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International Volvo Photo Locations Part 460

Military Road or A3055 runs between Freshwater Bay and Compton Bay on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom.

Compton Bay is a bay located on the southwest section of the Isle of Wight, England. Its north western edge is defined by the distinctive white chalk cliff of Freshwater Cliff, named after adjacent Freshwater Bay, which forms a small cove with the village of Freshwater situated just behind. Its north eastern edge is formed from the soft red and orange lower cretaceous rocks of Brook Bay, which are rapidly eroding.

Due to the lack of grazing on the cliffs above the bay, the native chalk ecosystem has thrived. Atop the cliffs, the Island’s county flower, the pyramidal orchid, can be found, while the rare Glanville fritillary butterfly also lives in large numbers supported by the native flowers. There are also other hardy plants, such as common gorse bushes and wild cabbage.

The bay is popular with wave and kite surfers due to the waves that form when the prevailing south-westerly wind is blowing onshore. The beach is gently shelving and consists mostly of sand, with a few lengths of submerged rock, although at high tide the sea covers the beach almost completely. The car park and its public facilities are owned by the National Trust, as is the coastal strip of land. The Isle of Wight Coastal Path runs along the cliff around the bay.

More information at en.wikipedia.org and visitisleofwight.co.uk.

International Volvo Photo Locations Part 459

The Tràigh Mhòr, in English ‘Big Beach’, is a large expanse of sand forming a magnificent white beach at the northern end of the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, in the village of Ardmhor extending to the village of Eoligarry. The beach is made up of hard compacted sand. The tidal islet of Orosay lies at the north end of the beach.

The Tràigh Mhòr is also popular with cockle pickers – the source of its other well known name: ‘The Cockle Strand’. Other shellfish such as razorfish and winkles are also collected. Cockle pickers use rakes to rake the sand in search of the cockles. Many of the islanders collect cockles and sell them to a local company, ‘Barratlantic’, which has a fish factory on Barra at ‘Aird Mhithinis’, or in English orthography ‘Ardveenish’. Shellfish from the beach and from around the waters of Barra are mostly exported to Europe.

In 1933 when a site was sought for Barra Airport, John MacPherson, the local postmaster (otherwise known as ‘The Coddy’) suggested that the beach, with its hard compact sand, be used for the runways. It is still in use, and is the only runway in the world washed twice a day by the tide. There are three runways, to allow for different wind directions. Three large visible markers mark the runways. When the windsock flies to show that a plane arrival is imminent, the area is out of bounds to people on the beach.

More information at en.wikipedia.org and visitouterhebrides.co.uk.

International Volvo Photo Locations Part 458

Rodel is a village on the south-eastern coast of Harris, an island in the Scottish Outer Hebrides. Rodel is situated in the parish of Harris. It was historically the capital of Harris, and the main port, before Tarbert took the title.

St Clement’s Church (Eaglais Chliamhain) is a 16th-century church which was founded by the 8th Chief of MacLeod and is dedicated to Pope Clement I. The church was built using local Lewisian gneiss rock. It overlooks Loch Rodel. This well-preserved church is currently under the responsibility of Historic Scotland.

Located near the harbour is Rodel Hotel. This was built in 1781 and was originally home to Captain Alexander MacLeod of Berneray who had bought the Isle of Harris in 1779. It was restored in 2001.

More information at en.wikipedia.org, theislandreview.com and canmore.org.uk.

Volvo Photo Locations Part 365

Espingtorpet is located within the Volvo Hällered Proving Ground in Sandhult, northwest of Borås, Sweden.

When Volvo bought in the late 1960s almost a third part of Hällered, there were three old soldattorp or (soldier) residence left in the area. Two of them were in a terrible state, but one is still there, the building we know today as Espingtorpet. From here, you can today hear and see the Volvo test cars driving by.

According to people involved in Hällered Proving Ground, it was PG Gyllenhammar who insisted that this historic building should remain and being restored.

More information at media.volvocars.com and the Volvo Monitor magazine #5 from 1985.

