Think the new series of Top Gear* was being filmed this am.

[Kell]

• Or whatever it's going to be called.

Saw a massive film crew in Hyde Park this morning as I was doing laps of the park on my bike. Second time around I saw Clarkson chatting to some crew members. Next time around I looked out for them again, but instead spotted an A8, one of those Bentley looking Chrysler things and I didn't spot a third.

But it lead me to the conclusion that they were testing luxo-barges on the cheap for their new series.

[LeoSayer]

Where in Hyde Park?

[RobbyJ]

Yes where, I'd love you ride past after work and see if they're still there?

I'd heard the show was going to be called 'Gear Knobs'!

[e600]

Early Sunday morning I was in a petrol station at Bagshot, and in the queue behind me was a young lady dressed for TV! Her outfit was black and gold and figure hugging. She explained that she works for Top Gear and they are filming at the old MOD site at Longcross, with the implication that was the new permanent site for TG.

Anyone know for sure?

[RobbyJ]

No idea but I hope not. It’s great to use for shoots and many many programmes and films use it but it sucks as a track to do flat out timed laps round. If Clarkson, May , Hammond and the Stig all treated Longcross in the same way they treated Dunsfold 3 out of the 4 of them would no longer be with us. There are no run offs and no barriers round most if not all of it from memory.

[Bluedot]

I did a 6th gear track day experience round it, apart from the long start/finish straight with a small coned off kink in it, it was a pretty horrible track.
Just made you nervous as hell, not to mention the 'instructor'

[e600]

RobbyJ said:

No idea but I hope not. It’s great to use for shoots and many many programmes and films use it but it sucks as a track to do flat out timed laps round. If Clarkson, May , Hammond and the Stig all treated Longcross in the same way they treated Dunsfold 3 out of the 4 of them would no longer be with us. There are no run offs and no barriers round most if not all of it from memory.

I know what you mean, I worked there many years ago and know the various circuits well. To keep people on their toes they used to change the circuit direction at midday!
I didn't think it would be much use for the old TG format

[RobbyJ]

What was the track used for back in the MOD days out of interest?

[dozen]

Longcross used to be a tank testing facility.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longcross

[e600]

RobbyJ said:

What was the track used for back in the MOD days out of interest?

I commanded and drove challenger Arrv hundreds of miles around that bloody track as part of RAMD and User Acceptance trials, also Warrior.

The place also has some very serious gradients, and it was particularly pleasing to drive off the top with the latest Defence Minister of the time and hear the cries.

My time finished there in about '89.

[petop]

Mclaren also used it for F1 (road version) testing many years ago.

[RobbyJ]

Cool thanks for the info guys.

I had a ride round Hyde Park after work last night but no sign, they must have moved on by then

[andrewrob]

petop said:

Mclaren also used it for F1 (road version) testing many years ago.

Mclaren still use it daily for testing cars as part of their service package, plus testing new cars.

There is a short handling course in the middle but that's still lined with trees too.

[Kell]

Sorry I didn't get back to this thread, but they'd completely closed the car park opposite the Serpentine Gallery.

[shakotan]

e600 said:

Early Sunday morning I was in a petrol station at Bagshot, and in the queue behind me was a young lady dressed for TV! Her outfit was black and gold and figure hugging. She explained that she works for Top Gear and they are filming at the old MOD site at Longcross, with the implication that was the new permanent site for TG.

Anyone know for sure?

So presumably she doesn't work for whatver the new Clarkson, Hammond and May show is then, as she wouldn't have said she's works for Top Gear unless she works for Top Gear, which is Chris Evans' show.

[Jimmy Recard]

shakotan said:

So presumably she doesn't work for whatver the new Clarkson, Hammond and May show is then, as she wouldn't have said she's works for Top Gear unless she works for Top Gear, which is Chris Evans' show.

The poster didn't imply that she worked for Clarkson, Hammond and May's show. It could be that Top Gear will be based there from now on (depending on how reliable this unknown woman is)