What Happened To Belgium's Factory Rooftop Test Track?

Yes! It's the second - and therefore almost certainly final - episode of my exciting new series about 1920s factory rooftop test tracks. And today, we are visiting the village of Nessonvaux in Belgium to find out what happened to the old Impéria factory and its historic circuit...

MORE INFO

IMAGE CREDITS

[peterdibble]

Next week: "Hello and Hola from Buenos Aires!"

[jimmyryan]

This is my favourite 1920's test track on top of buildings youtube channel.

[thetench]

Tonight on Tim Gear:
Some trees get in the way
We learn the history of Belgian car production
And Tim uses his finger to demonstrate how cars drove around the test track

[TheOoblick]

The Soundtrack:

1. Jessica - The Original Top Gear Theme
2. The Tim Traveller Theme
3. Tintin theme (this is in Belgium after all)
4. Tomorrow's World theme.
5. The Chain - Fleetwood Mac (Grand Prix theme)
6. Ghost Town - The Specials
7. Wish you Were Here (UK TV Series) theme

Utter class as usual. Thanks Tim.

[NQR-]

Hi from a train driver who operate from Liege-Guillemins! I can see the circuit from the train when I ride towards Liege on the railway line 37 (from the curve you can see in the background at 04:40), the one you used to get to Nessonvaux. By the way, the tunnels on that line were excavated in 1841, and are probably among the oldest still in use in the world...

[egpx]

is my new favourite method of documentary cinematography. Well done Tim.

[rolfs]

I really hope they keep that old castle-like building as well when redeveloping the property. It looks just too cool to be demolished.

[hereis_Tiff]

Belgium and "no-one around, nothing seems to be happening" is the longest running gag in history. There are highways with roadwork project signs along the road dating back to the 2000's, lol.

[Rihnoswirl]

Love the subtle Tintin cartoon-theme in the background as you put the journalist hat on.

[TheDiveO]

About the Tintin background reference: in the German translations, Tintin is named Tim. Chapeau!

[shubus]

The drone footage saved this video else we'd all be wondering what it looks like now. Nice work, TIm!

[jacquesmertens]

As a Belgian it makes me proud to learn we were 100 years ahead when the Pieper was introduced.
Never heard about this brand until today.
Thanks for the video !

[tomthedespoiler]

Once again, Tim has some of the best music of any YouTuber.

[didierg.bertrand]

Hello, my family (mother side) comes from Nessonvaux. My aunt worked in Imperia as a secretary in the beginning in the years '40. 3:06 : the river is "La Vesdre". 4:01 : The door of the old factory cannot be destroyed and is "protected" to maintain the heritage and the "souvenir". 3 years ago, unfortunatly, the Imperia Museum (NOT located in the old factory and not in Nessonaux but in Fraipont (6 km downstream along the river "Vesdre")) was totally destroyed with big mentionned floodings (all the valley from Verviers to Liège was destroyed).

[JP_TaVeryMuch]

5:43 The _banking_, blistering barnacles!
Proper steep, especially the second bit from this angle.
And no seatbelts back then.
Formidable.

[rowschank]

The easter eggs in your background music are always appreciated!

[acidauric]

Nessonveaux fait partie de la commune de Trooz et a effectivement été une des communes les plus touchées par les inondations. La rénovation du site a été votée en janvier 2024, selon le journal la meuse : La création d’un hall omnisports et d’un musée sur le site Impéria va être réalisée. La façade classée sera conservée, ainsi qu’une partie du circuit sur le toit." Mais le fait d inscrire les travaux dans le budget de la commune ne veut pas dire que les travaux vont forcément débuter cette année. Cela dépendra de l avancement des projets de la même enveloppe budgétaire... et des résultats des élections communales d'octobre 2024. Si la majorité change, les travaux peuvent aussi changer...

[ulfwan]

Tim, coming from a Belgian, thank you for being the only living human being able to make Belgium look like a legit tourist destination. :P
Don't hesitate if you ever are lacking "original" destinations ideas, I've a few industrial (let's say "peculiar") places to recommand to you. ;)

[oatmonster]

Any day with a new Tim Traveller video is a good day

[daemynion]

I live in Liège, and seriously I'm so happy to see someone speaking about the town nicely.
And by the way, it's impressive how you say the name of towns (and the station "Guillemins"
who's phonetically more a curse than a gift even for french speaking people) without slaughtering it at all. Hat down!