Secret test track, or something boring!?
Discussion
Was looking on Google maps for something and noticed what looked like an epic secret race track in a forest! Any ideas what it really is?
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.3811751,-0.78283...
It's listed as belonging to TRL. Their website says that they are a test lab for vehicle safety, but it's rather vague. I was wondering if they did more because the amount of road they have is fairly substantial, including a figure of eight circuit :-)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.3811751,-0.78283...
It's listed as belonging to TRL. Their website says that they are a test lab for vehicle safety, but it's rather vague. I was wondering if they did more because the amount of road they have is fairly substantial, including a figure of eight circuit :-)
That's exactly what it is. They do a variety of testing for all sorts of things, fairly recently they were testing the new 'Dutch' roundabouts for cyclists. Both me and the OH are on their mailing lists for assisting with their testing. I did one last year that was on behalf of JLR testing the touchscreens of three different products.
My Neighbour worked there back in the 70's. Gave our club a talk on it.
What pised me off was there was an open day there a few years ago and you could drive a Routemaster or Artic around the site for a fiver.I missed it.. and i live about a mile away.
And yes when we moved in going down the Crowthorne road we sw the 'motorway' and thought is was the M4 or M3, had us puzzled for weeks!
What pised me off was there was an open day there a few years ago and you could drive a Routemaster or Artic around the site for a fiver.I missed it.. and i live about a mile away.
And yes when we moved in going down the Crowthorne road we sw the 'motorway' and thought is was the M4 or M3, had us puzzled for weeks!
Planet Claire said:
That's exactly what it is. They do a variety of testing for all sorts of things, fairly recently they were testing the new 'Dutch' roundabouts for cyclists. Both me and the OH are on their mailing lists for assisting with their testing. I did one last year that was on behalf of JLR testing the touchscreens of three different products.
Do they let other people join said mailing list?
I used to work there a few years ago when the track was in use. The track was used for full scale vehicle crash testing amongst other things. Sadly the majority of the TRL site will eventually be turned into a new school, businesses and housing estate. I believe the track and central pan area is no longer used, they even used this wide open area for driver training as in skid control. One of my lasting memories was seeing / hearing the touring cars that used to test there on some Friday afternoons - a perk of the job so to speak.
I once drove an American muscle car tow vehicle up and down the track, that was a hoot!
I once drove an American muscle car tow vehicle up and down the track, that was a hoot!
A diesel tuning company called Van Aaken used to be based there some years ago and I took my 300Tdi 110 to have its fuel pump tweaked for improved performance. To be fair to them, they did a good job on it.
At the time, a friend of mine rented office space across from them on the site and used to see dozens of black London taxis there as they were getting their fuel pumps tweaked, supposedly for improved emissions and economy.
I know a few people who worked at the TRRL for many years and are now retired. One, a chap who lives just down the road from our house, was responsible for getting the pedestrian safety legislation through for the front of cars.
Funny how one small innocuous village can be triangulated by three well-known places. Broadmoor, Wellington and the TRRL.
It'll be a huge shame to see the TRRL site ruined and covered in yet more houses. Shame the site couldn't be used for business instead.
At the time, a friend of mine rented office space across from them on the site and used to see dozens of black London taxis there as they were getting their fuel pumps tweaked, supposedly for improved emissions and economy.
I know a few people who worked at the TRRL for many years and are now retired. One, a chap who lives just down the road from our house, was responsible for getting the pedestrian safety legislation through for the front of cars.
Funny how one small innocuous village can be triangulated by three well-known places. Broadmoor, Wellington and the TRRL.
It'll be a huge shame to see the TRRL site ruined and covered in yet more houses. Shame the site couldn't be used for business instead.
SimesJH said:
At the time, a friend of mine rented office space across from them on the site and used to see dozens of black London taxis there as they were getting their fuel pumps tweaked, supposedly for improved emissions and economy.
We rented offices there for years till they shut the Enterprise Centre. after Van Aaken went that area got used to make a couple of films. used to see a nice Dodge Ram that would occasionally hoon about over there.Blimey Van Aaken's a name I haven't heard since the late '90's. Always wondered what happened to them, as I remember when they used to do a fair bit of Fiat tuning and had a Cinquecento turbo demo car. One of my old sixth form friends ended up taking his n/a Punto there and it came back with a bit of a mad turbo conversion bolted on
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