38 replies to this topic

[Rob Voska]

Don't wait for somebody else, get a bunch of the guys together and find a place to rent or lease to set the track up.    Might take a few  bucks from a bunch of guys, but find a way to keep  it alive.

 

In England the small clubs have "Master Members" that pay a monthly fees that cover the basics to keep the doors open. 

Then the others that come in help to cover the extras and maintenance. 

Get used to it guys......... 4 lane tracks and clubs is our future whether you want to admit it or not.

[Bill from NH]

A 4-lane Tunkel Brothers mini-orange in the owner's basement is the last commercial-type road track in NH. It's used by a 1/24 hard body club/home group.

[Greg Erskine]

I don't know of a track in a basement in Australia.

 

Come to think of it, I actually haven't seen a house with a basement in Australia. I wonder if its a cultural thing?

[MattD]

I have a good friend in Oz that has a Carrera 2 lane in his basement.   Currently he is in Galambil Hts. I sent him the track.   He is in the process of moving back near Sydney and will take the track with him    He has just finished helping a friend assemble  a routed track in a club/bar in Galambil.     This type of track is pretty easy for 4-6 guys to afford and build as a club.   roputing is smoother and can be customized, but plastic is better than nothing.

[Greg Erskine]

I am not sure where Galambil Hts is? I am sure there are exceptions to the rule.

 

Sydney is on a sandstone basin. Digging down is expensive.

[stoo23]

Perhaps may mean 'Bilambil' Heights ??

 

Speaking of 'Cultural things' Rob V, Smaller Club Based Tracks would seem to have almost been a Mainstay of Brittish slotting, I recall reading about Many of them (as a Teenager) in the various magazines of that era and there seemed to be SO many Regional Club Circuits.

 

Strangely, this has Never really been a 'Thing' in Australia, with the Long Standing "Sydney Society of Model Engineers" aka SSME being the Only real Club / Membership based Track in Sydney.

 

There are quite a few 1/32 scale Home circuits (Both Plastic and Routed) that provide a number of people race at regularly.

 

Apart from the simple loss of a great place to Race,.. is is also just Sad to lose such an 'Institution'.

 

There Aren't That many raceways left, around the World, that have remained in the same location since they opened, let alone also being from the 1960's.

[Nonfractal]

In England the small clubs have "Master Members" that pay a monthly fees that cover the basics to keep the doors open. 
Then the others that come in help to cover the extras and maintenance. 
Get used to it guys......... 4 lane tracks and clubs is our future whether you want to admit it or not.

Shame to see so many commercial raceways closing around the world.
It's true that here in the uk, the "club" model is the one that prevails.
Commercial tracks (open to the public) are a rarity with the new "racewars" venue in Milton Keynes being notable exception.

For UK clubs, the challenge remains that of finding premises to rent at reasonable cost.
Typical solutions to this are:

-Church halls (LondonSlotCarClub.com run in wood green church hall)
-School halls (NascotWoodslotCarClub.com run in a school hall in Watford)

The main issue with running in these types of venues is that the track has to be put out and cleared away within the rental period (typically 4 hours for club night) and comes with strings attached (annual scalextric day for the school kids)
Consequently, many tracks are plastic (scalextric sport or Ninco) pre mounted on sectional boards for easy build and breakdown on the day. These are typically SIX lane tracks.

Tracks are normally stored at the hall, stacked against the wall or stored in an adjacent lockup room.
Some of these tracks have even been out on tour to exhibitions etc but I don't see that happening currently.

The club model works, it just takes committed members to keep it going.
A club can sink under the weight of members who turn up after the track is put out but then also leave early before the track is put away.

Alan.

[Dave_12]

 Stoo the Hornsby track is now at East Maitland in many cut up pieces.  I doubt we will ever see that track again. 

[stoo23]

Hi Dave, I am assuming you mean the HSC 'Big' Hillclimb track, not the smaller Flat track or are you talking about the Much Older original Banked track ??

[Dave_12]

Stoo the big Hill Climb track 

[stoo23]

Ahhh, yeah, OK .... I had heard similar.

I was surprised to hear of the Original 'Banked' track's life post Waitara, as I had always believed it had gone to the tip but it existed and provided fun for quite a few years more, before it eventually got chucked away.

 

What is particularly annoying is the existence of the Flat Track (now in re-furbished excellent condition) yet due to a complaint made to Council (I believe), no 'Events' can be arranged for its current location

 

Such a Shame !!

 

[Bill from NH]

Stew, what classes we being run on that flat track? It looks like a fun track for both 1/24 & 1/32 scale cars.

[stoo23]

Hey Bill,

It looks like a fun track for both 1/24 & 1/32 scale cars

Yes,... absolutely !! ... It was.

 

When it was situated in it's original 'Home' at "Hornsby Slot Cars" at Waitara, Sydney, it regularly had 1/32 Scalextric and Plafit racing, along with various 1/24th classes, Vintage, Scale and Retro and it was a fantastic and very challenging track that had quite a number of very competitive State and National events held on it.

 

When it had it's First (and so far ONLY) official Race meeting at it's current home in Windsor (in western Sydney), Retro's, Slotworx Porsche and Flexi Sedans were raced,... see here: https://ascra.com.au...opic.php?t=1854

 

[stoo23]

Some video footage of some Plafit Scale 'Historic' Can Am racing on that Flat track

 

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