94 replies to this topic

[Imperial]

Which part is this underground structure? It apparently sits inside a old limestone quarry

 

 

How is the above underground, if it has a ground level window??? 

[RA2]

I though those where muddy puddles

 

To the south of the main car park in the satellite photo. You can just see the four round windows in the ceiling (two of which are on the photo above)

[Stephane]

How is the above underground, if it has a ground level window??? 

 

Terrain is not flat, i guess

[smitten]

How is the above underground, if it has a ground level window??? 

Probably just enough underground to avoid planning consent!

[Lotusse7en]

Superb Frood!

Shows how little Mallya put into Force India doesn’t it...

I popped in there when Spyker took over , looked the same then 

[Anuity]

I’d much rather work in a rural location than in a city. Now that would be a depressing location to work. Though the Italian teams will undoubtably have the best food.

Some of them are quite isolated though. Commuting must consume quite a lot of time to get there, and doing it on a daily basis does not sound like a very appealing option.
Google indicates that getting to Aston Martin will take 1,5h from London, about 1 hour from Birmingham and some 45 minutes from Oxford. Thats quite a significant time one should invest on a one way trip. Perhaps all factory workers live in Silverstone though. Although I would be surprised.

There’s nothing wrong with working in countryside though. Especially if you happen to live nearby. And eventually it depends on one’s preferences. I prefer more dynamic urban environments myself. Also more flexible for outside activities and your working schedule (night hours, etc.).

[BRG]

Probably just enough underground to avoid planning consent!

Even completely underground would still need planning permission.

 

Some of them are quite isolated though. Commuting must consume quite a lot of time to get there, and doing it on a daily basis does not sound like a very appealing option.
Google indicates that getting to Aston Martin will take 1,5h from London, about 1 hour from Birmingham and some 45 minutes from Oxford. Thats quite a significant time one should invest on a one way trip. Perhaps all factory workers live in Silverstone though. Although I would be surprised.

Less than half an hour from Milton Keynes.  Not a long commute - my daily trip to Central London took more than an hour each way.

[Risil]

It's attractive moving to an area where there's a cluster of similar jobs too. If you live near Silverstone then you'll also live near Mercedes, Red Bull, Cosworth, Haas, Prodrive, Arden and Judd, to say nothing of the many contractors and subcontractors who do much of the work to make racing cars go.

[Risil]

Something I periodically wonder when I'm driving into Oxford: are they doing anything at the old Arrows site at Leafield now? I think Super Aguri briefly moved in but that was a while ago.

[PayasYouRace]

Some of them are quite isolated though. Commuting must consume quite a lot of time to get there, and doing it on a daily basis does not sound like a very appealing option.
Google indicates that getting to Aston Martin will take 1,5h from London, about 1 hour from Birmingham and some 45 minutes from Oxford. Thats quite a significant time one should invest on a one way trip. Perhaps all factory workers live in Silverstone though. Although I would be surprised.

There’s nothing wrong with working in countryside though. Especially if you happen to live nearby. And eventually it depends on one’s preferences. I prefer more dynamic urban environments myself. Also more flexible for outside activities and your working schedule (night hours, etc.).

Most of the staff probably live in the surrounding towns, not in the major cities.

Plus, it’s England. Nothing is “the middle of nowhere”.

[jcbc3]

Something I periodically wonder when I'm driving into Oxford: are they doing anything at the old Arrows site at Leafield now? I think Super Aguri briefly moved in but that was a while ago.

 

Prepare to cry:

 

[Risil]

Nooooo

[FirstnameLastname]

I was about to go hunting for that same video and then scrolled down and say it posted by jcbc...

I find that thing quite sad to see. Especially when there’s still a lot of clues around the place pointing to Caterhams time there. I’ve done quite a bit of urban exploring and there’s something very poignant about seeing buildings that were once brand new/thriving and somebody’s workplace/home and are now being reclaimed by nature.

[Imperial]

They commit two urbex cardinal-sins in this video:

 

1) Not respecting a potentially 'false floor'. They're standing about on a raised platform that clearly has some 'floor' already missing from it.

