Ripon Old Cars Gathering

24 July 2011

Biggest yet! Best yet! Records tumble in Ripon!

Text by Andrew Coulson, Photographs by Malcolm Hardy and Andrew Coulson

THE Y Register Summer event — Ripon Old Cars' annual Charity show — took place on Sunday 24th July on a gloriously sunny (though a bit windy) enlarged site at Ripon Racecourse.

Arlene & Andrew Coulson had again fought with the gales of the previous afternoon to set up the sun/rain shelters and were delighted that by Sunday morning nothing had been blown out of the county. Even better, blue skies and strong sunshine stayed all day as did the largest Y gathering at Ripon since records began!

A11 Y types were hosted, along with Chris & Ann Pick whose TD was elsewhere on the field (while their Y is being restored) and from the first arrivals —Dennis & Joan Greenwood — helping to decorate the stand to the last leavers — Roy & Sue Clapham — helping to demount gazebos; everyone pitched in with food, good company and tales of woe/wow with their Y.

The role call was (in alphabetical order):

• Brian & John Arkley, Hartlepool with 2 cars;

• Don & Lin Avery from Huntingdon in their newly acquired sun bronze car (and longest distance arrivals);

• Roy & Sue Clapham, Chorley complete with a dirty engine!;

• Andrew & Arlene Coulson, YA, YT, YB pick-up & BGT Jubilee (!);

• Dennis & Joan Greenwood, Keighley with delicious home baked cakes;

• Malcolm & Pat Hardy, Bury in their lovely 2 tone green;

• David & Pauline Hilliam, Liversedge (look it up!) in the newly finished two tone silver/grey; and

• Bernard & Margaret Meynell, Middleborough — this year's quiz winners !

Roy had blown off his filler cap on his high altitude trans-Pennine journey and sprayed the usually immaculate engine with oil (hard to see though as the oil was of course spotlessly clean as well!) but that seemed to be the only seriously unsuitable behavior from any of the cars all day. As for the owners; fuelled by cold beers, wines, etc and sustained by what was described by an immaculately turned out Bentley owner as "The best picnic on the site!" the Y owners saw the entire Racecourse fill to record numbers with over 200 entrants deciding to join the fun as 'late entrants'. Added to the nearly 450 pre-entered cars, the event had record numbers.

The vastly increased numbers did pose their own problems — not least of which was running out of space for everyone, especially as no one (Y type or mixed marque) seemed in a hurry to leave at the usual 2, 3, or even 4 o'clock!

What has now become an annual addition — the Y Quiz of the Year — for the much coveted trophy, was hard fought for after much of the drinking was done and was won this year by Bernard & Margaret with an outstanding score of 3 (out of a possible 14). For them the challenge next year is to write the quiz, mark it, deal with the hecklers and find a winner from among the finest brains ... and the afternoon was topped off with the Strolling Jazz Band from Ripon Grammar School: just to emphasize that this year was really a splendid Yorkshire PartY!

Many thanks to all who came and helped; all you came and ate/drank/talked; and of course to whoever it was that gave us a wonderful Summer's Day actually in the middle of Summer!

Photographs by Malcolm Hardy
Photographs by Andrew Coulson
Greenwood (black) Hardy (green) and Hilliam (silver) Ys squeeze in		Lakeside sunny and food greet Arkley Clapham and Hilliam		(R to L) Avery Arkely Arkley Clapham Hilliam
Coulson YT and Coulson YB pick up		Oh no		Oh yes Roy cleans the filler cap oil spray

To enlarge the pictures, double click on them.