375 replies to this topic

[Redliner]

Right, ok, easy one this. Or at least it should be. I'll keep this limited to the UK for the moment (sorry all you fellas from Europe, US, Down Under etc.)

I want to establish in this thread a complete list of every motorsports facility of ANY kind that has EVER existed in the UK. The obscurer the better, pictures would be great obviously, and historical information would be fantastic.

Just to get the ball rolling

Brooklands
Silverstone
Donnington
Oulton Park
Snetterton
Croft
Mallory Park
Brands Hatch
The TT course on the Isle of Mann
Cadwell Park
Jerby Airfield (close to my heart)
Knockhill
Inglestone
Charterhall
Buckmoor Park
Bell Vue Speedway
Onchan Speedway
Buxton Speedway
Rockinghan Speedway
Pembrey
Darley Moor (a terrifying place)

Anymore? Any information about any of the above? There of of course many obvious ones up there but. . .anyhting obscure is fun and interesting.

Thats about it, oh apart from to offer my condolences to the freinds and family of Rob Walker, a gentleman in every sense of the word, and resposible for the best blue in Motorsport.

[David McKinney]

Before anyone starts wasting their time:
I think you need to define "motorsports facility"
This could apply to factories, preparation shops etc, which I suspect is not what you are aiming for.
Also, are you including two-wheel venues as well as four? And if speedways, what about hillclimb courses?

The other point to make is, for pukka racing circuits, you need Peter Springer's book (whose name escapes me) as a starting point.

[Buford]

Please excuse my stupidity but that is a word I often see and have no idea what it means. What is "pukka"?

[Vitesse2]

One of a number of words which passed from native Indian languages to English - it means genuine, "the real thing".

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by David McKinney
Before anyone starts wasting their time:
I think you need to define "motorsports facility"
This could apply to factories, preparation shops etc, which I suspect is not what you are aiming for.
Also, are you including two-wheel venues as well as four? And if speedways, what about hillclimb courses?

... and sprint courses, autotest venues, rallycross courses, drag strips, trials hills, beaches used for racing and recordbreaking .... not to mention the hundreds of rally special stages ....

[Buford]

Originally posted by Vitesse2
One of a number of words which passed from native Indian languages to English - it means genuine, "the real thing".

Thanks. I learned something today.

[AlesiUK]

i could list all kart circuits in the uk,but to start with,just the ones in scotland.

Larkhall-nr glasgow
Crail-an airfield in fife
Boyndie-nr Banff
Golspie-way up north,next to a beach

these are the only ones used for official RAC events(maybe that is how we could define this list?)

[Wolf]

Redliner, I think You missed Goodwood....

[ehagar]

I always found the circuits in parks rather interesting.... ones that come to mind are Crystal Palace and Beveridge Park in Scotland.

[Rob29]

Originally posted by David McKinney


The other point to make is, for pukka racing circuits, you need Peter Springer's book (whose name escapes me) as a starting point.

Motor Racing Circuits of ENGLAND. Hope he is going to do a second edition for the rest of the UK.
Circuits actually used for car racing:
Scotland; Ingliston,Knockhill,Charterhall, Edzell,Evanton,Beveridge Park,Ayr,Crinond,Winfield
Wales; Pembrey,Llandow,Anglesey(Ty Croes),Whitchurch,Fairwood.
N.Ireland; Kirkistown,Bishopscourt,Long Kesh,Cluntoe,Dundrod,Newtownards(Airfield),Ards(road)Donaghadee,Bangor
Republic of Ireland;Mondello Park,Phoenix Park,Ballyjamesduff,Dundalk,Dun Laoghaire,Wicklow,Dunboyne,Tallaght,Skerries,Cork,Bray,Limerick
Isle of Man;various around Douglas,Jurby airfield,Mountain-1905-22.
Jersey,St.Helier

[Darren Galpin]

Whitchurch is in Bristol, England, not Wales!

The following is a cut and paste from my website, and I'm aware that the beach circuit section is nowhere near complete! Note that Three Sistes is included, although being a kart track you can drive an old Forte F1 car around it.

