UK racing venues: the definitive list

Seem to recall a few years ago Edzell was supposed to hold a significant single venue (sorry: "multi use" in political correctness) stage rally (may be at the time the USN finally pulled out?) but something went wrong before it got going?

Originally posted by Stephen W


We were planning to start the sprint out of the pit-lane, do one full lap of the Indy circuit then second time round finish at Clearways and come into the pit lane.

Unfortunately the plans are still just that! :wave:

Pretty sure that's the format now and was in 1997 - although I have absolutely no recollection of the finish at all (which is somewhat embarrassing, as I competed in the 1997 one...thought it was just the date I wasn't sure of...)


Did we have Ocean Village, Southampton on the "lost" list? (that was a great one - a real street circuit with kerbs and lamp posts!)

Darren, Steve, have we covered;

Farnanes, Co Cork hill climb
Ancaster Malbis, York, 900 yds sprint Airedale andpennine M/C
Blagden/Blagdon Hall, Morpeth/Newcastle upon Tyne, Kings College Sprint
Spelga Gap , Mourne,
Altidore hillclimb Kerry M/C
Finmere sprint, London M/C
Biggin Hill, northern loop of airfiled, sprint BARC
Riccall Airfield, Selby, sprint and drag race, Ilkley and District M/C?

I came across them as I looked through '60 and '61 Autosports in connection with something else.

Roger Lund

The title of the thread says "UK"

Originally posted by bradbury west
Darren, Steve, have we covered;

Farnanes, Co Cork hill climb
Ancaster Malbis, York, 900 yds sprint Airedale andpennine M/C
Blagden/Blagdon Hall, Morpeth/Newcastle upon Tyne, Kings College Sprint
Spelga Gap , Mourne,
Altidore hillclimb Kerry M/C
Finmere sprint, London M/C
Biggin Hill, northern loop of airfiled, sprint BARC
Riccall Airfield, Selby, sprint and drag race, Ilkley and District M/C?

I came across them as I looked through '60 and '61 Autosports in connection with something else.

Roger Lund

Not sure? I have the following list of HILLCLIMB Venues I compiled a couple of years ago. must admit I haven't kept it up to date!

