Norfolk Navigational Scatter

19th of June saw only 8 cars enter the scatter event we had organised with a MSA Permit around South Norfolk. We had no cars from Stag Owners and the TR Reg this year and despite putting leaflets on lots of Triumphs and other cars at shows only attracted one other make, a Mk11 Jag. It was Fathers day which may not have helped and forecast was not good.

Cars at the Start

I think all enjoyed it this year, it was easier than previous years with locations close to each other and marking was tight. Gill and I enjoy researching and doing the recce's for these events and sometimes get lost ourselves! The Jag dropped out before the halfway point with a leaking top hose.

Having seen everyone off I arrived at the halfway point early to collect first half sheets and hand out second half sheets, this was co-incidentally also a control stop point for Chelmsford Motor Club East Anglia Classic, we had MSA Route Liaison officer approval for this and therefore I saw all their cars having a brief break at the time control at The Industrial Steam Museum at Forncett St Mary, the cars where surprisingly clean considering they where on a run with tests.

Parked up at the steam museum with East Anglia Classic entrants.

One of my dream cars RS 2000 Droopsnoot.

More classics including nice Alpha on the East Anglia Classic.

Our Scatter finished at Alburgh, near Bungay, winners being Julie and David Aspinall with Buster, Sue and Keith Stothard in second just one correct answer behind, then Andy and Wendy Dann, Alan and Christine Hancock, and Paul and Linda Dennis sharing 3rd two correct answers behind.

Well done to Mike Leigh for attempting it without a navigator and doing twice as many miles thanks to sat nav.

We managed to raise a small sum for East Anglia Air Ambulance so thanks to everyone who attended.

June Shows

We attended a couple of shows in June, the first been Norwich Classic Vehicle Club Show, June 5th just outside Norwich, There where 4 CT members car there. Started of as a nice day but then became windy and cold, especially with shorts on!
There where a lot of cars on show, about 300 I would estimate, but little else to do other than wander round an autojumble and look at the cars. We only took the one TR7.
The voting for best in show at this event puzzles me, the eventual winners being a Mini converted to a van, ok, nice conversion, but not original and a late Mercedes Saloon and late Jag, all these when there where TR2 to 6's, Steam cars, many old Rileys, Rovers, Austins, early Jags including E types..

The next show was Euston Hall Rural Pastimes on 12th June, a very big and well organised show. We had 7 CT members cars there, including both our TR7's, 2 Stags, TR6, and 2 Heralds.
Plenty to do at this event, with lots of rural activities on show, crafts, foods, animals, etc. Weather was again fine to begin with but the wind got up and rain arrived late on. Whilst all around where taking down their gazebos before they collapsed, our new dome event shelter stood up against the wind.

CT Members cars.

Took a few pictures at both shows with the digital camera, but all came out purple so I think we need a new one, these camera phone pics are the best I can do.

Standard Triumph Day

A very windy, but dry Sunday I took the 140 mile round trip to the CT organised Standard Triumph Marque Day at Duxford Imperial War Museum. We had 4 Norfolk cars there, My TR7 DHC, a Stag, a Spitfire and a TR6. Had a quick look round the 300 Triumphs there, most numerous been Stags and TR6, least numerous where small saloons and GT6. Hope the treasurer gets better soon after his accident on the stand. Did not see too many CT people about considering it was organised by us. With it been very windy we soon got inside, firstly in the American Air Museum, most notable planes for me where the B52, A10 Thunderbolt, Phantom, Huey, and SR71 Blackbird. Then back to the car for a spot of lunch before looking in the well laid out Land Warfare Hall, this is very good, simulating trenches and battle fields with tanks, gun emplacements, etc. There was a very good informitive film of the war from D day onwards which was showing in the theatre there, quite gory in places but serves to remind of the sacrifices made by many. I then watched the tank and armoured car driving before heading for home around 3pm.

Overall view of the 300 cars on display.

A very modified TR7 V8 Turbocharged car, reminiscent of

the ill fated Le Mans entry by Janspeed.

A medium sized tank captured from Iraq.

Fearsome looking tank on the driving range.

Russian Missile Launcher.

Couple of the Norfolk Cars.

Collection of ADU registered Spitfires.

Busy Few Weeks

Has been a busy few weeks on the car and events front in Norfolk.

Over the long May Bank Holiday weekend we spent a bit of time driving around in the TR7 DHC looking for clues for our Treasure Hunt, prior to getting in form and info for an MSA Permit.
Then an enjoyable afternoon trialling the new "Event Shelter" to replace the club gazebo, followed by a barbie. Thanks Sue and Keith.
Gills FHC had its MOT this week, the fog lights took a bit of sorting out as they had stopped working, in the end it was the contacts in the switch that where stuck together so after a good clean they worked. MOT passed OK, but brakes seemed a little on the weak side. We clamped off the front flexi pipes and the rear brakes where OK on the brake rollers, then clamped the rear flexi and the fronts had reduced effort, so either suspected calipers or pressure reducing valve. Took calipers off and checked condition and pads, they where OK, so had to change the valve which cured the problem.
This weekend was Henham Wings and Wheels, a good show blessed with good weather. We had an "informal" convoy from Bungay to Henham then set up in the clubs area of the field. A good selection of 10 Club Triumph cars where on the stand, plus 4 from the Stag Owners. The new events shelter went up quickly after learning from our trial run.
There was a good selection of cars and bikes, I was number 401 so quite a lot there.
Flying activity was down on last year as there as quite a warm wind but there was a good display from Pitts Specials and a Mustang.


