9 replies to this topic

[Rob Semmeling]

I am trying to find out more about Cadwell Park's early history. The track opened in 1934, but when exactly was that first meeting ?

I've seen the original surface variously described as dirt, chalk and grass. At some point around 1937, the track was paved with concrete, although perhaps not all of it at once. But when exactly ?

Cadwell Park was quite a busy track in those days. Here is a list of pre-war meetings, but it is very incomplete, and some of the dates are missing:

00.00.1934

22.09.1935

00.08.1936 - August Bank Holiday
20.09.1936

26.03.1937 - Good Friday
00.05.1937 - Whitsun (cancelled)
00.08.1937 - August Bank Holiday
19.09.1937

15.03.1938
06.06.1938
01.08.1938
29.08.1938
18.09.1938

07.04.1939
02.07.1939
07.08.1939 - last pre-war meeting

Does anyone have access to race reports of pre-war Cadwell Park meets from magazines like Motor Cycle ?

Pre-war photos are also very rare, but there are some excellent pictures in the Mortons Archive (search for "Cadwell Park").

Who knows more ?

[Paul Collins]

My old local, i've got loads of stuff on Cadwell's history but unfortunately its stashed away in my parents shed 300 miles away!!

I cant remember dates but the circuit was originally oval shaped using the top part of the current circuit (through the woods) and then turning right after the start/finish line to sweep around and over the mountain again, it was then extended to include a loop over the top to Mansfield corner, this loop later became part of the stock car circuit, and then around 1963 the full circuit as we know it was completed.

Charlie Wilkinson whose parents owned the land started it all and went on to form the Louth & District MMC based around events at the circuit, I knew Charlie quite well in my younger days and remember some of his stories, in particular he told me that when the circuit was little more than rolled stones and clay they used to go up onto the main Louth to Horncastle road outside the circuit when any road works were taking place and tip the steam roller driver to come down and get his water from the pond at Barn Corner so that they got a bit of the circuit rolled for free

I remember the place as it was in the 70's with the cottage on the exit of the hairpin and the barn at Barn Corner, when I marshalled there we used to leave the barn doors wide open as an escape route and line the back wall of the barn with bales!! going over the mountain and into the woods felt like changing from a short circuit to a road circuit with all the furniture around you.

Fond memories of the place, I saw my first race there aged about 10, had my first race there 7 years later, and had my last ever win there.

Edited by Paul Collins, 23 March 2013 - 14:19.

[Geoff E]

As you may know, in the early years, solos raced anticlockwise (down the mountain). Sidecars have always run clockwise.

The Lincolnshire Echo published a newspaper-type supplement in February 1992, "Cadwell Focus". It gives no specific dates of the old meetings.

The mountain and the approach from the main straight was certainly chalk in 1935.

One photo "in the first season of racing following the end of World War Two" shows a wet surface, presumably chalk (which was apparent in pre-war photos), but in one dated 25 Aug 1946 the same stretch of track - Hall Bends - looks like concrete. This was probably the first meeting I attended but it was a few months before I was born.

[Rob Semmeling]

Thank you both for your replies.

Photos from the Mortons Archive I linked to clearly show the track was paved with concrete by 1938, or at the very least the front straight and Mountain Ascent.

All photos I have seen from 1946 also show a concrete surface, which I believe lasted until the track was extended and paved with tarmac in 1952.

Surely someone here must know more of Cadwell's early history ?

[Paul Collins]

Thank you both for your replies.

Photos from the Mortons Archive I linked to clearly show the track was paved with concrete by 1938, or at the very least the front straight and Mountain Ascent.

All photos I have seen from 1946 also show a concrete surface, which I believe lasted until the track was extended and paved with tarmac in 1952.

Surely someone here must know more of Cadwell's early history ?

Hi Rob, certainly the first extension which they did was all concrete, the one which went as far as the current Coppice and then went straight up over the top and down to what is now Mansfield corner before turning right and returning to the bottom of the mountain, we used to use the old top section as a holding area at club meetings and then drop down to the grid at Mansfield Corner once the previous race had finished, and the concrete was still there in large sections amongst the later tarmac.

I thought the full circuit as we know it today was opened in the early 60's?

When I go back over to see my parents in May i'll see what I can dig out of my archives for you, I certainly have some sort of anniversary programme from the 70's (not sure how many years it was celebrating) which contains lots of information, and also somewhere is a feature addition that our local paper did about Cadwells history from about 10 years ago which I contributed to.