Alms Hill Stonor
Ambergate
Angel Bank
Aston Hill Nr Aston Clinton, Tring
Backwell
Baitings Dam Nr Ripponden
Barbon Manor North East of Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria
Beacon Hill Woodhouse Eaves
Benbradagh County Londonderry
Birdlip Hill
Birkhill Nr Moffatt
Blandford Camp
Bo'ness Nr Grangemouth
Bottledown Little Burstead to Billericay
Bottledown Hill
Bouley Bay Jersey
Bridehead Dorchester
Brookland's Test Hill
Broughton Hill Nr Kettleby
Brunton Nr Collingbourne Ducis, Wiltshire
Bully Hill Market Raisen to Grimsby
Buttrill's Hill
Caerphilly
Cairn Castle North of Larne
Cairn O'Mount
Castel Farm Llangynydd, Nr Bridgend
Castle Hill Lostwithiel
Catterick Army Camp
Chalfont St Peter
Chatcombe Pitch Nr Cheltenham
Clerk Hill Nr Whalley
Coalport Hill
Corkscrew Hill Lisdoonvarna
Cornist Hill Manchester
Craigantlet East of Belfast
Creg-Ny-Baa Isle of Man
Cricket St Thomas
Croft Holywood, County Down
Crondown Hill Deddington to Chipping Norton
Cruagh
Cultra Ulster Folk Museum. Holywood, County Down
Dalgrain Bray Nr Sorn
Dalton Bank
Dancer's End
Dashwood Hill
Detling
Dinmore Hill Hereford to Leominster
Doune Off the Callendar road from Doune
Drumhoc County Down
Dungarvan Tipperary
Dunmail Raise Grasmere
Durris Nr Stonehaven
Dyrham Park Nr Bath
Eagles Rock County Londonderry
Enniskerry
Ewelme Bank
Fintray House North West of Aberdeen
Firle (Bo Peep Hill) Sussex Downs
Fordingbridge Nr Southampton
Forrestburn East of Airdrie
Frome's Hill Hereford to Worcester
Furnace Grange
Garford
Garron Point County Antrim
Garrowby Hill East Yorkshire
Gatacre
Glendoe
Glendu Hill
Goodwood House North East of Chichester
Gorcott Hill Nr Alcester
Gransden Lodge
Gravel Hill Hexton
Great Auclum Burghfield Common, Nr Reading
Great Farthingloe Farm
Greve De Lecq Jersey
Greyhound Hill East of Kedal
Grimsthorpe Castle Lincolnshire
Grindleford Bridge/Padley Wood
Gurston Down Broadchalke, Nr Salisbury
Hand Post Hill Middlesex
Harewood Nr Leeds
Harewood Bank Nr Leeds
Harley Bank Wolverhampton
Harleyford
Haynes Park
Hazlewood Hill Duffield to Belper
Hemerdon Quarry
Hepolite Scar
Hermitage Hill Bridgenorth
Heyden Bridge Nr Huddersfield
Hill Cliff Lane Turnditch
Hill Moor Road Meltham, Nr Huddersfield
Hindhead Hill Surrey
Holme Moss Holme to Woodhead, Nr Holmefirth
Horndean
Hurstwood
Joel Park
Kettleby Hill Nottingham
Kidd's Hill Southsea
Killorglin Hill
Kingsdown Hill Bath
Kinkell Braes
Kirkfield Bank
Knockagh
Knockalla
Knockhill
Kop Hill Princess Risborough
Laindon Two Church Hill Billericay to Gravesend
Le Val Des Terres Guernsey
Leighton Hall Nr Carnforth
Lerghy Frissel Isle of Man
Lippiett's Hill Epping Forest
Little Gruinard
Lock-Na-Craig
Longleat West of Warminster
Loton Park West of Shrewsbury
Lulworth Cove
Lydstep Haven
Lys-y-Fran North East of Haverfordwest
Mancetter
Middle House Hill
Mount Bingham Jersey
Mucklow Hill Halesowen
Naish House Nr Bristol
Nettleton
Oakamoor Nottingham
Oddicombe North West of Torquay
Offley Hill Hitchin
Olivers Mount Scarborough
Paddy Slacks Glenlude Hill, Innerleithen
Pateley Bridge Yorkshire
Peeble Combe
Penkridge Park
Peppard Village Hill Nr Reading
Petersham Hill Richmond-upon-Thames
Petit Bot Guernsey
Pontypool Park In Pontypool
Porlock Toll Road West Somerset
Post Hill
Pot Bank Harrogate
Prescott North East of Cheltenham
Race Hill Lewes
Ragley Park
Ragpath Slide Lanchester
Rest & Be Thankful Glen Croe
Rhubina Hill South Wales
River Hill Tunbridge Wells
Rivington Pike Horwich, Nr Bolton
Rockingham Hill Nottingham
Rosedale Abbey Bank Nr Bradford
Rotherfield Park
Rumster North West of Lybster
Saltersford Church Nr Macclesfield
Scammonden Dam West of Huddersfield
Shap Fell Nr Kendall
Shap Wells
Sharnden Hill Nr Mayfield
Shelsley Walsh North West of Worcester
Shibden Park
Snake Pass Glossop to Ashopton
South Harting Chichester to Petersfield
Spelga Pass Newry
Spread Eagle Shaftsbury to Blandford, Nr Melbury
St Audries Bay Channel Islands
Stanmer Park Falmer, Nr Brighton
Stapleford Nr Abridge, Essex
Staxton Bank Great Driffield Road, Nr Scarborough
Strathclyde Park
Styal Kop Rugeley
Sulham Hill Reading
Sun Rising Hill Banbury
Sutton Bank
Syonfin Omagh
Syston Park Lincolnshire
Taddington Hill Buxton
The Sloc Isle of Man
Tholt-y-Will Isle of Man
Thonock Hill Gainsborough
Thundersley Church Nr Hadleigh, Essex
Tilburstowe Hill Godstone Green
Tougis Hill Alderney
Tregrehan East of St Austell
Trengwainton North West of Penzance
Tumnel Bridge
Valence School
Waddington Pike Nr Clitheroe
Waterworks Hill North West London
Weatheroak Hill
Werneth Low Hyde
Werrington Park North West of Launceston
Westbrook Hay Nr Berkhamsted
Westerham Hill Catford
Westmount Road Jersey
Whitbridge Hill Edinburgh
Why Not Hill
Wiscombe Park South of Honiton
Woburn Park
Woodcock Hill Elstree to Barnet
Yearby Hill Stockton
Yorks Hill Sevenoaks

Can anyone tell me about Kingsdown Hill, Bath? It was used in the 1920s, but I don't believe it is actually within Bath - is it to the east of Bath shown here http://www.multimap....up.x=287&up.y=4? It was 0.5 miles long, so is it the road with the double arrow incline marker?

