Tuesday 30 November 1999

Allen trial pictures


Hello everyone
Finding my role as one of the club stewards on the Allen on Sunday not tremendously taxing I was able to take some pictures of a few of the competing cars.  I have put them all up on my web site so anyone can have a look at them.  The URL is
www.chater.demon.co.uk
follow the link to the picture pages.  There are 16 in all, with thumbnails so you don't have to download the lot.
Mark

Friday 26 November 1999

Edinburgh 99\, Bamford Clough


Greg Warren gets confused by the meaning of "re-start". Barry Clarke later retired with a flat battery.

Thursday 18 November 1999

Photo's

Hello,

I have put some photo's that I took on the Edinburgh this year, and the Land's End last year in the album.

Any ideas how I could improve the photo's that I take of you all competing?

Duncan

Wednesday 17 November 1999

The CROSSBY SPECIAL trials car


Ladies & Gentlemen, I am need of some help. I realise that this has been said many times before, but this time it's trials related.
The latest edition of the MCC's TRIPLE will carry an article on the above car, a Vauxhall engined device from the 50's. The writer of the article would dearly love to know what has become of it today, even though it is believed that the last location is somewhere in Kent.
The VRM is EXW 513. Read all about it soon, as they say.

Steve Harris
By way of a PS, 'logging on' or booking in, or whatever Bill Gates' cronies call it, ain't easy - it took me the best part of 20 mins and a few re-runs, but I'm in at last. A member of your elite squad of trials contributors..........


Lands End 98


Roger climbing from his restart up through the mud

Edinburgh 991


David on Bamford, just managing to scrabble his way up.

Saturday 13 November 1999

John's Bike


John Lees has added a picture of his Triumph to the Phoro album. I believe this is the machine he won his triple on this year so it can't be that un-suitable John.
Also belated congratulations on your triple.
Perhaps this is a good opportunity to say that members can post photo's to the photo album and add items to the recommendations section. This feature was added in a system up-date by Microsoft last week. That's why the communoties were down last Sunday.
It maybe that there are other things you can do on the community. Go ahead and experiment.
Michael

Friday 12 November 1999

Photo's of Old Trials Hills (posted on behalf of Pat Toulmin)


Michael,
With regard to the debates about trials hills and photographs and, in particular, Roger Thomas' book and the criticism it may be getting, I would like to say three things:
1. Roger wrote that book in a very short timescale in order to have it ready for the 1995 Works MG Trials Re-Union at Rodborough Common.This may have comprised the accuracy at times. Although, as a librarian, I realise that this is not an excuse. The Cowborne book takes an opposite approach - unless he was 100% (or maybe 110%)certain of a hill Donald did not publish the name. To people like yourself, Jonathan, Tony Branson and Andrew Brown this is extremely frustrating, as many of the photos he published are easily recognised but not named. One day Jonathan & I hope to write a book about works MG Trials cars ourselves (and have started the research) and I hope that we will be as accurate as possible, but will indicate where there is a doubt.
2. It is extremely difficult to verify 1930s photos even when you have first hand evidence. For example we have a photo of a particular hill and Maurice wrote on the back that it was hill A (sorry can't remember which actual one) and John Jones, Jonah Jones' son has the same picture of his father in the second team car on the same event and he calls it hill B! (also written on the back in his hand). Which do you believe? Obviously it might be sorted by research and visits, if possible, etc, but many authors take the easy route.
3. Every MG book we look at that mentions trials has mistakes, some more than others. The favourite ones are where it is so wrong - the wrong car etc etc. It is also interesting when we can dispute it by family evidence. Jonathan's mother only died last September (unfortunately Maurice died in 1958 at the age of 52) and had wonderful memories and stories of being Maurice's bouncer during the 1938 season and there are published photos and stories  that, because of this, we know are wrong.
We have a lot of photos that have never been published before and are specially saving them for our book............
Pat

Tuesday 9 November 1999

Nice one Pat


Just finished reading my copy osf re-start, the ACTC magazine. I must say that I have personally not held re-start in much regard as a magazine in the past, as much as I may have had respected the editor! Hats off to Pat Toulmin, she has really produced a great mag. In addition to some nice reports and articles we learn there will be a new Classic in the Lake District next year on Saturday 1st April (hope the day is not significant!) I will try and find out more and post the info here.
Michael