A LONDON RACING-CIRCUIT
A LONDON RACING-CIRCUIT
So much has been heard during the past five years of new racing-tracks about to come into being at various parts of the country that, with Donington still our only road-course, any further news of this sort requires quite a large dip into the editorial saltcellar.
Perhaps, however, the fact that the proposed road-circuit at the Crystal Palace is linked to names such as those of Harry Edwards of the B R.D.C., W. G. Everitt, the M.G. racing-pilot, and the Hon. G. G. R. Rodd should be sufficient reason to dispense with that pinch of salt. Let us, therefore, describe the scheme which has the approval and assistance of the Crystal Palace Trustees and Sir Henry Buckland. A road-circuit of non-skid bitumen is visualised, with a width of 30 ft. and a lap of about two miles, designed by C. L. Clayton to provide various gentle leftand right-hand bends and a useful hairpin turn. The terraces below the Palace will provide adequate accommodation, and there is room for 60,00070,000 people in the enclosures, which would, we imagine, seldom be over crowded. Three railway stations and many bus and tram services connect with the Palace and four bridges over the course and a subway underneath it are shown in the plans. At present the course has actually been marked out, but much work would have to be done to clear
woods and construct the road, which, in places, would pass through meadows. The existing dirt-track, cycle-track, running-track and football ground would be undisturbed.
An initial meeting is anticipated in April 1937, followed by car, motor-cycle and cycle races. ” Path” racing by motor-cycles has, of course, been staged with some success at the venue. But the writer has to con
fess to a feeling of acute depression when within the grounds, where he has attended a few car dirt-track shows, two motorcycle dirt-track meetings and an aero show. The interior of the Palace has these days an unfortunate air of neglect and desolation, and it does not seem to have occurred to many people that motor-race meetings are attended mainly by the motoring fraternity, who can usually muster motors in which to journey to existing courses, and that such journeys constitute much of the pleasure of race-going. Also that the petrol, oil, rubber and brake-lining consumed by thousands of such runs is good for the trade. However, the Crystal Palace
developments will be watched with interest, especially, no doubt, by regular habit uees Who at present must find on so many Saturdays that when they have spent all their pennies in the fun fair there is little else in the way of moral amusement left to them in the wilderness of this S.E. London pleasure-ground.