1ST /2ND MAY - CATTON HALL, near Lichfield, Derbyshire
Sunday evening -Our pitch by the River trent in lovely sunshine to finish the otherwise cloudy day
Tom, Bill and Olive enjoy supper
in the balmy evening air
Early Monday morning with the overnight
camp still in place
A suprise trophy for our club stand after an excellent first camping weekend of the season
Tom Ford again arranged to start the season with a trip of 100 miles to the Catton Hall Festival of Transport. Tom , Bill & Olive Jump and myself met up early on the Sunday morning for the 2 hour drive. After an unplanned "scenic detour " around Rugeley and King's Bromley we finally arrived at the show. We were joined an hour later by Grant and Olive jump in their Land Rover making a full turn out for the Jump family members. The first day turned out to be excellent with a large turnout of cars , traders and the public for what was a rather cloudy day. The Monday - May Day itself, was a beautifully sunny day but there was strange lack of exhibitors and public compared to the day before. The scenic Catton Hall grounds made it all worth while though and the drive back home on the side roads ,through some showers , was pleasant. You all missed a brilliant weekend out - thanks Tom for organising it.
SUNDAY 8TH MAY - CHOLMONDLEY - 1000 CLASSICS SHOW
PHOTOS LEFT AND RIGHT.
The club stand seen from both sides. Note the gust of wind in the left hand one as seen by the flags. Good job that Tom had fixed the guy ropes during the week.
PHOTO LEFT.
Bob's GT and Richard's Magnette take centre spots, flanked by Cyril's TF and Bill's Midget.
PHOTO RIGHT. Richard's car won the 1950s award -seen here 3rd from left - well done
Cholmondley Castle near Malpas in Cheshire is always a favourite venue for club members. The prospect of heavy showers didn't dampen the spirits and 13 club cars turned out to enjoy the sunshine in between the morning showers. Gusty winds blew one or two other club gazebos down but Tom's efforts during the previous week in strengthening the frame of ours and securing the ties on the guy ropes paid off. There was a bigger than normal autojumble and some cars had to park outside the normal field so Mr. Greenwood must have had a good day. Richard Sherman also had a good day with his ZB Magnette winning its second trophy at its second show - all the hard work of restoration has been worth while.
CAPESTHORNE HALL - BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY - 30TH MAY
The club only attended this two day show on Monday - the 2nd day. Tom and his camping party had our stand set up early and eventually 9 club cars arrived to fill it .
Above left - Bob Atherton returned from the Far East to take centre spot with his MGB.
Below left - Is Dave Staniforth's roadster about to nudge Tom's TF?
Above right - Bob William's GT with the hall in the background.
Below right - Tom triumphed again taking the award for best sports car - pity about the knobbly
knees Tom! That's 3 awards in 3 shows for the club and its members - can we keep that up?
JUNE 2005
TATTON PARK - SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 4TH & 5TH JUNE.
(Thanks to Richard Sherman and Andrew Dickenson for the photos)
Cam and Richard's cars tucked into the corner of the MGA register's area on the 50th anniversary of the MGA
- could this be a conflict of interests for Cam?
Lunchtime in the gazebo - where was Olive ? We all missed her special apple pie and cream!
Above - 15 club members and friends were camping in the woods behind the show ground with brollies well in evidence. Tom instructs Phil to throw another child on the fire! The weather was not ideal for camping - but at least the camp fire kept us warm during the evening.
Well done to Tom again winning 2nd best MG award.
Visitor Phil from Morecombe brought his excellent ZB Magnette to put on our stand.
Tom managed to get 20 tickets for this ever popular show. There was no way we could have fitted 20 cars on the stand but fortunately, Richard, Dave Bryant and Cam managed to get an invitation to go on the MGA anniversary display next door. With 16 cars on both days the stand was well filled and again we scooped a best stand award.The weather was not kind to us on the Saturday with constant drizzle and wind. Those attending on the Sunday had the best of the weather with June at last giving a hot sunny day.
LEISURE LAKES - HOLMESWOOD
Eric's Midget and Noel's GT in the show arena
Seen flying over the club stand - yes you guessed - an MG Bee!
Club stand at the Leisure Lakes -
Thanks once again to Andrew Dickenson for the photos.
WELSHPOOL CLASSIC CAR SHOW - POWIS.
(photos - Richard - Sherman)
The evening meal for the campers.
Carole worships Liverpool's flag after they had won the European Cup - only problem - she is a Man. U fan!