Volvo Photo Locations Part 364

Volvo Hällered Proving Ground is located in Sandhult just north of Borås, Sweden. The facility is owned by Volvo Cars and is an important part of their product development.

The operation takes place 24/7 and a total of about 300 people at Hällered Proving Ground work with setting up test vehicles, conducting test runs, doing laboratory tests and evaluating test results. The facility’s own maintenance organization also provides service and maintenance for the facility.

The 15 test tracks at Hällered Proving Ground are designed to give drivers maximum safety and the highest degree of reliability in test results. Advanced testing that covers a wide range of vehicle attributes is constantly performed at the test tracks. Sustainability, comfort, performance, safety and reliability are functions that are evaluated around the clock by our employees at Hällered. Drive wheels, chassis, steering, active safety features, cooling, suspension, shock absorbers and tires are other examples of systems and components tested here.

In addition to test tracks, the facility also has a number of laboratories where they perform tests and analyzes. Engineers, technicians, mechanics and test drivers employed by Volvo Cars, located on Hällered, perform objective testing and driving. Hällered covers an area of ​​about 700 hectares and is mainly a self-sufficient community. In addition to workshops, test laboratories and test rigs, there are administration buildings with offices, conference rooms, a restaurant and more.

At Volvo Cars’ test track Hällered the car is pushed to its limit. Surrounded by a beautiful forest it is a quiet and peaceful place.
But then the forest opens and the track nicknamed “Car Hell” can be found – Hällered.

This is the place where Volvo cars are made to suffer around the clock in extraordinarily tough conditions. In only a few months the cars are aged as much as during the entire anticipated lifetime of the vehicles in ordinary traffic circumstances.

The test facility at Hällered in Sweden is a veritable “torture chamber” for cars. This is where tomorrow’s components and cars are tested long before production starts. For a lifetime test, a car is driven really hard for 160,000 kilometres within a little less than a year. The equivalent of four complete circuits of the earth.

At the test facility there are 15 different test tracks where everything a Volvo car can be facing up to during its long life time is tested.

On the main track they bring the cars to their limits at full speed during interminable driving cycles at speeds of over 250 kilometres per hour.
On other tracks driving stability on the road and chassis components are tested with cars driven round tough bends. Annually the test drivers wear out some 2,000 tires.

The facility also includes tracks where they test all-wheel driven vehicles over extreme off-road conditions.
Along the 5 kilometres public highway type of track there are different kinds of demanding surfaces just like those to be found on real public highways.

The cascade of salt water on the lifetime track severely tests the bodywork’s rust protection. The suspension and shock absorbers really have their work cut out when the surface is aggressively rough.

Gravel tracks are a Nordic specialty that really challenges road holding qualities.

The car’s active safety system is also tested at the facility. A special rig has been developed just to test the Pedestrian Detection system that should detect pedestrians and apply the brakes in case the driver does not react in time.

The about 75 test drivers who work at the facility play an important role. They are all well trained in advanced driving techniques and each one of them drives about 100,000 kilometres per year as a part of their work. It is their careful work that is the backbone of the whole operation.

In the workshops and service stations at the facility, operations are carried on around the clock all year round. Test cars must be kept going and every hour is expensive. And all the time there are new cars waiting to be driven in the toughest tests.

In 1969, Volvo started to plan this proving ground at Hällered outside Göteborg. The site was 6 million m2 in size and the proving ground was due to be completed in 1972.

The 15 tracks in detail:

1. High Speed Track

The high speed track functions as an endless motorway. It is used to conduct function, reliability, performance and durability tests. The curves are formed like a velodrome and are graded to offer driving that is unaffected by lateral forces at speeds of approximately 200 km/h. The lateral slope on the straightways is 1% and it gradually increases in the curves to 74%. There is a water trench of varying depths adjacent to the track. The high speed track is approximately 6,200 metres long and is divided into four track lanes with a total of 16 meters.

2. Construction Site Track

The construction site track is used for testing the durability of trucks, dumpers and off-road vehicles. The track has a surface that is similar to rough construction sites, hilly gravel pits and refuse tips. The track is approximately 750 metres long and 4 metres wide. There is a loading area adjacent to the track because loadingand unloading is part of some of the testing.