Originally posted by RS2000


and Talbenny.

Went there in about '91 to watch a mate do a stage rally . The guy he was navigating for managed to park his car on the first solid object he encountered on the very first corner and retired!
It was in quite a state of disrepair even then and I couldn't make out where the sprint course could have been among all the weeds and potholes!

Steve mentioned Ragley Hall (was it also called Ragley Park?). Lovely little venue, ran there twice in the early 90s before a cattle grid was installed somewhere close to the cricket pavilion and rendered the place unusable. Very small paddock so only about 30 entries which made it very relaxed and cosy.

Originally posted by Stephen W
Lost Sprint Venues:

Again a list of post-World War 2 venues no longer used -

... Blackbushe...

This is Blackbushe Airport is it not? N51°19.43 W000°50.85? That's Yateley, Hampshire. I used to live just behind it and heard the noise of karts one Sunday. I wandered through the woods and found that they still have an active kart track out the back of the airport.

Allen

Originally posted by David McKinney
The title of the thread says "UK"

Sorry, David. Only trying to be helpful. I am no good at geography if the gate out of the filed is shut.

Roger

Steve W - when I saw your list I thought I would catch you out with "Shibden Park". Respect!

My local club - Yorkshire Sports Car Club - held just one event there (1970?). Shibden Park is the municipal park in Halifax, and the club had to seek local authority approval. IIRC the RAC would only licence single seaters upto 1600cc due to the confines of the track. Unfortunately there was a serious shunt on the day & the venue was never used again.

Originally posted by Allen Brown
This is Blackbushe Airport is it not? N51°19.43 W000°50.85? That's Yateley, Hampshire. I used to live just behind it and heard the noise of karts one Sunday. I wandered through the woods and found that they still have an active kart track out the back of the airport.

Allen

Also scene of one of the early Drag racing events and the road alongside was used by the Guiness brothers in about 1907 to test their V8 Darraq land speed record breaker, the car recently seen in CLASSIC & SPORTSCAR

Originally posted by RS2000
Bovington ran a few sprints (1998-2000?) but I think Bovingdon was only oval track racing and stage rallies.

My brother and I competed in the Bovington sprint one year, either 2000 or 2001. My memory is not what it was.

The course used the service roads of the tank training ground, consisting mostly of concrete sections which, after having tanks run over them, did not always align as well as they once had.

Fortunately the tanks had been removed first but what did remain, at not a great distance from the sides of the course, were large concrete tubs about 10 - 15 feet across and about 10 feet high. We were very wary of them even in a saloon, hitting one was to be avoided at all costs, especially as the car was reaching around 100mph in places. The single seater drivers appeared to need a distinct lack of imagination.

Having said that it was a fun and interesting course to drive provided that you stayed on the right bits.

Andrew

Originally posted by Stephen W
Chalfont St Peter

Off-topic - do you have any information - when, where, photo's? I can imagine the course from The Greyhound to the Jolly Farmer (shouldn't all hillclimbs run from pub to pub?), but would love to know more.

On-topic, there is also the history of dirt/clinker tracks, beyond the obvious stadium short ovals. Pre- and post-war there were attempts to promote midget racing. I know of Lea Bridge and Greenford near London, both being long tracks. I have a poster for Midget races that also mentions teams from Coventry and Manchester, and I recall a Northamptonshire track as well (though this may have been a short track).

Originally posted by HiRich
Off-topic - do you have any information - when, where, photo's? I can imagine the course from The Greyhound to the Jolly Farmer (shouldn't all hillclimbs run from pub to pub?), but would love to know more.

My list was lifted from various sources, one of which was the superb 'Uphill Racers' by Chris Mason. In it Chalfont St Peter is one of several courses that are referred to as "small-time affairs" and were just listed rather than descibed in any detail. However it is in the Chapter dated 1925-1939 which will be of little help!

Originally posted by HiRich


On-topic, there is also the history of dirt/clinker tracks, beyond the obvious stadium short ovals. Pre- and post-war there were attempts to promote midget racing. I know of Lea Bridge and Greenford near London, both being long tracks. I have a poster for Midget races that also mentions teams from Coventry and Manchester, and I recall a Northamptonshire track as well (though this may have been a short track).