Edited by Paul Collins, 24 March 2013 - 14:47.

[LittleChris]

I thought the full circuit as we know it today was opened in the early 60's?

1962 wasn't it ? I went to the Team Touraco race school there in 1986 and though we just used the Park section rather than the Woodlands bit, it remains my favourite circuit in the UK.

Rob, I'm interested to know why you're researching Cadwell ? Can we expect another of your fantastic circuit history documents similar to that you produced on Dutch, Belgian & German circuits ?

[Rob Semmeling]

No, nothing like that Chris, my website is enough work as it is! Besides, the British circuits are pretty well covered between the books of Peter Swinger, Mick Walker and Julian Hunt.

Cadwell Park was first lengthened from 0.75 of a mile to 1.25 miles in 1953 (edit: not 1952 as written earlier) with the first meeting on the new layout taking place in August of that year. The additional extention was completed in 1961, with the first meeting again taking place in August. Without checking, I believe the first stand-alone auto race meeting was in May 1962.

The above is largely from Mick Walker's excellent book on British motorcycle circuits. Walker also points to the 1937 August Bank Holiday meeting as the first after the track was paved with concrete, but then goes on to say that "the sections which had already been concreted were widened" which makes we wonder why, apparently, the circuit owners did not pave the whole thing at once.

A shame the early history of what may well be Britain's finest circuit is not documented better.

Edited by Rob Semmeling, 22 September 2014 - 15:42.

[Paul Collins]

I think Hall Bends was originally the driveway to the hall which stood there somewhere, so its possible the bit from the hairpin back to the hall which I believe stood somewhere just inside where to old footbridge was, already had a coating of concrete when Charlie and his mates first decided to form the original circuit utilising that bit of road?

It may be worth dropping an email to Malc Wheeler at Mortons, he's another local lad with a fair knowledge of Cadwell's history and might well have other stuff in his archives too.

Edited by Paul Collins, 25 March 2013 - 17:17.

[Geoff E]

Old maps (sadly nothing between 1907 and 1951) can be viewed here http://www.old-maps....s=529390,381129

(select map on the right) The size of the map can be altered by holding down your Ctrl key and moving the mouse wheel.

A modern map is here http://www.streetmap...3...p;A=Y&Z=115

[46700]

No, nothing like that Chris, my website is enough work as it is! Besides, the British circuits are pretty well covered between the books of Peter Swinger, Mick Walker and Julian Hunt.

Cadwell Park was first lengthened from 0.75 of a mile to 1.25 miles in 1952, with the first meeting on the new layout taking place in August of that year. The additional extention was completed in 1961, with the first meeting again taking place in August. Without checking, I believe the first stand-alone auto race meeting was in May 1962.

The above is largely from Mick Walker's excellent book on British motorcycle circuits. Walker also points to the 1937 August Bank Holiday meeting as the first after the track was paved with concrete, but then goes on to say that "the sections which had already been concreted were widened" which makes we wonder why, apparently, the circuit owners did not pave the whole thing at once.

A shame the early history of what may well be Britain's finest circuit is not documented better.

I first went to Cadwell as a hanger on (gofor) in1952 they were in the process of extending, but the meeting was on the 3/4 mile circuit,. access to the circuit/pits was through a 5bar gate on the outside of the hairpin, A drive around the track through a removed gate ( straw bales on the posts )approx where the start /finish is present day, up the mountain & a left turn into the paddock. Included in the entry fee, was( lunch) for rider & 1 helper/mech, which comprised of 2 slices of bread cut into triangles 1 cheese,1ham, slice of fruit cake & mug of tea or coffee, If you were late arriving & they had started practice you had to wait by the hairpin for the session to finish. I first raced there in 55 & at the time was pestered by a young lad from the village who wanted to be a racer(so he said) I took him with me to one meeting. We were late arriving ( trouble with the transporter Ford 10cwt puddle jumper van with passenger seat removed to give enough room to get the bike in, 1952 7R AJS ) duly made to wait at gate as first session of practice was about to start. First time around a damp hairpin resulted in bikes & bodies in all directions, said racer tobe turned a hospital shade of green & seemed to lose all interest & enthusiam. He never asked to go again. I raced various bikes there up to 1960,have always had a soft spot for Cadwell. it was a much better circuit than Osmaston Manor or Alton Towers although I always liked Oulton Park.