866 replies to this topic

[CHESHIRECAT65]

i dont know how many of you visited the circuit and can remember the scoreboard? it was taken down afew years ago,but was in use for the majority of the race meetings.i was marshalling once,i think for the north western B.A.R.C and got put up there sometimes.i must admit that the number boards were quite heavy too,and i can recall one occassion when a gust of wind blew one board out and knocked me out! after some attention i got in the medical centre,which was below it,next to the then circuit office,i carried on with my duties,all be it my head bandaged up from a large cut to my head! we would get a call from i think,the timekeepers to give us the positions,and lap number.another memory i have is on a very hot day i noticed a very nice looking lady,and wrote on the back of one number board,some getsure along the lines of "SHOW US YOUR ....!" i was ordered to take it down immediatley! i even dropped a couple of those boards outside the tower on afew occassions too.i have a photo of the scoreboard somehwere,does any one else have any photo's of it to put on the forum? does anyone else remember it at all? it had a green LUCAS banner on the 3 sides of it.

[Sharman]

I remember it well, for a number of years I was constrained to run the scoreboard. Actually it was not bad because the only time you had to work was after the flag fell and so long as one was back "on stag" for that event one could potter round the paddock looking at things and there was certainly a good view

[Phil Rainford]

Shot of the board from 1976....looks like the Lucas brothers are leading a two car race?

Mark you were obviously not on duty as I cannot see any traces of blood or suggestive signs!!



Shot of Gordon Spice passing the pit complex in 1977, showing the actual position of the scoreboard.



Geoff Lees keen to start the first practice session of the morning in his Royale ( 1975?)

Kind regards

Phil Rainford

[CHESHIRECAT65]

hey,great photo's mate! brought back some memories for sure.the boards were fairly heavy werent they? the time i put the suggestive bit on the back of a number board,written in chalk,was about 1980.i think during the a round of the AURORA f1 championship.i could be wrong,but the year's right.the phone call i got from either the timekeepers or race control to take that board down,still makes me laugh! but when i was up there,there was about 4 of us,so we could take a break and stroll around the paddock. you are right about the view though,but it did get cold sometimes! have you anymore phots of OULTON?

[CHESHIRECAT65]

just remembered the ladder we had to climb up to get to the scoreboard.just think,i was,and still am scared of heights.i get nervous ontop of the step ladders,so you can imagine how it was for me. did you find the boards heavy? and correct me if you can,but was it the timekeepers who phoned through with the positions and laps completed? i seem to recall a phone in there. oh,happy days werent they mate?

[Alan Cox]

You'll find lots of photos of Oulton on the "Personal photos from the track" and "....paddock" threads, Mark

[Sharman]

I'm talking about much earlier, in the 50s, when the system was like a cricket scoreboard and the numbers were of the same type. One hand, hang them on the hooks.

[Mallory Dan]

Mark, was the "nice lady" you referred to in your post Desire???

[CHESHIRECAT65]

no,it was a spectator i think,i know it was'nt DESIRE WILSON though.the temptatoin was there,with the boards being blank at the back of them,and we were given chalk incase we ran out,or dropped any numbers.in fact,an issue of BARC news magazine,from early 80's,has a pic of JIM CRAWFORD,and in the background you can just about see a number being dropped!i wonder if i still have that copy,or any of them.

[CHESHIRECAT65]

i wish i took a camera up there with me,as the view was fantastic! not just at the nice ladies,and the nice cars,but also the paddock as a whole. the view as a whole was great!

[CHESHIRECAT65]

plus also,we would use the back of the boards to write messages like"TWO BURGERS,AND A COKE PLEASE" etc......i also miss the bookshop,in the paddock.my late UNCLE MARK worked in the shop in the early seventies,CHATER AND SCOTT i think was the name of the book shop.and there was a sweet shop,plus DEMON TWEEKS had a shop there too.although sometimes you would have to drive over to TATTENHALL to their main shop,if they did'nt have what you needed.as i remember,when i was doing abit of "assistant mechainc" work for DON CRESSY,who raced a MALLOCK,in the MCD Sport Racing1700 Championship Race (Northern League),at the time.anyway,he needed some bits and pieces which they didnt have in the shop at the circuit,so we drove over to TATTENHALL.the race meeting was the HITACHI BRITISH ATLANTIC CAR RACES,in September 1979.I still have the race programme,with an autograph of DON,signed "TO MECHANIC MARK"! so,does anyone remember the shops too? it's a shame they don't have something similar now,as it was the first place i would go to at the end of the meetings,or sometimes during the lunch break.oh what graet memories of the place!!

