Jump to content

1/24th Commercial Tracks In Sydney & Beyond


bov

Recommended Posts

Hi Guys

Found a few more old photos for you guys to look at

Not the best but will have to do.....

IMAG0002-2.jpg

 

IMAG0007-2.jpg

 

IMAG0009-2.jpg

 

IMAG0010-2.jpg

 

The above photos were taken at Caringbah Sydney NSW

1979 or 1980 I think it was a long time ago that I am sure

Steve

Steve

ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS BEFORE OR AFTER

IS JUST WAITING RACING IS LIFE STEVE MCQUEEN

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 131
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Steve,

 

Those photos of the Caringbah track are just what I needed to confirm my shady memory....

 

I raced there once in '79 - '80 ('twas a long way from my base at G&D..), and all I could remember was it was a large blueish track unlike just about anything else - it seemed longer than others..... and it was 'swoopier'...

 

I keep hearing that the track from Caringbah went to Sydney City Slot Cars near Darling Harbour / Harris Street - but this particular track in these photos don't match up with previous references to either a 'King' or a 'Purple Mile' being at Sydney City. Perhaps something happened to this 'Trinity' track, and it was a subsequent Caringbah track that went into the city?

Edited by bov

Cheers,

 

Tony.

 

There's only two questions:

 

1. What direction do you go

2. What's the Lap Record?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BOV

As far as I know this is the only track at Caringbah from 79 on till it left

The track was owned by Mark Elis.

I don't know what happened to it after it left upstairs behind the Kingsway..

When you first walked in the ground floor had a half pipe skate ramp (Mark was in to that) then a walk upstairs to the track..

Maybe one of the other guys can help with what happened to the track

Steve

ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS BEFORE OR AFTER

IS JUST WAITING RACING IS LIFE STEVE MCQUEEN

Link to comment
Share on other sites

More photos from Campbelltown in the late eighties (Don Haines )

IMAG0049-1.jpg

 

IMAG0050-1.jpg

 

IMAG0051-1.jpg

 

IMAG0052-1.jpg

 

IMAG0053-1.jpg

 

IMAG0058-1.jpg

 

IMAG0059-1.jpg

 

IMAG0061-1.jpg

 

IMAG0065-1.jpg

 

IMAG0066-1.jpg

 

IMAG0066-1.jpg

 

IMAG0069-1.jpg

 

IMAG0076-1.jpg

 

IMAG0074-1.jpg

 

IMAG0073-1.jpg

 

IMAG0015-2.jpg

 

IMAG0014-2.jpg

 

IMAG0052-1.jpg

 

OK Guys this is it I am out of Very Old Photos......

Steve B) B) :rolleyes::lol:B) B)

Steve

ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS BEFORE OR AFTER

IS JUST WAITING RACING IS LIFE STEVE MCQUEEN

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Getting back to the subject of G&D, the old six lane hillclimb would still be a fantastic Scale track for the Plafit/ Scaleauto brigade.

Originally built by Jack Grenenger at American Raceways Crows nest I raced my first scratchbuilt chassis there. A Morrisy "jail house door" copy from Car Model magazine and hand wound motor gave me the track record for a few weeks until the place closed down.

Wonder where the track is now... it was made from ply so it might still be alive somewhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kim,

 

As far as I am aware everything from G&D was dumped. Only Geoff Cowell would know if anything survived.

 

I spoke with Ron Griffin (sorry Ron, my original post had you mixed up with someone else) many years ago and he said Geoff gave him the computer system off the big track for helping clean the place out. I don't think they were very fussy about how stuff got from the second floor to the ground and the little hillclimb at G&D wasn't working for years before they closed down.

 

Anyway I still hold the Open, G27 and G20 records at G&D, and always will.

 

 

And the Campbelltown track above is Don's old track, he later invested in a very nice Engleman from our own Axman.

Edited by Garry J

Cheers,

Garry J

Slotworx_Logo_Small.jpg

Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I spoke with Ron Martin many years ago and he said Geoff gave him the computer system off the big track.......

Not sure if it's the same one, but we have a Parramatta computer system still working (just) on the SSME track at Luddenham.

Steve K.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Steve,

 

Geoff only ever had the one system from me (he only had one track going) and from memory it was running on an Amiga 600.

 

I still have an Amiga 600 and a few spares for interfaces. The Amiga is for sale if anyone's interested.

Cheers,

Garry J

Slotworx_Logo_Small.jpg

Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kim,

 

As far as I am aware everything from G&D was dumped. Only Geoff Cowell would know if anything survived.

 

I spoke with Ron Griffin (sorry Ron, my original post had you mixed up with someone else) many years ago and he said Geoff gave him the computer system off the big track for helping clean the place out. I don't think they were very fussy about how stuff got from the second floor to the ground and the little hillclimb at G&D wasn't working for years before they closed down.

 

Anyway I still hold the Open, G27 and G20 records at G&D, and always will.

 

 

And the Campbelltown track above is Don's old track, he later invested in a very nice Engleman from our own Axman.

 

Yes Gary all the tracks from G&D were cut up sadly .

The older I get the faster I was .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Hey Kim,..I wasn't aware that the 6 lane hillclimb track was at Grenengers in Crows Nest,..guess it must be my age, but I don't remember that track at Crowie,..The 8 Lane track that used to be near the counter at G&D (when it was above Mick Simmons and later opposite the Big track on the same side as the stairs (when moved across the road), Certainly Was at Grenengers.

