Biffo

is any 1 gunner make the aldershot track coz i get can pics

Well, Nick (Nick M48) said he was interested in modelling the track if he can get enough pictures.

Maybe you should tell him of yours.

I`ve got a few others but only out of programmes etc.

Regards Biffo

..

I can remember the old Cross-in-Hand track in Sussex which had one high straight and one low straight .

I would love to see the 'Egg shaped' track and the "uphill/downhill" track made .

 

Splinter, regarding the Uphill and downhill "Cross in Hand track.

Can`t find much at the moment, been scratching around in programmes etc. and come up with these two.

Must be rarer `cos the track only lasted about 7 years `till the council banned it due to traffic congestion.

A victim of it`s own popularity.

[attachmentid=7324]Under construction about 1965, it really is built on a hill.

[attachmentid=7325] Top straight is a natural grandstand and good views

Cya

Biffo

Excellent pictures

I'll need alot more though if I am to do the track justice, I'll try to catch you on msn or something Biffo, I need to ask a few questions.

That would be fine Nick.

I`m not on Msn yet be I`ll let you know when I`ve set it up.

Nice Photo from Splinter too, shows the main Aldershot grandstand and Clubhouse.

Interesting bodywork and the cars not bad either ! - lol

Biffo

Excellent picture Biffo, I'd be really interested in modelling the track if we can get enough pictures, so c'mon guys if you have a picture of the track upload it please, I'd also be interested in speaking to anyone that has a good knowledge of the track preferably someone that raced on it.

Well Nick we seemed to have created some interest in the Aldershot track, heres some more photos if they`ll help the cause and I have raced on the track, just ythe once with a Hillman Minx in 1976 (562)

[attachmentid=7278] 1. Me with the remains

[attachmentid=7279] 2. Backstraight with spectator embankment

[attachmentid=7280] 3. Start finish straight with Commentry box in the background

[attachmentid=7281] 4. The sharp bend with half of the lap board in the background

[attachmentid=7284] 5. Looking across the track to the Start /finish straight

[attachmentid=7286] 6. The Pit area.

The track was 305 yards , which compares to 390 yards at Wimbledon and 410 yards for Ipswich.

Tarmac surface with a concrete apron around the inside edge.

The sharp bend was tight but didn`t last long, being less than 180 degrees and the top bend just went on and on round as it was twice the distance, at least.

May see a Virtual Aldershot one day ?

Biffo

Wow interesting aerial shot Splinter.

Yes I think that`s about it now , I was up that way recently and couldn`t find anything left.

Nice roundabout though!

Incidently your photos are at Aldershot and are in front of the clubhouse the Mini is just going towards the Start / Finish line .

I`ve been scrabbling around through old programmes etc. and found these taken at Aldershot about 1960.

The quality is a bit poor but interesting to see old F1`s and Number 38 is former F1 star Fred Mitchell.

[attachmentid=7274] [attachmentid=7275]

Be Lucky

Biffo

Aldershot Stadium, a brief History

Started in the late 1920`s for Pony trotting, Greyhound and Speedway Racing, Aldershot Stadium was actually built just outside of Aldershot in the village of Tongham. Which not only placed it outside of Aldershot , Hampshire but placed it in the next county, Surrey.

In 1954 it became one of several tracks in the U.K. to host a new craze called "Stock Car Racing".

Interest dropped off, and saw no racing at all here during 1957.

Racing started up in 1958 and stopped again. No racing in 1959 either.

New promoters started up again in 1960.

Stock car racing at this time was Governed by the B.S.C.D.A.

(British Stock Car Drivers Association) - Better known today as BriSCA.

A new class of cheaper Stock Car Racing was now being introduced based around a limit of a 1200cc engine size etc. etc. These were known as "Junior" Stock Cars. The Originals Being "Senior" Stock Cars which of course became known as Formula One and Formula Two (F1 & F2).

In 1961 the new Juniors were a great success but equally the number of Seniors began dwindle and were finally dropped altogether.

Just as things were looking bright the Promoters fell out with the B.S.C.D.A. big time, over the licensing of their new track, Arlington Raceway at Eastbourne.

