For those of you who are without these shores and have strayed into these pages I would like to mention that the months of May, June and July have seen somewhat more rain than is normal; even for an English summer. This deters not the hardy souls of the South West, as it takes more than a drop or two of rain to dampen the unalloyed enthusiasm for all things motoring, however our friends in the agricultural community, on whom we depend for many of the venues for our events, have found it difficult to harvest crops by boat and so the land has been unavailable to us.
This has led to the unfortunate cancellation of such quintessentially ‘grass roots’ frolics as the Pucclechurch and Chew Valley Gymkhanas, the calling off of the Run to Shelsey Walsh (due to land slide) and the unfortunate showing at the M.G.Aero Day (where a few hardy souls managed to finish their picnic lunches, before the wind blowing the sandwich from their hand and the rain swamping their cups of tea, prior to scampering off home to have a hot bath and glass of single malt). It was only last year at this event that we were forced into the shade afforded by the perimeter trees such was the heat of the summer sun. It was so hot in fact that the spare tyre on Andrew Oust’s TC burst with the excitement of it all when we were having lunch. This was a pity as 1. the percussive bang made me choke on my mouthful of pork pie and 2. you don’t see many TC’s with their original, factory fitted tyres these days.
As I write this August is looking better though and we have great optimism for the Mendip PCT as things should, we hope, have dried out a bit by the 26th (hope, as they say, springs eternal—though the illusion to springs her is, perhaps, a little unfortunate). Trials and mud are words that are quite often associated with each other anyway so all should be well.
The highlight of this month is the Wiscombe Park Hill Climb on the 8th. Alas you are probably too late to enter this year but do not be downhearted. Why not come along and watch ? (Wiscombe Park, map reference: 192/185924 or EX24 6JE for those with TomTom; is located between Farway Country Park and Blackbury Castle, west of the village of Southleigh; follow signposts from the A3052 near Sidmouth and from Honiton), It is one of the more picturesque events to come and have a picnic lunch at (here I am assuming bright, hot sunny weather) and it does, of course, have a beer tent.
On the 23rd we should have an Autotest but unfortunately the car park we have used for years has now been re-developed and presently scouts are out looking for a suitably large expanse of tarmac that no one is using on Sunday—more difficult than you may think. If you know of such a site John Delafield (01453 544 497), and indeed the rest of the centre, would be delighted to hear from you.
October brings us the Kimber PCT (that’s Production Car Trial—yours, incidentally, is a production car thus eminently eligible) at Chew Stoke on the 2nd so hurry up and let Bruce Weston know you will be entering by calling him on 01963 440 941. It will make him a happy man.
The Kimber PCT is the last event of the 2007 ‘Season’ and we, the committee, hope that you will have had fun and excitement entering some/all of what we have had to offer. Some 30 events from March to October may be enough to wreck any marriage, so we urge you to be selective. However, even bearing this in mind, we invite you to come along in 2008 when we will have a brand new calendar for you to choose from. As usual more up-to-date information, descriptions and general stuff can be found on www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgccsw and any comments/suggestions would be most welcome by any of the various contributors to these notes all of whom have put their contact details at the top each month.
Peter Jones
01179
560 175
SW Centre website: www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgccsw