I live about 25 minutes away from that 1st Tunnel. It's in laurel hill Pennsylvania. I have a friend with a connection, and i'm hoping to get in the tunnel this summer. He said there isn't much to see, it's exactly what you would expect. Just a well lit tunnel.
@@firesurfer Also, the tunnel isn't a perfect circle, which means there's actually quite a sharp curve at the apex of the ceiling arch - quite a common design feature with old railway tunnels. Have fun driving down that.
If you ever get a chance travelling through a tunnel on the footplate of a steam locomotive with just the glow of the fire to light things is a breathtaking experience, Just a tiny bit scary too the first time you do it!
@@howdareyou41 There is 3 days of official testing, and the rest is done on race weekends. That tunnel may also be too narrow for F1 cars, they're quite wide and the aerodynamics kick a lot of air sideways, which the tunnel would reflect.
@@sIightIybored Using this tunnel would not be part of official testing, that is done at a track in race conditions. Using the tunnel is part of the development phase and would likely not include using the team drivers, but use test drivers instead.
Using this tunnel would not be part of official testing, that is done at a track in race conditions. Using the tunnel is part of the development phase and would likely not include using the team drivers, but use test drivers instead.
I’m somewhat surprised & perplexed that someone hasn’t thought of doing this with the abandoned supercollider project in Waxahachie, TX (about 50 km/30 miles south of Dallas). It was supposed to be a ring 87 km/54 miles in circumference, and about 28% of the tunnel (≈24 km/15 miles) had already been completed when the US Congress shutoff funding and closed the project in 1993. Many ideas for what to do with the space have been thrown at the wall over the years, but nothing has stuck.
As an f1 aficionado, drivetribe is well aware in-season testing is banned in f1. As is full scale testing. No f1 team will be using this facility. The same cannot be said for the automotive sector.
@@user-de4cq6uk6l Wrong. All f1 teams have their own or rent a windtunnel. There is no off-season in f1. All teams run three 8 hour shifts at their factor everyday bar the 2 week mandatory shutdown and Christmas day.
@@Bahamuttiamat they aren’t allowed to testing in-season, but they can test in the off-season. That’s where a facility like this would be useful I want you to think about your statement 1) that teams can’t test in season 2) that there is no off-season Your basically saying F1 teams can’t ever test, which clearly isn’t true as they do, that’s what the pre-season is for, where real world testing is perfectly legal. For example, some teams test at silverstone on their own time before F1 the test in Barcelona
@@user-de4cq6uk6l False. what exactly would they be testing off season? The cars are fired up and assembled days before pre-season testing. Before then, NO TESTING is allowed. Teams are allowed 2 "filming" days every year. Which consists of 2 100km run on development tires. Since you're being pedantic - private tests aren't allowed under the f1 sport code. Do do you want a link to the sport code? This is fairly common knowledge. www.fia.com/regulation/category/110
I think the biggest advantage is the low operating cost for the owner. Other than that it may actually be less practical comparing to stationary wind tunnel (where they are moving air around stationary object).
If we want to have any kind of future, it will be technology from the present or past to make it possible. We cant avoid imminent collapse with technologies yet to come. So to say electric vehicles are pretty old, in fact older than combustion engines (50y older, and 10y older in practical use). Even the concept of a hydrogen fuel cell is dated back to 1839.
Dun think this idea is going to work. 1) dun think it really is economically cheaper to maintain long stretches of the tunnel, 2) in a lab, u can run alot more analysis 3) & that is a controlled environment. Interestingly, the host didn’t mention the company funding the project. But i think the hint is that it’s not an f1 team
A quick look at the ventilation setup and data center would have been the icing on the cake. They've thought of running tests on the return run after the turntable, right? Or would the shut down area from the start be too short and risky? Hope you can visit in for some test footage if allowed. ✌
Fascinating - thank you for the update. Brilliant to see the GCR Victorian engineering asset brought back to productive life. And thanks for bringing "Manscape" to my attention. I then watched the second part of the advert at 3:35 and began to wonder...!
I imagine it would sound super cool standing at one end when someone is doing a run. The sound echoing down the tunnel and the source coming closer and closer
Okay, so how long until Red Bull builds one with the tarmac going up the side for a publicity stunt to finally prove that an F1 car really can drive on the ceiling?
Great video. It is great to see how you (Mike) are passionate about the subjects you tackle in your videos. A great contributor to keeping the flame going.
