6 replies to this topic

[Doug Nye]

At the risk of boring everybody - more pix from a hugely enjoyable and illuminating family visit to Brooklands last Saturday...

 

​1 - At the foot of the Test Hill - the Finishing Straight, the immensely evocative (and still hyperactive) Clubhouse, the pre-war score tower, the car-containing Campbell Shed, and an event in progress.  The former Barnes Wallis 'Tallboy' and 'Grand Slam' bombs so long-displayed against the Clubhouse wall seem to have succumbed to PC sensitivities...???

 

 

2 - Re-housed within one of the site's new Lottery-funded hangars is what's billed as The Brooklands Aircraft Factory - featuring the fabulous Loch Ness Vickers Wellington Mk 1A 'N2980'...part restored... It flew 14 missions with No 37 Sqn before being consigned to No 20 OTU at Lossiemouth, Scotland...

 

 

3 - Reminder of early aviation Sopwith days beyond the Wellington's port engine with its propeller blades still bent from initial impact during its ditching in Loch Ness on New Year's Eve, 1940

 

 

4 - Early prototype Hawker P1127 Kestrel VSTOL 'XP984' overseeing the recently-erected Brooklands factory - the green primered fuselage section is a reminder of the killed-off TSR2...

 

 

5 - Very patient Brooklands technician tutoring fresh minds in folding, rolling and riveting aluminium to form an aircraft lookalike model (on top of the cabinet...)

 

 

6 - In the attached second new hall - Hawker Hurricane, of course...

 

 

7 - Another Brooklands-derived baby - BAC Hawk 100 trainer demonstrator

 

 

8 - Hawker Harrier Mk 52 VSTOL - my goodness, chief test pilot John Farley has aged well...

 

 

9 - Handsome from any angle - but today reminding us of yet another abandoned British aviation programme...and loss of capability.

 

 

10 - Handsome from any angle - the Hawker family of 'tween-war biplanes, Fury (here), Hart, Demon, Hind etc...lovely to see...

 

 

11 - "That sturdy, steady, gun platform..." - thick wing of the dependable Hurricane Mk IIA 'Z2389'...retrieved from Soviet service, hence foreground skin fragment star...

 

 

12 - And Brooklands' authority of last resort...  A visit to the extended, revamped site should surely not disappoint...

Highly recommended (all usual disclaimers, of course) - family ticket all bought and paid for, no freebies sought, nor expected....just supporting our local sheriff. And what a most enjoyable day it proved to be.

 

DCN

 

Edited by Doug Nye, 18 June 2019 - 14:07.

[Andrew Stevens]

I will echo Doug's comments. We've been Brooklands Trust members for a few years and to see the effort and funds that have gone into developing and improving the Museum displays and the general environs of the place are a credit to the hard working team there. The efforts put into to encouraging young visitors is impressive too. Well worth a visit.

[Jack-the-Lad]

My wife and I had a wonderful day at Brooklands the week before Members' Meeting. (Thank you, Chris and Carol). We had never been there and we were astonished that there was so much to see and experience. The pictures one sees in magazines, books and on the Internet (sorry Doug ) just can't do justice to the place or, of course, the experience.

[Vitesse2]

Presumably you missed the bombs, Doug. They are still on display - just not outside the Clubhouse.

 

https://www.brooklan...ns-and-missiles

[Doug Nye]

Aah - I was suffering withdrawal symptoms.  As one would wth berms that size.  

 

DCN

[motortim]

Particularly nice to see the first picture as it is me in no.97 the 1935 Eccles Rapier Special!

The VSCC sprint in June was the first time the car had competed in a competitive event at Brooklands since 1938. The Eccles Rapier was uniquely a winner on the Outer, Campbell and Mountain circuits at Brooklands and 1100cc Campbell Circuit lap record holder in 1937. It is now also a (class) winner on the Mercedes Benz World sprint track the VSCC use! If anyone is interested there is a bit more on the car here: http://www.tjmetcalf...da-rapiers.html

[brakedisc]

Thanks for posting. Just love that area of the world, so many wonderful motorsport places worth visiting. Sadly never had time to wander round the museum properly as I always seem to be in a hurry. It is on my bucket list, a few days in the hotel, a couple of days in the museum why I might even pretend I want a German car and have a thrash round some of the track.