Brooklands to be restored, historic racing possible

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The legendary Brooklands circuit and its surrounding facilities in Surrey are to be restored by multi-million pound lottery funding - and racing could be on its way back after more than 75 years.


Despite Brooklands not hosting races since 1939, its concrete banking section is still unmistakeable, even in its current potholed state of disrepair. The outbreak of World War II meant the track, which was firmly the home of British motor racing years before places like Silverstone even started as tracks, was commandeered for aircraft production and hangar space. Motorsport hasn't returned since.

The relics of Brooklands' wartime era are being restored as well thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund's £4.7 million grant, but the current museum hangar will be dismantled, moved and rebuilt, allowing some of the old track to be reclaimed. This has opened the possibility of some historic racing being held on the circuit, as Brooklands Museum director Allan Winn said to BBC News Surrey: "We're going to recreate as much as we possibly can of the glory days of Brooklands, both as a motor racing circuit and also as an aircraft factory."

The museum still needs a further £775,000 for the plans, but restoration work should begin in the next couple of months and be finished by Summer 2016.
 
If we disregard the fork and Home banking this is an entirely do-able project. We might even get an infield, which it never had.

I'm optimistic.
 
Funny Bram but very true ……… Very similar to the ridiculous scenario of Mallory Park this last year or so, eventually all the negatives got burnt and Mallory Lives on and Stronger than ever. We must keep these heritage racing sites and what has happened at Brooklands is just the worst ever, I hope this project really does come to fruition :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
There will however be very few people alive that moved to the area when it was actually used as a race track.
I'd love to see it, would be something I'd definitely make the trip to France to go see, but I doubt it.


Edit - and yes, that is an epic photo.
 
This is a great news and well done to Brooklands for getting the funding. I've been there about three times with the RX7 and it's certainly a unique experience parking your car on the banking for the end of day photoshoot! haha. The second time I went the enthusiasm from the owners got the better of them and they started parking too high up the banking, the next ten minutes consisted of owners trying to lever their doors open so they could get out...:roflmao:

The funding is well timed though. The last time I visited (a few years back) some of the hangers and exhibits were starting to look very worn (not surprisingly with steel and aluminium displays, etc). Places like this should be kept alive and it saddens me that so much of the circuit is now lost (you can find the circuit on Google Earth easy enough). The place is still iconic (look at the number of times you see car photoshoots on the banking that remains).

Mercedes World has added some energy to the place and that was certainly a welcome addition, if you ever do the trip to Brooklands, make the short walk over, it's worth it.

With regards to the picture above, the last time I was there I bought the souvenir DVD, it's not a great production but the grainy black and white footage of this absolute monster bouncing in the air at 160mph is crazy! haha. No to mention the spectators sitting at the top of the banking....;)
 
This will be awesome if it gets done. Would love to do a track day there. Wonder if it would be as bumpy as the Karussell? They could do something with the locals in the same way Bedford autodrome have and have noise limits. They are harsh at Bedford but its really a track day only circuit and I guess Brooklands could have a few 'noisy' days for actual historic racing. If anything I think if its used correctly, it would increase the value of homes around the area if only used for racing. Track days tend to be the killer for locals as they think its a mob of Max Power people racing rather then enthusiasts enjoying their cars.
 
This will be awesome if it gets done. Would love to do a track day there. Wonder if it would be as bumpy as the Karussell? They could do something with the locals in the same way Bedford autodrome have and have noise limits. They are harsh at Bedford but its really a track day only circuit and I guess Brooklands could have a few 'noisy' days for actual historic racing. If anything I think if its used correctly, it would increase the value of homes around the area if only used for racing. Track days tend to be the killer for locals as they think its a mob of Max Power people racing rather then enthusiasts enjoying their cars.

I would love to say this was possible but I'm not so sure my friend. Looking at Google Earth about half of the circuit has now gone or been converted into cul-de-sacs and trading estates. :cry: What might be possible is if they use part of the original banking and some of the infield circuit (this is where that hanger sits so maybe that's the plan). Stupid A318 Roundabout, if that wasn't there you could have almost half a lap on it! haha. What were they thinking....:mad:
 

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