Glad to see it re used but a great shame the GC was closed. Was the finest enginered railway in Britain. Ironic that HS2 uses some of the former GC trackbed in Buckinghamshire.
Maybe I'm wrong, but most F1 Teams have their own (better) wind tunnels. Also the surface of the walls (inc. lights) is much too rough. I can´t imagine it playing any role in F1. Other (lower budget) sports / tests could work
What? Stupidest comment of the day! They now have a limit of between 28 and 45 runs per WEEK allowed, (previously they could do wind tunnel aero testing 24*7 if they wanted..)
I wonder how they are going to deal with the moisture. There was water on the concrete in this video. It would be interesting to see what kind of pumps/drainage/etc they use.
no one can see anything unless the close the interor lights in the car and on the camera recording you night vision is achived after 10 mins in the dark
There is something really cool about the idea of old school pencil and paper Victorian engineering being married with the unbelievable computing power of modern Formula One testing being used to usher in the future of Motor sport.
Anyone in UK that what's a FREE REAL dark trip underground ? The Big Pit National Coal Museum Torfaen, Wales.. Chuck them some money too at the end as they are ex miner volunteers .. amazing place and hats off to the Welsh miners :)
I’d love to drive my V8 Ute through this tunnel just for the sound it would generate. Perhaps the operators could have a drive day for us car enthusiasts.
“There is two separate garage so Aston Martin and red bull can’t spy on each other”… 👀 Nice side pods Aston looks like something we have seen before though
The Victorians were incredible engineers, and tended to over-build things; that this tunnel can be so easily repurposed for this is a great example. I think once they got over how astonishingly fast "horseless carriages" had gotten, they'd be proud to see their work still in use in the 21st century.
You get to drive it in a Ford hatchback, which honestly would satisfy me if they were secretly testing one of those for say, sale in the United States again.
Thank you to Manscaped for sponsoring this video! Get 20% OFF + Free Shipping at Manscaped code TRIBE20 at → mnscpd.com/DriveTribe
@Muscleman8562 Eww bruh😂🤢
Dont bother.. I was cut to shreds after 1st use!
False marketing.. buy a cheaper one and damage yourself less!
Walked the length of this disused tunnel and back a round 45 years ago with my older brother, it wasn’t boarded up then,spooky !
What a place, we'll definitely need to go back there once it's operational with something special.
Bring a kite
The Mondeo!
Fingers crossed. Bring May's Ferrari.
Thanks Mike great video. Here is the website link also: catesbytunnel.com
Oh yes - this definitely needs a follow-up video.
Imagine hearing a V10 F1 car screaming there.
This MUST be done.
V10 are dead bro ,or atleast a dying breed.
@@govind9402 /whoosh
Who wants a high quality audio recording of an F1 car going through the tunnel at 100mph?
Yes
Yes but not a V6
Prefer 230mph 🤣🤣🤣
Has to be a v10.
Guess a v8 would do.
Pass on the v6 turbo thanks.
Me
*It’s all fun and games until a ghost train manifests in the middle of testing.*
Just as my grandfather used to say
data spikes, electrical interference, inconsistent readings, seemingly random malfunctioning test equipment, cold pockets of chilled air.
And who do you call?
@@waitotong9590 No one because you wouldn't get any reception.
@@varrjames186 Was going to say ghostbuster, but yeah you're right.
Is that those "Top gears secret facilities", where Jeremy, May and Hammond realized their genius ideas?
Yes, just off the M1 in Leeds, behind a Tesco, to the right of a Dacia dealership and infront of penistone
@@LurpakSpreadableButter If you reach the Larsen Biscuits factory you've gone too far :)
Drive past this place all the time, exciting knowing that sleepy old Daventry & Northamptonshire will soon be alive and kicking with motors again
I live about 25 minutes away from that 1st Tunnel. It's in laurel hill Pennsylvania. I have a friend with a connection, and i'm hoping to get in the tunnel this summer. He said there isn't much to see, it's exactly what you would expect. Just a well lit tunnel.
Well?
Amazing facility. I love to see old things renovated and given new life. 'Back To The Future.'
I used to explore Catesby tunnel when I was younger, its a spooky old place. Great to see it getting a second lease of life 😃
Can someone finally drive upsidedown in a tunnel? This seems perfect!
As the maximum speed is 100mph, not even remotely close. The time it takes to get up to speed let alone the aero requirements of the ceiling...
