Ingliston Racing Circuit Edinburgh Revival?
Discussion
Hello all,
I have many fond memories during the late 80's of the racing circuit Ingliston on the outskirts of Edinburgh. I spent many of my Sundays hanging over the pit-wall as a youngster, cheering on Jimmy Patrick in his 1380 Colvend Mini, watching him do battle with Richard Dobson in his Citroen AX!
By this time, Ingliston was not as popular as it was in the 70's heyday, and to my knowledge it cased operations as a track in 1992.
My question is two-fold: Does anyone here know the reasons behind the closure? Was it financial, political or safety related issues? Also, has anyone in the recent past looked at the potential viability of restoring Ingliston as a racing circuit? To my knowledge, some of the track is currently being used as a sprint/track day venue.
Perhaps my question is steeped in misty-eyed nostalgia, but with the advent of the new tram link, coupled with a sensible business-geared plan, and the agreement of the RHS, would it not be a great addition to Edinburgh again?
Cheers!
I have many fond memories during the late 80's of the racing circuit Ingliston on the outskirts of Edinburgh. I spent many of my Sundays hanging over the pit-wall as a youngster, cheering on Jimmy Patrick in his 1380 Colvend Mini, watching him do battle with Richard Dobson in his Citroen AX!
By this time, Ingliston was not as popular as it was in the 70's heyday, and to my knowledge it cased operations as a track in 1992.
My question is two-fold: Does anyone here know the reasons behind the closure? Was it financial, political or safety related issues? Also, has anyone in the recent past looked at the potential viability of restoring Ingliston as a racing circuit? To my knowledge, some of the track is currently being used as a sprint/track day venue.
Perhaps my question is steeped in misty-eyed nostalgia, but with the advent of the new tram link, coupled with a sensible business-geared plan, and the agreement of the RHS, would it not be a great addition to Edinburgh again?
Cheers!
I believe some of the old track has been built on unfortunately 
I've done a couple of unofficial sprint days there a couple of years back on the section beside the A8, I believe the old stadium section is now no longer complete though. Competitive sprints were held there up until the year before last, never got the chance to compete there unfortunately.
I'd be surprised if the track could be resurrected without a large amount of investment. Safety standards in the old days wouldn't be acceptable nowadays.
Ingliston was my first in-person experience of motorsport back in 1990, such a shame it couldn't continue
http://www.ingliston-circuit.co.uk/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl4GN6jnfHY
I've done a couple of unofficial sprint days there a couple of years back on the section beside the A8, I believe the old stadium section is now no longer complete though. Competitive sprints were held there up until the year before last, never got the chance to compete there unfortunately.
I'd be surprised if the track could be resurrected without a large amount of investment. Safety standards in the old days wouldn't be acceptable nowadays.
Ingliston was my first in-person experience of motorsport back in 1990, such a shame it couldn't continue
http://www.ingliston-circuit.co.uk/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl4GN6jnfHY
I wonder where the ownership lies now....
I remember some convulted situation whereby the grounds were owned by the Royal Highland Showground, but the barriers and essentially the track were in the latter days owned by Tom Brown? Does that ring a bell to anyone?
I'm also pretty sure that the old grandstand at arena has been demolished.
It's a real shame that such a gem of a track seems consigned to the history books. I would imagine that it would fall far short of today's safety standards, if nothing else.
I would be surprised however, if no-one has looked into it over the course of the last 20 years (eek, that long!)
I wonder if Scotland could legitamelty run two racing tracks these days? I doubt it would be welcomed by the owners of Knockhill!
It has such a potential to be great once more!
I remember some convulted situation whereby the grounds were owned by the Royal Highland Showground, but the barriers and essentially the track were in the latter days owned by Tom Brown? Does that ring a bell to anyone?
I'm also pretty sure that the old grandstand at arena has been demolished.
It's a real shame that such a gem of a track seems consigned to the history books. I would imagine that it would fall far short of today's safety standards, if nothing else.
I would be surprised however, if no-one has looked into it over the course of the last 20 years (eek, that long!)
I wonder if Scotland could legitamelty run two racing tracks these days? I doubt it would be welcomed by the owners of Knockhill!
It has such a potential to be great once more!
Stuzzy1980 said:
It's a real shame that such a gem of a track seems consigned to the history books. I would imagine that it would fall far short of today's safety standards, if nothing else.
I would be surprised however, if no-one has looked into it over the course of the last 20 years (eek, that long!)
I wonder if Scotland could legitamelty run two racing tracks these days? I doubt it would be welcomed by the owners of Knockhill!
It has such a potential to be great once more!
There is very little left of the original circuit, some of it has been built on, and any remaining tarmac has been significantly shortened in width.I would be surprised however, if no-one has looked into it over the course of the last 20 years (eek, that long!)
I wonder if Scotland could legitamelty run two racing tracks these days? I doubt it would be welcomed by the owners of Knockhill!
It has such a potential to be great once more!
Regarding two circuits in Scotland: it already has two, Knockhill and East Fortune, but the latter is only used for bike racing.
What's left of Ingliston (little more than a few access roads):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwmyqtgZo-I
Whereas East Fortune is a proper track and actually longer than Knockhill:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1nkfd4nUrE
It's just a pity there is no car racing/trackdays at East Fortune.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwmyqtgZo-I
Whereas East Fortune is a proper track and actually longer than Knockhill:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1nkfd4nUrE
It's just a pity there is no car racing/trackdays at East Fortune.
A couple of threads which may be of interest on the autosport forum, the 2nd of which include photos of the track I took a couple of years ago.
