Santa Pod scrap yard and former ticket office

[Badger Exploration]

This is the scrap yard and former ticket office used by Santa Pod Raceway.

History: The site was built from 1940 - 1941 to accommodate two RAF bomber squadrons. In April 1942 it was made available to the USAAF 8th air force in WW2. During the war various units were stationed at the base and involved in events such as The Battle Of The Bulge and D-Day.

At the end of WW2 demolition and concrete removal occurred during the early 1960s on the site. Soon however in 1964 a group of drag racing enthusiasts approached the owners to buy the land and convert the runway into a drag racing strip which became Santa Pod Raceway and opened on Easter weekend 1966.

In 1972 the concrete was resurfaced with asphalt and Santa Pod became a major European centre for drag racing. The runway was also featured on the 1960s show The Prisoner starring Patrick McGoohan.

The old ticket office here I believe was used from 1966 - 2015 before the ticket office was moved to the main site. I'm not 100% sure for certain but from gathered information that I have found.

 

[night crawler]

I don't know about scrap yard more like a dumping ground. Frogs Island Drag team owned by the Reed Bros used to run rails at the pod back then.

 

[BikinGlynn]

Nicely done. its a local one to me but Iv only ever had quick snoop & never really took pics, mainly pit off by the traveller types that used to live there

 

[talkpoppycock]

Originally RAF Podington