkeep required by todays permanent mixed surface venues. Marston Palmer, Abergavenny (spelling), Teiffyside (spelling again) in particular stick in the memory from that era.

[Jason A]

I used to race at Oaks park ramblers when it was in the golf club and also when we moved and made the purpose built track which i was a part of helping build.

Plus wasn't race control out of a caravan that was at end straight I think.

I did have some throphys from those clubs but I stupidly got rid of them in
Clear out of old stuff..:-(

Also remember racing at Eden park on the grass track.

Plus I used get a lot of my gear from Mick Charles models.

I used to run a Schumacher cat XLS at that time as that was the car to have
Back then.

That was a few moons ago btw...

[RC10Driver]

I raced at Oaks Park Ramblers from 1986-89, in the golf club car park and at the permanent track.
What happened to that club?
Where is Eddie and Ian now?
And wasn't their surname Dyball not Dibly.

[Suzukitudor]

Anyone used to race there back in the late 80's early 90's. Trying to see if any old members may still be racing and remember where the old track last was to see if any remnants there at all? Last location I seem to remember was next to a football pitch near the Purley Way South East London? Post below if you have any info. I remember the Dibbles used to run it?

[racingdwarf]

only raced there once I think, and I think was Ian Dibbles home club, think his family ran it that was 20 odd years ago now:woot:

[martinw76]

Yeah I remember it was (Thor)Thornton Heath off roads we was there for a few years.then we moved to surbiton the good old procat days :-)

[stucartwright]

Yes great days... I raced at Surrey Radio Control Car Club too... You boys still race? If so, what? Lol

[RC10Driver]

I raced there 86-89 and was wondering what happened to the Dibbles?
Where in Surbiton did it move to?

[martinw76]

Riverhill
Worcester Park
KT4 7QB
England .it's a small go kart track now 😧

[Jason A]

Yep I raced when it was originally at the golf course and then when it was moved to the permanent built track.

It was Cat XLS days for me back then.

I restarted racing about 5-6 years ago and now run for Team Durango.

[RC10Driver]

I raced a cat and an RC10 there, but started with a Hornet then a Mugan Bulldog

Happy days, was there nearly every meet for years.

[Suzukitudor]

Ha just posted yesterday asking similar thing. I raced at permanent club in Thornton Heath.

Ian dibble - his mum and dad ran the club.

I now race after a 25 year break at shrccc.

Alex Tudor-hart if that rings any bells?

South London based.

Can't remember addresses of the permanent track can you? Wondered if any remnants of it left?

[discostu]

I raced at surbiton in the SOWL early 90s it had an awesome concrete bank and steps on to the front straight it was a bit of a car breaker if I rember correctly that could have been me tho lol

[TMRdevelopment]

Macctrack in the north used to be fantastic, shame that isnt around anymore. Didnt that burn down which caused the closure?

[martinw76]

Yeah I started at oaks park with a tamiya super sabre and then a kyosho 4/wd chain driven got pictures somewhere , to upload before with no luck see if I can dig them out again if i can find them and give it another go

[RC10Driver]

I would love to see some pics, I never took any.
We must have raced each other at some point🏁

[Col]

This thread may not make much sense any more...
I've merged the thread from the BRCA section (as the thread wasn't relevant to that section) with this one.
Apologies for any confusion caused

[RC10Driver]

I've found the location of the Thornton Heath track on google maps,
The bottom of Mayfield Road and turn left all the way along the track to the football club,
The track was to the side of tha car park:thumbsup:

[Suzukitudor]

Wonder if any of it is still there? May pop and have a look. Wonder if Ian dibble is still racing? He was quite 'eccentric' I seem to remember.

[RC10Driver]

If you do take a look, take some pics, i'm in Devon now and would love to see whats left of it
But a bit to far away to investigate.
Ian was certainly a character, slight speach impediment, his whole life revolved around rc racing:D
It was watching his RC10 that made me decide to get one

[AntH]

I raced at surbiton in the SOWL early 90s it had an awesome concrete bank and steps on to the front straight it was a bit of a car breaker if I rember correctly that could have been me tho lol

Correct! It was crazy paved though. One of my favourite ever track features... When it comes to SOWL, I always remember John Cheeseman, what a guy.