Rumour has it that the Promoters only found out they hadn`t got a licence to race the morning of the first meeting, but raced anyway........." The show must go on!", as they say.

Unfortunately the B.S.C.D.A. didn`t see the funny side and withdraw the licence to race at Aldershot as well.

The Promoters decided to be the "Outlaws" of their day and promote independently taking with them a large chunk of the B.S.C.D.A.`s F2 drivers around the South-East of England, opening new tracks as they went on.

Aldershot was to be the HQ for this risky enterprise calling themselves "The Formula Two Stock Car Company".

Luckily this was changed to the more trendy, "Spedeworth" and the rest, as they say, is history.

I think the first figure of 8 event was put on for Bangers about 1976 which was always a good crowd pleaser.

Rumours of closure rumbled on for years with a few locals always complaining about the noise as there was racing every Thursday night during the season, but it was the new trunk road which finally decided the fate of Aldershot Stadium.

Like most Government plans this also rumbled on for years until after numerous petitions and letters to Government officials the reply was basically.........There`s no land available for an alterative site so.........

GET OUT !

So the last meeting took place on November 21st. 1992 and the little Stadium was packed out with cars and spectators alike.

There were a few delays between races due to the pit area overflowing with cars but nobody minded as we were treated to some great racing with Saloon Stock Cars, Superstox, National Hot Rods,and Bangers and figure of 8 finishing with a Destruction Derby and then Fireworks. Some people I know got pieces of tarmac from the track as souvenirs as they brought out a huge crane on tracks which began digging up the track once and for all.

Weather you like `em or not "Spedeworth" sure know how to make a show of closing a track!

The meeting started at 6.00pm and should have finished at 10 pm. due to local council restrictions.

It finished way passed 11pm......did we look bothered ?

Now in place of it we have a fast trunk road so the good news is you can now get there really quickly!

Biffo

Sorry for not coming back on the subjet of the old Alderstot track earlier but we`ve had a recent bereavement in the family and my times had to be given up elsewhere.

But now the moment you`ve all been waiting for.......

The Quick Guided Tour of Aldershot Stadium, as was.

[attachmentid=7225]

1. Entrance

2. Start / Finish line

3. Car Parks

4. Pit Area

5. Greyhound Traps

6. Pit Gate

7. Small wooden bridge over the neighbouring stream

8. Main seated Grandstand

9. Sand covered Dog track

10. Souvenir shop

11. Glass fronted seating area and Clubhouse

[attachmentid=7152]

Glad to oblige Splinter

Have just been up in the attic and found all me photos and started some scanning.

Heres the "egg" shaped Aldershot Stadium including the figure of 8 .

I`ll see what I can do will the others ?

Also I can`t spell, should be Matcham`s Park , missed out the "c".

Regards

Biffo

Just thought I`d put my own ideas into the great "New tracks" debate.

The old Aldershot track got a mention which was always a bit of an oddity as being Egg shaped, it had one sharp bend and one long, pit bend.

I can remember the old Cross-in-Hand track in Sussex which had one high straight and one low straight which meant climbing uphill on one bend and shooting downhill on the other and plenty of roll overs on the concrete surface.

How many other weird and unusual tracks were or are out there ?

Plus if anyone wanted Photos for track building I`m sure they`d get plenty just by requesting them on the Forum. I`ve got some of Mathams Park/Ringwood going back to the late 1960`s when Gerry Dommett promoted Brisca F1 , F2, and even built a figure of 8 track for banger racing, which Spedeworth seemed to do away with when they took over in 1970 and resurfaced the track.

Strange to think that years later they would build a figure of 8 at Wimbledon.

Be Lucky

Biffo

AH-HA ! Think I`ve cracked it after looking at the future Banger fixtures.

Just like the Dinosaurs the F1200 don`t seem to be around anymore and looks like the Unlimited class 1 and class 2 is to do with this 1st tex number, second tex number thingybob regarding using different cars for Nationals and unlimited (which I`m not). Also Pre 68 `s and A60 for me are the same so I`m just off to Mash all me zip files through the Upload tube and hope for the best...

Cya

Biffo720

Finished all my skins ready to "upload" to you two weeks ago just before going on holiday only to find .....SHOCK, HORROR.....the site had gone down.

