Roy B

Yes, definitely

Off Season Gallery 2019/20 Hello folks, The decision to hold back the Off Season Gallery until now was out of respect to Colin North. He will forever be in our hearts. I would like to send many thanks to everyone for their kind words regarding the pit news/gallery this season. As previously there is a varied mix of things for us to have a look at this winter. To kick things off this first week we pay a visit to the Mendips Raceway for their Golden Anniversary meeting on Sunday 21st April, and then it’s the first in a two part look at the varied history of the area around Buxtons High Edge Raceway and beyond. Bristol – F2 WCQR & Gerry Dommett Memorial Trophy – Sun 21st April In scorching hot weather it was a very special day for the raceway above the Mendip Hills. The unique track with the infamous dip had its grand opening on Easter Sunday 1969. Over the 50 yrs the venue has seen many changes, not least drivers and car styles. A reprint of the opening meeting’s programme was included in that days programme which I thought was a nice touch. The Gerry Dommett Memorial Trophy was the top prize on offer for the F2’s. Gerry was the visionary who saw the track from an aeroplane and developed it to what it is today. He passed away in 1998 and this was the 20th running of the memorial trophy. 46 cars in attendance, and a good geographical spread for this QR, incl. five from Scotland. A decision was taken to run to a three heat format which was a bit risky, but turned out ok in the end with some up to the mark racing. Ht.1 saw Gordon Moodie (7) and Luke Wrench (560) just catch the flying white top of David Shearing (564). Ht.2 was a foregone conclusion with Chris Mikkula (522) starting from the “A” grade. Dan Kent (976), & Paul Moss (979), in a new car completed the podium. Ht.3 had Andrew Palmer (606) holding off Matt Stoneman (127) for the victory, with Steven Gilbert (542) in 3rd. The Consolation had a belter of a finish. Harley Cornock (517) led the whole race until the last bend, and then Philip Mann (53) went in with a big last bender which saw both end up in the fence. Paul Rice (890) was the grateful victor. The Final was under waved yellows early on after a back straight coming together between Liam Rowe (105) and 979 which saw them collected by a number of star men. A complete restart saw 564 again away to a flyer only for another caution with cars stranded in turns 3 and 4. The 7 car pulled onto the infield soon after the restart, and James Riggall (527) took the victory and the Gerry Dommett Trophy, closely followed by 127 and Ben Borthwick (418). 23 cars for the GN. 564 managed to remain clear of the clutches of 7 to take the win. Gordon was glad later in the season when a red roof adorned the 564 car. Happenings around High Edge Have you ever looked at the land behind the back straight at Buxton and been intrigued as to its former use? I have many times so decided a thorough investigation was required. Join me now as we explore the area around High Edge Raceway. It has seen lots of changes over the years. A map from the 1800’s shows many quarries in the area. An ancient burial mound containing human remains and Roman pottery etc. have been found on the site of the track. Within a couple of miles is the former location of RAF Harpur Hill. As the threat of war loomed over Europe in the late thirties, the Army, Navy, and Royal Air Force were looking for sites to store bombs, ammunition and weapons. Disused mines were the preferred option, and north of a line from the Bristol Channel to the Humber to increase the distance from the airfields of Germany. It soon became apparent that there was a shortage of mine sites so a different approach was required. The Frith site at Harpur Hill was chosen as a new design of bomb store. A series of reinforced concrete galleries covered over with 60 ft of top cover would give a similar protection as a tunnel deep underground. A quarry close by with a rail connection was an added bonus. There were large amounts of quarry spoil available for covering the galleries, and the construction site could easily be mistaken for quarry activity in aerial reconnaissance. Work commenced in 1938 with the RAF taking over in Dec 1939. It was one of the biggest ammo dumps in the country. Gas weapons (mustard gas) and V bombs were stored here amongst other things. A twin facility in Llanberis suffered a structural collapse in Jan 1942, and as a precaution against a similar failure Harpur Hill was closed in May 1942. A total of 24,000 tons of material was removed from the two sites. We’ll have a look where that lot went in part 2 next week. Harpur Hill was eventually reinforced and re-opened but the storage of sensitive explosives was not permitted. The site continued until 1960 and was then sold off to local businessmen and saw use as a mushroom farm, cold store, and a bonded warehouse. Behind turn’s 3 and 4 of the raceway, and beyond the speedway track is the Health and Safety Laboratory. They bought the site in 1924. At the present time they do testing and evaluation on a huge range of hazardous items. Fire, explosives, crash testing, hydrogen and alternative fuels, batteries and energy storage etc, etc. The list is endless. They basically have the largest and biggest of anything to do with safety testing. A railway line has been