There was also Sun Street in Stoke where the site is now occupied by CHATFIELD FORD . Apparently there remains one set of stadium gates which still carry the painted message SPEEDWAY 7.30 SATURDAYS NIGHTS or something similar .

For details of what became of many old oval tracks try

http://www.simonlewis.com/sc5.html

Originally posted by simonlewisbooks


Went there in about '91 to watch a mate do a stage rally . The guy he was navigating for managed to park his car on the first solid object he encountered on the very first corner and retired!
It was in quite a state of disrepair even then and I couldn't make out where the sprint course could have been among all the weeds and potholes!

Steve mentioned Ragley Hall (was it also called Ragley Park?). Lovely little venue, ran there twice in the early 90s before a cattle grid was installed somewhere close to the cricket pavilion and rendered the place unusable. Very small paddock so only about 30 entries which made it very relaxed and cosy.

I only knew Talbenny ran sprints because a current speed competitor (Welsh and now aged 76) told me how he ripped the side out of his car on a concrete structure there!

Ragley Hall always? Yes the grid actually closed it rather than Niel Davison's (somewhat freakish) fatal shunt in 1993. Usually a few more than 30 but bizarre class structure by organising Jaguar CC tended to frightened off a lot.

Ref Bovington in another post, yes, never understood how a track licence was issued and can only conclude the drainage bath tubs were not seen. I believe a 6R4 ended up in one on a later stage rally. For the first sprint, 2 competitors manhandled massive earthmover tyres to block the drain tubs. The roads are actually the tank driver training roads (built to avoid letting squaddies loose on the public tarmac with L plates).
Another venue where hire cost went up 10 fold because the contractor subsequently appointed to run the site was not tied in to the previous Ministerial assurances to Parliament regarding use of MOD land for recreational purposes.

I've been recently informed that in the 1970's RAF Watton was used by the BSA Bantam Racing Club, also RAF West Raynam (SW of Fakenham). Does anyone have any further info on these at all?

Originally posted by 2F-001
I don't think anyone has mentioned Great Farthingloe Farm (in Kent, a mile or two from Dover, I think) as a defunct hillclimb venue.
This was listed as a registered venue in the RAC Blue Book in the mid-eighties, but I don't know its lifespan.

Although I never went there, I was told that the course used the access road to the site of a previous, and subsequently abandoned, attempt to build a Channel Tunnel. Is that correct? If so, it must be one of the most bizarre origins for a motorsports facility. (The same source believed that it fell into disuse in the wake of a serious accident involving a child spectator - again I stand ready to be corrected on any of this.)

Great Farthingloe - How can I forget it?
I competed there once in 1981 double driving our Modus M4 Hart BDA with Jim Campbell. We got our first timed run at 5pm!
It was a long road home to Scotland that night.
Walking through the infield at the top of the hill a competition Mini suddenly shot through the hedge and went right over the top of a young boy who was walking just in front us. The long grass must have saved him because as far as we could see he was virtually unhurt despite going right underneath the car.
The event was run by Maidstone & Mid Kent Motor Club. I had not realised that this accident had brought an end to the venue.
We were also told that it was an access road for a previous Chunnel attempt.

What about this place as far as I know they only race bikes there does that count, its in Wales

http://www.tonfanaur..._of_circuit.gif

Also there was New Brighton prom in the Wirral used mostly for bike racing and the odd car sprint they also had a stage of the UK round of the world rally championship in the 70's

http://www.sidenet.c.../infoNewB02.htm

Anyone have any record of bike racing at RAF Thorney Island, near Emsworth on the Hampshire/West Sussex border?

Paul M

Originally posted by Darren Galpin
I've been recently informed that in the 1970's RAF Watton was used by the BSA Bantam Racing Club, also RAF West Raynam (SW of Fakenham). Does anyone have any further info on these at all?

Noticed this outstanding question when the thread was bumped.
Watton was used for sprints and stage rallies, at least to about 1995 I think. There was a (freak) fatal accident on a rally (nearside door ripped off on concrete block and co-driver's seat belt cut at same time).
West Raynham ran at least one sprint. It used a very, very long straight on the main runway which was a problem to the gearing of many competitors. (Actually, come to think of it, the CofC was still actively justifying that choice comparatively recently when people were complaining about Bentwaters sprint being too much main runway).
West Raynham was used for a (car) "gymkhana" in recent years (not as dull as it sounds - a loophole in MSA regs allowing a miniature special stage).

