The Catesby Tunnel in the UK has been around for over a hundred years. And it’s been abandoned for about half of that time. But Aero Research Partners are giving it new life, transforming the 1.6 mile railway into a super car test track.

According to New Civil Engineer, the ARP has converted the tunnel into a testing track, allowing for a variety of vehicles to be run through a gambit of conditions.

The Catesby Tunnel was built (dug?) back in 1897. It operated as part of the Great Central Main Line railway until 1966. Since then, it had been left abandoned. There was a proposal in 2017 to restore and reopen the railway, but this fell through, and the tunnel was instead given approval to be converted into a test track.



It now features racetrack quality asphalt, using the same materials used in the tracks for major tracks like Silverstone, Bahrain, and the Abu Dhabi tracks, all of which host the Formula One Grands Prix.

The tunnel will provide the convenience of high speed (130mph+) tests without concerns over weather conditions. It will also open the option for aerodynamic testing, along with cooling, noise, and emissions tests.

Using tunnels for vehicle testing is no new concept. But it’s interesting to see a historical site like this make such a conversion. Part of us feels a bit sad that what could be considered a historical site into a corporate testing facility. But in another way, it’s better than being left to decay without purpose.