Aghadowey, Ireland
Aintree
Anglesey
Ards
Athy, Ireland
Bedford Autodrome
Beveridge Park
Birmingham
Bishops Court
Blandford
Boreham
Brands Hatch
Brooklands
Brough
Cadwell Park
Carrowdore, Ireland
Castle Combe
Catterick
Charterhall
Clady
Coleraine/Northwest 200
Cookstown, Ireland
Cork, Ireland
Cranfield, Ireland
Croft
Crystal Palace
Curborough
Davidstow
Debden
Donington Park
Dunboyne, Ireland
Dundalk, Ireland
Dundrod
Elvington
Fairwood
Fersfield
Filton
Full Sutton
Gamston
Goodwood
Gransden Lodge
Ibsley
Ingliston
Jurby, Isle of Man
Kells, Ireland
Killalane, Ireland
Kirkistown
Knockhill
Linton-On-Ouse
Llandow
Longridge
Lulsgate
Lydden Hill
Mallory Park
Manx TT, Isle of Man
Mid-Antrim, Ireland
Monaghan, Ireland
Mondello Park, Ireland
Nutt's Corner, Ireland
Oliver's Mount
Oulton Park
Ouston
Pebsham
Pembrey
Phoenix Park, Ireland
Rockingham Motor Speedway
Rufforth
St.Helier
Silverstone
Skerries
Snetterton
Tandragee, Ireland
The Curragh, Ireland
Thornaby
Three Sisters
Thruxton
Whitchurch
Wicklow, Ireland
Winfield, Scotland

Beach Circuits
Birkdale Sands, Southport
Bream Sands, Burnham
Magilligan Strand, Dublin
Pendine Sands
Redcar
Rosbeigh Strand, Dublin
Rosslare Strand, Dublin
Saltburn
Skegness
Velvet Strand, Dublin
Waterloo Sands, Wallasey
Weston-super-Mare



Redliner's Buckmore Park is not included as it is a kart track. I personally hate the place - I raced there once and had a biggish accident. I suffered nothing worse than a very bad headache, but the driving standards there are horrendous, and the marshals posts at the key points are often unmanned.

Other kart tracks I can think of are Clay Pigeon down near Yeovil somewhere, and I think there is one near Honiton. If we are going to list indoor tracks too.......

[ensign14]

Are we going to include banger racing type tracks as well? If so, Hednesford Raceway (near Cannock) counts - quarter mile or so oval.

[LittleChris]

Clay Pigeon is on the A37 just over the Dorset border between Yeovil & Dorchester.

Sprints were also held during the 70's at Yeovilton adjacent to the runways for the Fleet Air Arm base.

I think the kart track near Honiton could be Dunkeswell.

Carnaby in Lincolnshire was used for karts and bikes up until the early 90's.

[AlesiUK]

some of the other popular Kart tracks:

Rowrah-up north
Fulbeck
Kimbolton
Rye House
Shennington
Clay pigeon-as mentioned above
dungeswell-
felton-closed down in about 94?
Buckmore park

[bradbury west]

Not sure which thread to use for old tracks, so;

Dipping into some early Autosports which have come my way, I see Edzell airfield, a few miles from Aberdeen, was used in 1959. That is one which is new to me

What was the story and for how long was it used?

Roger Lund.

BTW, looking at some photos of Castle Howard hillclimb/sprint in 1959 I had forgotten just how basic and very narrow the lower section was.

[Doug Nye]

Engrossed already Roger? Wot about my umbrella?

[Andrew Kitson]

Sadly Peter Swinger is no longer with us.
His excellent book 'Motor Racing Circuits in England Then and Now' is published by Dial House
ISBN 0-7110-2796-X
Peter dedicated the book to the memory of his friend Tom Pryce.

[RAP]

I think Edzell was only used once, in 1959. It was a replacement for Crimond (1951 - 58). I don't know why no further meetings were held.