Merryfield (Ilton) sprint a few years ago suffered from same gearing problems. More organisers who really knew better and that production car drivers don't have the option to switch ratios in the lunch break...

Originally posted by Macca
Anyone have any record of bike racing at RAF Thorney Island, near Emsworth on the Hampshire/West Sussex border?
Paul M

No but it was used for stage rallies (early 80s?)

Somewhere I have a programme for motor cycle racing at Thorney Island in the early 1970s. While we are on the south coast, have we had speed trials at Eastern Road Portsmouth, the seafront at Southsea and Windmill Hill Horndean? Sorry if I've missed a previous reference.

Anybody remember Perton, an old RAF training(?) airfield to the West of Wolverhampton where Jaguar tested their disc brakes before LeMans? I watched motorcycle racing there in the '60's and was ejected by car sprinters. JW4 designer David Peers tells me he competed there.

Just seen a reference to Woburn Park hillclimb on Gregor Marshall's Motor club abbreviations/acronyms thread.

Does anybody have a map of the climb that they can post?

As my name has been used in vain (;) ) I thought I'd add to this with a few less common ones:-

Aston Clinton
Chobham
Duxford
Eelmore
Ingliston
Kirkistown
Llandow
Phoenix Park
Rufforth
Selmore Plain (possibly a mis-print and should be Eelmore or vice versa!!)
Tholy-y-Will

And a circuit that I don't know if it was ever was completed Pitstone.

As the UK seems to have expanded to include Ireland can I add:
Ballyalban (Co Clare) 2.2 miles of very fast memory-testing hill
The Sweep (Co Waterford) also a hill.
Both of these are still in use
And (circuits this time)
Dun Laoghaire - Street circuit, sadly only used once in about 1985
Ballyjamesduff - Also a street circuit and run a couple of times in (I think) the late 70s.
Rathdrum - small 0.7m road circuit in Co Wicklow.
And...in the West Country, does anybody remember the sprint venue at Holimarine nr Burnham on Sea ?
Ron Fry was the star there with his 250LM Ferrari. Looked great among the chalets of this holiday camp venue !

There are VMCC Sprints at Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire (my dad attends them).

A couple more airfield circuits for the list, both used for bike racing in the 1990's.

Barkston Heath and Swinderby, both had exceptionally long straights!

Chobham must be Longcross (the then MoD research facility that gave its name to Chobham armour). 2 sprints to run again this year but days numbered for housing development.
Barkston Heath ran a car sprint last year or year before.
Near Eelmoor (yes, Eelmoor Plain is probably the correct geographical location) is also Rushmoor Arena - both F&DMC sprints near Aldershot.
Woburn was only about 400 yds but rose 70ft (Chris Mason's book).
Holimarine (holiday camp, Burnham)? no record/recollection. Burnham on Sea MC did run St Audries Bay hill climb (and rally stage) near Watchett (Somerset coast, not Channel Islands as in SW's list).
Some of the venues listed are the pre-20s illegal ones (in that they were public road and the speed limit was knowingly exceeded), which I would not count as otherewise virtually the entire country would have to be included as road rally venues.
For sprints, have we listed the AEC bus factory Hanwell and the Burton clothing factory Leeds. Gosport - another sea front sprint? (not to be confused with Lee on Solent, HMS Daedalus).

Has no-one got any Pitstone stories/comments??
If not, just poke WBB, otherwise I'll post on his behalf!!

Originally posted by Richard Young

Dun Laoghaire - Street circuit, sadly only used once in about 1985
Ballyjamesduff - Also a street circuit and run a couple of times in (I think) the late 70s.
Rathdrum - small 0.7m road circuit in Co Wicklow.

I seem to recall Ballyjamesduff was another very short (0.5 mile?) and very slow town centre circuit that ran either the year before, or after, Dun Laoghaire . Both were possibly doomed by the insurance problems that afflicted Irish tarmac rallying around this time following some worrying accidents involving spectators (Bertie Fisher's brake failure as captured by an on-board camera was one I think). For a while the whole future of rallying on closed roads apparently looked grim then someone worked out how few problems/claims there really were compared to the money that was being raked in by the insurance companies....