3. Durability Track

The durability track is used to test the reliability function and durability of, primarily, body and chassis components. It contains various types of “irregularities” that include Belgian cobblestone, grooves, potholes, hollows, bumps as well as trenches with mud and water. The well-defined road surface patterns result in high levels of stress and accelerated wear. This means that testing cnbe conducted in a shorter periods of time and distances. The track is approximately 2,600 metres long, including a circular section of cobblestone.
The surface of the external noise measuring track is similar to continental cobblestones and generates vibrations in a vehicle’s chassis, body and interior. Test drives and analysis are conducted here to prevent squeaks, rattles and scraping noises. The track is circular, making its length af 530 metres infinite.

4. Gravel Track Road

This track is used for durability, reliability and fucntion tests. It is specially prepared with the type of gravel used on roads. The track is approximately 1.5000 meters long and 6 meters wide.

5. Handling Track 1

Handling track 1 is used for testing tyres and reliability as well as for testing a vehicles driving characteristics. The track has S-bends and incorrectly graded hairpin and spiral curves. The entire track can be sprayed with water. Handling track 1 is approximately 850 meters long and 6 meters wide. It contains a 100-meter long and 10-meter wide straightaway and a parallel circuit with an S-bend.

6. Handling Track 2

Handling track 2 is used to test a vehicle’s handling and reliability. The track contains “irregulairities” such as bumpy surfaces, incorrectly graded bends and wheel tracks. One section of the track is divided into car and truck circuits. There is also a dirt-test track adjacent to the truck circuit. The track is approximately 3.100 meters long and 6 meters wide. In one 200-meter section, the track’s width increases to 200 meter.

7. Comfort Track

The comfort track is used to test a vehicle’s comfort characteristics, solidness, function and reliability. The track contains some 20 different types of roads, including “washboard”, a grooved surface, bumps, asphalt repairs in curves and straightaway, gaps between sections of concrete, Vienna cobblestones, etc. The Comfort track is approximately 2,100 meters long and 7 meters wide. It also includes a 3.500 m² asphalt area that is used to test high lateral forces and an “easy” construction track for cars.

8. Skidpad

The Skidpad, which can be sprayed with water, is used for tests involvng strong lateral forces. It consists of a circulair asphalt surface with drainage with two entry tracks. The skid pad is 100 meters in diameter. It has a gradient of 0,5%, with the lowest point at the centre. In applicable cases, it is also used to test range.

9. Slopes

The slopes are used for testing drivelines and driveline installations, brakes and tow bars. Certain slopes are also used for norm testing of brakes, uphill capacity, etc. The gradient of the hills are between 8% and 60%.

10. Low Friction Track and Handling Area

Special tracks have been built for testing brakes on areas of normal asphalt as well as on sections with low-friction surfaces. The Low Friction track is primairly used for testing and developing electronic safety systems. The track has a surface of basalt plates and a system of nozzles to spray water onto the track, which provides to correct degree of friction to meet applicable regulations and legislations. The Low Friction track is 310 meters long an 7 meters wide.
The Handling track is used for tests that requires a great deal of space, for example when testing steering and driving characteristics of both heavy vehicles and cars. The trackis horizontal and its lateral gradient is not more than 1,2% one-directional banking. The surface is paved with normal asphalt with the exception of the right-hand (eastern) side, which is paved with a special noise-generating type of asphalt at a width of 3,5 meters and a lenght of 500 meters. The Handling Area has an overall width of 60 meters and a lenght of 500 meters.

11. Corrosion Track

The Corrosion Track, together with the climate chambers, is used for corrosion testing. The track is 1,950 meters long and 7 meters wide. It is paved with stone chips on a asphalt base and has a system for pouring saltwater over the test vehicles. One section of the Corrosion Track consists of a “salt splash” tunnel that simulates the swirling spray and built-up of dirt that occurs when e.g. driving behind a truck on a wet, salted road in the winter.