[Stephen W]

CURRENT Speed Event venues:

Hillclimbs:
Barbon Manor, Cumbria
Benbradagh, Ulster
Bouley Bay, Jersey
Cairn Castle, Ulster
Castle Hill, Cornwall
Craigantlet, Ulster
Croft, Ulster
Cultra, Ulster
Doune, nr Stirling
Drumhorc, Ulster
Eagles Rock, Ulster
Fintray House, Grampian
Forrestburn, Lanarkshire
Garron Point, Ulster
Goodwood House, Sussex
Geve de Lecq, Jersey
Gurston Down, Wiltshire
Harewood, Yorkshire
Lerghy Frissel, Isle of man
Longleat, Wiltshire
Loton Park, Shropshire
Mount Bingham, Jersey
Olivers Mount, Yorkshire
Petit Bot, Guernsey
Prescott, Gloucestershire
Scammonden, Yorkshire
Shelsley Walsh, Worcestershire
The Sloc, Isle of Man
Tregrehan, Cornwall
Tourgis Hill, Alderney
Val des Terres, Guernsey
Werrington Park, Cornwall
Westmount Road, Jersey
Wiscombe Park, Devon

Sprints:
as well as on the following race tracks:
Anglesey Racing Circuit (Trac Mon)
Cadwell Park
Castle Combe
Croft Circuit
Goodwood
Kirkistown
Knockhill
Lydden
Pembrey
Silverstone Stowe Circuit
Snetterton
there are sprints held at the following venues:
Aintree, Merseyside
Bentwaters Park, Suffolk
Bishopscourt, Ulster
Boyndie, Grampian
Brighton, Sussex
R.M.B. Chivenor, nr Barnstable
Colerne, Wiltshire
Cornbury Park, Oxon
Curborough, Staffs
Dalton Barracks, Oxon
Debden Airfield, Essex
Eelmoor, Yorkshire
Elvington, Yorkshire
Fort Corblets, Alderney
Grampian Transport Museum, Abeendeenshire
Ilton Airfield, Somerset
Jurby, Isle of Man
Kames Motorsport Complex, Ayrshire
Kings Parade New Brighton, Merseyside
Llandow Circuit, South Glamorgan
Longcross, Surrey
Hethel (Lotus Test Track), Norfolk
MIRA, Warwickshire
Mooragh Promenade, Ramsey Isle of Man
North Weald, Essex
Predannack, Cornwall
Rushmoor Arena, Hants
St Eval, Cornwall
Teesside Autodrome, Middlesborough
Thoresby Park, Notts
Three Sisters, Lancashire
Vazon Bay Coast Road, Guernsey
Victoria Avenue, Guernsey
there are also sprints at the following kart tracks:
Dunkeswell, Devon
Golspie, Sutherland

I will have to comb through my older databases to get a list of the ones that have closed!

[bradbury west]

I found this googling Edzell. There is a very strong US military/naval link on the web site.

http://www.ivycom.com/edzell/ct3.htm

The map gives an indication of the possible circuit. Another link, not working, suggests that there is motor bike racing active there.

RL

[Sharman]

For those of you old enough to remember there was once a very large RAF camp at Wilmslow in Cheshire. I once competed at a sprint there. I think it only happened once in 1961 IIRC but there is another obscure venue

[Darren Galpin]

http://www.silhouet..../gb/edzell.html

Motorcycle racing resumed there circa 2004.

[johnwilliamdavies]

Steve

In addition, hillclimbs have been held ay Llys y Fran (Pembrokeshire) since 95.


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Welsh Motor Sport History

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by johnwilliamdavies
Steve

In addition, hillclimbs have been held ay Llys y Fran (Pembrokeshire) since 95.


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Welsh Motor Sport History

I must apologise for missing it off my list, finger trouble!

[Stephen W]

Lost Hillclimb Venues:

This list are venues that have been used since World War 2 and are now no longer used. It isn't definitive but it is a starting point:

Bodiam Hill; Brunton Hill; Castle Howard; Chaul End; Ditcham; Ely Grange; Firle; Hemerdon Mine; Kinkell Braes; Leighton Hall; Norfolk Park; Penrice Castle; Pontypool Park; Ragley Hall; Rest-and-Be-Thankful; Rumster; Shibden Park; St Audries Bay; Stapleford; Trengwainton; Valence School; and Woburn Park.