2) Referring to each other by their real names on video. "Keiron!!!! KEIRON!!!".

 

A job well done!

[BRG]

Fairly recent aerial views in Google Maps suggest the site remain vacant.  It's odd nobody has picked it up - not even necessarily a motor sport team - so perhaps there is some legal issue in the post-Caterham era.  Did they own it, or lease it, I wonder?

[Peat]

Another motorsport occupant was Menard, they made the V12's for Superleague Formula there iirc. (which incidently, is also used as a fuel pump for the Blooodhound SSC)

I think Marconi owned the site for a few decades, then it became a BT apprentice training centre before TWR acquired it for Arrows. It was then sold to Menard (above). I don't know if Caterham owned for leased it. 

 

I really wish I could retain important work info the way I do this useless trivia. 

[RA2]

Can anyone match these  pictures

 

 

 

 

Edited by RA2, 10 February 2021 - 14:07.

[Peat]

I don't think any of that is there anymore. It's a newish industrial estate that has my local Screwfix on it.

Towers gone and all.  

[Risil]

Yes, Williams are in nearby (but more bucolic) Grove now. When did that happen?

[Frood]

Yes, Williams are in nearby (but more bucolic) Grove now. When did that happen?

1996, according to this article. During the season, too!

[Peat]

95/96ish, I remember going past seeing celebratory banners tied to the fence, but can't remember if it was for Damon or Jacques. More likely to get that reaction for Damon. 

 

EDIT: Thanks Frood. 

Edited by Peat, 10 February 2021 - 14:39.

[Bleu]

Current Hockenheim looks much like watering can.

[RA2]

I guess this is the warehouse they occupied before

 

[Frood]

I don't think any of that is there anymore. It's a newish industrial estate that has my local Screwfix on it.

Towers gone and all.

I think RA2 is right, actually. The Screwfix building (and the grass verge outside), at least in the south-east corner, looks exactly like the old Williams building. On Street View it does, anyway.

Edited by Frood, 10 February 2021 - 16:37.

[FirstnameLastname]

Rockingham... once a thriving race venue... now used for storing unwanted cars

https://www.bbc.co.u...nshire-56104281

Quite sad to see that. I remember seeing the stands rammed for BTCC at one point.

[M66R]

Wow those are some amazing shots.

I missed out on the CART races but attended the BTCC races and a couple of Club meets every year as Rockingham was my "local" track.

So sad.

[ExFlagMan]

Rockingham... once a thriving race venue... now used for storing unwanted cars

https://www.bbc.co.u...nshire-56104281

Quite sad to see that. I remember seeing the stands rammed for BTCC at one point.

 

Looks like a pretty packed grid from those shots - I guess the flag marshals might be pretty busy....

[PayasYouRace]

Rockingham... once a thriving race venue... now used for storing unwanted cars

https://www.bbc.co.u...nshire-56104281

Quite sad to see that. I remember seeing the stands rammed for BTCC at one point.

Looks like a NASCAR race.

[Imperial]

Rockingham... once a thriving race venue... now used for storing unwanted cars

https://www.bbc.co.u...nshire-56104281

Quite sad to see that. I remember seeing the stands rammed for BTCC at one point.

 

I'm a tad baffled by that article, as it says the grandstands were "torn down" (ridiculous hyperbole  by the way, I'm sure the more accurate description would be "carefully deconstructed". Anyway, photos in the article clearly show the grandstands are still there. There were only ever three grandstands, and a small raised viewing section in the infield, on which I watched Felipe Nasr (remember him?) romp to the British F3 title a long time ago.

 

The satellite view says © 2021 and also shows the grandstands, Street View however dates back to 2015, so can't be relied upon. Does anyone actually know if they are still there?

 

I do still hold out hope it will return as a race venue one day, although the financial effects on the world thanks to Covid-19 is more than likely another nail in its coffin, or at 'best' means it may be even more years until it returns to racing. I would say at least the track hasn't been torn up, but then the A1 ring was absolutely wrecked and managed to make a return after they linked the decapitated-track back together.

