Report on trip to Brooklands
On Wednesday 22nd August twelve Stanmore U3A members drove 4 cars to Weybridge for a really interesting and exciting day out at the Brooklands Museum.
This impressive site housed a large Hotel, The Mercedes Benz experience and last but not least Brooklands Museum - the birthplace of British Motorsport. Originally at the beginning of the last century this was a well-used racing track and aviation centre. Then in 1991 it became a museum and opened it's doors to the general public.
We met at about 11am. and divided into small groups to explore the various sheds where all types of vehicles were on display. There were large sheds of every type of car back to the old jalopies to modern racing cars. Then bicycles, buses and trains all divided into their own category and even a section on motor boats. A large field nearby held many types of aeroplanes including the Concorde, which had pride of place in the front. Some of us attended a special programme which included an explanatory talk before beginning a full inspection of this very streamlined aeroplane including it's underbelly! The icing on the cake being a simulated flight sitting in luxury roomy seats traveling at more than a thousand miles per hour to N.Y. and back in three hours each way. We hardly knew we'd been and come back! Near the Concorde was a large older plane belonging to the Shah of Persia with bedrooms, kitchen area and luxury seats just at his service. We were also allowed into the flight control in both planes.
Then there was a really exciting racing driving experience. Diana and I were seated in the back of an open-topped, nonseat belted 4-seater racing car (we did have an expert driver to take us)! First we went haring up a very very steep hill then turned into a lane leading to where the original racing track had been. We whizzed up the remains of this circuit for a very fast spin along the sloping track - Wow!! I wouldn't mind having another go at that!
In between this excitement our group gathered for lunch in the friendly cafe and swapped experiences. Some having been on other virtual racing experiences in cars and speedboats. Even the weather was dry and pleasant for us!
After we had made our farewells I then made my journey home with my expert driver Brian and co-driver Malcolm on SAT NAV! I tried not to be à back seat driver - I think I succeeded!
Thank you U3A for a really great day out.