| Linlithgow Lightning | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||
| Club information | |||||
| Track address | Heathersfield Stadium Myrehead Farm Whitecross Linlithgow West Lothian | ||||
| Country | Scotland | ||||
| Founded | 1994 | ||||
| Closed | 1999 | ||||
| Major team honours | |||||
| |||||
Linlithgow Lightning were a British speedway team based in Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland. They raced at Heathersfield Stadium. [1] [2] [3]
Plans for holding speedway in Linlithgow started in October 1988, when the Edinburgh Monarchs manager Alan Robertson revealed that a circuit would be built to enable younger riders to use it as a training circuit. [4] The site would be known as Heathersfield Stadium and the location was on Myrehead Farm in Whitecross ( 55°58′46″N3°39′32″W / 55.97944°N 3.65889°W ). The stadium was used a training track up until 1994, when Linlithgow Lightning (managed by Alan Robertson) joined the 1994 British League Division Three. [5] The first fixture took place on 26 June 1994. [6] [7] In 1995, they raced in the 1995 Academy League but experienced financial issues during a troubled season. [8] [9]
During their third season, led by Barry Campbell, Blair Scott and Peter Scully, the team won the 1996 Speedway Conference League and the Conference League Knockout Cup. [10] [11]
The following season most of the league winning team moved up to the Premier League before they competed in the 1997 Speedway Conference League as Lathallan Lightning. [12]
Alan Robertson did not enter a side during 1998 but he was joined by Edinburgh promoter John Campbell for the 1999 season and they managed a team for one more season during the 1999 Speedway Conference League season. [3]
In September 1999, Linlithgow Lightning were told that by the landowner that he was selling and that the team would have to move out. [13] The club folded in 1999 and the venue closed in October 1999. [14]
| Year and league | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 British League Division Three | 4th | |
| 1995 Academy League | 6th | |
| 1996 Speedway Conference League | 1st | Champions & Knockout Cup winners |
| 1997 Speedway Conference League | 11th | rode as Lathallan Lightning |
| 1999 Speedway Conference League | 6th |
Linlithgow is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It was historically West Lothian's county town, reflected in the county's historical name of Linlithgowshire. An ancient town, it lies in the Central Belt on a historic route between Edinburgh and Falkirk beside Linlithgow Loch. The town is situated approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Edinburgh.
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The 1994 British League Division Two season was contested as the second division of Speedway in the United Kingdom. The British League Divisions 2 and 3 were disbanded after this season and did not return until 1997. An Academy League was introduced.
The 1981 National League was contested as the second division/tier of Speedway in the United Kingdom.
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The 1996 Speedway Conference League was the inaugural season of the Conference League, which was the second tier of British motorcycle speedway. It was listed as the second tier of British speedway because during 1995 and 1996 the two divisions of the British League had merged into one division only. The following season it would be a third tier/division competition.
The 1997 Speedway Conference League, was the third tier/division of British speedway. It reverted to being the third tier because during the previous season it was inadvertently the second-tier competition while the British League ran as a single merged division.
The 1994 British League Division Three was the third tier/division of British speedway. It was also the final season of the British League before a restructure of the sport.
The 1999 Speedway Conference League was the third tier/division of British speedway.
The 2000 Speedway Conference League was the third tier/division of British speedway.
The 1995 Academy League was the second tier/division of British speedway. It was effectively the same division of teams that had competed in the 1994 British League Division 3 but was renamed because the British League Division 1 and 2 had merged.
