Snetterton history & memories

[Andrew Kitson]

Some old Snetterton snaps by Richard Styles, posted with his consent.
Richard has dug out his old slides, dusted some of them off and fired up the scanner...more to come he says! Thanks Richard! Please do visit his website www.richardstylesphotography.co.uk

Snetterton has such a great history, often overlooked.

1968, Jackie Oliver in mid-week testing for BRM, pictured up at the hairpin.


April 1969, the works Chevron F3 car


Britax Minis in the paddock 1969


…and testing up at the hairpin


Brian Redman in Sid Taylor’s T70, Good Friday ‘69


Bonnier’s similar car, same meeting


..and testing the day before, with proper race numbers yet to be stuck on.


F5000 start April 1971, Gardner’s Lola, Taylor’s Leda and Schenken’s M18


Redman at Riches in the Sid Taylor M18, 1971


David Prophet’s McLaren

[Andrew Kitson]

F3 October 1972. Tony Brise’s GRD


A crossed up Roger Williamson


Brise leads Stan Matthews at Riches


Mid-field bunch led by Jarier’s STP March. The Brabhams of Haugland and Svensson taking a wide line.


Can the Renault-Lotus F1 team be traced back to this? The Toleman start of it all. Colin Hawker’s Escort 1970 ish.


Not sure, could this be Peter Morley’s Bentley, ‘69 ish?


These two not identified either, same period, late 60s.




Clinkard’s Alvis.


D-type Jaguar

[Andrew Kitson]

Richard Attwood spins the John Woolfe T70 during Thursday open practice for the Good Friday International, 1969.
At the hairpin. This view shows us that the Home Straight down to the Esses was anything but straight!


Another unusual view from 1969. Richard took this standing on what is now the Revett Straight.
Looking up the old Norwich Straight, the A11 is behind the trees on the left. Looks like McGovern’s Imp.


John Spero’s Porsche, late ‘60s.


Roger Nathan’s Astra


Mick Hill’s Capri 1971


F3 October 1970. Cyd Williams and Dave Walker at the Esses.


Carlos Pace


Wilson Fittipaldi


The Nemo-Ford of Brendan McInerny, Peter Deal’s March 703 and David Purley’s BT28


Roy Pike testing the GLTL Lotus 59, Riches Corner 1969

[Andrew Kitson]

Any ideas on this Allard?


Tom Belso winning in F.Atlantic in 1971


Albert Betts in 1970..a regular at Snett with his two-tone Jaguar, now owned by Don Law.


Saloons at the Esses ca.1970


Neil Corner’s Aston, 1969


Chevron B8 late ‘60s. Not sure who. Paul Vestey perhaps, did he have a black one?


Nick Faure’s BSCC Porsche, 1969


Saloons at the Esses 1971, from the grandstand.


John Filbee and Nick Cussons, 1969.


Gerry testing the Blydenstein Viva in 1969.

[Andrew Kitson]

Allen Gibson’s Chevron, 1969/70 ish.


Any ideas on these Ginetta’s? Think the white one might be David Render?




Nick Gold’s Porsche, Good Friday meeting 1969.


Roy Pierpoint’s Falcon, same meeting with Gold’s Porsche behind.


Jeremy Lord’s clubmans U2, May 1969.


Paul Hawkins, winner of the Good Friday 1969 International, during Thursday practice.


John Hine’s Lotus 47, same meeting.


Pit top view of the race.




Hofer’s Porsche 910 in the 1970 Good Friday International.


Nolloway’s modified Mini at Riches, 1970

[Andrew Kitson]

T70 Mk3B testing, 1969



Barry Pearson’s Escort 1969


Paddock scene 1969


Ford Mexicos 1972. Vandervell leads Rouse and Fortesque-Thomas

[Andrew Kitson]

A Formula Libre field sets off towards Riches, 1969.


John Jordan, at every late 60s Snett club meeting it would seem, in his ex-Essex Wire GT40






In the assembly area with Allen Gibson’s Chevron


John Woolfe, a few months before his tragic end at Le Mans in 1969. Here in his McLaren M6B approching Coram, which was later owned by John Jordan.


Paddock scene from 1968 with Peter Morley's 24-litre Sunbeam-Napier to the fore. Chris Skeaping's Chevron at rest beyond.


John Spero's Porsche, ca. 1969


Jackie Oliver testing for BRM 1968 on the old long circuit. Turning from the Home straight into the Esses, under the old vehicle bridge. The entrance runway is still there, at top right.


Chris Mann's Alfa leads David Ham's Lister through the Esses 1972. Taken from the bombhole grandstand.