 

As a small aside....maybe around ten years ago I had to conduct a work visit to a large community organisation in Corby, who informed me that there was a lot of local resentment about Rockingham, given that other options that had been on the table for the land would have resulted in securing far more jobs for people (given thousands had been lost when the steelworks closed). I can't imagine it stings any less for those who never found work again, when even Rockingham is gone now and it's just a big car park that essentially employs virtually nobody.

[Imperial]

Anyway, far cooler is if you look at the first picture on this link: https://www.bbc.co.u...nshire-46828325

 

You may need a magnifying glass, but if you look to the top-left under the covered grandstand, you will see me sat there! 

[Peat]

Rockinghams NIMBY detractors always did baffle me. "It's an eyesore"

I've been there, the surrounding mega-industrial area is hardly and area of outstanding natural beauty.  

[Imperial]

It was explained to me that there were options such as opening up new factories, and employing thousands, but in the end the decision went to attempt to put Rockingham (which it isn't, it's Corby) on the world stage. Which it kind of is now, for being a former race track used as a car park.

 

I can appreciate the point of view of an organisation that represented a lot of unemployed people.

[BRG]

Rockinghams NIMBY detractors always did baffle me. "It's an eyesore"

I've been there, the surrounding mega-industrial area is hardly and area of outstanding natural beauty.  

Most of the locals are Scottish, so...

 

It was explained to me that there were options such as opening up new factories, and employing thousands, but in the end the decision went to attempt to put Rockingham (which it isn't, it's Corby) on the world stage. Which it kind of is now, for being a former race track used as a car park.

 

I can appreciate the point of view of an organisation that represented a lot of unemployed people.

Whilst I never understood the business plan for Rockingham, which I could never see being a viable enterprise, I doubt if it squeezed out any other possible developments.  The whole area around Corby is full of brownfield sites that could be equally have been used for those new factories etc  if there had ever been the demand.

[LucaP]

A shame, with all the criticism that "roval" tracks get, I think Rockingham was the best layout of that type.

[Imperial]

Most of the locals are Scottish, so...

 

Whilst I never understood the business plan for Rockingham, which I could never see being a viable enterprise, I doubt if it squeezed out any other possible developments.  The whole area around Corby is full of brownfield sites that could be equally have been used for those new factories etc  if there had ever been the demand.

 

I think it was more about being something that would have been a political gesture than anything else, i.e. let's put the place that will employ thousands on top of the place that employed thousands and who are now unemployed.

 

So, yes it is probably partly true that if there was a huge clamour from business to locate to Corby, they'd have done it anyway. And probably an opposing argument that the land was probably not for sale at a rate as high as surrounding land may have been/is, which may have put companies off. I don't know though, and I'm digressing!

[MattK9]

A shame, with all the criticism that "roval" tracks get, I think Rockingham was the best layout of that type.

 

I always thought of Rockingham as one of the BTCC courses that also had an oval configuration.

 

Other Rovals are Ovals that have an additional internal infield road course.

[BRG]

It was purpose built as a multiple choice of layout facility.  Most rovals are an after thought.

[StraightEdge]

Google maps list AJ Foyt Enterprises HQ in Waller, TX as clothing store. If you want to know that's a high school across the street from it. I drove by AJFE once.

[StraightEdge]

Two tracks around east Texas. This is now-closed and soon to be bulldozed Texas World Speedway

 

This one is a club racing and racing school track located in Austin. No this is not COTA. This is Driveway Austin. If you fly in to Austin from east you can easily see it from window of your seat. JP must have saw that before the plane landed. This track is located north of the airport unlike COTA which is southeast of the airport. I mistaken this as Harris Hill Raceway, a nearby track located in northeast of San Marcos, TX.

[PayasYouRace]

Speaking of defunct British ovals, there's a lot to see at what remains of the world's first permanent motor racing circuit.

 

 

Brooklands was a large site, The oval itself was 2.7 miles long, putting it in the league of Indianapolis, Pocono, Daytona and Talladega. As you can see, a lot of the track is still there, despite being closed as a circuit for over 80 years. From partway round the Home Banking you can follow most of the track round all the way to near where The Fork was.