[Sharman]

I remember Don, I think he is no longer with us but the last time I saw him was when he ran a Chevron at a charity meeting at Croix-en-Ternois and we were on the same table at the banquet afterwards. We were both embarassed by the attitude of the British contingent. No names no pack-drill, but they made no effort to participate in what was a superbly organised party and spent the evening sneering at their French hosts.

[CHESHIRECAT65]

its sad if he is no longer with us,just a very nice chap.i enjoyed every minute i had with him that day.i even got to use the pit board whilst he was racing,and that and everything about that day i will never forget.ive kept that programme for so long,and will cherish it forever!he was a true gentleman,and he even introduced me to RAY MALLOCK,and we all had a great chat. bloody good bloke!!

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by CHESHIRECAT65
plus also,we would use the back of the boards to write messages like"TWO BURGERS,AND A COKE PLEASE" etc......i also miss the bookshop,in the paddock.my late UNCLE MARK worked in the shop in the early seventies,CHATER AND SCOTT i think was the name of the book shop.and there was a sweet shop,plus DEMON TWEEKS had a shop there too.although sometimes you would have to drive over to TATTENHALL to their main shop,if they did'nt have what you needed.as i remember,when i was doing abit of "assistant mechainc" work for DON CRESSY,who raced a MALLOCK,in the MCD Sport Racing1700 Championship Race (Northern League),at the time.anyway,he needed some bits and pieces which they didnt have in the shop at the circuit,so we drove over to TATTENHALL.the race meeting was the HITACHI BRITISH ATLANTIC CAR RACES,in September 1979.I still have the race programme,with an autograph of DON,signed "TO MECHANIC MARK"! so,does anyone remember the shops too? it's a shame they don't have something similar now,as it was the first place i would go to at the end of the meetings,or sometimes during the lunch break.oh what graet memories of the place!!

I certainly remember the Chater & Scott book shop. Spent many a happy hour and a lot of my pocket money in there!

I also used to pop into Tweeks shop for a browse.

Never frequented the sweet shop .... I lived in one at the time!

[alansart]

I do appreciate what Jonathon Palmer has done to Oulton, but it's a bit too perfect now. It seems to have lost it's character a little and is a bit clinical. I was quite surprised when I went back a couple of years ago (for the first time in about 10 or 12 years). The old Demon Tweaks and book shop have gone. The old road system and grass paddock areas have been replaced by a vast expanse of tarmac.

A bit sad really. I prefered it the way it was.

[CHESHIRECAT65]

i liked it the way it was too.i spoke to JONATHON PALMER last year,and i was determined to ask about it,but at that time he remembered me from when i was a "go-for" for W.S E,when he raced for them in the BRITISH F3 CHAMIONSHIP in 1981,and when he was at OULTON PARK mainly.i got that because i did a similar thing for when DICK BENNETTS ran STEFAN JOHANSSON in the PROJECT FOUR TEAM,when they switched to a RALT.and that all started when i got the bug by helping DON CRESSY in 1979.OULTON PARK was only a stones throw from where i lived then,in WINSFORD,i was never away from the place really! anyway,i am diversing here,as i think it would be great to have them shops back,or shops like them back there. the only chance nowadays to buy things is if there is a big meeting like the TOURING CARS or something,and they have the stalls.but it would be an idea to have a book shop there again.

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by CHESHIRECAT65
i think it would be great to have them shops back,or shops like them back there. the only chance nowadays to buy things is if there is a big meeting like the TOURING CARS or something,and they have the stalls.but it would be an idea to have a book shop there again.

There are two problems with getting the book shop back:

1) Motorsport Vision will not operate a book shop as it is not core business
and
2) Motorsport Vision would want an arm & a leg from whoever operated the book shop so I doubt it would be viable.