@@firesurfer Also, the tunnel isn't a perfect circle, which means there's actually quite a sharp curve at the apex of the ceiling arch - quite a common design feature with old railway tunnels. Have fun driving down that.
Made that comment myself,so much downforce that it COULD drive on the roof of a tunnel, now just effin prove it PLEASE.
@@chrisoddy8744 No kidding, I referred to that.
@@firesurfer f1 cars can drive upside down at 100 mph.
Imagine hearing V8 engines roaring from beneath your feet in the middle of nowhere.
Satans drag race
And here's me imagining hearing the old V10's... In the tunnel.
you mean hearing the silence of electric cars. you're living in the past.
If you didn't know that was there and the earth shuck underneath your feet and the screaming sounds you would have nightmares lol
Felt bad for those gleaming white trainers in the mud at the start 😂
It's ok, they're a business write off...
@@aussie2uGA just like all his car projects
Looks cool but last I checked F1 wind tunnel tests must be done with a 60% scale model, meaning they wouldn't be able to drive the models in a tunnel
Accurate. In season testing is banned, as well as full scale vehicles. F1 teams will not test in this fascility.
@ROB H8U no it wouldn't. F1 moves too quickly. Plus with the current cost cap, it's an even bigger waste of resources.
60%smaller test drivers
@@jasongerrard8940 Ant Davidson would like your number 😂👍
no one said you can't use last season cars or next season cars
The victorians were just masters at their craft. Over 100 years old and still in fantastic condition.
Conventional wind tunnels and CFD will still have their place. You can't put a scaled down model or a mockup through that thing
If you ever get a chance travelling through a tunnel on the footplate of a steam locomotive with just the glow of the fire to light things is a breathtaking experience, Just a tiny bit scary too the first time you do it!
I wish F1 cars could use this, but the testing rules would not let them these days!
so they're never allowed to do tests? that seems odd since they construct a new car every year
@@howdareyou41 There is 3 days of official testing, and the rest is done on race weekends. That tunnel may also be too narrow for F1 cars, they're quite wide and the aerodynamics kick a lot of air sideways, which the tunnel would reflect.
@@sIightIybored Using this tunnel would not be part of official testing, that is done at a track in race conditions. Using the tunnel is part of the development phase and would likely not include using the team drivers, but use test drivers instead.
Using this tunnel would not be part of official testing, that is done at a track in race conditions. Using the tunnel is part of the development phase and would likely not include using the team drivers, but use test drivers instead.
@@killuazoldyck1352 or just RBR racing down it for a cool video
Nascar starts: some men in the mountains having some fun hoping to not get caught
Nascar decades later: same
I’m somewhat surprised & perplexed that someone hasn’t thought of doing this with the abandoned supercollider project in Waxahachie, TX (about 50 km/30 miles south of Dallas). It was supposed to be a ring 87 km/54 miles in circumference, and about 28% of the tunnel (≈24 km/15 miles) had already been completed when the US Congress shutoff funding and closed the project in 1993. Many ideas for what to do with the space have been thrown at the wall over the years, but nothing has stuck.
I thought this was around for years. Maybe Im thinking about another underground aero testing tunnel
the American one they talk about at the beginning of this video?
As an f1 aficionado, drivetribe is well aware in-season testing is banned in f1. As is full scale testing. No f1 team will be using this facility. The same cannot be said for the automotive sector.
The off-season exists you know, I'm sure the F1 teams that can't afford a wind tunnel would love to use this to develop a car pre-season
@@user-de4cq6uk6l Wrong. All f1 teams have their own or rent a windtunnel. There is no off-season in f1. All teams run three 8 hour shifts at their factor everyday bar the 2 week mandatory shutdown and Christmas day.
@@Bahamuttiamat they aren’t allowed to testing in-season, but they can test in the off-season. That’s where a facility like this would be useful
I want you to think about your statement
1) that teams can’t test in season
2) that there is no off-season
Your basically saying F1 teams can’t ever test, which clearly isn’t true as they do, that’s what the pre-season is for, where real world testing is perfectly legal.
For example, some teams test at silverstone on their own time before F1 the test in Barcelona
@@user-de4cq6uk6l False. what exactly would they be testing off season? The cars are fired up and assembled days before pre-season testing. Before then, NO TESTING is allowed.
Teams are allowed 2 "filming" days every year. Which consists of 2 100km run on development tires.
Since you're being pedantic - private tests aren't allowed under the f1 sport code.
