Track build progress
I'll be updating this area with pictures and commentary of the track build as it progresses.We will take possession of the land from July 1st, all being well with the lease contracts.
Ideally, the build will start as soon as possible after July 1st, but it depends on when the contractors can fit the work in.
I've been having a bit of a play with the graphics. Here is how the track will look, almost to scale.
Here starts the photo log.
Before August 12th 2008
This is what we have to work with!
August 12th 2008
A pile of hardcore ready for crushing has been delivered.
August 13th 2008
The temporary fence is up.It is strange how big the area looks, now that it is cordoned off.
Tomorrow the old rostrum, and the basketball area gets ripped up and crushed for hardcore.
August 15th 2008
Here is a big pile of stuff ready to be crushed and the machine which did the ripping up.
This is Mick, the club secretary, standing by the big pile of rubble which used to be the basketball court.
The old track has been broken up. This will allow drainage once the spoil has been piled on top and levelled for a new pitting area.
The old rostrum is no more. This will also be crushed and added to the fill for the new track.
In a sense, the new track will arise from the rubble of the old.
Here we can see one of these enormous machines has made a delicate cut in the surface.
At this stage, we are still assaying wat lies beneath the surface, how deep, and in which direction does it slope.
All of these factors could have a bearing on the way the track is built, and the final cost of the project.
This is a shot down the length of our land.
In the foreground you can see where the white line painted on he grass delineates where the edge of the track will be.
August 22nd 2008
Here are some pictures from the past week.The dig has started. The top layer of the ground is being removed to be replaced with a layer of crushed fill.
In the background you can see the massive crushing machine. Big slabs of concrete are fed into the top, and little shredded bits of concrete come out of the back.
Now we can see the area starting to take shape.
August 24th 2008
We can see the edges of the track starting to go down now.
The old track has all but dissapeared beneath the earth that has been dug out.
Some of this will go around the tarmac when it is laid, to bring the level up.
The rest will be flattened off, and remain here.
The hardcore has been crushed and graded, and now awaits the track perimiter being laid so that it can be spread evenly within.
And here are the concrete edgings which are being used to outline the track perimeter.
August 30th 2008
How many committe members does it take to start a generator?.
Measure twice, cut once. Oh. There's already a hole. Shouldn't we have measured first?
...and the rostrum is erected!
September 2nd 2008
This is from a couple of days ago. It is a shot of the far left hairpin, filled with the crushed stuff they use for a base.All of the edgings are in place, and it's nearly ready to be topped off with the black stuff.
Secretary and Chairman Photographed by PRO.
The tarmac is down. It looks even bigger now, although, it has been made 2 meters shorter than the plan.
This caused some consternation when trying to fit the designed track markings onto the actual piece of tarmac, as the plan did not quite match the reality.
For thos that don't know me, I'm the one in the orange trousers.
September 2nd 2008 (more)
Heres a view from yesterday where the sub-contractors ran out of tarmac before finishing.
And here's where they patched it in this morning. It looks different doesn't it...
That's because it's sitting a bit higher than the rest of the track.
This is a renewed track markings done in a childs crayon, after our initial efforts with chalk washed away in the totrrential rain which followed.
Here's a picture of the whole track badly photoshopped together as a panorama. You can click on this one to see the full size picture.
September 8th 2008
Now we have the rope down.
Painting...
...and more Painting.
September 14th 2008
Blessed are the work party helpers. They shall be rewarded by being pictured here.We have done some ground leveling, and some painting and decorating today.
Here's another picture of the whole track badly photoshopped together as a panorama. You can click on this one to see a larger picture.
September 20th 2008
Last day before we open for business. Even more blessed are the work party helpers who have turned up for a second time in a week. In no particular order... Thank you to all those in the pictures.- Ian
- Theo
- Glenn
- Rob
- Mick
- Steve
- Simon
- Dan
- Trevor
- Other unknown people whom I hope will become more familiar in future :)
Today we
- Finished the track painting.
- Bolted all the rope down to the track.
- Removed all the major stones and debris from the track runoff areas.
- Tested the loop, and all the electrics.
- Put barriers across the unused cut-throughs
- Completed the marshal safety stations
- Rebolted the pit lane barrier. Much more sturdy now
- Put hooks up for the caravan window, and the printoff board.
- Coked the track
- Had a drive :)
Alors... Finis.