[CHESHIRECAT65]

yeh,its how it is nowadays really. wouldnt it be an idea to have a temporary book stall at some meetings,as they have stalls selling mercahandise etc.... you get them at airshows,ok,selling aviation books,but it would be great to see one.

[Alan Cox]

The bookshop disappeared long before MSV took over the circuit - the old shops were, by then, in a parlous state, with leaking roof etc..
I think that Chaters found that it just wasn't worth continuing, even then. I can't think of any British circuits that retain a permanent bookshop any more - or is there still one at Brands?
None of the travelling booksellers - e.g. Chaters, Chris Knapman, Hortons - have yet turned up for the Gold Cup revival, which is the meeting where they are likely to find the greatest demand. Obviously the maths don't add up. The traders who do turn up are generally flogging cuddly toys, or hosting a mini funfair to keep the "kiddies" happy.

[CHESHIRECAT65]

yeh,you hit the nail on the head there! i must admit that i could get lost in a bookshop,especially the motorsport section! but i can remember the buildings were in a dire straight towards their end.shame!! i spent many an hour in CHATERS before i went home from the circuit,and alot of money too.from posters to books.still have afew i bought from there.

[Stephen W]

The problem even for the "temporary" stalls is that the Circuit Management will want a fee; this will eat into the profits and like Alan said the guys who would run the stalls need to make money as it is their living.

[Gav Astill]

Originally posted by Stephen W


I certainly remember the Chater & Scott book shop. Spent many a happy hour and a lot of my pocket money in there!

I also used to pop into Tweeks shop for a browse.

Never frequented the sweet shop .... I lived in one at the time!

Happy memories! - I don't think I ever left the Chater & Scott shop without a purchase (and I was earning tuppence every four years back then .....)

I seem to remeber there were a number of break-ins (mainly in the Demon Tweeks shop), which with the shack-like state of the units caused their demise.

[CHESHIRECAT65]

i remember it was reported in the local(WINSFORD) GUARDIAN, at the time the shops were getting broken into.shame though,as like yourself,i spent what little i earned in the book shop.and i can understand why we wont see any stalls selling books.i must admit to spending what money i have on formula one merchandise from the stalls.only because i can see the items in the "flesh".mainly i get my books from either the internet or in good bookshops,like WATERSTONES etc...... and mainly now i get what official merchandise i like from GRAND PRIX LEGENDS. does anyone know if the F1 shop is still in CHESTER? i was told they moved the shop near to the RACE course.

[Alan Cox]

The Chester shop closed a year or so ago. I didn't know it was supposed to be relocating - don't know of another one in the area. It never seemed particularly busy.

[amr2]

Love to read of memories of Oulton and to see photos of that bye-gone era.....

I know that the F1 shop in York closed down last year and wonder if perhaps the whole business has gone belly-up?

Shame as my son and I used to enjoy browsing and shopping there......

Andrew

[Phil Rainford]

Use to spend many a happy hour flicking through the books, normally between Practice and Racing (Eaten all my sandwiches by 10.00am!!)

Remember buying my first ever racing poster….Jochen Rindt in the Lotus 72, had to move Olivia Newton John to another wall.

When it rained the shop was particularly busy, due to the fact that Oulton had so few places that offered shelter. I can recall being crammed into the shop trying to fight my way to the front. Reading these posts it looks like the people in my way were you lot!!

[Gav Astill]

As well as the Chater & Scott shop, my other favorite haunt was the lovely old wooden 'Village Cricket Pavillion' style bar at the outside of Lodge. Any pictures of that out there please?

[Phil Rainford]

Is this the bar in the background of Bill Coombs Formula Three Anson?

[CHESHIRECAT65]

Originally posted by Phil Rainford
Use to spend many a happy hour flicking through the books, normally between Practice and Racing (Eaten all my sandwiches by 10.00am!!)

Remember buying my first ever racing poster….Jochen Rindt in the Lotus 72, had to move Olivia Newton John to another wall.

