Boreham

Three miles northeast of Chelmsford, Boreham airfield to the east of London opened as a bomber base for the United States Army Air Force in March 1944. It was used as temporary housing for evacuees after the war before the start of its short-lived history as Britain’s fastest racing circuit. The 1949 Chelmsford Rally finished at Boreham and one of its three runways was used for a speed trail in 1950. The three-mile perimeter road proved ideal for four race meetings during 1951. The highlight of the 1952 season was the Formula 1 Daily Mail Trophy when 50,000 spectators saw Luigi Villoresi’s works Ferrari 375 beat a high class. Despite that impressive attendance, the organising West Essex Car Club lost money and Boreham did not hold another race meeting. Ford acquired the site in 1955 as a test track which served as headquarters for its racing division from 1963 until 2004.