Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ray White]

No need to buy a book; it's all here.

Ideal reading for anyone who has an interest in the Brooklands site...but it does go on a bit!!

https://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-04/Brooklands%20Conservation%20Management%20Plan.pdf

[peter scott]

Excellent! Thanks for posting Ray.

Peter.
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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Ray White]

To me, Brooklands is like a vandalised artwork. How it's true value as a venue for historic motor sport and aviation was not realised before it was too late is beyond me.

When my Dad showed me photos of his time there during WW2 I went to investigate. What I found was an overgrown but still restorable gem.

Before long developers seized the opportunity of making a few quid and the rest, as they say, is history.

There was one man; the late Bill Body, who tried in vain to rescue the Brooklands circuit, but, as we know, money talks and his arguments fell on deaf ears.

[V8 Nutter]

Ray is right money talks, you only have to look at many historic cities where so many old buildings have been demolished in the name of progress. Worcester is an example so much of old Worcester was knocked including the last remaining Lych Gate of its type in Europe. Another example, although it won't be of much interest to members here was the closing of the drag strip at Long Marston. For years just after the war all sorts of toxic waste was buried there, from waste paint from the Austin factory, to ex WD equipment, to thousands of old tyres. The drag strip was part of an old US Airforce runway that was extended for racing. The developers managed to push through their plans. They have built as many houses as they were allowed, now they are stuck with a large piece of land that will need an estimated 20 feet of top soil to be removed and replaced, before they can build on it

[Ray White]

Following on from that, it has to be said that although not "historic" in the accepted sense, my home town of Woking used to have a pleasant, genteel feel to it which has been totally trashed by ghastly modern development.

Brooklands, of course, is not far from Woking and thus as a youngster I was able to make cycling visits to the redundant circuit.

Even now, if enough money was focussed on it, I believe the old track could be returned to it's former glory. The biggest problem, however, is fragmentation of ownership. It would need the political will of the Department for D.C.M.S (Digital, Cultural, Media & Sport). that sponsors Historic England (formerly English Heritage) ...and that is something that is probably never going to happen; despite the fact that the historically important former motor racing circuit is a statuary Scheduled Monument ...and the Brooklands Museum itself holds a comprehensive archive of the site.!