# Greyhound Stadium - vintage pics from Derby



## kyberhai (Oct 30, 2008)

Originally opened as a gaol back around 1826, a hundred years later it was reborn as a greyhound racing track.  Closed its gates for the final time in 1988 and fell into disrepair.

On a whim I recently scanned in the pictures I took of the site sometime in the mid-nineties and despite the not-so-great quality of the resulting images then I figured people might like to see them 

The grand frontage:




A closer look:




The rear view:




A shaky sort of access:




The crumbling perimeter:




And back to the front:




I'm really embarressed to not have any images of the two guard towers to present. It used to be quite possible to ascend the spiral staircase in one of them all the way to the top. I also recall having a good clamber around the structure (as it was in the pics) with some friends - and them taking a death-defying walk across the ledge over the front 

This site went on to be wonderfully preserved as the entire roadside facade was kept as the entrance to a modern office complex 


Guard tower pics and various others of the then and the now are visible here:
http://www.picturesofderby.co.uk/area_greyhound.htm


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## thompski (Oct 30, 2008)

Interesting stuff, I too recall its derelict state and also climbed the towers on a Junior School trip in 1998 at the young age of 11! 

The same trip also saw me visit the then abandoned Shire Hall on St Mary's Gate which a few years later was converted into Derby's current magistrates court.


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## johno23 (Oct 30, 2008)

That was quite a place in its dayThey have some excellent artefacts,pictures and history from this place over at the Derby Gaol on Friargate which is open daily and costs a couple of quid to get in,well worth a visit.

Had a look around here a few weeks ago but as you know its all been modernised now,glad they kept the grand entrance and some of the original walls though


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## Foxylady (Oct 31, 2008)

Really enjoyed seeing your photos from backalong. Love seeing places as they once were when in derelict/demo transition...glad they kept the grand entrance. Cheers.


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## Kaputnik (Oct 31, 2008)

I remember going to see a BMX race here when there was a track there back in the mid '80's!
Myself and a mate were chuffed that we were in the corner of a photo in the following months 'BMX action bike' magazine, (still got the mag, somewhere!) and got a few autographs of the main racers of the time 
Good times


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## MD (Oct 31, 2008)

nice one 
dont suppose you have a pic of the new build with the old front?


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## smileysal (Oct 31, 2008)

Whereabouts in Derby did this used to be? The only place that looks similar to this is the Vernon Gate entrance, not too far from Friar Gate Warehouse.

Excellent pics mate, looked great. Glad they've kept the frontage.

 Sal


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## fezzyben (Oct 31, 2008)

Thats the place sal on vernon gate


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## smileysal (Oct 31, 2008)

Mendo just asked me if it was the same place, near to where we parked when we did the warehouse. I did wonder what it used to be. Cheers mate, I'm glad they kept the front of it, it looks in great condition now it's been done up and cleaned up.

Aha, just remembered (and googled lol), It was the Gaol first, lol. Then the greyhound stadium, then the building it is now. 

Cheers,

 Sal


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## goodeavens (Nov 1, 2008)

Took these early this morning

The frontage





The view beyong the gate




The rear of the gate




Gate grills




Right hand side tower


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## kyberhai (Nov 2, 2008)

Thanks for that concretegarden. I have plenty of recent snaps of it but didn't feel they should be in my post as the site is no longer derelict. I guess it's a valuable part of the report and also it's really heartening to show how good a condition the facade has been kept in.



johno23 said:


> That was quite a place in its dayThey have some excellent artefacts,pictures and history from this place over at the Derby Gaol on Friargate which is open daily and costs a couple of quid to get in,well worth a visit


Ooh, along with Pickford House then that's one local historic place I've never gotten around to visiting. Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely be looking into it now


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## goodeavens (Nov 2, 2008)

kyberhai said:


> Thanks for that concretegarden. I have plenty of recent snaps of it but didn't feel they should be in my post as the site is no longer derelict. I guess it's a valuable part of the report and also it's really heartening to show how good a condition the facade has been kept in.
> 
> 
> Ooh, along with Pickford House then that's one local historic place I've never gotten around to visiting. Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely be looking into it now



Thanks kyberhai. On reflection, I should have really asked you if it was ok to add them  Please accept my belated apologies. Brain not always in gear


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## kyberhai (Nov 4, 2008)

Oh pshht. No such apology required. They weren't exactly off-topic were they?


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## the 13threunion (Nov 20, 2008)

I remember this place well, me dad used to take me to the dogs in the 1980's and in fact I've still got the pamphlet from the last time we went which was March 1987. Me and my school mates used to knock about there when it was derelict around '88-'89, there was loads of stuff still in situ like all the bar complete with furniture, TV's and other ephemera. You could actually get into a basement beneath the left hand tower, where a friend of mine liberated a mint condition 1930's enamel sign advertising some sort of stove. You could even get beneath the wooden steps/terrace outside where I found loads of paper Dog Racing memorabilia, which I still have. There was also a large roof space at the back of the frontage on the same level as the tops of the towers. In there was reels of old film, old 8 track cassettes and other junk. I still have an 8 track cassette simply titled 'Derby Greyhound Stadium'. I've had that 20 years and still have no idea what's on it, I may have to get an 8-track player! One of my fave finds from here though is from one of the outbuildings and it's a lead print head used to print the tickets.
Apologies for the ramble! Cheers, Jamie.


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