Rathdrum - wasn't that one a pursuit-sprint on a narrow triangle of country lanes? It was as near as you got to a road-race in the 70s and early 80s (Phoenix Park aside) with several cars on track at the same time but no mass-starts. Wonder what became of it? I think it had run since the early 60s? Autosport carried good reports on it for a number of years.

I don't think anyone has mentioned Turnberry in Ayrshire which was an airfield and saw racing in the early fifties including some F1 visitors. It is hoped that a demo will take place there this summer during the Auto Classica at nearly Culzean Castle.

There is mention in this thread of Cark in Cumbria (sometimes known as Flookburgh). it was used for many years for rallies until the nearby caravan site objected too often. There was plans for racing there and a guy from Barrow (who owned an old F5000 car) did try and run a school there but it never got planning permission and like many others died a death.

There was also a number of hill climbs (not much of a hill) at Leighton Hall in Cumbria.

Ouston in Northumberland (now known as Albermarle Baracks) was raced and sprinted on in the early sixties.

Thornaby (now in Teesside) saw racing in 1959 and 1960. Not too far away we have Teesside Autodrome which rose out of the ashes of the Langbargh Motor Sport Centre on the site of the former iron works. Lambargh saw karting but was never lecenced for sprints or racing. However Wigton Motor Club run two sprints a year at Teesside and the vneue now has a racing licence as well although grids will be small.

"a schollt"

What do you mean?

Originally posted by MCS
"a schollt"

What do you mean?

Probably a school!

I thought that Flookburgh was used quiet a lot for Karting?

I did not notice a definitive answer whether short circuits were to be included.
I watched V-8 powered "Super Stox" at Wisbech (Norfolk?) and Mildenhall, Suffolk and the bangers etc at Swaffham. I have pictures from Wisbech and Swaffham.

Staying in Norfolk, in the early 1980’s the British Motor Cycle Owners Club (BRIMBO) held a Sprint on Deopham airfield near Wymondam, I came last!

Wandering over the border into Suffolk; in 1950 the Diss & District Motor Cycle & Light Car Club held a Sprint on Horam airfield, this is between Eye and Stradbroke. The Club went on to provide the travelling marshals for Snetterton when it opened in 1951. Also unofficial Sprints were held on Eye airfield around the same time.

Great Chisel Chalk Pit in Cambridgeshire was the venue for a Hill Climb on the 28th Sept 1952. I have no idea who organised the event.

Originally posted by Derwent Motorsport
I don't think anyone has mentioned Turnberry in Ayrshire which was an airfield and saw racing in the early fifties including some F1 visitors. It is hoped that a demo will take place there this summer during the Auto Classica at nearly Culzean Castle.

Ninian Sanderson at Turnberry in 1952 with the Ecurie Ecosse Cooper Bristol

Mike Hawthorn at the same meeting about to start his only race in a Connaught A Type.

The BRMs at Turnberry with Wharton, Parnell, Mays and Berthon standing between the two cars.

Photos copyright Simon Lewis Transport Books.

Thinking of running a Formula 2 race at Edzell, I find that although the circuit is shown on Darren's site, there is no detail regarding a) direction of travel and b) where the start/finish point was.

Is anyone able to help?

The circuit is clear to see on Google Earth but being in the 'wilds' of Scotland, the resolution is poor. 'Bout time Google updated Scotland - they did Wales a while back.

I guess this must be the Cark or Flookburgh site. Is it pronounced Flookboro or Flookberg?

When I'm in UK I always seem to wind up in Cumbria - my brother and sister in law, and other assorted rellies have weekenders in the Barrow area - so maybe I ought to learn how to pronounce it right.

Originally posted by RWB
Somewhere I have a programme for motor cycle racing at Thorney Island in the early 1970s. While we are on the south coast, have we had speed trials at Eastern Road Portsmouth, the seafront at Southsea and Windmill Hill Horndean? Sorry if I've missed a previous reference.

My wifes cousin has marshalled there in the last couple of years, I believe at a sprint as opposed to a stage rally and I also recall hearing of drag races there many years ago.

Originally posted by Macca
Anyone have any record of bike racing at RAF Thorney Island, near Emsworth on the Hampshire/West Sussex border?

Paul M

Sorry the above post is meant to be in reply to this one - quoted the wrong one!

