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Silver Blades Ice Rink

oldMohawk said:
I'm mainly in the old Springhill Ice Rink thread, but skated and raced at Silver Blades. Here is a pic of what a Silver Blades Ice Rink looked like with ice. We helped Mecca to open some in other cities. They were all built generally with the same design.
oldmohawk:)
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I skated with Eric Grinsell, in the late 60's and 70's. As well as Dave Bodington, Dave Hampton, Dave Upton and a few more of those old geezers. Do you remember Sid Ashmore? What a great man
 
Hi Dick,
I certainly remember Sid Ashmore, in fact we had a committee meeting at his house in Sutton Coldfield. I remember all the others you mention. Maybe you might have seen pictures of some of them in my posts in the Springhill Ice Rink thread.
Phil:)
 
I've just looked at the pic I posted in #120 and Dave Boddington is the skater in a white sweater just to the left of the man on the stand. It was nice opening the other Silver Blade Rinks for Mecca, they use to put us in nice hotels. The one at Bristol was right next to the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which we went onto one night after drinking lots of ale - won't say what we did !!
 
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oldMohawk said:
Hi Dick,
I certainly remember Sid Ashmore, in fact we had a committee meeting at his house in Sutton Coldfield. I remember all the others you mention. Maybe you might have seen pictures of some of them in my posts in the Springhill Ice Rink thread.
Phil:)
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I remember going to a committee meeting at Sid's house. Alan Doleman was Treasurer, Ken Pendry was Chairman (after Sid stepped down - I think). Usually the meetings were held in a pub (in the Jewelry Quarter?). I saw some of the pictures. A bit before my time, as I did not ever skate at Springhill, although I managed to recognize some of the skaters (I have nver seen them looking that young before - Alan Doleman, Eric Grinsell and Brian, Ken Pendry). Ken Pendry was coach when I started and good he was too! Which Phil might you be? Stuart:rolleyes:
 
oldMohawk said:
I've just looked at the pic I posted in #116 and Dave Boddington is the skater in a white sweater just to the left of the man on the stand. It was nice opening the other Silver Blade Rinks for Mecca, they use to put us in nice hotels. The one at Bristol was right next to the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which we went onto one night after drinking lots of ale - won't say what we did !!
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I can not find a picture #116. I found a picture on #117 (Springhill Ice Rink thread) and recognize Ken Pendry and Eric Grinsell (Eric always had half a pint waiting in the locker room for after training - at the Silver Blades as I remember and a ciggie):)
 
Hi Stuart,
If you went to the committee meeting at Sid's house then we must have met. I go past the house about once a week. Most of the committee meetings I went to were held upstairs in a pub run by Eric & Brian' parents, which I think was called the Shakespeare Inn, and it was up the hill towards the city centre. I remember Eric and his ciggies, it didn't slow him down. Alan Doleman had a black VW Beetle car and I could tell a few tales about our travels in that before motorways were built. I use to skate at Silver Blades with my wife-to-be, but in 1968 I got married and decided to settle down - also the new younger guy's were skating too fast ! I suppose you remember the Heartbeat Club at SB. When SB first opened I think 'hockey skates' were not allowed and Mecca only just about tolerated the Mohawks etc. I think that was one of the reasons I used to go to Solihull Ice Rink which was more like the old Ice Rink. I think I've mentioned before that my skates are still in my loft. Did you ever skate at Wyndley Pool in Sutton Park? - there are some pics and tales about it on the forum. I'm the Phil far right in the first row of the pic #183 which names most of the club members. Here in the 'depths' of the forum.

Springhill Ice rink Summerhill Road

Hi rogerstan I too had great times at the ice rink Recall going accross thr rd on skates to the pub around 9.00 and then back till the rink closed then of to a Dance somwhere. The man at the door used to check the skates you were wearing to be sure that were not hired skates. That man...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
Happy Memories
Phil:)
 
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Hi Wendy,I think the guy in the center of the photo wearing the hockey skates may be called Palmer[Steve?]
 
keegs said:
I went to the Blades from around 1968 to 1973.Worked in skatehire Sunday mornings & Thursday evenings.Skated whenever i could,mostly Friday,Saturday & Sunday nights.So many good times,so many great people.The guys I hung with most were Tony Bull,Paul Hough,Chris Kavenar.The old memory is fading but others I recall are Tom Litchfield & his sister,Brian Bacon,Gerry Morgan,Pete & Eddie the DJ's,Kevin From the restaurant,Pam Burgess,Christine Rose,Sue Ryder,Sue Thompson,so many others who's faces i remember,but can no longer put names to.If anyone out there recalls me please get in touch.
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I used to go Friday, Saturday and Sunday as well (as well as Monday and Wednesday) around the same time as you. I also knew some of the people you mention. Do you remember some one called Shirley Yeates? In 1970 she would have been about 14 and had two sisters (Diane and Christine)

Stuart P.
 
keegs said:
Hi Wendy,I think the guy in the center of the photo wearing the hockey skates may be called Palmer[Steve?]
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You are right my memory is rubbish! Thats me talking to Steve Palmer and my friend Rosalyn Dyer is behind him.
 