 

I never raced on the Campbelltown track, (when it was there0, but Did race quite successfully with Fox on it when it was at Mt Druitt (in fact it was the First Race/Track that Fox and I attended running Group 20's when we both got Back into slotting in the 80's and Gary J, Mark and Myself managed a 1, 2, 3 finnish and was a really Close race between the 3 of us !! and ofcourse later when it was later moved to Rockdale.

 

Great to see ll these old pics surfacing !!

 

I wish someone had some photos from the original old Waitara days,..when it had the wonderful 10 lane flat track and the Much maligned and disliked 'Banked Track'.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember that race at Mt Druitt. I built 2 motors, one for Lindsay Byron and one for myself. I let Lindsay choose the one he wanted and I guess he chose wrong.

 

The wing cars I ran then were very different to now, not much goo and very flexible chassis. A lot of fun to drive. I remember when I set the open record at G & D the chassis broke in qualifying without hitting anything, it was that thin.

Cheers,

Garry J

Slotworx_Logo_Small.jpg

Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rockdale :huh:

 

Where abouts in Rockdale?

At Southside Plaza, or main shopping centre?

 

Hi Steve,..Yes,..Rockdale,...it was just near the Railway Overpass, on the Highway side.

Martin D set it up for someone, that basically disappeared/walked away after it was setup and Paul Travis ended up running it for a while before it closed down.

Wasn't a Huge shop by any stretch of the imagination, in fact required a complete "Straight" section of the track to be removed, was was noticeably a Shorter track than when it was at Mt Druitt.

 

At the time Fox and I started racing again, he was living at Petersham and so this track was relatively close,..(well, compared to all the others,..lol), so we often frequented the place and it had some useful 'Wing Car' stock, as at the time, Paul was still actively racing 20', 27's and occasionally Opens.

Must have been in the Late 1980's.

Cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, thanks Stoo. That was after I stopped.

 

There was a smallish track at the Southside Plaza that I raced at for a while, and there was another track upstairs behind the Town Hall somewhere.

Can't remember too much about it, as I only went there once to bed some tyres in during a 12hr race at Southside.

 

There was another track at Ramsgate in the shopping center that we also went to for casual play.

Steve K.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I raced at GnD in the 90's after reading all the posts there was a lot of history in that place. A real shame what happened to Geoff. That hurt to hear the circumstances to the demise of the shop.

 

Found my gear under the house this morning. Are there any tracks in western Sydney?

 

Is Tom thompson still going around? Never forget the flat top. I found all my trophies as well. Lots of memories.

 

Tried to get back into slots a few years back but the track in darling harbour also closed down.

 

Shame love the slots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I raced at GnD in the 90's after reading all the posts there was a lot of history in that place. A real shame what happened to Geoff. That hurt to hear the circumstances to the demise of the shop.

 

Found my gear under the house this morning. Are there any tracks in western Sydney?

 

Is Tom thompson still going around? Never forget the flat top. I found all my trophies as well. Lots of memories.

 

Tried to get back into slots a few years back but the track in darling harbour also closed down.

 

Shame love the slots.

 

G'Day : The only track in Western Sydney is SSME at Luddenham . We race there on a Wednesday nights . If your interested P.M. me for details . Cheers Kenny

The older I get the faster I was .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I still have my slot cars from the days of racing Mt Druitt, Parra ,Seven hills, Rockdale, Budgewoi, Luddenam, Waitara, Over the last 10 yrs or so i've taken these out for a run at Waitara with my son who is now 20, Is there anyone on here from the days of MT Druitt this was my local track and spent a LOT of time there, Racing group 27s 20s flexies and womps also have trophy from the 24hr races at Luddenham.

Rick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Rick,

 

Perhaps you should come to Waitara and check out the 'Aussie Retro' racing we have been running there for the past few years.

Cars are Scratchbuilt Brass and Piano wire Inlines, with Lexan CanAm bodies and also F1's.

 

In fact we are racing Retro's this coming Saturday evening 8th September, starting around 7.00pm

 

See Here: http://forum.ascra.com.au/viewforum.php?f=5 and here; http://aussieretro.ascra.com.au/

 

If you have a bit of a 'look around' on the first link, being the ASCRA Forum, there is quite a bit of Wing car info and discussion as well, along with Many names you probably know quite well.

 

Wayne Bramble is the manager at Waitara and James Colfax the owner. James was a racing buddy of My great friend, racing buddy and Team mate Mark Fox, who is also racing Retro's, along with quite a few Others from the Past, like Charles Rickards, Lindsay Byron and Myself, Stewart Amos.

 

There are in fact still Quite a few of the Older Crowd Still even running Wing Cars,..."Stumpie" from Budgewoi for one,..Lindsay is also still running Wing Cars Very effectively as does Charles and others,..in fact, perhaps the "27 Lite" class could interest you, as it uses Steel Chassis and Single Magnet setups.

 

There really IS a quite Strong and enthusiastic bunch of Very good racers running in Many classes at Waitara.

 

Having been Back to Luddenham a few times for a Variety of interesting racing more recently, has often brought up the discussion of the various 24 hour races held there.

 

In fact, Wayne Bramble, Karen Cowell, Norm Clarke and Myself came 2nd in the Very First 24 hour race held there shortly after the New (and still existing track) was installed,...a LONG time ago.

 

There is still active racing happening at SSME at Luddenham to this day and in fact they have some Great drivers and are an extremely friendly and helpful bunch of guys.

 

There really Has been quite a few of us 'Oldies' crawling 'out of the woodwork' over these past few years,...

 

Great to hear you are Still enjoying it,..With your Son,..great stuff!!,... :)

Edited by stoo23
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...