When it rained the shop was particularly busy, due to the fact that Oulton had so few places that offered shelter. I can recall being crammed into the shop trying to fight my way to the front. Reading these posts it looks like the people in my way were you lot!!

i may be guilty,as i always made a dash to get in there as soon as the heavens opened,unless i was sat in the grandstand.

[Gav Astill]

Originally posted by Phil Rainford
Is this the bar in the background of Bill Coombs Formula Three Anson?

That's the one.

Now if someone has a picture of this from the eighties showing a spectator with glasses, a pint and a dodgy mullet - it could be me!

[Simon Arron]

In light of correspondence on the merits of Oulton Park's bygone architecture, I'd like to present the following... (now tweaked to stop them disappearing off the right-hand side of Alan Raine's screen - I hope)




Another view of the scoreboard, beyond Janet 'The Flying Lancashire Lass' McPherson's McLaren M19.






The Lodge Corner pavilion (plus Brian Classick's Iso Bizzarrini).






The shop that sold the Chevron lapel badges I wore to school with pride (and before Phil Rainford interjects, I accept that I also wore Barclay James Harvest lapel badges from time to time). Note sweet shop to the left.






And the full glory of the Chater & Scott empire in its mid-1970s heyday (pity Nigel Rosser's Alfa and a Rover P6 got in the way). I rarely emerged empty-handed, but then they did sell old editions of Motor Racing Year and the JPS Yearbook for about 10p a throw...

[CHESHIRECAT65]

CHEERS SIMON! the photo's have brought back alot of memories.i remember buying the odd sticker or patch from the shop next to CHATERS.and the pic youve put on,i can see the ladders we had to climb up to get to the SCOREBOARD.i was,and still am scared of heights,so you can imagine i was abit nervous going up there! but it was worth it!

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Simon Arron
... the full glory of the Chater & Scott empire in its mid-1970s heyday. I rarely emerged empty-handed, but then they did sell old editions of Motor Racing Year and the JPS Yearbook for about 10p a throw...

Funny you should say that but I purchased a full set of Motor Racing Year books at the Chater & Scott shop at Oulton! It was a real treasure house!

[sterling49]

Originally posted by alansart
I do appreciate what Jonathon Palmer has done to Oulton, but it's a bit too perfect now. It seems to have lost it's character a little and is a bit clinical. I was quite surprised when I went back a couple of years ago (for the first time in about 10 or 12 years). The old Demon Tweaks and book shop have gone. The old road system and grass paddock areas have been replaced by a vast expanse of tarmac.

A bit sad really. I prefered it the way it was.

Read the same for "my Brands Hatch" in the '60's it just had a great "feel" about the place, and if it was brass monkey weather and wet(which it invariably was in the winter), I would hide in the Book Shop at the back of the main grandstand on the top straight, huddled against the bookshelves reading all the expensive, beautiful books, that I invariably could not afford on my 2/-6d pocket money, luckily a lot of the meetings then, were free entry for kids....my motto was "have push bike will travel", same today only travelling courtesy of one of Henry's Focus TDCi

The book store is still at Brands, and I was there recently, a great selection is offered by Chaters, were they the operator of the original Brands shop??? The place is a modern shell of a building though, without soul and "colour", that very much is because of the building, rather than the great enthusiast staff and their tempting ( I usually spend a fortune in there now! I am stopping myself visiting the shop in Isleworth : ) array of goodies on view

TNF'rs are so priveledged to have seen this side and period of MotorSport, it is so business like now and the tracks prissy and corporate. Give me the days of slipping round the long circuit with Wellingtons and a cup of Minters nuclear coffee, tasted like crap, but sure as hell warmed you up on a Boxing Day meeting

At least we still have the tracks guys!!!!

[alansart]

Originally posted by Simon Arron
In light of correspondence on the merits of Oulton Park's bygone architecture, I'd like to present the following...


The Lodge Corner pavilion (plus Brian Classick's Iso Bizzarrini).

The Pavilion is gone but the little bungalow type building on the far right is still there.


Simon,

Can you make your excellent photos smaller. They are too wide for the average screen.

Cheers,

Alan

[Simon Arron]

Originally posted by alansart


Simon,

Can you make your excellent photos smaller. They are too wide for the average screen.

