9 replies to this topic

[Roger39]

My office is literally a stone's throw from the old Grand Central track in Johannesburg. Strangely enough the land where the circuit was(is) is still vacant despite development all around it. The new Gautrain will run along the western border of the track. I would love to see some old pictures of the racing there....can anybody tell me where the pits were located?

[Hieronymus]

I would hate to see a non-response to this thread, so here we go:

This circuit, situated between Johannesburg and Pretoria, was built in 1949 and the first race meeting took place on 5 November of that year. The twisting circuit was 2,5 miles in length and it became the foremost venue for motor sport meetings in the Transvaal province during the 1950’s. Racing continued until the final meeting on 12 August 1961. By that time there was some serious concerns from the drivers about the surface and general condition of the track.

[Roger39]

Thanks for the response..I want to go and have a look where the pits were and see if I can find anything. I am struggling to find any pictures of the racing there though.... :

[Hieronymus]

If you can get access to that property please take a photo or two...if anything worthwhile is still standing. I'll check to see if I have some magazine pics of races there.

[idrive]

There's nothing left there ...... just a few pieces of tar here and there. I rode my mountain bike around there a few years ago. The grass is pretty long so it'll be difficult to find and follow. Best is to wait for winter when the veld fires have swept through.

Quite a few dodgy vagrants around so I wouldn't go there with a camera. I've also heard the land is zoned for commercial/retail development.

[Hieronymus]

I see that I have the programme of the first ever race meeting at Grand Central, so here is a piece of nostalgia for you.

[Roger39]

Any idea if they stopped racing there altogether after 1961? Seems strange that the land has been untouched and a race track unused for 47 years?

[idrive]

I never saw racing there, but I only arrived in Saffrica in 1965

[Hieronymus]

Originally posted by Roger39
Any idea if they stopped racing there altogether after 1961? Seems strange that the land has been untouched and a race track unused for 47 years?

No official racing after the last race on 12/8/1961. Kyalami was built and became the home of racing in the Transvaal on 4/11/1961.

[fullback]

Does anyone have a diagram of the origional Grand Central, with Tombstone Corner and the Esses on it?