The history of the circuit is well described in Graham Gauld's book on the history of scottish motor racing, as is Jackie Stewart's '80s plan for a much larger circuit on the site
http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=97...
http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=91...
and an Ingliston specific website:
http://www.ingliston-circuit.co.uk/index.html
A poster for the 1966 Student charities cup is on the wall by my seat as I type!
Al
The history of the circuit is well described in Graham Gauld's book on the history of scottish motor racing, as is Jackie Stewart's '80s plan for a much larger circuit on the site
http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=97...
http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=91...
and an Ingliston specific website:
http://www.ingliston-circuit.co.uk/index.html
A poster for the 1966 Student charities cup is on the wall by my seat as I type!
Al
Edited by Mistron on Wednesday 10th April 17:29
The airport will eventually expand across all the ground Ingliston used to occupy. Only a matter of time. Money down the tubes trying to temporarily resurrect anything there.
Much better to try and find a brownfield site somewhere close to Glasgow/Edinburgh with good motorway links. Scottish Motorsport deserves a world class facility.
Much better to try and find a brownfield site somewhere close to Glasgow/Edinburgh with good motorway links. Scottish Motorsport deserves a world class facility.
Olivera said:
Whereas East Fortune is a proper track and actually longer than Knockhill:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1nkfd4nUrE
It's just a pity there is no car racing/trackdays at East Fortune.
East fortune is interesting - the makings of a propper airfield circuit, like goodwood, Silverstone etc (look at it on Google earth) but the former airfiled is owned by 3 different people companies, none of whom, I believe, get on.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1nkfd4nUrE
It's just a pity there is no car racing/trackdays at East Fortune.
There is the Market operator, the guy who owns the area used for the bikes (Is it Tom Brown, multiple FF champion, and th guy in charge of the final days of Ingliston?) and of course, the National Museum of Scotland who run the Museum of flight.
A shame, as it is handy for the A1, far enough away from housing, but near enough to Edinburgh etc to have the basis of a good set up.
Never going to happen though, and more than a Charterhall revival
to get east fortune up to an acceptable standard for car racing would take a shedload of cash, some of the stuff it needs
mains electrics, water and waste
track resurfaced
gravel traps
barriers
spectator facilities
we have knockhill, it might not be perfect but the Butcher family spend money on the place and every year you see big improvements
mains electrics, water and waste
track resurfaced
gravel traps
barriers
spectator facilities
we have knockhill, it might not be perfect but the Butcher family spend money on the place and every year you see big improvements
I hadn't been to knockhill for a couple of years, and went on Sunday. The banked spectator bankings are better, but look completely unfinished, and combined with the Type 1 type hard standing car parking along Railway straight the whole place has a rather post apocalyptic look to it these days.
A bit of grass or tarmac rather than the rather unfinished look would improve it hugely.
Nothing will ever improve the weather though!
I like Knockhill as a circuit (and it's all we've got) and I realise it is a private venture, but it must be the most barren / basic circuit in the UK. Is there a another circuit without a grandstand?
A bit of grass or tarmac rather than the rather unfinished look would improve it hugely.
Nothing will ever improve the weather though!
I like Knockhill as a circuit (and it's all we've got) and I realise it is a private venture, but it must be the most barren / basic circuit in the UK. Is there a another circuit without a grandstand?
Mistron said:
!
I like Knockhill as a circuit (and it's all we've got) and I realise it is a private venture, but it must be the most barren / basic circuit in the UK. Is there a another circuit without a grandstand?
basic?? no other track apart from sillystone, brands and rockingham have more covered terracing for spectators with the big sheds at hairpin and clarks, plus you are no more than 5 minutes from a toilet block. I have visited Donington, croft and oulton both as a spectator and marshal and knockhill's facilities are light years ahead of them. add to that 1 good cafe (soon to be upgraded and extended clubhouse) and kinnairds. Also from a marshals perspective we have solid brick huts at every post to store our gear in and shelter and a large hall for sign on and lunch. I like Knockhill as a circuit (and it's all we've got) and I realise it is a private venture, but it must be the most barren / basic circuit in the UK. Is there a another circuit without a grandstand?
as for the covered seating for big events they bring in mobile grandstands. all croft has is a temp stand seating 200 and no cover whatsoever... you need to appreciate the hill matey
ha ha, perhaps I'll see it in a more positive light after i've thawed out from Sunday.
We were joking that we knew there was a hill in the centre of the circuit, but couldn't even see it for much of the day!
Still, I remember one meeting being snowed off in June..... A gearbox kart race was underway I seem to recall, and it looked lethal.
Still, it's a fun circuit, and only about 6 miles from home, so can't complain
We were joking that we knew there was a hill in the centre of the circuit, but couldn't even see it for much of the day!
Still, I remember one meeting being snowed off in June..... A gearbox kart race was underway I seem to recall, and it looked lethal.
Still, it's a fun circuit, and only about 6 miles from home, so can't complain
marshal_alan said:
basic?? no other track apart from sillystone, brands and rockingham have more covered terracing for spectators with the big sheds at hairpin and clarks, plus you are no more than 5 minutes from a toilet block. I have visited Donington, croft and oulton both as a spectator and marshal and knockhill's facilities are light years ahead of them. add to that 1 good cafe (soon to be upgraded and extended clubhouse) and kinnairds. Also from a marshals perspective we have solid brick huts at every post to store our gear in and shelter and a large hall for sign on and lunch.
as for the covered seating for big events they bring in mobile grandstands. all croft has is a temp stand seating 200 and no cover whatsoever... you need to appreciate the hill matey
Donnington has a large seated covered area, shop and bar-restaurant. as for the covered seating for big events they bring in mobile grandstands. all croft has is a temp stand seating 200 and no cover whatsoever... you need to appreciate the hill matey
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