Year of celebrations planned for Goodwood 75
The operators of Goodwood Circuit have announced a string of celebratory events across the course of the 2023 season to mark 75 years since the opening of the racing venue.…
Last week I jumped in the car and fought through the ‘variable’ speed limit on the M25 to get to Brooklands by 6pm. As far as I can tell the new speed limit ideas are about as successful as a porn concession at the Vatican would be. The queues were horrendous and I just made it in time for the start of the Torchlight Ghost Tour around the famous circuit and buildings.
The tour is in fact more of an introduction to the history of the circuit. I say introduction because a full tour of the place would take over a day, our guide knew this as he had tried it, more than once.
If you have never been to Brooklands or even if you just want to jog your memory the hour and a half ‘wander’ is a brilliant taster. All the major historical features are covered such as the Napier Railton that was the fastest car ever to lap Brooklands at a speed of 143.44mph. A time that is unlikely ever to be broken considering only 3/4 of the track remains.
One of only two surviving Vickers Wellington bombers, the earliest Peugeot in existence, and numerous other fascinating artefacts make for a very enjoyable evening.
As for the ghosts… well I must admit that I didn’t see any but I am assured that they do exist. The stories were certainly chilling – the freezing cold weather and the shadows that my torch cast certainly made me walk briskly to my car afterwards.
This may well have been due to the fact that I had landed from Los Angeles that morning and was suffering from chronic jet lag. It certainly gave the tour that little extra edge.
The next couple of Torchlight tours are completely booked up but I would fully recommend getting in the queue, have a look at www.brooklandsmuseum.com for more information.
The operators of Goodwood Circuit have announced a string of celebratory events across the course of the 2023 season to mark 75 years since the opening of the racing venue.…
Silverstone’s forthcoming Festival event will celebrate the circuit’s 75th anniversary with a packed racing programme of classic and historic machinery, with front-engined Formula 1 cars getting a prime slot.
100 years after the birth of Carroll Shelby, the 2023 Goodwood Revival will celebrate the long and varied career of the racing great
Our man on the historic and club scene has had to take his foot off the accelerator – for now – but that's allowed more time to delve into the archives