Brooklands

[chezza]

Sam is, I hope to god, right on this one. I'm sure it would be in the press and it would certainly be an outrage.

Whilst my last experience at Brooklands was terrible (at the hands of Mercedes) it is the most fantastic place.

[Samoan Attorney]

The banking was still there yesterday when I passed Brooklands on the train.

[275 GTB-4]

Good to hear...my friend only mentioned it in passing and said that most of the airfield track had gone to development (whatever that means).

I look forward to standing on the banking one day

[Samoan Attorney]

Originally Posted by 275 GTB-4

Good to hear...my friend only mentioned it in passing and said that most of the airfield track had gone to development (whatever that means).

I look forward to standing on the banking one day

There is also some shallow banking in front of Tescos and M&S in the retail park off the Parvis Road entrance........I am sure that most of the shoppers have no idea of the significance of the old concrete.

Brooklands also has a good collection of aviation items, including a Concorde, Wellington and Hawker Hurricane. The latter two are restoration projects and there is plenty to see. I must do a piece for my website someday.

I went to school nearby and you could hear the factory testing the Concorde engines during its development.

As for banking......if you come all the way from the Antipodes you should try and get over to Monza to see the track there, very steep but very evocative.......you can sense the history and the spirit of those who raced there.

[White flag man]

Originally Posted by 275 GTB-4

Good to hear...my friend only mentioned it in passing and said that most of the airfield track had gone to development (whatever that means).

I look forward to standing on the banking one day

Mick,
your friend is right, mostly. Most of the infield track and banking has gone to development, and now the airfield. The museum sits on some of the original airfield track and has the best remaining banking within it's perimeter. It also has the original Clubhouse, Test Hill, Bridge and pit garages.
As regard aircraft, all the Wellingtons were built there (A.V. Roe started there), as were all the DC10s and, yes, it does now have a restored Concorde.

As a point of interest, Sunday April 20th is the Brooklands Motorcycle Centenary celebrations. Knowing some of the guys who look after the bikes, I'm sure this will be a great event.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally Posted by White flag man

Mick,
your friend is right, mostly. Most of the infield track and banking has gone to development, and now the airfield. The museum sits on some of the original airfield track and has the best remaining banking within it's perimeter. It also has the original Clubhouse, Test Hill, Bridge and pit garages.
As regard aircraft, all the Wellingtons were built there (A.V. Roe started there), as were all the DC10s and, yes, it does now have a restored Concorde.

As a point of interest, Sunday April 20th is the Brooklands Motorcycle Centenary celebrations. Knowing some of the guys who look after the bikes, I'm sure this will be a great event.

Thanks Nick...its definately on the must do list

Tis a pity we couldn't have had regular Concorde runs out here...too noisey they said...sonic booms they said...rubbish I said

[ss_collins]

about 50% of the campbell circuit remains - some of it forms part of the Merc test track...

I'm not sure what you mean by aifield track - There is the campbell circuit which is the infield road course, and the starting straight...

the old runway (used for testing and the odd sprint) is gone, but never formed part of a track other than the Kart circuit

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.35....6&r=0&src=msl

here you can see the runway (in a pre merc form) - and to the right (roughly parralell) the starting straight

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.35...17&r=0&src=ggl

and in this older pic the entire campbell circuit is intact..

[minimangler]

I like how the planes havent moved. A very "in use" airfield, that one.

[ss_collins]

the runway was so potholed in the end it was useless even for testing