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Does anyone remember the cycle racing at this ice rink? Yes cycle racing! The front fork had a skate blade and the rear tyre was with spikes. I don't have any photos but I know that my old mate Trevor Bull raced there, Trevor passed away this year with blood cancer.

I met my first wife at the Silver Blades.

Graham.
 
How sad, I used to go there in the 70's once a week, drove down from Stafford. The evening always closed with "The time is tight", happy memories :wave:
 
You must have got there late from stafford because 'Time is Tight' (Booker T & The MGs) used to open the session as well. you might want to check out for mens speed either 'The Sabre Dance' by Love Sculpture or 'America' by the Nice, mixed pairs nearly always 'Albatross' Fleetwood Mac, can't remember what Womens Speed was ??? all available on you tube.
 
brimar said:
You must have got there late from stafford because 'Time is Tight' (Booker T & The MGs) used to open the session as well. you might want to check out for mens speed either 'The Sabre Dance' by Love Sculpture or 'America' by the Nice, mixed pairs nearly always 'Albatross' Fleetwood Mac, can't remember what Womens Speed was ??? all available on you tube.
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Your right, never heard the opening, it was about 8'ish by the time we got down. One of the lads we went with fell, slid into the side, broke one the the flouresent tubes in the barrier, cut his forehead, blood all over the ice!
 
Hi Stuart,those names do sound very familiar.I think that Diane and Christine were a few years older than Shirley,if my memory is right.I can't put faces to them yet though. Cheers,Graham.
 
They also used to play "Can't help falling in love with you"by Elvis for the pairs session,usually if Pete Roberts was DJ ing.Does anyone remember the figure of eight sessions ,that was a test for the uninitiated,a few laughs to be had there !
 
My favourite skating music at SB was "Funny how love can be" by the Ivy League.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmTrKaDrpbw"]YouTube- The Ivy League - Funny How Love Can Be (NME)[/ame]​
 
keegs said:
Hi Stuart,those names do sound very familiar.I think that Diane and Christine were a few years older than Shirley,if my memory is right.I can't put faces to them yet though. Cheers,Graham.
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Hello Graham. That's correct, as I remember Christine was the oldest and had white/platinum hair, Diane had redish auburn hair and Shirley was quite a bit younger and had short dark brown hair
 
Re: The Empire Rink, Walford Road, remember going there to watch wrestling matches in late '60s (friend of mine's mother used to work there in the canteen and got tickets) was always mid week, Tues / Wed so could have been a roller rink at the same time. Why not?, Blades was often used for concerts on a monday night in early mid '60s, you had to pay 2D old money to get in, originally free but they found out they wern't covered by insurance without a door price, ironic really it's the only time I ever paid to get into the rink from '65 to '80 (originally had big bro with a staff pass and then got my own at 14). There's other reference bloggs to sixties music on this site that features some of the bands that played here. There is no doubt the 'Rink' (& The Heartbeat/Samanthas) had unique vibe and atmosphere, often wondered was it the place, the people or the time ?????
 
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Hi,anyone out there go to the silver blades in birmingham between 1968 and 1972.I skated there.worked in the skate hire and did the occasional stewarding.Probably easier to say when i was'nt there than when i was !
Good times,great people.Can't hear"Time is tight"or"Saber Dance" without thinking of the old place.Sad it no longer exists(in a useable form anyway!) :cool:
 
I know there's another thread on here somewhere but a quick search & I still couldnt find it so thought I'd pop in here. I was at the rink between those dates 'keegs' & I remember lots about the place. Had a thought only today about one character who I havent thought of for years & it suddenly popped into my noddle as I stood at the bus stop!!! (Yes, strange woman I know!).
Does anyone remember a very skinny gentleman, medium height, very 'odd' in a way.........he wasn't a particularly able skater (no, I'n not being nasty here) but would put himself into some most odd contortions with his arms & legs (as if he was having some sort of seizure!).....someone said he did it to stretch his limbs because of arthritis or some such ailment. As I remember he would've been about 40-ish in the early 70's. He went on Sunday mornings, most Tues & Thurs nights & some Weds mornings.....so mostly at family sessions.......never saw him with anyone else....bit of a loner?? Any ideas??
 
Hi Dolphie,I do have a vague recollection of the guy,never knew him by name though.I worked in skate hire Sunday morning and afternoon also on Thursday evenings.Met a lot of nice people there, It was a great place it's a shame that we have no ice rink any more.I know there is another thread on here somewhereI posted on it a few times but then I could'nt find it either,I think it may have disappeared in the reshuffle.I am glad that people still remember the place with affection.They were good times. Regards GK.
 
I too have looked for the 'old' thread on the Silver Blades as some of my postings were on there and I'd downloaded a lot of the photos, some after the fire. But yes together with the thread they've all gone up in smoke.:cry:
 
Cadeau said:
I too have looked for the 'old' thread on the Silver Blades as some of my postings were on there and I'd downloaded a lot of the photos, some after the fire. But yes together with the thread they've all gone up in smoke.:cry:
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Yes,looks like we are gonna have to start again.I will see if I have any photo's that I can post.
 
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