Monday 29 January 2001

My Exmoor Trial

I had my first experience of trialling in an open car when I passengered Dudley Sterry on The Exmoor. The drive through the breaking dawn from The New Forest up to Barnstaple was of course an experience in itself. This I will write about later! All the class eight’s were running together at the head of the field and we were third car on the road. This meant that apart from a handful of class eight’s and the occasional late biker we saw very few other competitors all day.

Jenny Wren was the first section and we had a long wait, first at a holding control, then at the foot of the section itself, as the bikes were having major problems in the slippery conditions. We heard that Adrian Marfell, who is the current man to beat, didn’t get of the re-start, but when our time came we did. Although all the sections apart from Beggars were new to me none of them held any surprises for Dudley. He knew the class 8 restart was going to be on some slippery slate. His advance strategy was to trickle off, that’s exactly what he did and it worked!

Sepscott 1 and 2 and Snapper 1 and 2 were in a wood and neither posed any problems for Dudley’s J2 although Snapper 1 was a bit hairy where the track was washed away. The worst bit was after the section ends and I should think the lower classes would have had problems getting out the top.

Riverton was reserved for Solo’s and Class 8. This was because the track was badly eroded. The J2 didn’t have any problems although if we had stopped it would have tipped on it’s side we were at such an angle.

We lost our clean sheet on High Bray. It looked easy from the start line but then I couldn’t see what was around the corner! We got of the re-start OK and Dudley tried to drive up the left-hand part of the track, avoiding the "Grand Canyon" on the right. Unfortunately we didn’t quite have enough momentum and the rear slid into the canyon and that was that, well after a spirited attempt to "burn-out" it was!

We were back into another wood at for Pheasants Hill and Lower Mouland, both of which we cleaned easily although we got a flat front tyre and had to change the tube, which is nice and easy if you don’t have to break the bead! Beggars was a no problem at all. It looked completely different to The Lands End when the restart area is rough and rocky, whether with doctoring or because it gets cut up by the earlier numbers, or both!

We got a route amendment at Beggars, substituting Lyncombe Bridge with Scoresdown (anybody know why?). This was nice and easy which is more than could be said for the last hill at Floyds Bank, a grassy weave amongst or through the goarse bushes. The J2 didn’t want to steer properly and Dudley couldn’t get it straight enough to attack the last bank so we dropped another couple of marks. I would think this would have been a nightmare for the lower classes.

John Lees came over for a quick chat at the finish then there just remained the matter of the drive back to The New Forest to pick up my Volvo to go back to Bedfordshire. I got home at 9.30 pm having left at 2.45 am. 600 miles in all, two thirds of it in an open car with no hood and no windscreen! A long day but what a fantastic adventure. More of which over the next few days over on The Classical gas Web Site. I would love to hear more about the trial because running at the front we hardly saw anyone else.

How was your Exmoor Trial?

Michael

Falcon's March Hare Classic - 11th March

Murrays March Hare Classic Trial - 11th March
 
Starting and Finishing just off the A1(M) near Stevenage in Hertfordshire
 
Approximately 15 sections (at least 4 on "real roads") over approximately 80 road miles.
 
Clubsport Permit Event - No Competition Licence necessary - You just have to be a member of the MCC or Falcon.
 
It will be smooth enough to take part in your "pride and joy" and still be able to drive it home, but competitive enough so the battle between the class eights should be decided on the hills.
 
The regs are now out and I will mail them to people who have already contacted me over the next few days.
 
Otherwise e-mail me your name and Snail Mail and I will post you a set.
 
Michael
 
 
 

Tuesday 23 January 2001

Clee Hill Trial

What a shame that the Clee Hill had to be cancelled. We competitors were unhappy not to have our days sport. But what about the organisors, think of the hours of hard work put in by the organising team not to mention the money spent. So thanks to all the organisors for all the effort, I hope that it was not wasted and some can be used when the trial finally runs. Any chance that the event will run later this year?
Stuart Harrold

Monday 22 January 2001

John Lees Photographs

John,
Thanks for putting up the Exeter photo of Stuart Harrold and his Troll.
I would like to ask your permission to use the photo in an article that I've written on the Trial for inclusion in the newsletters of the Southsea Motor Club and the Ross Motor Club.
Eiher reply through the Community, or direct to my e-mail chris_n_p@hotmail.com
Thanks
Chris

Sunday 21 January 2001

Photographer and Reporter wanted for Falcons Edleshorough PCT on 28th January

Hi,
 
I will be doing the Exmoor Trial on Sunday 28th so I will miss The Edlesborough Trial. Can I make a plea for volunteer(s) to take some digital pics and/or gather some info for my report.
 
I have a camera you can borrow if necessary.
 
Michael

Wednesday 17 January 2001

Tuesday 16 January 2001

2cv for sale

2cv for sale

As shown on the front of the web community site I am selling the trusty friend.

It has competed well, climbing hills such as Blue Hills, Crackington, and Sugg Lane!

It comes with a Galvanised chassi, visa 650cc engine more spares than able to number including a low ratio gearbox. Professional sump plate with strengthened bumper, reclining seats and weights.

Good cheap first trials car.

Offers around 짙1000.00

Monday 15 January 2001

Trials Books on the Web

If there is anyone who is looking for out of print books on trialling (or any other subject for that matter) I found (courtesy of a reccomendation in the Telegraph) a very good site a couple of weeks ago.
 
It's called www.abebooks.com and it allows you to search by subject, author or key words.
 
I was looking for a copy of 'More Wheelspin' by CAN May and the search by author turned up 27 entries, including three for the one I wanted.   The site is used by booksellers both here and abroad and their prices are not too steep.   I got a good condition 1948 edition of the book in hardback for £15 plus P+P and it turned up next day after my phone call.
 
I was fairly amused when a pile of a paperback reprint of the same books were at the ACTC awards bash on the Sunday morning after the Exeter.  I think I prefer my original.
Happy book hunting
 
Chris
 

Saturday 13 January 2001

MAPS, old and new.

 For your information, it is now possible to download sections of the Ordnance Survey 1:50000 Landranger series of maps from http://www.ordnancesurvey.gov.uk.
 
Another site you may be interested in is http://www.old-maps.co.uk . This site has the complete set of GB maps from the late 19th century, at a scale 0f 1:10560. It is a very interesting site if you are researching old hills, or maybe your house history. The site has just been up-graded and although the latest site is dead easy to navigate by just typing in a post code, the old site ( available by clicking on "old site" at the top of the page) has a far higher resolution and is easier to right click/save as.
 
Other sites that I know of are http://www.multimap.com  for general map information and  http://www.getmapping.com  which has/is taking aerial photographs of the whole of Great Britain.
 
 

Thursday 4 January 2001

Non Starter for No's 85 and 257

Happy New Year to all,
 
Bad news unfortunately, our entry no:257 Singer, and Tim Short/Ian Blackburn no:85 Singer for the Exeter Trial 2001 are already looking like non starters.  Ian had to go into hospital a couple of weeks ago and was unable to finish his and our car preparations for the Exeter.  I understand he is mending slowly so we will have to leave it to the Lands End before we get the chance to trial the cars on an M.C.C. event, maybe we might even have a Singer team by then.
 
I will try and get some pics of the Classic Gasser's on Simms probably so say cheese as you go past
 
Kevin Barnes