constructed, and they used to have some old London Underground trains that were used to reconstruct the 7/7 tube bombings. The wartime connection between RAF Harpur Hill and this site is difficult to clarify. The HSE site is also named Harpur Hill and some sources give the RAF site as having a location as far as the Frith, which is virtually where the track is located. Maps of the time do not show for obvious reasons any location. In the gallery I have included an aerial shot and recent OS map which clearly show the bunkers. These are the smaller ones which have seen use by the HSE since the munitions were moved out. They were linked by a railway to the main base which had some huge concrete galleries. No doubt you will have seen the two reinforced buildings at the track, one in the pits, and the other behind the main stand. These are definitely from the years we are looking at as well. I had a couple of hours to kill before the Thurs F2 meeting during WF week, so join me now for a walk around the area to see what’s left. Adjacent to the grass opposite the pit entrance is some high ground. Usually a few people sit up there during the meeting. I climbed past that to the highest point and came to two pill boxes that had been constructed half buried. These were for defence against the sites mentioned above. The furthest one is the easiest to get into but involves going around the end of a fence which is over the actual High Edge. A sheer drop of some 60ft (20m). One wrong move and it would be more than clean underpants req’d. There were rumours of machine gun emplacements on the top but nothing remains today. From the top of this hill the bunkers stand out really well. As I returned to the road a distant siren went off followed by a ground shaking bang from the HSE site. My next port of call was to have a look around the bunker site. Plenty of pics in the gallery. Managed to get access to a couple of the bunkers but most were breeze blocked up. Both contained rail lines, and one had a large round magnet above the rails. Stalactites/stalagmites from the concrete structures were much in evidence everywhere. These were formed from a compound called calthemite leaching out of the concrete. (I came across these again a few weeks later forming within a disused and long abandoned railway tunnel. We’ll have a look at that another week). Further into the site I came across some concrete cylinders that had been used for explosive testing and a disused control room. Suddenly a high vis appeared from a cabin in the distance. Was it game over already and a case of, “I’ll come quietly officer”? Thankfully not. He had come out to wave the red flag to signify an imminent explosion. A siren went off followed by another earth shaker of a bang. Superb stuff! All this part of the site seemed to be abandoned. I do enjoy a good nosey around derelict and disused places. I found a couple of gauges still in situ. One of which was a 0-160psi pressure gauge manufactured by Negretti and Zambra. The company was founded in 1850 and became royally appointed scientific instrument makers and opticians to Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and King Edward VII, the Royal Observatory and the British Admiralty. A great pedigree, but no more as from 1999 the company ceased. As I continued I got closer to the active part of the site . I decided to keep to the path that has been designated to walk through as cameras and surveillance are everywhere. After getting off their land I walked back along the trackbed of the long gone Cromford and High Peak railway. In 1800 the Peak Forest Canal was built to provide a route between Manchester and the East Midlands for the mineral, cotton and textile traffic. However, this involved a lengthy journey via the Trent and Mersey Canal. A new route for a canal to go “over the tops” was considered, but the financial outlay v return made this unfeasible. It would mean carrying a canal over 1000 ft and sustaining a water supply in the dry limestone uplands. A railway was the answer, and in 1832 this section was opened to carry minerals and goods between the Cromford Canal at High Peak Junction and the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge. In those early days horses and stationary steam engines were used before locomotives arrived on the scene. There were a dozen sidings around the Harpur Hill area serving the quarries and lime works. Unfortunately the canals were starting a decline at this time but the line held on owing to the increased demand for limestone from the quarries. In 1887 the London and North Western Railway took over the line. Three years later they obtained permission for a direct route to Buxton by building a new line from Harpur Hill. This sounded the death knell, and various sections of the old line began closing from as early as 1890 with all parts abandoned by 1967. I think you’ll agree a lot’s happened in this small area around the track. I could hear the F.2’s practicing from all parts of this look around. It really is that close. If anyone has further info regarding any of the above, or corrections please post it. Next week: The F2 Ben Fund and Saloons British Championship from Taunton, and in part two of the High Edge story we move further afield and have a look at a toxic pool, a castle and a remote land where every move is watched.