Do do you want a link to the sport code? This is fairly common knowledge.
www.fia.com/regulation/category/110
This isn’t a track test, this is a wind tunnel! Max 100 mph. They can do wind tunnel analysis….
I think the biggest advantage is the low operating cost for the owner. Other than that it may actually be less practical comparing to stationary wind tunnel (where they are moving air around stationary object).
"this is the future and its 120 years old" to be honest most ideas are...
If we want to have any kind of future, it will be technology from the present or past to make it possible. We cant avoid imminent collapse with technologies yet to come.
So to say electric vehicles are pretty old, in fact older than combustion engines (50y older, and 10y older in practical use). Even the concept of a hydrogen fuel cell is dated back to 1839.
1 Of the Coolest Business ideas... Supporting the Project
Hats off to Stepnell Construction who have been heavily invested in the construction of this for the past few years
Dun think this idea is going to work. 1) dun think it really is economically cheaper to maintain long stretches of the tunnel, 2) in a lab, u can run alot more analysis 3) & that is a controlled environment.
Interestingly, the host didn’t mention the company funding the project. But i think the hint is that it’s not an f1 team
A quick look at the ventilation setup and data center would have been the icing on the cake. They've thought of running tests on the return run after the turntable, right? Or would the shut down area from the start be too short and risky? Hope you can visit in for some test footage if allowed. ✌
Yeah the plan is for people to run in both directions with results averaged across both runs.
Fascinating - thank you for the update. Brilliant to see the GCR Victorian engineering asset brought back to productive life. And thanks for bringing "Manscape" to my attention. I then watched the second part of the advert at 3:35 and began to wonder...!
Reminds me of Italian Job with the Mini's going through the sewage tunnel rocking side to side 🤣
This video was awesome! Mike is fun and engaging presenter
100 mph in a .... tunnel. Vertigo sets in and disaster strikes.
I imagine it would sound super cool standing at one end when someone is doing a run. The sound echoing down the tunnel and the source coming closer and closer
Surely F1 can't use this with there tight regulations on testing
Wont be f1 teams but FIA and they will rent it out to other motorsports
4:11 before crashing at the end when they don’t realise how short the deceleration zone is you mean
Whats the song @2:05
So how does the lorry turn around? Long drive in.. so do they back all the way in?
I can’t imagine how loud an old v-10 F1 car would be in there, the current ones you probably wouldn’t even need hearing protection for.
This reminded me of old Top Gear so informative but not boring
What a great "recycling" solution. Hopefully you will get a chance to come back when it's fully operational and do another video of the facility.
If they are gonna test F1 cars there. All the have to do is tarmac the ceiling and we can finally see an F1 car drive upside down in a tunnel!
Okay, so how long until Red Bull builds one with the tarmac going up the side for a publicity stunt to finally prove that an F1 car really can drive on the ceiling?
Great video. It is great to see how you (Mike) are passionate about the subjects you tackle in your videos. A great contributor to keeping the flame going.
Glad to see it re used but a great shame the GC was closed. Was the finest enginered railway in Britain. Ironic that HS2 uses some of the former GC trackbed in Buckinghamshire.
I hoped they turn the leafield technical centre the abandoned caterham f1 factory into a motorsport museum
Well, I guess any chance of rebuilding the GCR to its former glory are truly dashed now.
Wow, it’s totally dark - errr, you’re underground in an enclosed tunnel 🤔
Maybe I'm wrong, but most F1 Teams have their own (better) wind tunnels. Also the surface of the walls (inc. lights) is much too rough. I can´t imagine it playing any role in F1. Other (lower budget) sports / tests could work
Also F1 wind tunnels are oval and runs are limited... so now use for this (exept some nice shots maybe)
Holy smokes! Drive on the ceiling 🤷♂️💪
Won’t be any F1 testing here, it’s forbidden by the rules
Funny when you think about it. Who makes rules for testing? I would think results would not be accurate
What? Stupidest comment of the day! They now have a limit of between 28 and 45 runs per WEEK allowed, (previously they could do wind tunnel aero testing 24*7 if they wanted..)
I wonder how they are going to deal with the moisture. There was water on the concrete in this video. It would be interesting to see what kind of pumps/drainage/etc they use.
Please tell me they're going to tarmac the roof as well
What a beatifull house such tunnels would make all retrofitted.
Because everyone needs a light drizzle in their living room, right?
@@jakeblanton6853 lol.....ducting and insulition come to mind?
