Reading DCNs piece on Donington in Autosport it mentions there were kart races run in the 1960's on the original Melbourne loop. Does anyone know much more than that? Any pics of the track layout? I only have vague memories of sweeping the loop 21 years ago so we could give our Cosworth a bit of a blast but if my memory serves me well its not the most interesting of layouts.
Actually has anybody got a pic of the post 77 track layout overlaid on the original full pre-war circuit?
Donington, old Melbourne loop kart track
Started by
ghinzani
, Jul 07 2008 14:26
6 replies to this topic
#3
ghinzani
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Posted 07 July 2008 - 14:36
My that was quick! Thanks.
#4
taylov
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Posted 07 July 2008 - 15:04
I was told that TW and Donington had wanted to include the Melbourne loop in the 1977 revival of the circuit, but because it is in the next county (?Derbyshire), the planning consents were deemed to be too complex or expensive, so it remained for many years as the last surviving part of the pre-war circuit which had not been modernised.
It was certainly used for a number of tests of pre-war cars which appeared in magazine articles in the early 1980s.
Tony
It was certainly used for a number of tests of pre-war cars which appeared in magazine articles in the early 1980s.
Tony
#5
Tony Lethbridge
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Posted 07 July 2008 - 15:49
Wow, I would love to have driven a Class IV kart on the Melbourne Loop. Back in the winter of 1963 snow had stopped all the TV football coverage and instead the BBC showed the old Shell history of motor racing film with the Mercs and Auto Unions airborne there in 1937. I have been fascinated with Donington ever since. My daughter was a student at Hull uni and whenever we drove north would stop off at Donington for a coffee and invariably a walk round the museum. When she graduated I hired a rather elderly Toyota van to bring her stuff back. Naturally we stopped at Donington on the way home, and I took the opportunity to see if I could find the Loop. We talked nicely to a gate man at the car auction and he agreed to let us in, but first wanted to search the van. 'What for?' I asked. 'Guns' he replied. I thought he must be joking but it turned out he thought I might be a poacher as there is plenty of game ( rabbits, pheasants, etc.) down there. Once inside I managed to drive four laps of the Loop which is divided from the present circuit by a concrete wall. The only trouble was I had not realised just how steep the hill actually is and the old van found it hard going. The thrill of driving in the wheeltracks of Nuvolari, Rosemeyer and Seaman was terrific but sadly I totally failed to get the Toyota airborne in first gear. Since then I have tried to persuade said daughter to find a job in Pescara but sadly no luck!
Motorsport ran an interesting article sometime ago comparing the present Donington circuit layout with the original.
Motorsport ran an interesting article sometime ago comparing the present Donington circuit layout with the original.
#6
frangible
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Posted 07 July 2008 - 16:06
Off topic but noticing your West Ham signature... I was at a Brands Hatch testing day a couple of years back when I saw these chaps being photographed by a lovely E-Type. I'm afraid I asked the manager chappie if they were a "boy band." Turns out they were not...
#7
ghinzani
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Posted 07 July 2008 - 16:16
Originally posted by frangible
Off topic but noticing your West Ham signature... I was at a Brands Hatch testing day a couple of years back when I saw these chaps being photographed by a lovely E-Type. I'm afraid I asked the manager chappie if they were a "boy band." Turns out they were not...
They look like a bunch of ex-West Ham players (and Manager) to me - except Anton Ferdinand and I reckon his days are numbered!
