Hello All,
Should get all the tuning work finished this weekend on the Singer and go along to the Clee Hills to give it a test.
Just a quick question: in peoples opinon what are the roughest hills on the Lands End that will be tackled by Class 2? I've marshalled on Crackington and Bluehills 1&2 before. Will try and get the entry posted tonight or tomorrow, but were not sure which class to enter.
Class 0 seems to avoid the main trial route completely other than the controls and the old Bluehills route which is slightly dissapointing.
Kevin Barnes (Singer Le Mans 1493cc ADU 263
Hi Kevin Crackington is probably as rough as anything. Stoney Street section and the track descending from Felon's Oak are pretty rough but you will not need to attack either hard especially the descent. Not sure if the above sections are on the route as my entry form has not arrived yet... I know nothing of the new hills. I remember following a Singer Le Mans one year ('99)and he got alot further up Blueshill 2 than I did. Good Luck Mark
ReplyDeleteKevin - Presumably you're trying to decide whether to enter in Class 2 or Class 0? I think that Blue Hills 2 is the roughest section in current use on (recent) previous Lands Ends but I see that Warleggan is being re-introduced for 2002 and that is pretty rough in parts. If I were you I'd go for Class 0 - ADU 263 is too precious to wreck! Andrew
ReplyDeleteI agree with Andrew go for class 0. The regular MCC hills are to rough for ADU. Michael
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice, We were thinking of Class 2 this time as the hills on the LE seem less damaging & class 0 dosnt seem part of the main trial at all this time :-( Crackington and Bluehills dont seem car wreckers from my viewing in the past, you always run the risk of breaking a c.w.p or something similar. Will have a ponder...
ReplyDeleteWhat about a section on either Classic Gas or Section Begins giving brief descriptions of the hills on the main trials and possibly pics? especially useful for those less experienced in our sport. I know a few triallist keep a log of hills, condition, route, surface etc etc.
Cheers
Kevin
p.s I know that this will involve a bit of work but I dont mind helping out with anything I can, maybe a joint effort between the sites and members of the community? Starting with the Lands End would be usefull :-
Kevin - PLEASE don't let's start this 'old chestnut' once again!! Look back through all the previous messages on this Community and you'll find lots of debate - try 'Is the Edinburgh a car breaker?' and anything with 'Rough/Tough' in the title. In my humble opinion there are only two really crucial issues: 1. You have to treat MCC trials differently from ACTC trials. If an ACTC member club wishes to promote a 'One Day' trial that is known to be rough, then that's their business unless, of course, they make a dramatic and unannounced change from one year to the next. Most regulars know, and it's pretty easy for novices to find out, which are the rough ones - the (Minehead) Exmoor Clouds is generally reckoned to be one of the roughest but there are as many opinions as competitors. Dave Haizelden has a view (may still have the same view as far as I know) that it's all down to the driver - the 'novice' may attack a rough section that the 'expert' can drive up in a more sedate and non-damaging fashion. 2. In MCC events, the roughest sections in regular use are the real classics - Simms on the Exeter, Bluehills on the Lands End, Bamford on the Edinburgh ...and that's one of the problems with the current plans for MCC Class 0. Kevin is already worrying about not getting a 'crack' at Bluehills. If you're going to use these classic sections, then why worry about also including Tillerton (and Tipley)? About the only time that the MCC have got it seriously wrong in recent years was the year that the Edinburgh used Swan Rake and Lymer Rake - they were unbelievable and many competitors were (correctly in my opinion) pretty cross about their inclusion. The MCC haven't been back to them since. ... but I expect the debate to continue anyway(!) Andrew
ReplyDeleteKevin, The hill database is on my "to do" list for Classical Gas. I certainly agree it is nice for newcomers to know what is in store. Although as Andrew says you don't actually know what hills will be used on an ACTC event till you get to the start. Going back to ADU. I really do think the main Lands End trial is too rough for your car and the ACTC events are even rougher. I also believe the MCC have recognised this with Class 0 which I hope will grow but it needs support. Also The Lands End is such an adventure even without the sections. Get your entry in or you won't get a run. Hope to see you this weekend. Regarding the trials I have rated them according to "rough" and "tough" on the Rough Guide on the Classical Gas Site. (an idea I stole from Simon W). There are a lot of pictures of many of the hills over on The Archive Site already.. Michael
ReplyDeleteI completly agree Andrew we have had some good discussion on the subject of Roughness of hills etc and the Rough Guide is a good starting point for an indication to what you can expect to find on a particular trial. I think the comment on driver skill is a good one aswell, especially after doing an off-road driving insturctors course at work a few months ago (unfortunately 4*4) you learn that momentum isnt always the key to surviving the section and keeping your pride and joy in one piece.
ReplyDeleteThis debate has always been a part of trials reporting & speculation, I've got a great article reporting a Gloucester Trial and a new section in particular that had "football" size boulders to negotiate, many of the teams had heard of its roughness and attacked the hills with speed, the results reflected the severity of the section with only a handfull of succesfull climbs, one being the climb of A.H. Langley in ADU 264 who trickled his way over the boulders in the 1st crawler gear only just keeping forward momentum, buried his foot after the boulders, and lifting his hat to the crowd as he exited the section.
Thanks for the help and look forward to seeing the current hills listing in the future
Kevi