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16 Mar 2003, 19:06 (Ref:538249) | #51 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 123
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Little Chef has closed,there on web sites on wartime USAAF bases,one of which has all the info.
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16 Mar 2003, 20:08 (Ref:538296) | #52 | ||
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For a brief history of Snetterton's wartime history I can thoroughly recommend Michael Bowyer's excellent book "Action Stations Revisited - No.1 Eastern England",
published by Crecy in 2000. |
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19 Mar 2003, 15:28 (Ref:541230) | #53 | ||
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 321
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i found a website about Snetterton heath and other airfields during the war. it gives a few details about what flew from Snetterton and what was based there.
www.controltowers.co.uk/s/snetterton_heath.htm it also has a picture of the control tower at Snetterton heath. |
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Norfolk Boi |
10 Apr 2003, 20:50 (Ref:565534) | #54 | ||
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I never raced on the old Snetterton, but a former boss of mine did F3 in the 60's. I remember him telling me about being flat out in his Brabham, but being overtaken by an E-type on the A11
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10 Apr 2003, 20:59 (Ref:565558) | #55 | ||
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Welcome to the forum, Cirrus! Talk about a tantalising first post. Now we're going to be trying to figure who your boss was, you realise....!
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10 Apr 2003, 22:35 (Ref:565656) | #56 | ||
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Unless you tell us who your boss was of course! Welcome cirrus and a fine choice of thread for your first post!
Alas, racing along the A11 against the race cars is now history! The new bypass is now open and the circuit is no longer visible from the road. |
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11 Apr 2003, 08:34 (Ref:565963) | #57 | ||
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I don't think his F3 career could in any way be described as illustrious, but he was my boss at Fireater Systems.
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15 Apr 2003, 20:04 (Ref:570458) | #58 | ||
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So, has anyone identified him yet? Cirrus, what was his best performance (in the car, of course)?
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"It's pure joy. This was the perfect training for the WEC after a summer of not racing, even though the car is faster than LMP2." Nicolas Minassian after lapping at 123mph in the Group C Jaguar XJR-14, setting a new outright lap record for the historic GP circuit at Silverstone Classic in 2013! |
16 Apr 2003, 07:35 (Ref:570820) | #59 | ||
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I think I'd better put you out of your misery, to save fruitless scannings of mid sixties Autosports. His name is John Wellborne, and I worked for him for about a year 77/78. If I remember correctly, he said he used a BT18 which was a year or two old, so I guess that would make it about 67/68. He made no mention of any success, and the only anecdote I recall is the E-type story, so I can only assume there wasn't much more to tell.
However, if he actually got as far as the straight, his F3 career was more successful than mine, which amounted to half a lap of Zolder (broken driveshaft) and an entry in the 1980 British GP support race (did not arrive - lack of funds). |
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16 Apr 2003, 18:20 (Ref:571400) | #60 | ||
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Actually, having studied a map of Zolder, I now realise that I have been guilty of outrageous exaggeration. My foray into F3 was nowhere near half a lap.
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10 Aug 2003, 14:40 (Ref:684250) | #61 | ||
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The aftermath of a prod saloon pile up at the exit of Russell in 1973.
Note the crowd on the pits - a great view in those days. The commentators tower to the left is still there but will come down this year. The new one is currently being built alongside. The footbridge is long gone as is the covered grandstand at Riches in the distance. |
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10 Aug 2003, 14:57 (Ref:684263) | #62 | ||
The Honourable Mallett
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Note from the collapsed roofs a lack of rollcages. Probably just roll bars in those days. Can I use that on my website please Andrew?
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11 Aug 2003, 11:14 (Ref:684882) | #63 | ||
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Fantastic stuff as always Andrew, I didn't get into racing until the eighties, still great club racing then but these images from earlier always make me wish I'd been there.
On a personal note do you have Clubmans or Special Saloons from the 70's / 80's in your collection ? |
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Don't lift, Don't lift, Don't lift - Damn ! you lifted again, you never will get those tyres hot.... |
15 Aug 2003, 23:07 (Ref:689429) | #64 | ||
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Andrew those photos are amazing and am very jealous you got to see such cars and drivers, I have a few old pics my dad took in the sixties as he used to watch down Norwich Straight, but ur pics are great. I only started going in the eighties and then Russell was a very fast kink ready to catch the unwary. Did hear once that someone used to video the incidents there for the season and make a compilation, now that would be good to get hold off
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To blue or not to blue ..that is the question...damn to late!! |
15 Aug 2003, 23:25 (Ref:689444) | #65 | ||
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Got any more pics Andrew? would love to see them
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To blue or not to blue ..that is the question...damn to late!! |
18 Aug 2003, 14:15 (Ref:691252) | #66 | ||
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I received an e-mail from Maurice Levy ( who has a classic F3 ex-Bond March) regarding these old memories of Snetterton.