 

Let's take a couple of closer looks.

 

 

In the north we have the Home Banking and Members Banking, and the junction with the finishing straight. Just to the west of that is the Brooklands Museum (which I highly recommend visiting once such things are possible again). The museum extends to the Rivey Wey, and the bridge over the river is one part of the track that has not survived. The approach road to the museum, just south of JTI UK, is also part of what was the Campbell Circuit, which might be the world's first "roval". The test hill is also still there, just where the first corner of the Cambell circuit is.

 

 

Looking further south now.

 

 

Fortunately, a lot of the old Railway Straight still exists behind Mercedes-Benz world, the Brooklands Hotel and the first few industrial units. Sadly, DLG's building is built right on top of it. However, we can also see some other interesting things. Merc World's track is built between what is left of Vickers' runway and the Cambell Straight. The the east of their track you can still see Aerodrome Curve, around their circular pan, the Sahara Straight, and the following Howe's Corner has survived. On the other side of the river, the large car park for the offices of Royal Caribbean, Walgreens Boots and all the others is actually on the original Finishing Straight, and you can see it clearly lines up with the part that's in the museum.

 

 

At the south we can see how the Byfleet Banking is mostly intact, though the A318 cuts through it quite dramatically. It creates a stunning backdrop for the shoppers doing their weekly shop at Tesco's. In the adjacent park, still more of the circuit is visible, as is the south end of the runway. As the track reaches its second crossing of the Wey, Staniland Dr. provides a residential street following the track up to the roundabout at Wellington Way. From there, only hints of earthworks and the locations of buildings and roads provide any hint to link back up to where we started.

[FirstnameLastname]

Superb post, cheers for that PAYR 👍🏻

A look on street view and you’re right, the banking still looks quite spectacular to passing traffic. Also sections that seem to be used as a car park... and a housing estate on one of the straights.

[Imperial]

I have driven on what remains of the Brooklands oval, on my way to a day at Mercedes. It was at about 15mph, but amazing to say I've done it!

[BRG]

Speaking of defunct British ovals, there's a lot to see at what remains of the world's first permanent motor racing circuit..

If you look really closely at the Tesco's car park in that aerial shot, you can see my car.  It is the black one, parked between the silver and the white ones.     

 

I have driven on what remains of the Brooklands oval, on my way to a day at Mercedes. It was at about 15mph, but amazing to say I've done it!

Back before the revamp of the infield area, which led to Mercedes World and the community park, the local Landrover dealer used to bring customers along to drive on part of the Byfleet Banking, including going straight up it at one of the steepest points.  And it is steep - none of your namby-pamby US oval style banking at 5 or 10 degrees - at Brooklands at the top of the banking it more like 50 degrees!  Impossible to stand on it!

 

You can also just see the defunct kart track in what is now the community park.  This was built initially as fun kart track, but later extended and I believe gained certification for international kart racing.  But that didn't last long once Mercedes World was built and the council took over the southern part as a park and killed karting off immediately. 

 

Elmbridge Borough Council's record of dealing with Brooklands is second to none - no council could do less to celebrate this historic venue.  It totally ignored the 100th anniversary, and it is not as if there is a strong Green or LibDem motor-sport hating faction on the council.

[Frood]

You can also just see the defunct kart track in what is now the community park.  This was built initially as fun kart track, but later extended and I believe gained certification for international kart racing.  But that didn't last long once Mercedes World was built and the council took over the southern part as a park and killed karting off immediately.

Indeed - here, the track is visible at pre-Mercedes-Benz World Brooklands, circa 2002:

 

 

And a bonus shot of the track circa 1945, before the concrete runway was built, which necessitated the demolition of some of the banking:

 

[Cornholio]

Two well-known circuits (both on the F1 calendar last year), in two different countries, both just about legible (if you squint hard enough, and aren't on a phone I guess) in the same Google Earth image:

 

 

 

Sadly getting the full Nordschleife in view was a bit of a stretch though.

Edited by Cornholio, 20 February 2021 - 16:33.