Busy Club Stand.

I liked this Mini caravan.

A rare Allard.

Not often you see a Vauxhall nowadays.

Spotted this nice original TR7 with a plaque on the dash to say it was presented as a prize by TR Register, with keys handed over by Tony Pond and Tony Mason, Roger Clarkes navigator, with photo evidence.

Out and About at Easter

Have been busy with the TR7 over Easter. Put a fair few miles on it, firstly used it for work most of the week, then good Friday we recce'd for our annual treasure hunt, getting in 92 miles. Saturday drove to the lock up, firstly to address the spare prop shaft I replaced on the Gold TR7 after HCR, this had slight vibration and I thought might need turning by 90 degree increments to cure, but still slighty out of balance whichever way I turn it.
Then did some work on Gills car prior to MOT, fitted replacement starter as the solonoid was a little dodgy, checked all the usual MOT items, slight leak on brake pipe so fixed and re-bled, then took some photos for the Insurance agreed value cover.
Sunday was spent on a little polishing and cleaning of the Gold one, then to a fellow Norfolk area members house to try out the new dome type gazebo, followed by a very nice barb-b-q.
Easter Monday was the TR Register Wensum Group run, around 30 cars from TR Reg, Stag Owners, CT, and TSSC met at Norwich for a run in the sun to Sutton Hoo near Woodbridge, a nice relaxed run of around 65 miles, had a coffee stop on the way at Schole Inn, near Diss, then a stop at the Queens Head in Dennington for a refreshing Aspells cider, then on by way of Framlingham and Wickham Market to Sutton Hoo near Woodbridge, TR Reg had obtained free entry to the site and a good parking area away from other cars. Spent a couple of hours there, looked at the Anglo Saxon burial sites, whilst some walked to the Deben River.
Then had a great meal at The Wilford Bridge Inn near Sutton followed by a quick run home.
Let the good weather continue.

Ready for MOT

TR4's and 5, popular colour is red.

At the Schole Inn.

More Triumphs at Schole Inn.

Line up at Sutton Hoo.

HCR and Drive it Day

HCR 2011

Mixed feelings on the HCR this year, we had a lovely relaxed run up to the Od Stone Trough, lovely sunny day, avoided the A1 until Newark, then came off at Wetherby and went through Blubberhouses and Skipton. No car problems on the way.

In the Car park at Old Stone Trough.

The first half went ok, great driving roads looking for the first 3 reservoirs, then a drag down motorways to Derbyshire, then more great roads through Derbyshire and Staffordshire, though we struggled to find the reservoir at Buxton, we had a sat nav we had borrowed but should have learnt how to use it before we set off!! We hit a large Hare in Derbyshire which smashed the nearside driving lamp.

Problems with the propshaft started coming down the M6 from Stafford and just got worse along the M54 into Wales restricting speed to 50ish in the hope it would not break.

We managed the 2 castles in Powys before turning for Telford hoping for a steady drive through Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire/Bucks/Beds then to Essex and Suffolk.

Not the best route, it was really slow going, with delays at Telford where Network Rail had shut crossings and the diversion signs where all over the place, at one point we returned to the same shut crossing.

We where then held up for a while whilst an abnormal load was taken across a bridge near Evesham.

In Oxfordshire we saw our only sighting of another Triumph since last seeing Martin Randle at a Castle in Powys, a red Stag, looking for a border sign like ourselves.

It was getting light by the time we made Buckinghamshire, and sun was up by Bedfordshire so we had lost loads of time and at 9 we still had 98 miles to go. Down the A14 the propshaft was vibrating like crazy so we again slowed down, Gill making the call to say we would not get there untill 11am. It was suspected by whoever took the call that most would be gone from the finish by then so we just diverted into Norfolk and home which was about 30 miles nearer, a decision we should not have taken as we later learnt there where other late finishers and we could have made it although we would have lost a few points!

My only critisism of the event is that the mandatory Powys visit was just a bit too far from the finish to allow recovery if anyone has any problems and was probably more suited to those with big 6 cylinder cruisers, but then I guess other smaller engined 4 cylinder cars finished. Will do the event again though and hope for no problems.

Drive it Day

I had organised a route through Norfolk for Drive It Day, 65 miles of nice country roads, some Tulip maps so no one would get lost, we had a promise of 10 cars from CT and maybe 5 from TR Reg, but only 5 cars turned up which was dissapointing, especially as a lot of time goes into organising this type of event. Those that made it enjoyed a nice sunny day, some spirited driving saw the route to Sandringham covered quite quickly so we adjourned to the Feathers at Dersingham for Lunch and a pint. We then returned to Sandringham, a large number of classics where seen on the day, Fakenham Car Club had about 20 cars outside Sandringham House, we spotted a large group of Jaguar owners having a posh picnic at Great Massingham, and various other smaller groups along the way.

Outside Sandringham House gates.

Sandringham House Grounds

Pre HCR prep

Not much to do to the car prior to HCR, did a quick oil change today, and with an MOT due also changed trackrod ends, these had a little bit of wear, which I am sure would have failed.
Having the 4 post lift made these jobs an absolute doddle.
Looks like nice weather for the drive to Kelbrook, via York for dinner with family.