Clifton Park Racecourse, Squires Gate, Blackpool
Str Engineer Arthur Hindle
Conc. design The Trussed Concrete Steel Co., Ltd., Caxton House, Westminster
BLACKPOOL STEEPLECHASE PROGRAMME - The arrangements for the opening of the Clifton Park Racecourse, at Squire's Gate are being engineered on an ambitious scale, and indications point to the establishment of a racing centre at Blackpool on a sound and high-class footing. The laying out of the course is being accomplished n a most up-to-date manner, with Alderman R. B. Mather as architect, and expert and careful attention is being given to such matters as drainage, irrigation, and accommodation. It is stated that 150 men are at present engaged in the work, which is to be completed well in time for opening of the course on the first day of August. The erection of the stands, which are to be spacious and well-built, providing seating accommodation for something like 25,000 people and all necessary refreshment, luncheon. lavatory, and cloak-room facilities, is to be commenced in a few days. These stands, which will be as similar as possible to those at Hurst Park, will be of ferro concrete and steel, and will, of course, be of a permanent character. The stabling, which is provided in a paddock adjoining the racecourse, close to the railway, will comprise 150 loose boxes. [Blackpool Gazette 3 March 1911 page 6]
CLIFTON PARK - The Clifton Park Club, the directors of which are the Earl of Lonsdale, Sir Peter Walker. Mr. J. Talbot Clifton, and Mr. A. Huntley Walker, have had constructed at South Shore a course which has been admitted to be one of the most complete and up-to-date racecourses in either this country or abroad. Everything is now practically complete and ready for the first Summer Steeplechase meeting. which takes place on August 1, 2, and 3. The contract was only signed on March 22nd last, and in so short a time there have risen from a bare field magnificent stands costing many thousands of pounds, and a perfect track. The whole of the buildings have been erected by Messrs. J. Parkinson and Sons, Blackpool, from the designs of the architect, Alderman R. B. Mather.
There are two tracks, one for hurdle racing and one for steeplechases. The whole area embraces 146 acres, 70 acres of which is for the accommodation of spectators. The stands are built of ferro-concrete and together with the lawns in front, will comfortably accommodate 25,0000 people. while the vast racecourse itself will easily hold many times that number. There are elaborate rooms of every description, all tastefully done in cream. The hurdle course is 1.5 miles round, and the steeplechase course just under 1.5 miles. A special training ground has been laid out adjoining the racecourse, equipped with fences and hurdles, and this valuable practice ground will be much appreciated by owners and trainers. some of whom have already sent their horses to complete their p:eparations at Blackpool. There are at present 32 horses in the loose-boxes, and there is stabling accommodation for 144. Close to the boxes is the stable boys' dormitory, containing 54 beds. While the pylons were being erected for the aviation meeting, the officials came across wells, which at the time were considered a great nuisance. Now they are a veritable blessing. Ten wells have been provided, and these are invaluable in keeping the turf in condition. The luncheon rooms, bars, and lavatory arrangements are all carried out in such a manner as to disarm criticism, whilst the press stand and the stand for owners and trainers are of such a nature as to be immediately appreciated by everyone using them. The jumps are regarded by experts as perfect, whilst the catering, postal arrangements. and banking facilities are all that can be wished for. [Blackpool Gazette 18 July 1911 page 5]
ARTHUR HINDLE - In offering oar cordial congratulations on Friday to those most actively concerned in the inauguration of the Clifton Park racecourse we inadvertently omitted to mention Mr. Arthur Hindle CE MSA, whose name should have been associated with that of Mr. R. B. Mather as joint architects. Mr Hindle's work in connection with the erection of the stands merits special recognition. The stability and excellent arrangement of the stands will be a permanent testimonial to Mr. Hindle's labours in connection with the Clifton Park Club's enterprise. [Fleetwood Chronicle - Tuesday 8 August 1911]
One of the most useful applications to which reinforced concrete can be out is in the construction of race and football stands, where great stability and strength are of the utmost importance. The particulars below were prepared for us by Mr. Albert Lakeman, Hon. Medallist, Construction.— ED.
REINFORCED CONCRETE RACESTAND, BLACKPOOL - This stand, which is erected at the Clifton Park Racecourse, is constructed entirely of reinforced concrete, at a total cost of about _£10,000. It has
accommodation for about 20,000 people and was commenced in April of the past year and finished by the middle of June, this time including the design of the stand and the preparation of all the working drawings, the contractors being under a heavy penalty in the event of non-completion in the contract time.
The total length of the stand is about 466 feet and the depth about 50 feet 9 in., the columns being spaced across the depth at intervals of about 12 feet 6 in., giving three intermediate rows of supports. About 96 feet. in length is given up for the accommodation of members, with a bar and smoking-room on the ground floor, and a drawing-room at the back of the second floor. Luncheon-room accommodation is also provided on the ground floor. Another 83 ft. in length is appropriated to Tattersall's, with a large luncheon-room on the ground floor, while the remainder of the space is given up to ordinary spectators, with large luncheon-room and bars on the ground floor.