[Geoff E]

Staverton aerodrome - now Cheltenham and Gloucester Airport - was used for motorcycle racing for some years (possibly ending in the early 1970s).

[Stephen W]

Lost Sprint Venues:

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

Biggin Hill; Blackbushe; Blackpool Promenade; Boras Hall; Burtonwood; Chelson Meadows; Church Lawford; Duxford; Gaydon; Holimarine; Kemble; Kinnel Aerodrome; Locking; Long Marston; Merrifield; Montague Burton Factory; Moreton-in-Marsh; Podington (aka Santa Pod); Predannack; Sandtoft; Topcliffe; Wellesbourne; Winkleigh; Woodvale; and Yeovilton.

Sprints have been held at the following Motor Race Circuits but due to financial constraints or lack of interest from the circuit management they no longer are used:

Brands Hatch; Donington Park; Mallory Park; Oulton Park; Silverstone GP; and Thruxton.

A sprint was to be run at Rockingham but due to a clerical error in the regs had to be cancelled. Since then this venue has been unavailable due to the very high rental charges.

[bradbury west]

Steve, Do you count Dunkeswell as still in use- go karts now IIRC, and is Scammonden still used as a hill climb?

Roger Lund.

[RS2000]

Add Cricket St Thomas and Pestallozzi School to lost hill climb venues and Barnesfield Heath, Boscombe Down and Lee on Solent (HMS Daedalus) to sprints.
Dunkeswell has run quite a few sprints each year in recent years and is in the 2007 callendar. Whether the Mansell situation impacts, I don't know. It was never very clear whether his plans for Kart improvements accommodated sprints continuing there. Thus was never sure if Mansell or the protesters should have been supported (I'd prefer to live next to Dunkeswell protester Kirstie Allsop than Nigel Mansell....)
Clay Pigeon Kart track is in the frame for a sprint but, given reported MSA hostility to sprints on Kart tracks, we shall see (it's what scuppered Lydd for a sprint, not the venue people).

[johnwilliamdavies]

Other venues that have gone since WW2 are, in Wales:

Hillclimb - Lydstep, Castel Farm.

Sprint - Queensferry, Monmouth, Rhydymwyn, Sealand Aerodrome, R.A.F. St. Athan. R.A.F. Brawdy.



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Welsh Motor Sport History

[Sharman]

The Queensferry venue was the John Summers Steelworks, one of the family was very enthusiastic and was part of the Gilly Tyrer, Frankie Penn, Jackie Reece coterie but can't recall his name. One of you please.....

[RS2000]

Originally posted by johnwilliamdavies
Other venues that have gone since WW2 are, in Wales:

Sprint - Queensferry, Monmouth, Rhydymwyn, Sealand Aerodrome, R.A.F. St. Athan. R.A.F. Brawdy.

and Talbenny. (Brawdy may be back soon? - a stage rally ran there a few months ago)

[RS2000]

Originally posted by Stephen W
Lost Sprint Venues:

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

Sprints have been held at the following Motor Race Circuits but due to financial constraints or lack of interest from the circuit management they no longer are used:

Brands Hatch; Donington Park; Mallory Park; Oulton Park; Silverstone GP; and Thruxton.

A Sprint ran at Brands last year and one is in the callendar for 2007. I doubt whether it is viable as the enormous entry fee generated by the hire cost means too few entries to avoid losses to the organising club(s)?

[bradbury west]

What was the name of the old air force site on the N Kent coast, touted as a third London Airport site, which IIRC held some sprints? Was that Manston?

Roger Lund.

[CoulthardD]

Yes, Scammonden Dam is still active as a hillclimb. Unlike nearby Baitings Dam, which closed down in the mid-90's, due to the demands of the safety lobby. Great little hill - 1st gear all the way apart form the final finishing "straight"!

DC

[Tim Murray]

Add Dyrham Park (hillclimb) and Wroughton (sprint) to the lost venues. Also, in 1990 our club staged a sprint on the Haynes test/kart track at Sparkford.

[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.)

