Millbrook Proving Ground

[Elderly]

Does anybody know if there's a circuit guide to Millbrook,
or have any information/experience about driving it please?

[spyderman8]

Which part of it? There are so many circuits and configurations it would take ages to prepare and might end up being pretty useless. These pages any good?

http://www.millbrook.co.uk/Facilities-and-Services...
http://catdrivertraining.co.uk/why-use-cat-driver-...

[Elderly]

Thanks for the links.
I had wrongly assumed that it was just a circuit of some sorts.
I've been invited to a manufacturer's event and I've NO idea
of what to expect.

[spyderman8]

You'll probably love it! The Alpine circuit is a real challenge.

[spyderman8]

BTW photography is banned and you may have to surrender your mobile phone.

[DocSteve]

The Alpine circuit and the inner handling circuits are my favourites there. It's an interesting place to go to, you'll enjoy it.

RE: mobile phones with cameras - when I've been they have stuck a sticker over the camera lens with writing on it that changes colour if it's removed. They've never checked this on the way out though so not sure how useful that is for them! I wouldn't break the rules though as you will not be invited back if they find out.

[atom111]

Elderly said:

Thanks for the links.
I had wrongly assumed that it was just a circuit of some sorts.
I've been invited to a manufacturer's event and I've NO idea
of what to expect.

It's definitely not a circuit, it's a collection of lots of stuff, handling circuits, surfaces. road types, high speed oval bowl etc.... Done a couple CAT driving training days, is an interesting place always enjoy it there.

[Elderly]

It sounds more interesting than my expectation - I'm looking forward to this!

[McSam]

Should make for a good day! The handling circuit is good, quite challenging, and the hill routes are fantastic. Imagine a decent alpine road, except one way and (barring one small section) without speed limit! If you have something worth Vmaxing then the bowl is pretty cool, but hard on tyres.

They also have a mile straight if that's your bag, and a wettable skid pan.

If you're lucky, you may see a certain supercar manufacturer shaking down customer cars there..

Don't worry about camera phones, a declaration and a self-voiding sticker over the lens is all that's needed. They're a lot more relaxed about it than some other places.

[Elderly]

I've just found out the variations I'll be doing - they are:
The two mile, five lane banked circular track.
The one mile straight with a downhill approach.
The one mile outer handling circuit.
and The Hill Route.

[McSam]

Just about everything you'd want, nice one!

If I'm understanding "downhill approach" correctly, then you'll be using the top entry to the Mile Straight which involves coming at it from the top of a truck slopes, down a big wide corkscrew to get a huge run-up at the mile itself.. but there's quite a sharp compression as it levels out

[tsinc]

The banked oval is amusing, I was doing 148mph with no hands on the wheel, very odd at first!

[Mrs Muttleysnoop]

tsinc said:

The banked oval is amusing, I was doing 148mph with no hands on the wheel, very odd at first!

I only did 142mph but I loved it and found it relaxing even with no hands. OH did 144mph,grrrr!

[Cyder]

tsinc said:

The banked oval is amusing, I was doing 148mph with no hands on the wheel, very odd at first!

Really, the top lane is only neutral steering at 100mph iirc how did you not hit the barrier?! Rather you than me going no hands at that speed, it's bumpy as hell on there!

Inner handling circuit is my favourite, although I seem to spend my days on the mile straight or bowl when I'm there, try to avoid the Belgian pave, it's bloody horrible!.

[tsinc]

Cyder said:

Really, the top lane is only neutral steering at 100mph iirc how did you not hit the barrier?! Rather you than me going no hands at that speed, it's bumpy as hell on there!

Inner handling circuit is my favourite, although I seem to spend my days on the mile straight or bowl when I'm there, try to avoid the Belgian pave, it's bloody horrible!.

May have been around 100mph with no hands on the wheel then, I just remember doing silly speeds with no hands on the wheel and not getting any quicker than 148! My brain may have melted both memories into one

[Cyder]

It is a very strange experience doing that kind of speed no handed down there. Fastest I've been round the bowl was 100mph I think.

I did manage 160mph down the mile straight from a standing start in a GT-R though before hitting the brakes. HARD!!!!!