[AntH]

The Medway track was at Elm Court Hempstead.

The bootfair was in the field next to the track and just up from the garden center.
Half astro and half concrete if i remember correct.

Medway Off Road Club started out as a grass track, then was turned into a cool dirt\clay track in about '89 and held some big meetings. By about '91 the track was in rough shape (weather, wear) and it was completely tarmaced the day before a RRC meeting, With time several sections were changed to astro, dirt and grass. Racing on bumpy/jumpy tarmac isn't a nuts as it sounds...was more fun than astro......

[skiv]

Does anyone Remember racing at Eastbourne before we built the on road track?
All grass track with a small paved section.

Blatant plug but Eastbourne along with 1066 racing are running a one of meeting on the 20th September. I've posted in the events section already all the info

[AntH]

Does anyone Remember racing at Eastbourne before we built the on road track?
All grass track with a small paved section.

Blatant plug but Eastbourne along with 1066 racing are running a one of meeting on the 20th September. I've posted in the events section already all the info

Certainly do, great track/venue, another SOWL club. The paved section was fun in the wet. Good luck with your event, bring back the grass tracks! Another 2 were East Grinstead with a stream next to the track that a few buggies went in (!), Crowborough and Parkwood. Anyone remember them?

[skiv]

Many thanks well we are going back to our roots and it will be a grass track once again so should be fun.

West Kent was another good track next to the what was the ymca. I remember going there with my dad when I was a kid. The track has gone from there now but the club still runs indoors now

[1066 Racing]

About half our members raced at Eastbourne regularly, many fond memories of green compound mini spikes and a floodlit track on a Wednesday night, racing whatever the weather! :thumbsup: Grass meeting will be ace, looking forward to it!

Another great track was Crawley, end of a playing field? Grass but with plastic mesh 'under' it? Loved it there, used to camp the night before, mega.

There was another grass track V near Brands Hatch, only raced there once I think? Bottom corner of a field, opposite a petrol station?

Also Caterbury, grass I think? Although I'm sure they once hired an indoor horse trotting arena, swept the loose dirt to run on hard packed stuff underneath?

Happy days. Went through 3 tamiyas...Terra Scorcher, Avanti, Egress, then Schumacher Boss Cat and finally Cat 2000.

Then a near 20 year break...before three of us started 1066 and all our old mates came out of the woodwork!

[AntH]

About half our members raced at Eastbourne regularly, many fond memories of green compound mini spikes and a floodlit track on a Wednesday night, racing whatever the weather! :thumbsup: Grass meeting will be ace, looking forward to it!

Another great track was Crawley, end of a playing field? Grass but with plastic mesh 'under' it? Loved it there, used to camp the night before, mega.

There was another grass track V near Brands Hatch, only raced there once I think? Bottom corner of a field, opposite a petrol station?

Also Caterbury, grass I think? Although I'm sure they once hired an indoor horse trotting arena, swept the loose dirt to run on hard packed stuff underneath?

Happy days. Went through 3 tamiyas...Terra Scorcher, Avanti, Egress, then Schumacher Boss Cat and finally Cat 2000.

Then a near 20 year break...before three of us started 1066 and all our old mates came out of the woodwork!

Yep, Crawley was a cool track! I actually liked racing on the mesh as it made it fairly slippery. Neil Twitchen and Pete Gilbert are names that spring to mind for Crawley.. I used to live fairly near Brands Hatch but don't remember a track near there, maybe I'd quit by that point?. Herne Bay used to race in an indoor equestrian arena for a while in about '94. Why does nobody do that now, great fun!? The thing I liked about Eastbourne was that the grass was decent, not your average ropey field grass. My Pred used to hate the back section though with the humps...