He has had trouble logging on and asked me to post the following for him. He thought it would be a good idea ( I wholly agree!) to make members aware of the Archie Scott-Brown memorial plaque and has also included some fascinating info about his earlier racing days. Quote: "As a local (24 miles distant) to Snetterton, my first visit was in 1955 to watch the Lotus Mk 10 of Kasterine and with various motorcycle and car racing activities,I've been a regular ever since. I would like to remind other members that though in a poor state,the plaque in the memory of our dear departed Archie Scott-Brown still resides on the rear outside wall of the scrutineering bay ( race control side). I was one of the "original" slaves at Hornsey for Chapman from 1955 -1960. As Team Lotus, we were based at Florence Road in Edmonton (working round the plaster mock up of Fraylings Elite - the prettiest GT car EVER !) but the move to Cheshunt never inspired me and after a row with Chapman on our return from the 1960 Argentine GP I left - along with the prototype Mk 18 (Innes Irelands car) to work for Mike Taylor who crashed the car at Spa in practice for the 1960 Belgian Gp when a steering column weld broke (another story)!" Maurice Levy Thanks for your input Maurice, I often stop and look at the plaque when at Snett. Archie was indeed 'Mr.Snetterton' back in the 50s, he started his career there, drove for Brian Lister just down the road in Cambridge and had his garage buisness on the A604 road ( now A14) a few miles outside the city. It is now a bit derelict next to the Travel Lodge (opposite the Cambridge Services) towards Huntingdon. The Snetterton plaque sometimes looks a bit forgotten but certainly not on the occasion of the Archie Scott-Brown trophy - a tradition the East Anglian BRSCC carries on to this day. At this meeting, a laurel wreath is hung upon the plaque. At the AMOC 50th anniversary Snetterton meeting in 2001 it was nice to see the Pearson's Lister Jaguar parked beside the plaque for the weekend. A fitting tribute. Although too young to have seen him race myself, my father knew Archie and passed on many stories. Long may Archie be remembered. |
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19 Aug 2003, 08:09 (Ref:691937) | #67 | ||
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Drag Racing at Snetterton?
Yes, it did happen back in 1976. The start of the drag strip was by the 'old' Esses Dunlop bridge and the finish was half way down the Revett Straight 1/4 mile later- the opposite direction to the race circuit. The run off area that we all know at the end of the Revett straight was the start. I went to this meeting and one of the dragsters lost its chute together with a jammed throttle. It ended up way past Sear corner at the end of the straight a couple of fields away towards the Angel Pub! The unfortunate driver, Roz Prior, was taken to the Norwich hospital for checks but she returned to the meeting OK. The paddock for the Drag meetings was on the old Home straight up towards the Sunday market area. Despite being 27 years ago these machines are still the fastest things to have been at Snetterton. Well over 200mph was reached. |
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23 Aug 2003, 09:18 (Ref:696264) | #68 | ||
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Snetterton also held Rallycross meetings in the 1970s. The track was up at the hairpin where the Sunday market is now, and used part of the Norwich Straight, the hairpin and home straight as the tarmac section before turning right before the old esses onto the muddy stuff.A huge hole was dug, named the quarry, to add a further challenge.
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23 Aug 2003, 09:22 (Ref:696267) | #69 | ||
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As mentioned above, Archie Scott-Brown was remembered at the 2001 Snetterton 50th anniversary meeting and Gary Pearson's Lister Jaguar was parked by the rememberance plaque that can be seen on the wall of the scrutineering bay.
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15 Oct 2003, 13:58 (Ref:752168) | #70 | ||
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Virtual old snetterton
A couple of years back I made the old Snetterton for the incredible PC-simulator "Grand Prix Legends" with friends in the "GPLEA". If you fancy, get the simulator real cheap and download the track from www.gplea.org . I also did Goodwood & crystal palace together with a local guru, Phil Flack.
A great place to race a virtual 49B! Last edited by knutspeed; 15 Oct 2003 at 14:00. |
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Matt Knutsen, Norway |
15 Oct 2003, 14:29 (Ref:752203) | #71 | ||
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Wow, can I just say thanks a lot to knutspeed. I have GPL and have really enjoyed all the tracks you helped create. The updates for cars and tracks are remarkable and make a 5 year old game easily the best racesim on the market still. Snetterton is nice and easy for a novice like me, Crystal Palace is really tight (must have been something else in real life) and Goodwood always seems harder than it looks like it should be. So thanks again for all the enjoyment (and frustration) you have given me and others.
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15 Oct 2003, 15:10 (Ref:752291) | #72 | ||
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does anyone have their Cobra in Jack Sears configuration now? and was it successful or was it a lot heavier?
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15 Oct 2003, 15:39 (Ref:752343) | #73 | ||
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I guess you mean '39PH' Simon. The ex-Willment car now owned by the Minshaws.
By the way, good likeness to the old Snett from the GPL sim boys above! However, one thing missing is the old clubhouse ' control tower' to the left by the bridge. We used to stand up on the roof to watch. Last week I was 'Jim Clark' in a Lotus going around the Goodwood version on my brothers PC. Incredible game - wish I had more time to play it! |
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15 Oct 2003, 17:30 (Ref:752469) | #74 | ||
Racer
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Posts: 438
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I did some Mini 7 races on the old long circuit in 72 and 73 and it was far and away the best circuit we ever raced on - we used to start 48 Minis on that layout - cutting out the Norwich straight and the Home straight ruined a great track - Its all still there - it could be re-instated.
How about a 24 hr race for sportscars on the old long track - it would be brilliant ! |
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15 Oct 2003, 17:49 (Ref:752496) | #75 | ||
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A brilliant idea RTH, the 'Willhire' 24 hr race should have been on the proper track too. I remember the old 500km saloon races there, racing into the darkness. The racing saloons frightening the passing motorists on the A11 next to the Norwich Straight!
Unfortunately though, the land occupied up by the hairpin was sold to the sunday market people and much of the old Norwich straight, from the old Sear to the market has been ploughed up. I bet your little Se7en used to scream along the long straights there! |
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