Originally posted by Stephen W



Fordingbridge Nr Southampton
Horndean
Olivers Mount Scarborough
Spread Eagle Shaftsbury to Blandford, Nr Melbury
Tregrehan East of St Austell
Trengwainton North West of Penzance
Werrington Park North West of Launceston

Can anyone shed some light on the above?
I live on the outskirts of Fordingbridge but cant say I have seen anywhere suitable for a hillclimb?
Similarly for Horndean, except maybe towards Butser Hill.
With Olivers Mount is it correct that the hillclimb doesnt use the same track as the notoriously lethal bike racing circuit?
Any info as to the location of Spread Eagle? Similarly with Trengwainton - Ive been to the there many times as a kid and seen nothing of the kind.

Tregrehane and Werrington are great venues, if a little short - although you get right in on the action - are they still going?

Two circuits/Motorsport facilities Id like to mention are Matchams (Bournemouth) and Angmering(Bognor way) Angmering caters for Stock Cars with its oval, inside of which is a kart and mini moto track. Similarly Matchams Motorsports park used to cater for MX, Stock Cars and Karts however people complaining about noise (the tracks only been there 50 years) mean Moto-X has stopped, Oval racing is on hiatus and our Kart/Mini Moto track is on very rocky ground. Like the case of Kirstie Allsop down at Dunkeswell I wish these people would f*** off somewhere else, Motorsports has been around a long time before they lived there. As my wife says "Dont buy near it if you dont want to hear it!". Same thing probably applies to Thruxton kart track, surrounded by grass banks, brilliant venue but only allowed 4 strokes!

Originally posted by ghinzani
With Olivers Mount is it correct that the hillclimb doesnt use the same track as the notoriously lethal bike racing circuit?

The hillclimb course uses part of the race track.

Originally posted by ghinzani
Similarly with Trengwainton - Ive been to the there many times as a kid and seen nothing of the kind.

From the 1962 RAC Blue Book:

Trengwainton (Cornwall) 2 1/2 m NW of Penzance. Approached by B3312 from Penzance.

Horndean is a grass stock-car track in a field about 0.5 miles south of the village beside the B2149 - easily visible on google maps (and they're racing there this weekend!).

Paul M

(edit: but the Horndean mentioned on Steve's list of hillclimbs would be Windmill Hill, north of the village east of the A3 (and about a quarter of a mile from me!)

Originally posted by Terry Walker
I guess this must be the Cark or Flookburgh site. Is it pronounced Flookboro or Flookberg?

When I'm in UK I always seem to wind up in Cumbria - my brother and sister in law, and other assorted rellies have weekenders in the Barrow area - so maybe I ought to learn how to pronounce it right.

Yes It's Flookburgh, pronounced 'boro".

Has it ever been used for circuit car racing. I think they've raced bikes there and run sprints. The airfield was also as a parachute school.

Originally posted by Stephen W


From the 1962 RAC Blue Book:

Trengwainton (Cornwall) 2 1/2 m NW of Penzance. Approached by B3312 from Penzance.

Hmm not the National Trust gardens then! Just seems a tad flat around there..

Originally posted by ghinzani
I live on the outskirts of Fordingbridge but cant say I have seen anywhere suitable for a hillclimb?

You're going to kill me for this
Quite recently, I read a fairly accurate description of exactly where this was, and thought "That's interesting". I may even have gone so far as to find it on Google Earth. But now I can't remember where it was, or where I read about it. This sort of thing happens when you get older

Fordingbridge was used in 1946 & 47 it was a loose & dusty course over the downs to an RAF site Ken Hutchison's Allard was fastest in May 46 and Leslie Allard (brother of Sydney) was fastest in May47.

Horndean Hill was another loose surfaced track leading up to the Downs (I suspect to the Windmill). It was used in 1939 and 46 and both times Sydney Allard set best time

Thorney Island was an RAF base not far from Goodwood AFAIK it was used for a sprint in 1969. Before then the BRM team ran one of the MkII cars up and down the runway to run it in and blew out the landing lights! Edited to say it was Ford where the MK II BRM blew out the landing lights.

Trengwainton did not use the drive to the house which is part of the National Trust. The Hillclimb course lies to the north west.

Spread Eagle was one of the best known hill climb courses - in use from 1908 until 1924 it is 1.5 miles from Shaftesbury on an unclassifiedd Blandford road 0.5mile from Zig Zag hill Blandford - Shaftesbury B 3081 road. Max 1 in 10 which was also used as a hill climb course

Edited by fuzzi, 18 December 2010 - 17:23.