12. External Noise Masuring Track

The purpose of this track is to test and measure exterior noise levels and it is used primarily by Volvo Trucks and Buses. The tests are used partly to help develop quieter vehicles and also to ensure compliance with current national and international legal requirements. The track is approximately 1,200 meters long. The entry sections are paved with normal asphalt while the central measuring area is paved witha type of asphalt specified by ISO. The central sections of the track can be heated from underneath to keep them dry in damp or cold weather.

13. Rough Road Track

Among other things, this track is used to test the cars’ AWD system. The track is approximately 1,150 meterslong and consists of sectionsof road gravel and asphalt. There are a number of hills with different degrees of difficulty adjacent to the track for testing cars fitted with All Wheel Drive.

14. City Traffic Course

This track is similar to streets around a square city block and is used by cars and heavy trucks. The testing conducted here simulates turns at street corners and stop-and-go traffic. This puts special strain on the chasis and driveline. There is a hill with a 16% gradient adjacent to the track that is used to test starting on a hill. The City Traffic Course is approximately 650 meters long and has a curve radius of 12 meters.

15. Country Road Track

This track is primarly used to conduct tests of the active safety systems. It is 5,000 meters long. Several of the natural bends and hills are copied from various sections of road in Sweden, the United States and England. The Country Road Trak also offers several different types of surfaces and “irregularities”, suck as American concrete highways, manhole covers and bridge sections that enables to conduct noise tests in and outside of the cars.

(Information from the Volvo Hällered Proving Ground brochure)

Hallered: every petrolhead’s dream

(Article written by Sudhir Matai for the South African CAR Magazine on 20.04.2016 after his visit to the Volvo Hällered Proving Ground)

Imagine having 15 different tracks at your disposal, which range from a 6,2 km high-speed oval, to high- and low-speed handling circuits, off-roading areas, gravel and dirt paths as well as cityscapes. Now imagine going there every day.
What I described above is just some of what makes up the Hallered Proving Ground, owned by Volvo Cars, just outside of Gothenburg, Sweden. For a lucky few, this is a reality and not only do they have access to this petrolhead playground but they get paid to visit and drive there daily.

One such person is Christer Aldeby, test driver for Volvo Cars. Aldeby, one of about 90 pilots in the employ of Volvo at this facility, was my host when I recently visited Hallered.
The total count of staff on the premises is roughly 300, including mechanics, engineers, maintenance staff and traffic control.
Allowing journos into the most secret of test areas isn’t usually allowed, but this rare occasion was made possible by Volvo on special request.
Aldeby doesn’t look like your typical Swede: he isn’t tall, have light hair, eyes or skin and when I learn that he was born in Iran his appearance suddenly made a lot more sense.
Unlike many test drivers at other car makers who at some point had racing ambitions Aldeby was once a taxi driver, then a limo chauffeur before eventually making the step up to test drive at Volvo Cars.
He’s fulfilled this role for a decade and from conversations with him during my time at Hallered he has no intention of leaving anytime soon.

Most people think that being a test driver is simply about driving flat out all the time though this isn’t really the case.
At Hallered driving teams work through the night to be able to fulfil the stringent requirements of tests. Over the course of the year each driver at Hallered covers about 100 000 km and that’s just at the proving ground!
Aldeby does however state that one of the engine test procedures is to run a car flat out in top gear around the facility’s high-speed oval track for twenty laps… so that is part of the job, too, just not ALL of the job.
Hallered was opened in 1973 and has since been the heart of the Swedish automaker’s testing arenas. There are other proving grounds, such as the cold weather test facility near Jokkmokk in Lapland, or the one in the US, which is ideal for warm weather work.
Among the various tests conducted within the 700-hectare grounds include life expectancy, reliability, comfort and performance characteristics, and that’s just on the vehicle side.
Any number of tests can be carried out in the laboratories from fuel analysis to hot and cold weather testing of components.
Within the grounds are all manner of labours that a car will endure within its lifecycle, not to mention several dozen that most wouldn’t consider within the scope of normal usage.
Side slopes with “fallen” logs, rock gardens, paved sections with simulated, deep-set manholes, Belgian pave, steep inclines and declines of dirt and tar are all there for test drivers to thump test cars against.

