Seance on a West Afternoon

Seance on a Wet Afternoon – Capture 10 to Capture 15

Hedley England was curious to know where the motorcycle and sidecar actually turn off the main road and as to what actually happened to the Staines Dog track. Accordingly, he did some research that he now shares with us.

Duncan Stacey identified 26 Wraysbury Road for Reelstreets back in 2012 and it is still the location today, but there has been a massive road redevelopment. In 1964, we pick up the motorcycle coming towards us, with a roundabout in the background. This roundabout is actually the one for the A30 Staines bypass, and does not exist in that location any more. The road he is on is actually the original Wraysbury Road. The roundabout has gone, and has been moved about a quarter mile south I think when the M25 was built. The road the motorcycle turns into, with the houses was a small lane, without a name on the 1971 map. Where he turns off the main road is a distinctive house, a bungalow with 2 windows on the ground floor, and a small window below the apex. This house is still there on Google. The lane has now become Wraysbury road, the main road where the motorcycle turns off has gone, and where the motorcycle turns off to the right at the end of the shot, the road is still there on Google, but now gated. In the background of this shot is the A30, still there, which is why the m/c turns off to the right. In the distance is a distinctive gas holder which seems to have been demolished. I thought you might be interested, as I was confused with Google Street View because further up the road there is a roundabout and a dog leg turn off to the houses by the lane a bit further on, but it is not actually at this spot. The Dog track closed in 1960, and the site was lost to the M25.