The innovating Victorian's are still giving us ideas for our future for they where our greatest Inventors,the greatest inventers known to human kind.
How many times did he sayd "Victorian" durin this video ?
You guys should take James to Vernon Hibberd's Fiat Panda garage. Reckon he'd have a blast there.
no one can see anything unless the close the interor lights in the car and on the camera recording you
night vision is achived after 10 mins in the dark
But spooky ghosts and creepy crawlies come out in less than five minutes
need a follow up when it’s all done!!!
Tom Scott has just released a vid on it th-cam.com/video/xWL40q3DMoQ/w-d-xo.html
I want to see James May do a Manscaped ad.
Could you imagine the pisstaking from the other two,i think that that would pay for national tv ads
I once used a regular trimmer on my sack ...it didn't go well.
Let's bring back the 3.0 V12....
3.5 actually.
This is the future and its 120 years old. Nice one
This is exactly what we wanna see. Thanks drivetribe
It is for testing the aerodynamics of cars generally, not just F1.
There is something really cool about the idea of old school pencil and paper Victorian engineering being married with the unbelievable computing power of modern Formula One testing being used to usher in the future of Motor sport.
Anyone in UK that what's a FREE REAL dark trip underground ? The Big Pit National Coal Museum Torfaen, Wales.. Chuck them some money too at the end as they are ex miner volunteers .. amazing place and hats off to the Welsh miners :)
It's dark in the dark. Wow.
What an awesome video! I would really like to see footage of an old f1 car run down this at full pelt, it would be so coool!!! Especially the sound
I'd pay to drive through there, just for the sound. Even my 3 cylinder Cooper would sound more awesome in there
Totally!
And some bloke in his GT3 offering rides at £30/go. I'd pay for that too
imagine a roaring V10 running through that tunnel
02:05 Mike has been stitched up there!
Exciting stuff! Can’t wait!
I’d love to drive my V8 Ute through this tunnel just for the sound it would generate. Perhaps the operators could have a drive day for us car enthusiasts.
“There is two separate garage so Aston Martin and red bull can’t spy on each other”…
👀
Nice side pods Aston looks like something we have seen before though
Mike, you’re killing it!
Such a shame that no current F1 team would be allowed to do straight line tests like this under current F1 testing rules
Love the oh so discreet Ford badge and car ad shots really well done piece of extra advertising .
Oh wasn't i meant to say that .
I saw no ford badges,
Phew i think we got away with that one, just dont mention the car🙈🙉🙊the name ford
@@jasongerrard8940 , 05:24 . Oops shouldn't have said that lol
Great video 👍
I love the idea of this
"so they can't spy on each other"??? Mike clearly does not understand the F1 world if he can say that with a straight face.
wow i cant wait till its done and does everyone (all f1 teams not the public) can go there
I like how he's trying to convince us that paving a tunnel that long is cheaper than a wind tunnel. That's 50 million worth of asphalt.
I love the conflict of old and new engineering. Virtual testing can only go so far, it’s not the perfect substitute for blasting a car down the road.
I wonder how they will ventilate this tunnel, I would think for race testing something like the Holland Tunnel would be best vs end to end.
Hello mate, idrivvepast this a lot. Fantastic facility.
Gotta Love
Victorian's
How They Would Pray For A Game Like GTA
!+)
I want to see an f1 car with headlights now
how is it that these tunnels dont showup in any of the scifi series/movies...
One of the coolest things ever
With all those vibrations i hope it doesn't collapse
This is also the perfect place to see if that urban myth of F1 cars being able to drive upside down due to the downforce is actually true
Great video Mike. I love to see history being recycled
The tunnel is longer than what you mentioned it goes to other countries all history been sealed up and forgotten.
Anyone else want a Focus ST after seeing this? 🤷🏻
Finally companies found out simu-link softwares won't go that long.
The Victorians were incredible engineers, and tended to over-build things; that this tunnel can be so easily repurposed for this is a great example. I think once they got over how astonishingly fast "horseless carriages" had gotten, they'd be proud to see their work still in use in the 21st century.
Yeah well the construction used here uses Roman Empire tech, didn't it? So better than Romans and Greeks i'd say
One of the best... IN THE WORLD! [/clarkson]
Different F1 teams won't spy on each other? HAHAHA!
Somewhere on the obvious tubes there is an explore noting the very same. It may be a couple of years old.
You get to drive it in a Ford hatchback, which honestly would satisfy me if they were secretly testing one of those for say, sale in the United States again.