mrsnak
4814
Snak makes a pilgrimage...
To a place I've wanted to visit for years - the birthplace of British motorsports and the world's first purpose-built motor circuit in 1907.
Brooklands Museum at Weybridge, Surrey (just outside London)
To walk around the history of both racing and aviation pretty much made my whole trip to the UK.
Walking the grounds, with many of the original buildings either under restoration or housing exhibits the history filled the air even despite the tourist feel the Trust has given the place these days (there is also the large Mercedes dealership/test track/hotel adjacent!).
Walking in the gate, I first saw these
TVRs parked by local enthusiasts. I t appears that at least the days I went (a Sunday), members of the museum bring their vintage cars for display throughout the grounds.
The first place I wanted to go was to the ruins of the original track. This was the largest embankment and pretty much all that's left today
From there, it was back to the buildings housing all the vehicles and aircraft.
These bikes, including my dream bike, the Brough, were worth the view
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Snak makes a pilgrimage...
To a place I've wanted to visit for years - the birthplace of British motorsports and the world's first purpose-built motor circuit in 1907. Brooklands Museum at Weybridge, Surrey (just outside London) To walk around the history of both racing and aviatio...
Continuing the journey...
Gorgeous AC Me in a past life? The workshop of Malcolm Campbell. Don't think they stuffed him for this Ford and Peugeot Napier-Railton Another view Austin pedal car. Loved this! 1926 Delage Alvis Aston Martin Halford Lorraine Dietrich - There's one of the...
The voyage goes on...
The modern racers were quite fun as well Then there were all the cars parked around the grounds Aston Martin Back when Rover made a substantial car! What a sedan... Check out the Scimitar... probably during the low point of the consolidated British Leylan...
Fantastic Series of Pics Mrsnak :-)
Do you know more about the swoopy gorgeous car in green? S
I was trying to overhear two people talking about it...
...but never got the marque name. There have been so many small British car companies that produced fiberglassed bodied cars like this. One of my French car magazines, gazoline, has been doing a history of Brit car manufacturers, will need to reference.
Maybe a Purvis Eureka from Australia ?
Fibreglass Kit car using Volkswagen Beetle Chassis. Debuted in 1974 Melbourne Motor show. Then again, it could be the many kit cars from UK, Nova ? Enjoyed your photos of this historic place.Thank You Mrsnak. Cheers,dreamer
Good One Dreamer :-)
I'm impressed with your car spotting skills, found this cool vid on them, the door design is very creative and so Sci Fi circa 1970s S
I wanted a Purvis Eureka when I was a kid ...
and a De Tomaso Pantera ... and a Lamborghini Countach ... and a Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer and ... Adolescent pinups. Andrew
so many great auto museums within driving distance
but i never go to them. i must make a mid years resolution to visit these great museums. i must do Sammy Millers bike museum and Beaulieu motor museum (again) as it now has the James Bond collection and this museum and so many more. thanks for all the gre...
Isn't it always that way?...
...that one generally never goes to local tourist attractions unless guests from out of town are visiting? This message has been edited by mrsnak on 2012-05-15 07:25:54...
Fantastic picturwes and pilgrimeage
...Some tour I would like to do emyself. Best Hans
Deviating from automotive to aircraft...
...but needed to keep the theme going. Great bomb Vintage Spitfire ressurrected Another stuffed body inside a vintage bomber. Hope his family approved. One of the earliest aircraft, this was a reproduction. Another fantastic reproduction Here are a couple...
Very cool museum ...
A long time since i visited a museum with airplanes ... you're giving me ideas Snak ! Thanks for the pictures, do you have any more of the Brough Superior ? That was a bike ... the Panigale of the 1920ies ! Bim
Then there is the history of London bus transport...
They literally had something represented from every era....
There's so much great stuff....
...in your posts - Cobb's Railton, the aircraft frames, the Broughs, the P5, on and on... But in amongst all that, it seems strange that I have the biggest soft spot for the Austin J40.
It was hard for me to choose one vehicle...
...also funny that I never went inside the Concorde jet (which was partially designed and built at Brooklands, BTW). It was probably too new and recent in my memory, although I had never flown in it.
terrific post
Really terrific, Snak! I spent a good half hour just savouring your pics. Made my evening! Thanks!
Really happy to share the experience....
Especially when so many generously do this all the time up here!
Beautiful pilgrimage in the UK....
Beautiful pilgrimage in the UK. I've never been to the Brooklands Museum, now I'm inspired to visit the next time I'm in London. Which vehicle was your favorite? On 5/13/12 4:52 PM, "automotive watchprosite" < [Email address suppressed for privacy] > wrot...
So many to have chosen from...
...but that Napier-Railton was pretty cool. The racing history for some of these cars alone made them special. The Brough Superior bike was it for the bikes.
Wonderful photos ...
Thanks for the coverage, Snak. I imagine there is some interesting history behind each of the vehicles you show, and it looks like a great place to explore again and again. Wonderful. Andrew
Thanks Andrew, I only wish I had more time...
...had a small but fairly bored entourage with me ;-). I will be back. They do events there, and often take many of the cars out. The Napier-Railton gets run on occasion.
Map of Brooklands
Here is a map of the grounds. In the upper right-hand corner is a small map showing how large the original track was This message has been edited by mrsnak on 2012-05-14 07:51:52...
If you can find...
....a copy, I recommend a book titled Negative Gravity. It is the biography of Beatrice Shilling, who raced bikes (proper cammy Nortons, not J.A.P. engined Broughs! ) at Brooklands, sorted out the Spitfire's carby issues, worked on missiles, hooned in car...
Worth looking for...
..as, at least for the moment, I'm really in a Brooklands mode. One can never stop learning.
A Brough Superior made history . . .
. . . precisely 77 years to the day prior to your post, snak. T E Lawrence died from injuries suffered in a crash while riding his Brough Superior on May 13th, 1935.
He also owned a few of them, all custom made...
..as these were at the time. I think he had a couple more on order at the time of his death. This message has been edited by mrsnak on 2012-05-14 16:56:51
If memory serves ....
They were all called George. Not sure which one he died on (v, vi or vii)
One just came up at auction
At Bonhams in the UK. Fetched $394,000 US. Hope the buyer will actively ride the bike... Please...,
These were rough rides, too...
...not the the best for the "glut challenged" like yours truly ;-)
There's a guy...
..here in Australia who races a 1923 Indian - no rear suspension, hand shift - and has pulled sub-2 minute lap....forget gluts, he's in.....spired.