[RS2000]

Originally posted by Tim Murray
Also, in 1990 our club staged a sprint on the Haynes test track at Sparkford.

Passed it on Friday. Remember the complaints!

South Cerney doesn't seem to be on either the current or defunct lists.

I think Gt Farthingloe was thought of in recent years (as part of the new venue quest - just about everywhere in the South East was!), as was a more modern road at the current Channel Tunnel.

Also add Rotherfield Park to the lost hill climb venues........but keep your fingers crossed.....

[RS2000]

Originally posted by bradbury west
What was the name of the old air force site on the N Kent coast, touted as a third London Airport site, which IIRC held some sprints? Was that Manston?

Roger Lund.

I think Manston (sorry, "Kent International Airport) is the only possibility. Not sure whether sprints were held - the odd stage rally was. Was looked at not too long ago but I think the bits that wouldn't interfere with the airport were too rough or sold off as an industrial estate.

West Malling, much further inland in Kent is another lost sprint venue (houses).

[sterling49]

Originally posted by RS2000


I think Manston (sorry, "Kent International Airport) is the only possibility. Not sure whether sprints were held - the odd stage rally was. Was looked at not too long ago but I think the bits that wouldn't interfere with the airport were too rough or sold off.

West Malling, much further inland in Kent is another lost sprint venue (houses).

Manston use to be a regular venue for stage rallies, until the late '70's I think, I was driving past it today, great times had there but now a fully functioning International Airport

[sterling49]

Originally posted by AlesiUK
some of the other popular Kart tracks:

Rowrah-up north
Fulbeck
Kimbolton
Rye House
Shennington
Clay pigeon-as mentioned above
dungeswell-
felton-closed down in about 94?
Buckmore park

I think that Tilbury had/has a kart track?

[RS2000]

Wadebridge (Cornwall Agricultural show site?) lost late 80s?
Weston super Mare (seafront straight line sprint like Brighton) ran into 90s?

[RS2000]

Contrary to the implications in the specialist press this week (which has gone a bit OTT about its revival?) Brooklands has hosted a sprint in comparatively recent years that included modern cars. One is hoped for on the new track later this year (but whether just for ancients...?)

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

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by bradbury west
Steve, Do you count Dunkeswell as still in use- go karts now IIRC, and is Scammonden still used as a hill climb?

Roger Lund.

There was a sprint at Dunkeswell last year (2006) so that is why I included it, however now that Big Nige owns it who knows what will happen!

Scammonden Dam hillclimb is still keeping going although I think that in a few season's when the course will probably need resurfacing to allow hillclimbing to continue we may see it fade away just like Baiting Dam!

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by RS2000


A Sprint ran at Brands last year and one is in the callendar for 2007. I doubt whether it is viable as the enormous entry fee generated by the hire cost means too few entries to avoid losses to the organising club(s)?

Was it run some time very early in the year, like February? I know that the Porsche Club have wanted to run a sprint there for some years as part of their Porsche Week-end but we are still waiting.

[johnwilliamdavies]

The AEMC Brands Hatch sprint this year is on September 8th. What they do is have a sprint in the morning and then some races in the afternoon. A similar thing happens at Lydden.


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Welsh Motor Sport History

[rbm]

I remember see formula fords at Cark air field in Cumbria in the 70's and am fairly sure there was a race driving school as well.

[RS2000]

Yes september rang a bell for Brands. I think the previous attempt to revive sprints there was a March date about 1997.
Noticed in the Piers Courage biography a report of a sprint at Brands (60s?) that started on Bottom straight with 4 cars on a grid, sent off at intervals, like Goodwood sprints.

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by RS2000
Yes september rang a bell for Brands. I think the previous attempt to revive sprints there was a March date about 1997.
Noticed in the Piers Courage biography a report of a sprint at Brands (60s?) that started on Bottom straight with 4 cars on a grid, sent off at intervals, like Goodwood sprints.

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!

[LB]

There is still racing at Edzell I think (of the two wheel supermoto variety)

I prepare to be proven completely wrong on that mind. Its just something I came across surfing eons ago.