I felt a twinge of sympathy for the car that were travelling in on the day of my tour as Aldeby thumped over the various obstacles, but he assured me that in its 90 000-odd km, all of which were earned at Hallered, it’s seen a LOT worse. Incidentally there wasn’t the slightest creak or squeak to be heard in the cabin.
Not all 90 drivers are allowed to conduct the full spectrum of tests at Hallered. Even though they might ultimately be capable drivers, each needs to obtain specific licences for different levels of test procedures.

With a T1 grading you are only allowed to drive to a maximum 130 km/h within the grounds. Stepping up to T2, which entails a theoretical and driving exam, lifts the speed cap to 250 km/h.
T3 holders are allowed the full speed range and it is these highly skilled men and ladies that are certified to do chassis and handling testing. My driver for the day happens to be T3 accredited.
While most enthusiasts imagine that being a test driver is a glamourous occupation where you fling cars around racetracks al day, the reality is very different.
Aldeby has a 9-to-5 gig, like most others, that requires him to report to a boss every day. Though, if you have to choose from all the places you’d like your office to be, Hallered Proving Ground must be right up there with the best of them.

2008 – Volvo Cars Hällered Test Track (Youtube.com)

2010 – Top Secret Proving Ground: Hällered, Sweden (Youtube.com)

2010 – Hallered Volvo test ground in Sweden – Ground views (Youtube.com)

In April 2019, I was lucky to visit the Volvo Hällered Proving Ground together with Svenska Volvoklubben. This was the only photo that I could take, outside the complex.
After an introduction on the test track, we were able to join with a new road car the Volvo Hällered Proving Ground. It was a great experience!

More information at media.volvocars.com, carmag.co.za, lukeperkins.com and saabblog.net.

Volvo Photo Locations Part 364

Lapposand Badplats is located near Lappesandsvägen on Hönö at the Swedish west coast.

Hönö is a locality situated in Öckerö Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 5,110 inhabitants in 2010.

During the Viking Age the islands of Öckerö belonged to the Norwegian kings, and the part of the coast was known as Älvsyssel. In the 13th century the King Håkon Håkonsson of Norway built himself a house on Öckerö, because he was often around there with his navy.

In 1658 or thereabout, the area became Swedish together with Bohuslän.
In the middle of the 18th century, the fishing of herring blossomed into a full scaled industry, and the islands fishing communities flourished for some 50 years.
In the 1950s the coat of arms were designed. As the main industry has always been fishing, a boat and herring became symbols. The ten herrings correspond to the ten islands.
Ömål, also called öbo, is a Swedish Götamål dialect spoken on the islands of the Öckerö municipality. It has some features of the Gothenburg Swedish dialect (Göteborgska), but also features from English.

More information at sv.wikipedia.org and restauranggoteborg.se.

Volvo Photo Locations Part 363

Prishamnen is a small harbor near Vindilsvägen on Fotö, on the Swedish weat coast.

The name Prishamnen comes from the time when English smugglers used this place during the battle with France and Napoleon. In the harbor, a lot of ships are still lying on the bottom of the sea. For the locals, they always found a price when diving here!

Fotö is an island and a locality in Öckerö Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 620 inhabitants in 2010. It is connected to the island of Hönö with bridge.

In the middle of Gothenburg’s archipelago lies Fotö. The island is busy during the summer and a visit to the cafe with a view over the sea and the boats is an unforgettable experience.
Fotös swimming spots have diving boards, diving towers and bridges. If you want to find your very own favourite spot, you can head to the island’s northwestern part, Tån.
In the 17th century the island’s urban-focus was at the port but now houses are all around the island. For those interested in history there are many ancient monuments left to visit.
Between Hönö and Fotö there is a bridge.

More information at sv.wikipedia.org and goteborg.com.

Volvo Photo Locations Part 362

Restaurant Göteborg is located at the Sickla Kanal on Midskeppsgatan in Stockholm.

Restaurant Göteborg offers a traditional bistro menu with a little extra focus on seafood. The menus vary according to season, for example with classic Swedish christmas dinner “julbord” in December, asparagus weeks in the spring and shellfish weeks in the fall.