List of South of Watford League Clubs (incomplete, feel free to add);
Medway Off Road Club
Eastbourne
Eden Park Overlanders
Crawley Auto Racers
Thornton Heath Off Roaders
Oaks Park Ramblers
Surbiton
Crowborough
Canterbury
Parkwood
Herne Bay (BMX Track!)
Ummmm....

[MG78]

Yep, Crawley was a cool track! I actually liked racing on the mesh as it made it fairly slippery. Neil Twitchen and Pete Gilbert are names that spring to mind for Crawley.. I used to live fairly near Brands Hatch but don't remember a track near there, maybe I'd quit by that point?. Herne Bay used to race in an indoor equestrian arena for a while in about '94. Why does nobody do that now, great fun!? The thing I liked about Eastbourne was that the grass was decent, not your average ropey field grass. My Pred used to hate the back section though with the humps...

List of South of Watford League Clubs (incomplete, feel free to add);
Medway Off Road Club
Eastbourne
Eden Park Overlanders
Crawley Auto Racers
Thornton Heath Off Roaders
Oaks Park Ramblers
Surbiton
Crowborough
Canterbury
Parkwood
Herne Bay (BMX Track!)
Ummmm....
Any body remember this track in Monkton, early 90's.
It was at the end of a football field, all grass track run buy the Gallaghers if I remember right? I started my racing there as my bro got me into it.

[racingdwarf]

South of watford league Now thats going back,Won my 1st trophy in the C final with an optima chain drive at my 1st one. I raced that mid 80s early 90s clubs I remember were

East grinstead off roaders aka EGOR (my first club)
EPO pre the astro track when they raced on grass (Second club I belonged to along with EGOR)
Medway, the funny tarmac track home of the darwels
Crawley
Maidstone
Thornton Heath Off Roaders
Canterbury
Crowbrough
Eastbourne

I forget the others as it was quite a long time ago:blush:. When I started crawley was a temporary track laid out on a school field pre the permanent track at the FC, EPO was a grass track.No rostrum as such we just stood on a small platform at the top of the hill and kevin moore had just broken the new cat XL out:woot:.
I can remember going to south of watford league organisation meetings on behalf of EGOR and Derrick Clark running the whole thing…straight talking bloke :lol:

[racingdwarf]

Certainly do, great track/venue, another SOWL club. The paved section was fun in the wet. Good luck with your event, bring back the grass tracks! Another 2 were East Grinstead with a stream next to the track that a few buggies went in (!), Crowborough and Parkwood. Anyone remember them?


Just read this, I helped build that track at Notra Dame school Lingfield, yer the stream was good on the left hand part of the track you crossed the stream we used a double garage door as a bridge and covered with a thin layer of soil you wouldn't have known until you walked over it…and bounced:lol: If I remember it was Ian dibble who made it into the stream. we built that track in about 1988 the area was an old filled in pond in the woods, but the woods took some severe storm damage in the 87 hurricane thus they said we could have the area as long as we cleared it, three weekends of solid chainsawing remember it well. Because it was a filled in pond the whole place moved under your feet if you dropped anything heavy.

[AntH]

Just read this, I helped build that track at Notra Dame school Lingfield, yer the stream was good on the left hand part of the track you crossed the stream we used a double garage door as a bridge and covered with a thin layer of soil you wouldn't have known until you walked over it…and bounced:lol: If I remember it was Ian dibble who made it into the stream. we built that track in about 1988 the area was an old filled in pond in the woods, but the woods took some severe storm damage in the 87 hurricane thus they said we could have the area as long as we cleared it, three weekends of solid chainsawing remember it well. Because it was a filled in pond the whole place moved under your feet if you dropped anything heavy.

If anyone was going to end up in the stream it would have been Ian Dibble bless him! Wonder what he's up to these days?

[Uberdude]

Ian can be found sitting by a lake hes often on the carp fishing forums username teamxray1.

[jrenton]

Did anyone on here race at Hampton Buggy Club back in the 80s. Remember it was run on chicken wire out the back of a scout hiut. I only went once with my tamiya hornet but ended up winning a team endurance trophy, solely down to my team mates who were running space age technology at the time compared to my hornet.