Back home now only to find Upload site looks different ?

I assume "Banger" = Nationals ? But somewhat confused with Unlimited class1 and then class 2 ?

Thought there was just one unlimited class ?

Then there`s no "Farina" (A60) upload and no "F1200" (Anglia) upload, sure there used to be ?

Will await reply before attemting uploads.

Lastly how long will it take to use them and can I still use Novice skins in the meantime ?

Regards Biffo720

Right then ...

 

The number which changes ie 32-64 is your ping rate. If your ping goes above (approx) 200 then you will probably warp-most peeps are on broadband so there ping varies between 16 and 64 ish.

 

0/24 is the amount of cars currently in the JOLT server -24 is the maximum it can hold.

 

Open means the server is open-sometimes it will say ready and other times it will show as racing.

 

F2 -8-10 shows that between 8pm and 10 pm F2's will be allowed in to that JOLT server as there is a meeting on. When a meeting is being run the both JOLT servers are utilised so that 2 races can be run at once. ie F2 meeting is tonight so both JOLT's will be in use for them untill approx 10pm.

 

When you are in JOLT with others then u will see there names on the right hand side of the screen.

If you are by yourself then obviosuly nothing happens but when others appear after everyone clicks "approve" then your light will go 2 dull green and you will see a "garage" option avaible.

Click on this and adjust your setup accordingly.

When you are finished playing with your setup click "exit" (i think) and it will take u back to the screen with other drivers names and a jolt chatroom.

Click on the "GO" button and your green light lights up-when everyone has finished playing with themselves in the garage and all have clicked on GO then the race will begin.

Cheers guys that makes a whole lot of sense at last.

Many thanks

Biffo720

O.k. It`s like this....I find Banger practice is today on jolt 2, take note of P/W and shut down almost everything. Enter Multiplayer and grab a Novice Capri on the way through.

Enter ISDN enter IP and get the Multiplayer screen. According to the guide "it will tell you how many players are in the server, and how many can join" so far so good...

Long grey bar at top of screen shows:-

64 0/24 OPEN BANGERS (F2 8-10)

As the first number changes from 32 to 64 and back it`s either the number of players (or my ping number?)

0/24 must be the number of players the server can take per race ..

Open means it open?

Bangers is the formula.

(F2 8-10)....no idea??

guide continues" click on it."... couldn`t find anything that would click.... " and press connect, this will take you to the lobby of the server and you will see the other players".

After giving the password there was only me there but I pressed Approve anyway and sat looking at a yellow light for fifteen minutes..??

Could somone enlighten me how this works as teddy has just had another leg ripped off him!

Regards

Biffo720

After you have put your name in the drivers.txt in the Under 2 litres folder, go back to the banger car manager and swap to the under 2 litres's again. Otherwise your new drivers.txt (with your added name) wont be updated by the game itself, until you have done this.

Thanx m8.......it was that simple............Like me.

Just get rid of one problem and find another...

Thanks to DINO, reminding me that the Lada.tga file must be uncompressed, I finally got a tex file.

I put my tex into the "Under 2 litre" file and found the drivers txt file. I added mine into the file, table driver,etc. etc. just as the guide says.

When I go into the game in the "Under 2 litre" I don`t appear in the driver list so I can`t choose me and see what the car looks like ? ?

Once I get this sorted I`ll be able to attempt some more templates..

I`m getting there..... slowly.

Cheers

Biffo720

 

SORTED......DON`T PANIC

I`ve just found out why I can`t find myself! I went into Race Manager and changed from under 2 litre to unlimited then back again and this loaded the new modified version into the under 2 litres........

Sorry to waste yer time.......

Time for bed said Zebadi...or something like that.

Regards

Biffo720

Just get rid of one problem and find another...

Thanks to DINO, reminding me that the Lada.tga file must be uncompressed, I finally got a tex file.

I put my tex into the "Under 2 litre" file and found the drivers txt file. I added mine into the file, table driver,etc. etc. just as the guide says.

When I go into the game in the "Under 2 litre" I don`t appear in the driver list so I can`t choose me and see what the car looks like ? ?

