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AutoPuzzles Today => Features, Stories and Photos => Featured Imagery => Topic started by: DeAutogids on January 13, 2011, 08:21:58 AM
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http://www.youtube.com/v/R8JXDpxi3xc&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3
This documentary, though in Dutch (and French), is quite interesting and shows old workers of the factory, the facility and quite a lot of background into the history of Belgian cars.
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Thanks, De Autogids!
I saw this nice documentary on the Belgian television, and I really liked it. Very interesting to see the Lingotto like test track on the roof of the factory, which is still (partly) there :)
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According to the documentary, Lingoto and Nessonvaux are the only two factories with a race track on the roof (or in this case partly on the factory grounds) in the world.
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I will post some photos I´ve made there through the years when I´ll be back from work.
I´ve planned to do a feature about this unique piece of automotive architecture last week... ;D
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5 years ago it was in a much better shape then now. When the rots start, I suppose....
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The test track (1928)
An important problem occurred at the IMPERIA works.
For months the management of the factory were overwhelmed by complaints, because of the frequent road test on the roads around the factory. More and more tests were necessary and the population got more and more fed up. Chickens, little animals and sometimes people were victims to these "metal monsters". The test drivers used the roads of the village and the roads to Banneux, a road with a lot of bends. Speeding and high revving engines made the population mad and they were no longer willing to support the factory
The works, squeezed between two hills, would not allow an easy solution, so the only solution was to build a test track within the factory and using the football field of the football club of Nessonvaux. The ring started within the factory, then over the roof which gave a track of about one kilometre. Only Fiat had a similar track.
This little test track became an attraction in the region. A little causeway allowed people to climb onto the nearside hill to watch the spectacle of car testing over the factories roofs.
Source: www.standardmotorclub.org.uk
Well, this is a very special location.
Only the huge Fiat Lingotto factory comes to my mind when I think of car test tracks on a factory roof.
And this is still in original order, but in the state of decrease...
There is a construction company located at the former Imperia works nowadays. There does not seem too much interest in preserving this unique monument, unfortunately.
Acces is limited at the weekends. Maybe I´ll have the chance to visit at week time again. Then I´ll have a closer look at it again.
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Problem is that only part of it still remains
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Very interesting - thanks for posting AutoGids
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Well, the test track itself is existing completely, but the rest of the area is not original any more.
But I really like the small Imperia museum that´s not far away of the old factory.
Very nice people there!
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Well, the test track itself is existing completely, but the rest of the area is not original any more.
But I really like the small Imperia museum that´s not far away of the old factory.
Very nice people there!
According to the documentary I posted elsewhere, it isn't?
The museum (well, one of the guys behind it) has written a book about Imperia.
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Wouldn't it make sense to merge both Imperia topics?
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Sure, I just did not want to overroll the other topic with my many photos.
If DeAutogids agrees, please merge them.
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By all means!
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merged.
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Wow, thanks for posting this. Just amazing.
The film work is equally notable.