Restaurant Göteborg is located by the waterfront in Hammarby Sjöstad, and here you are welcome all year-round.

Midskeppsgatan is located in Hammarby, a part of southern Stockholm, located southeast of Södermalm. Hammarby is known for the sports club Hammarby IF and the new development Hammarby Sjöstad.

Hammarby Sjöstad (roughly translated: Hammarby Lake City) is a part of the inner city of Stockholm, currently undergoing major urban redevelopment. It is located on both sides of lake Hammarby Sjö, bordering Nacka Municipality to the east. The area is part of the districts Södermalm and Södra Hammarbyhamnen.

Before the current redevelopment began, the area was known as Norra Hammarbyhamnen and Södra Hammarbyhamnen, a mainly industrial zone, centered on the Lumafabriken works, a piece of functionalist architecture designed by Eskil Sundahl and Arthur von Schmalensee, which now houses a library and offices. The neighboring Lugnet was a run-down light industrial area, not intended to be permanent, housing an impromptu trailer park. On the north side of the lake, the Norra Hammarbyhamnen area was used as a harbor area, with a railway connecting the area.

New plans for most of the Södermalm area Norra Hammarbyhamnen in the early 1990s opened the door for a redevelopment of the entire area around the water expanse Hammarby Sjö. A general plan, featuring an extension of the Tvärbanan light rail link from Gullmarsplan through the area was presented.

More information at sv.wikipedia.org and restauranggoteborg.se.

Volvo Photo Locations Part 361

Rosenlundsgatan is a street on western Södermalm in Stockholm. The street was built in the early 20th century and stretches from Hornsgatan in the north to Ringvägen in the south. The length is about 850 meters.

On number 29, Luth & Roséns Elektriska AB was located, a workshop company formed in 1885 with its main operations in Stockholm.

Luth & Rosén was founded in 1885 in Stockholm by the engineers John Luth and Ivar Rosén as the Electrical Agency Luth & Rosén. Most of the assignments they received consisted of installing electric lighting in residential buildings and factories. The upswing in the electrical industry at the end of the 1890s meant that the company was transformed in 1891/1892 into Luth & Roséns Elektriska AB A year later, in 1893, they started their own production of dynamo machines according to Siemens-Schuckert’s designs.

In 1897, they had their own factory completed in the Trumman district at Rosenlundsgatan on Södermalm. To supply the factory premises with electricity, Uddby power station was built in Tyresö, from where a 20-kilometer-long power line was drawn to Södermalm. In the following years until the 1920s, the block was almost completely built by workshops belonging to the company; foundry, sheet metal warehouse, machine hall, office building, steam boiler house, magazine, stable, etc. The production consisted mainly of electrical and mechanical machines to order. From 1900 onwards, lifts became a significant part of the production and in 1904 the old Ludwigsberg’s workshop was bought. From there, fire extinguishers, cooling machines, air compressors, pumps and heating radiators were included in the manufacturing program.

More information at sv.wikipedia.org.

Volvo Photo Locations Part 360

Grand Hôtel is a five-star hotel located in Stockholm. It was founded by Frenchman, Jean-François Régis Cadier, in 1872. It opened on 14 June 1874 at the same time as the Grand Hotel in Oslo; all the Scandinavian capitals have a major hotel called ‘Grand Hotel’.

The Grand Hôtel is located next to the Nationalmuseum and opposite the Royal Palace and Gamla stan (the old town). Since 1901, the Nobel Prize laureates and their families have traditionally been guests at the hotel, as well as several celebrities and world leaders.

Grand Hôtel Stockholm has 300 rooms and 31 suites, 24 banquet and conference rooms, two restaurants, a bar and a spa (Nordic Spa & Fitness). One of the restaurants is managed by the Swedish chef, Mathias Dahlgren. The hotel is the only Swedish member of The Leading Hotels of the World. The hotel is owned by the Swedish Wallenberg family via Investor AB.

More information at sv.wikipedia.org and grandhotel.se.