Once I get this sorted I`ll be able to attempt some more templates..

I`m getting there..... slowly.

Cheers

Biffo720

Keep going round in circles at the moment. Every time I get my banger template saved as a tga file from the original psd file within Paint shop pro 9, and dragging off to the file (skins) containing the MKTEX.exe and then typing the magic words...MKTEX car720.tga car720.tex...(then enter) I keep on getting a message ..."Unsupported image file type 10" .....and no tex file.

I have even taken the lada.psd template and within Paint Pro 9 saved as car720.tga without doing anything to it apart from flattening the layers. Then BINGO ... "unsupported image type 10 "... again.

HOLY FUDGE CAKES ! It sounds a simple enough operation when reading the paint guide but somethings going wrong .

Same thing was happenning on my previous P.C. which due to some problems has recently had to be replaced with a new one. Only difference is the old P.C. would let you place the file containing the mktex.exe and the car720.tga file into the C:\ but due to the new one being partitioned from C:\ into D:\ and an E:\ you can only put the file into the D:\ to run the mktex.exe.....hope that kind of makes sense.

I went back through the Forum looking for anyone with the same problem and found that there is something known as TGA 2 TEX which sounds easier but how do I get hold of it ?......unless of course it`s me causing the problems somehow ?

I would be greatful for any advice at all.

Cheers

Biffo720

Did a search, and found a drivers text for F2's but cant find one for F1's

Thanks anyway m8

I forgot to mention that I`d only downloded the Banger skins.

Biffo 720

Hi

 

In bangers u have to enter your own drivers text but for the unlimateds sumbody has kindy made it UNLIMATED DRIVERS TEXT HERE

 

and the other skinpack u will have to try and make your self

 

Thanks

Gazmo

Thanks for the Download Gazmo

The game works a treat with some cars to choose from. Must get a move on painting up my banger skins as I`ve paid all my Jolt fees .

CHEERS

Biffo 720

Biffo (the bear?)

 

Mirc chat rooms 2 and 3 are only used in case of a problem with the main chat room. I believe there was a case at some point early last year that one of the other chat rooms were used but its very unusual so don't worry about them.

 

Got no idea about the bangers but for F1's and F2's when u download the game there will only be the novice skins available to use.

There are some F1 and F2 drivers text's kicking around in those forums which you can download and put into the game for offline play-use the search option in the control panel for those.

 

Generally, you will be allowed to practise and do the meetings in a "novice skin" if you've paid your JOLT fee's.

Watch out for the skin pack deadlines for any of the formula's that you want to race in as you will need to upload your skin to get it included.

Thanks for the info m8 (still trying to get used to text lingo) I forgot to mention I`ve only downloaded the banger skins - nothing else yet. Had loads of trouble with a new computer from P.C.World freezing up, forever using recovery disks and losing everything so put most of the uk-dirt files onto disks to save me time loading them back again. Finally got another one out of them, this time with Pentium 4 chip, so far so good. Yes I have paid up my Jolt fees and due to the previous computer problems I`ve only managed to book into one banger meet only to have to cancel . Did try to get into a Banger practice but found 64 persons there ? So I guess it wasn`t a good time? Have to try again.

Biffo seemed a good name for Banger racing and yes I remember Biffo the Bear too.

I raced Bangers for real a few years back and had a go with Superstox (one season only) The original owner of the fibre-glass bodywork on the Superstox was Biffo Sweeney who raced with his more famous brother Todd now immortalised in Corgi Rockets...so there`s another connection.

Thanks again

Biffo 720

Hi all - As a new member I`m finding everything here an interesting learning curve.

A couple of things I would like to ask. ... I`ve got onto the Mirc chat O.K. yesterday (got slapped by a Trout from Mick222 )...When are chat 2 and 3 used ?? I have downloaded all the available skinpacks but have found that in :- Unlimited & Nationals and in f1200 no cars appear `cos there are no drivers listed in the driver.txt file also there`s only one wolzy in Pre68`s

I assume that I can use a novice car listed, if its in the correct class, and book into a coming meeting until I can get all my skins sorted and uploaded ?

Cheers Biffo