[Andrew Kitson]

Gerry Marshall in the Blydenstein Viva, Good Friday 1970. Turning into the Esses under the vehicle bridge.


The Blydenstein Viva's of Eddie Heasell and Gerry in 1968


A young Ian Ashley looks pensive with his F5000 Kitchiner, the debut for the series in Norfolk, September 1969


Carlos Avallone's F5000 Lola at another pot hunting Libre race, 1969. Chris Alford's FF car on the trailer behind the
'John Britten' Sprite tow car.


Angus Clydesdale, 250F 1969


The Courtenay-Brabham of Clive Lacey 1968, based on a BT8.


John Burton, Thursday practice in his B16 for the 1970 Good Friday Guards meeting.


Ford Mexicos, The first one make 'crash & bash' series!
Through the bombhole 1971


…and Riches


Costin bodied Lister, ca.1969

[Andrew Kitson]

Littler's Cooper, 1968


Chris Craft's Tech-speed T70 1969


Thursday practice for the 1969 Guards International Group 4 race.


A Ginetta passes the pits 1969


A Chevron B8 up at the hairpin 1970. The A11 Esso filling station can be seen.


Martin Birrane's Falcon leads McGovern's Imp through Coram, March 1969.


John Blackburn's Escort-FVA 1968. One of the first racing Escorts.

[chunterer]

These are fabulous images Andrew, thanks to Richard for allowing you to post them.

I've always wanted to see shots of the old, long since departed, long circuit. it must have made the venue a real international circuit.

Now it seem MSV will return snetterton to the bigger stage with the new infield section!

Why was the original long loop stopped?

[Andrew Kitson]

Stock car racing was a feature at Snetterton in the early 70s, using the esses-bombhole-coram oval.


Mike Wilds' F3 Ensign, October 1972


The Team Lufthansa Porsche 911 at the 1968 Good Friday ETCC International. The Red Arrows performed over Snett,
their one and only display over the circuit just before this race got underway.


Gerry Marshall testing in 1969, exiting the hairpin and giving Richard a wave, up by the A11 where the market is now.


Brian Muir and George Whitehead at the 1970 Good Friday meeting.


Colin Crabbe's Maserati 8CM 1968


Historic racer and Dire Straitist Mark Knopfler catches up on the news, mid 90s.


John Bridges with his B16 in the assembly area at a 1970 clubbie. You can see the Esses bridge and grandstand in the distance.


Nick Gold's Porsche. Thursday practice for the 1970 Good Friday Guards meeting.


Sports cars line up 1968, Warren Pearce's E-type to the right.


Jack Hayden’s 1968 E-type


Nick Cusson’s Aston surrounded by the E-types of John Filbee, Robin Darlington & Brian Spicer, 1969.


Pit top view of the Guards Trophy Group 4 grid 1969


D-type 1968


Colin Crabbe's 250F – August 1969.


Murphy's E-type at the bombhole 1972.


Birrane’s Boss Mustang 1972


One of the 1980s Willhire 24 hour meetings.

[Andrew Kitson]

Originally Posted by chunterer

These are fabulous images Andrew, thanks to Richard for allowing you to post them.

I've always wanted to see shots of the old, long since departed, long circuit. it must have made the venue a real international circuit.

Now it seem MSV will return snetterton to the bigger stage with the new infield section!

Why was the original long loop stopped?

Thanks, yes they are super pictures aren't they! The circuit was shortened in the winter of 1973/74..for economic reasons. MCD figured that a shorter track meant fewer racing miles in the fuel crisis. I loved the old circuit, sitting in the Riches stand you could see all the way from Coram to the Esses...only the track behind the pits and paddock was out of view..unless it was July/August..the infield corn fields restricted the view.

[Al Weyman]

Wow great stuff some real memories there. A mention that Paul Hawkins who I had the great pleasure of knowing personally died a short while later in the Lola T70 at Oulton Park's Island bend. I also worked on the blue Astra of Roger Nathan.

[Justin Moran]

They are superb! thanks for posting them, I saw my first ever racing at Snetterton in about 1971/2 at the tender age of 3, its is my earliest memory in fact, a thunder saloon race amongst others, and two Porsche 911's winning a race, I was sat on a roof rack on a Mk 1 Cortina eating warm ham sandwiches so it must have been summer We were up near the old hairpin on the long circuit which I believe is now under the interchange for the A11 now. Great memories! Thanks.

[M Greenslade]

Fantastic photos, I was there for some of those meetings, I think the orange Allard could be Jim Tiller, he still competes with that car, this year will be his 53rd season!!!

Bladders..............