Cheers,

Alan

Hi Alan

I'll try. Every time I scan them - using the same process - they seem to emerge slightly differently. I'll attempt to introduce a splash of consistency.

Cheers,
SA

[alansart]

Simon,

Most Forums want images to a max of 640 pixels wide so that users with small monitors can see everything, including the edit link and up and down slider on the right. When the images are bigger all that info disappears. I'm on a 19" monitor and the Brian Classic pic pushed it all off screen and I couldn't find the edit link. (My spilling is dreadful ).

Love your pictures, keep them coming:)

Cheers,

Alan

[Phil Rainford]

Looking for pictures of the Old Scoreboard..I came across this Kodak Instamatic shot of a Modsports start (1974?)

One can just about pick out the scoreboard, the timing box and the press box. But what is the structure that looks like it is covered in a JPS advert?



Another image that is forever linked to Oulton ....The Motor Bridge



Kind regards

Phil

[alansart]

Originally posted by Phil Rainford
Another image that is forever linked to Oulton ....The Motor Bridge



Kind regards

Phil

It was still there in the mid 80's as can be seen by Brendan's photo.



I was told to park underneath it before going to the grid to keep the mechanics dry on a very wet day. I had been off in practice and was starting at the back anyway

I think it was deemed unsafe. When was the bridge taken down?

[David Beard]

And when did they strip the white paint off the lodge at Lodge corner???

[alansart]

Originally posted by David Beard
And when did they strip the white paint off the lodge at Lodge corner???

Possibly when Jonathon Palmer took over?

In the mid 80's



And now. sand blasted back to sandstone (sorry about the rubbish pic. I was trying out a new camera with a very small lens!)

[Mallory Dan]

Blimey! A couple of rare pics there chaps, the Janet McPherson M19, and the Coombs Anson. Anymore similar ones Simon/Phil?

[Alan Cox]

Originally posted by David Beard
And when did they strip the white paint off the lodge at Lodge corner???

I think the colour was stripped off pre-Motor Spor Vision, and I think it may have had something to do with its status 'as a listed' building.

[Auroraf1]

It has a lot to do with the fact that the lodges were too damp to live in with the paint on. The sandstone needed to breath!

[CHESHIRECAT65]

i'd love to buy the LODGE should ever it go on the market.don't think the other half would like it though,its not over looking OLD TRAFFORD football ground! imagine it! permantly, at OULTON PARK.sounds like heaven to me!!!!!!!

[alansart]

Originally posted by Auroraf1
It has a lot to do with the fact that the lodges were too damp to live in with the paint on. The sandstone needed to breath!

It actually looks good now - although on old black & white photos it looks better white.

[Simon Arron]

Originally posted by alansart
Simon,

Most Forums want images to a max of 640 pixels wide

Alan

I have now adjusted the pictures (see previous page) - they are still at a slightly daft angle, but a touch smaller. I was obviously half-asleep last time I had a scanning frenzy.

Originally posted by Mallory Dan
Blimey! A couple of rare pics there chaps, the Janet McPherson M19, and the Coombs Anson. Anymore similar ones Simon/Phil?

Dan

Depends what you classify as "rare". I don't think I have pictures of very much that was famous during the 1970s (Roy Yates's Zodiac notwithstanding).

I'll see what I can find.

Regards to both,
SA

[alansart]

Originally posted by Simon Arron


Alan

I have now adjusted the pictures (see previous page) - they are still at a slightly daft angle, but a touch smaller. I was obviously half-asleep last time I had a scanning frenzy.

SA

Thanks Simon.

I really welcome your contributions to this forum.

Cheers,

Alan

[Phil Rainford]

If you sweet talked the marshalls to let you stand with them in front of the Lodge...you could almost touch the cars on the way into the corner



While getting a view back down the hill on the exit of the corner



Kind regards

Phil

[Phil Rainford]

Originally posted by Mallory Dan
Blimey! A couple of rare pics there chaps, the Janet McPherson M19, and the Coombs Anson. Anymore similar ones Simon/Phil?

Dan

Leave this one to you?......Thought I did well to get it in the frame!!



Kind regards

Phil