Friday the 23rd and the centre of England was the target for my Tomtom, but like the smart bombs during the Gulf War, it got all confused by 10 yards of road and kept trying to throw me back on to the A45, when I could just nip across the slip road and up Pickford Grange Lane. To be honest I didn’t need Tomtom, but it gives me something to do, like trying to beat it by finding a better route.
With the MCN bash at Skeggy and Stafford Show on the same weekend, it is in the back of your mind how many would turn up. When I arrived I was greeted with a welcome cupper; I then proceeded to erect the abode. I sat down and watched others arrive and once an Ural Outfit trundles onto the field you can then say it’s a real rally. Doug and Bet’s tent and Outfit were onsite but they weren’t. Later on they came walking across the field and it was good to see Bet getting on so well with her new hip. It transpires they had used their free bus passes and gone into Coventry, no wonder I don’t see half what I earn, I reckon by the time I retire there will be none left.
Mike made a curry for all on the Friday evening, but even Mike said it turned out more like soup when it refused to thicken, no problem, just mop it up with bread and at least it filled a hole, just a pity the councils can’t.
Early evening, Lesley and I wandered over to the bar; some were already on the Irish Coffee. I thought we were late for the Bingo, as our very own ex service man along with some other ex service men (should I say in a slightly inebriated state), were calling out their service numbers. Once the bingo had finished, a pleasant evening was spent in the bar with much jovial banter.
Saturday morning and we had breakfast in the club house, excellent value and very good. The run-out was due to depart at 10:30. This year Chris (secretary of the newly formed West Midlands Sidecar Club) was to be our leader. West Midlands Sidecar Club officially reformed the weekend before and, from the reports, officials were appointed by simple finger pointing.
There did appear to be a lot of Pauls attending the rally, Trike Paul (on his Outfit), Paul from Wales, Paul (aka Stud Snapper), and Martello Paul, who was camping with his wife and two grand children the last two Pauls are also WMSCC members. Mind you, Stud Snapper was all confused and thought that Pearl had 3 husbands on site and married Lesley off with Mick.
Back to the run-out, Chris picked out a great route to get to the Midland Transport Museum at Wythall. http://www.bammot.org.uk which has a very good collection of Buses amongst other vehicles. Plenty took a ride on the model steam train, this was until Michael and Pete took a ride at which point it broke. So the staff said they would get out the diesel, which in fact was a petrol lawn mower engine in something like a Thomas the Tank Engine model.
Fun on the Steam Train.
Mick "On the buses", I hate you Butler!!
The post office was eco friendly back in 1929, using battery power postal vans, mainly just experimental vehicles. The above van, which was new in 1969 was one of a trio of battery powered vans used in Doncaster until 1989.
Michael and a big cream cake.
Intrepid travellers.
After calling in at the farm shop to purchase something that could be burnt, sorry, char grilled on the barbeque we all headed back to site. Simon got the barbeque going, or should I say the furnace, you needed welding gloves and a face mask to get anywhere near it. After a while it did settle down and all the master chefs did their bit.
Saturday night, is race night, Mike earlier in the day had set up the race circuit and it was straight into the preliminary rounds of three laps each driver. Once these had been completed it was time for the raffle and our corner won a bunch of stuff, with many picking up four prizes each. Mark was approached from behind by a stranger in the toilets; the result was a deal to swap one of his raffle prizes for beer. As you can image the men’s toilets where quite busy for a while. John Procter won the quiz, something to do with Kakorrhaphiophobia.
The racing was a little confusing at times but we did end up with a final between team Dumber & Dumber and Inner Circle, with Dumber and Dumber emerging as winners.
During the evening, it was decided to launch a Chinese lantern that was won in the raffle to check on the ash fall out; we can safely say no problems were reported, other than Birmingham International had to close for an hour due to the control tower spotting a UFO over the airfield.
Have you seen these men, if so call grime stoppers
No volcano ash reported.
Sunday morning and after breakfast it was packing up time and goodbyes. Adam was ready for an early get away, this was because he had an engagement in the afternoon and had to get home in time to iron his skirt.
We set off and I was going to turn left at the gate, but I said to myself, let’s turn right for the hell of it and take some back roads. On one of the back roads we did see a van with a caravan in the hedge come ditch. There were 2 or 3 people, I guess the occupants, directing what little traffic that would be using the road. With a good half of the road open it presented no problem, yet one of the self appointed traffic controllers had to shout out “slow down” even though we were only travelling at around 20mph on a clear road. Somehow I couldn’t help thinking, if he was the driver of the van, maybe he should have done.
The Wheels members would like to thank Mike and his family for organising and working so hard to give us a grand weekend, Chris for the run-out and Bet for selling us the winning raffle tickets.
Martyn and Lesley
The next time we see this Thunderbird it should have a chair attached.
Ohlins suspension, I wonder why.