Cheers David 👍. It'll be all systems go on Sunday as i'm working a 4 night shift until then. We'll be starting off with a visit to the Mendips Raceway, Bristol for their 50th anniversary meeting, and then in the first of a two part story we'll have a look at the fascinating history of the land surrounding one of our racetracks. Back Sunday folks 👌

515 - Oil filter came loose in the GN. Engine all ok. A big, big thank you to Queen Jane and King Nic for your season long dedication to the results service. Back from Brum next week.

Update on 515 - Car all sorted. Ready for battle!

Update on 1 - Car all sorted. Ready to go!

Pit news after the Final: 1 - The team working feverishly on the back axle. 515 - Ditto, but on the front axle. 445 - Welding outside front bumper corner. 20 - The car copped for a lot of left side damage. Plenty of welding in op. H410 - Porta power on the rear axle.

Pit news after the Consi: 55 - A repeat of Stoke. Propshaft let go again. 276 - Loading up. Prop and links damaged. 24 - Rear outside bumper half bent back. 345 - Did'nt make the Consi. Nige and Jake working on the power steering. 93 - Front inside corner bent back. 211 - Propshaft to gearbox bearing gave up.

Pit news after Ht's 1 & 2: 25 - Suspect clutch release bearing. Clutch pedal stayed down upon entering the track. It's a machined part that fits this particular transmission only so no spare. 259 - Flat o/s front. 280 - Loading up. Starter or ring gear u/s. 12 - Panhard rod bent. 463 - As 12. 16 - Steering box change after ending up in the t2 fence. 342 - Steering box attachment bracket sheared. The box is located in the engine bay firewall area on this car, so the team have managed to get a trolley jack in the cab to support it whilst welding.

Pit news after the Final: 515 - Flat outside front. 217 - Lost power. Car would'nt fire up. 555 - Front outside hub snapped off. 175 - Flat outside front. 483 - Rear outside bumper corner bent in against the wheel. 16 - Trackrod broken. That's it for the last time from the Stoke pits folks. Back from Belle Vue.

Pit news after the Consi: 55 - Propshaft let go down the back straight with only a couple of laps to go. 220 - Carb trouble, and also not 100% confident the oil pipe is fully tight so loading up. 502 - No brakes. The cars previous owner on the spanners. 445 - Welding rear outside caliper mount. Update on 268: Electrical fault traced to the ignition switch. Unfortunately damage from the Consi is a bent front axle and shattered inside front disc. 348 - Loading up. Right side nerf rail and front bumper badly damaged.

Pit news after Ht's 1 & 2: 55 - Outside rear shocker u/s. 1 - Left side wing mounts broken. Slight arcing in right side of engine bay. 275 - Steering box change. 345 - Jake welding front inside bumper brace. 502 - Porta power on outside rear bumper brace. 445 - Changing outside rear shock. 268 - Trying to diagnose an electrical fault. Car died on track. 220 - Oil pipe loose at the back of the engine. Difficult to access.

Pit news after GN: 469 - Dean hit the dip coming out of turn 2 which threw the back end into the fence. Rear axle shifted to the left, mangled shocker and bent rear corner. That's it until Stoke folks as it's now fireworks time 🧨

Pit news after the Final: The following all had flat outside rears: 1,16, 55, 212 & 515. 217's went with a couple of laps to go dropping him down the order. A hole in turn 3 appearing to be the cause.

Pit news after the Consi: 415 - L/h end of front axle sheared off. 445 - Nigel drove the last few laps with a flat outside rear. Shocker top mounting plate has come away. 532 - Kingpin sheared in right hand axle end. 12 - Front bumper upright parted company and a u/s front right shocker. Right end of front axle bent up.

Pit news after Ht's 1 & 2: 372 - A tangle with 326 in turn 3 during Ht.1 leaves Colin with a bent trackrod to change. 326 - Steering box change. 463 - Engine kaput. James having a bad run at present. 20 - Inside rear shocker change. 55 - Starter motor change. 166 - Working on the outside front brake caliper. 445 - Rear panhard rod inside attachment point fractured. Split in the rear axle. Hope to repair in situ. 5 - The team trying to locate a bad oil leak from the engine.

Morning all from Northampton. Bit of info: Pit area has a few large puddles around but i've seen worse. The field for parking is'nt too bad at the moment although it is quite soft in places. Terracing all ok and the track looks wet obviously, but hopefully after some racing laps it will settle down to a good surface. Best of all it's a gloriously sunny day, so get yourselves here folks 👍

It was 2/3rds Kingpin 👍

Cheers Hary

linky's right Will. Paul has bought it. He went down to the Yarrow team's HQ to get it as it was raced by 22 in the WF meeting.

Cheers 0s0. Good to know for the future. It's not normally a problem at Sheffield. It seemed to become intermittent when there was a slight drizzle in the atmosphere. Very strange.

Pit news after the Final: 175 - Flat o/side front. 150 - Flat inside rear. 5 - Flat o/ side rear. 20 - Front inside hub change. 1 - Gearbox fault. Unable to select 2nd gear at the start of the Final. Tom got it in 2nd eventually, and will have to start the GN in that gear.

Pit news after Ht.3: 445 - Flat outside front. 136 - Left side nerf rail mangled. Cab side damage and rear link bracket bent.

Pit news after Ht.2: 555 - Porta power on the rear axle. 502 - Bent trackrod and front outside corner. 268 - Gearbox stuck in 2nd.

Pit news after Ht.1: 463 - Blown engine. 268 - Left half shaft change.