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Fallowfield

Fallowfield Stadium in Manchester opened in May 1892 as home to the Manchester Wheelers Cycling Club, and featured a 509 yard concrete velodrome with 30 degree banking, built around an athletics ground, and a football/rugby pitch.

The stadium was the venue for the 1893 FA Cup Final, and the 1899 and 1900 Rugby League Challenge Cup Finals, plus major cycling events in 1919 and 1934.

A few meetings were held in 1954 and 1955, but it was considered too dangerous. For the 1955 meeting the perimeter of the sports ground was used as the track, with the concrete velodrome used as a run-off area in place of a fence. It is not clear if this was the case for the 1954 meetings, or if the stock cars ran on the velodrome.

The cycle track fell into disuse and in the 1960s the site was purchased by Manchester University and used as a sports ground. What remained of the stadium was demolished in 1994, and is now the site of the university's Richmond Park Halls Of Residence.

Aerial photo of Fallowfield in the 1930s shows the stadium in the foreground. (from rusholmearchive.org)
The remains of the concrete track can be seen around the pitch in this photo of a football match in 1985.