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Stadium Design

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41 minutes ago, HGould said:

No excuse really for the purpose built more recent tracks like Belle Vue, Leicester and Somerset for hiding Pits largely away from fans.

In Leicester’s case placing the pits along the straight would have removed significant spectating opportunity as the space available on both straights is very narrow. Planning permission also required a high degree of cover to reduce noise emissions. 

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8 minutes ago, 1 valve said:

In Leicester’s case placing the pits along the straight would have removed significant spectating opportunity as the space available on both straights is very narrow. Planning permission also required a high degree of cover to reduce noise emissions. 

Biggest mistake at Leicester (apart from the rubbish track) was the orientation of the track, with the sun setting on the third bend (it should set behind the main grandstand)

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1 minute ago, arnieg said:

Biggest mistake at Leicester (apart from the rubbish track) was the orientation of the track, with the sun setting on the third bend (it should set behind the main grandstand)

Spot on re orientation although the original intention (& insistence by the council) of having a football facility and BMX biking adjacent to the speedway stadium meant the current location was the only option available if all three were to fit in side by side. 
as we now know, BMX never arrived (though the space is there) and the ground level of the football area was raised quite a bit to accommodate the dumping of waste soil (which paid for the speedway stadium)
At least over the years the race track itself has been greatly improved from the miserable effort first conceived. 

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2 hours ago, 1 valve said:

In Leicester’s case placing the pits along the straight would have removed significant spectating opportunity as the space available on both straights is very narrow. Planning permission also required a high degree of cover to reduce noise emissions. 

As with the Perry Barr stadium; when it was used in the 1950s, the pits were on the 1st bend, but they had to be moved to the far side, and sound proofed, for planning permission purposes.

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3 hours ago, arnieg said:

Biggest mistake at Leicester (apart from the rubbish track) was the orientation of the track, with the sun setting on the third bend (it should set behind the main grandstand)

Move the start line to the back straight lol sorted .

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He had his knockers but this is one of the many things Tim Stone (RIP) had right @ Queensway Meadows Newport!

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Can confirm Newport Queensway Meadows was a well-tidy set up, big shame it is no more.  On building a  new stadium one should also check in which direction the sun sets to aid track prep and avoid possible 'sun breaks'....

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8 hours ago, geoff100 said:

Move the start line to the back straight lol sorted .

How does that sort it? Don't you just shift the problem to bend 1 which is even more dangerous?

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18 hours ago, martinmauger said:

Think the pits in the London Lions (Hackney) stadium were re-located early 1996 so spectators could see into them better.  As a track anorak I could literally fill the entire forum and likely cause it to crash due to insufficent bandthwidth / data allowance - but won't as I don't have the time.  (you'll all thank me not to, really).  Nutshell: I've always favoured 'non-round' shaped circuits as if the track surface is 100% perfect 'all' a rider needs to do on such a track is get onto the racing line, open the throttle wide and keep it nailed and 'sit in his armchair, eating his sandwiches and reading his Financial Times (!) for an easy win', to paraphrase Martin Brundle & Peter Collins.  As often happens in Champ Car / Indy Car and Nascar races.  But recent the most GPs and the excellent 2020 Belle Vue meetings have made me change my mind somewhat on track shape designs.  More than a bit. 

Stadium-wise: one wouldn't go far wrong at all copying the NSS at Belle Vue.  A few things to bare in mind, should one be in the fortunate position to be able to build a dedicated speedway stadium from scratch (we can all dream) are: re-create the seat height and angle of the 'home straight stand' at Hull's Craven Park.  To show I'm not (much) biased, the seat height angle from the main stand at Braford's Odsal would also suffice, anyone who visted either venue will know exactly what I'm talking about; brilliant views of the entire track.  But before the digging starts, hold a wetted finger in the air to check wind direction, anyone who visted Craven Park will know exactly what I'm talking about; it was cold....

Maybe the Star would be interested in piece to print over a few issues in the winter.

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If I had the time I could probably fill the entire magazine on track / stadia stuff alone but I already have 2 big work projects on the go, I'm not 'just saying that' by the way it's true, I peruse BSF both for interest and taking a break from such things....

Edited by martinmauger
spelling due to usual lack of concentration
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12 hours ago, Happy Hunter said:

How does that sort it? Don't you just shift the problem to bend 1 which is even more dangerous?

Would the sun not set behind the grandstand!

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5 hours ago, geoff100 said:

Would the sun not set behind the grandstand!

The straights & stands are at the Northern & Southern parts of the stadium.

On my one & only visit when it first opened, the area, as said, was to be multi sports & the whole area was on a good slope. The layout, with bends at the eastern & western parts of the area, was the only way the stadium would fit, I imagine.

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Remember walking through the pits pre meeting at the Pairs at Somerset about 10 years ago, Bradford pits were quite accessible too. 

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i'm surprised how small the pits are at Somerset, If there was a way to alter the track entrance i think they'd be good on the patch of land on the second bend.

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23 hours ago, geoff100 said:

Would the sun not set behind the grandstand!

The sun will continue to set at Beaumont Park where its always set - over the present third and fourth bends. Having the starting gate on what is now the back straight will not solve anything apart from the sun being in the riders eyes entering the first bend. The only way the sun could set behind the stand would be if you rotated the whole track 90 degrees clockwise and that would be a very expensive way to solve a problem that only happens if the sun is out in the mid summer months.

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