The Kahn System of reinforcement was employed, and a working load test on one bay, which was made after six weeks, did not produce any deflection. The total height of the stand is 36 ft., the first-floor level being 13 ft. 9 in. from the ground level at the back, the latter point being 6 ft. lower than the ground level at the front. The drawing-room floor level is 8 ft. 6 in. above the first- floor level, and the stand is covered, as shown in the section illustrated on page 8, with a cover which projects 23 ft. from the extreme back of the stand, or 10 ft. 6 in. from the column centre which carries the fulcrum beam. The two back rows of columns only extend to the full height of the stand, as the remainder are stopped at the underside of the stringer beams below the tiers which they carry. In the Members' and Tattersall's portions of the stand the treads are 2 ft. 9 in. wide, and the risers are 13.25 in. high, giving a total number of nineteen treads in the height. The same conditions apply in the 10s. 6d. stand, but in the 2s. 6d. stand the treads are reduced in width to give a total number of twenty-seven in all.
The front row of columns has a free length of only 4 feet, and these are 8 inches square, reinforced with four 0.375-in. Kahn Rib bars, with links at 8-inch centres in the height. The second and third rows are about 9 ft. and 15 ft. high respectively, and these are increased to 10 in. square, reinforced with four l-0.5-inch Rib bars, with links as above. The fourth and fifth rows are the two back rows, which, as previously mentioned, extend to the full height of the stand, which is 36 ft. and these have beams connected to them at various intervals in the height. The size of these columns varies from 8 in. square, reinforced with four 0.5-in. Kahn Rib bars at the top, to 12 in. square, reinforced with four 0.625-in. Rib bars at the bottom. The risers are 3 in. thick, and these act as beams, being reinforced on the lower edge with one 0.5-in. Rib bar carried through straight for the w hole length and one 0.375-in. bar bent up at the ends and carried over stringer beams into the next bay for a distance of 18 in. to take the shear and negative bending moment. Stirrups are provided at 27-in. centres, carried well up into the concrete. The treads which are carried by these riser beams are formed as slabs 2.5-in. thick, reinforced with 0.25-in. rods at 9-in centres in the lower surface, hooked up and down at the ends into the risers. Temperature rods 0.25-in diameter are provided in each tread. 18 ft. long, with a lap of 12 in. at the ends with the adjoining rod. The stringer beams vary in size as shown in the drawings, the largest being 24 in. deep and 8 in. wide, reinforced with two 0.5-in. Kahn Rib bars and one 0.75-in. Kahn trussed bar.
Owing to the great length of the stand, expansion joints were provided, three of these dividing: the structure into four separate divisions. These joints, a detail of which is shown in the details illustrated on this page, are about 0-5-in. wide, and it will be seen that the beam and slab are merely supported on the haunches at the connection with the columns, these haunches being reinforced with two Rib bars to
enable them to act as short cantilever brackets. No steel is, of course, allowed to cross the joint.
The cover at the top of the stand is designed with sufficient strength to allow same to be used by spectators, if necessary, thus serving a double purpose. It is formed with a slab 4 inches thick, having a slope of 1 in 12, and finished with cement and sand in equal parts applied before the concrete was set, and no waterproofing material was required. A gutter is formed at the back next a 3 in. concrete wall which is 16 in. high and forms a finish. The projection of the cover from the fulcrum beam is 10 ft. 6 in., while the length of the tailing-down portion is 12 ft. 6 in. The slab is reinforced with 0.375-in. Rib bars at 8-in. centres, the alternate bars being bent up over the fulcrum beam for continuity, and temperature bars 0.375- in. diameter are provided at 2 ft. 6 in. centres. The fulcrum beams are 2 ft. 3 in. deep, and 10 in. wide, reinforced with two 1-in. Rib bars and two 1.75-in. Kahn bars. These beams have a span of about 24 ft., and each one carries two cantilever beams, which are spaced at 8-ft. centres. These latter have a maximum depth of 24 inches next the fulcrum beam and a minimum depth at the extreme outer edge of 8 inches, with a width of 10 inches, the reinforcement consisting of one 1-in. Rib bar and two 0,75-in. Rib bars in the lower surface and one 1-in. Rib bar and two 0.75-in. Kahn bars in the upper surface, the latter being continuous in the cantilever and tailing--down portion. Stirrups are provided to connect the two sets of reinforcement, one stirrup being provided for each pair of bars.
The back of the stand is treated with half-timber work, which gives a relief from the flat treatment which would have otherwise been obtained, as shown in the photograph of this portion, which is illustrated on page 10. The finished view of the front is shown on page 11.
This structure is an admirable example of design in reinforced concrete, and the use of this material for a race-stand is so superior to timber that one can hardly conceive the latter material being adopted in the future for buildings of this kind. The maintenance required is practically nil with the use of reinforced concrete, and it combines with strength the quality of being fire-resisting.
The engineer for the work was Mr. Arthur Hindle, A.M.Inst.C.E., of Blackpool, and the reinforced concrete was designed by the Trussed Concrete Steel Co., Ltd., of Caxton House, Westminster. The contractors were Messrs. J. Parkinson and Sons, Ltd., of Blackpool. [Concrete Constructional Engineering 1912 page 5]