JULY 2005
ST. MICHAEL'S VINTAGE AND CLASSIC SHOW -GARSTANG SUNDAY 3RD JULY
It was a bright but windy day at this popular show - plenty of stalls , not much for classic cars but lots of entertainment for the kids. The arena displays were made more interesting by the fact that the commentator had very little idea about MGs. It turns out that Tom's covetted TF is a "kit car" - Tom nearly attacked the perpetrator with his stick!
Left - Club members enjoy a quiet lunch - Bob Atherton, Lisa, Jamie, Olive, Bill, Tom's grand daughter, Gemma and Eric look comfortable in the sunshine.
Right - the club stand looked well filled.
LEIGHTON HALL , CARNFORTH - 10TH JULY
The Leighton Hall show was blessed with the hottest day of the year. For once the club gazebo was used to keep cool , rather than to shelter from the rain. Once again Tom had bagged a prime spot in front of the Hall for our stand where we managed to fit the 12 cars, that had travelled the 70 miles north into the Lake District. No Prizes on offer at this event so we couldn't add to our record breaking tally this time. (photos - Richard Sherman)
Leighton Hall is set in a beautiful natural amphitheatre with the Cumbrian hills as a back drop.
The club stand in front of the Hall - actually a mansion with a mock castle facade
A "black and white" photo of the club stand.
Dave looks on hopefully as Lisa gets Jamie's supper ready
Many other clubs exhibited - Rover P5 club in foreground
CAPESTHORNE HALL
NORTH WEST MG DAY - 10TH JULY
On the same day as the Leighton Hall show, Capesthorne was chosen was chosen as the venue for the NW MG day. Alan was our committee representation there . The photo, taken by Andrew Dickenson, shows Alan and Marianne together with Alison and John Dickenson in the shade in front of the Hall.
SOUTHPORT MOTOR SHOW - 23RD/24th JULY 2005
Photos of the Club Stand on the Saturday -
The weather stayed dry and warm if a little overcast . We managed to have over our target of 10 cars on the stand even with half the club being in Betws y Coed on the same weekend.
Photos of the club stand on Sunday - courtesy of Richard Sherman. .
Cloudy, but no sign of rain , unlike North Wales where the rain poured down all day on the unfortunate camping party in Betws y Coed.
What a fantastic show! If you thought that Tatton was big, then visit this one next year. Seven club members made the 75 mile journey into Cumbria to visit this well established show. There was something for everyone, with massive marquees full of the oddest collections imaginable ( how about egg cups or blow lamps!), craft exhibits and food. The rest of the show grounds had acres of autojumble and tool stalls and then more acres of non automotive stuff, with cuddly toys and the like. TWO large arenas had vehicles travelling through all day with the largest display of steam powered vehicles I have ever seen. There were ancient tractors ploughing and even a working display by the Vintage Excavator Enthusiasts ( try getting one of those up your drive!). The only draw back - as with all large successful shows - was the problem of getting out of the show ground along with 1000 other exhibitors.The solution ? - wait until 7 p.m. before heading for the gate.
Photo - top left. Club stand on the rather breezy Saturday. Photo top right - Joyce gets Cyril's TF ready for Sunday's show. Photo - bottom left - steam traction engines head for arena number one Photo bottom right - This rather grotesque figure is the memento given to exhibitors at the end of the show - measuring 15cms from top to toe, it weighs 850 grams in solid brass .Photos - Richard Sherman
BANKS HALL - BRETHERTON - SUNDAY 31ST JULY
On the same day as Flookburgh, another 8 club cars were out at a show a little closer to home - this time in Bretherton near Southport.
Photo left - Banks hall in the midst of restoration made a dramatic backdrop to the club stand.
Photo right - Club members cars drew lots of admirers.
Photos by Andrew Dickenson
WOODVALE RALLY - AUGUST 6/7TH
This is the "original local show" for us but I had a feeling on Sunday that Woodvale has lost some of its shine over recent years. This was my first visit for 3 years and although there was a lot for the general public to see , the car displays felt a little lack lustre and there was minimal autojumble for such a big show.. This also showed in the response from our club members. What was once a "must see" attraction, with the accompanying clamour for tickets, has become just another show. Only 3 members were on our stand on the Saturday and of the 11 cars on the stand on the Sunday, 2 were guests. Dave Bryant and John Dickenson had private entries on the car display area so that they were eligible for the judging of the awards. John was delighted with his runner up placing in the MG class on the Sunday - an excellent performance rewarding John's hard work on the car over the last year.
Photos of the club stand on the Sunday - taken by Andrew Dickenson
AUGUST 2005
TATTON PARK SHOW - 20/21st August
Photos - Peter Dobson and Andrew Dickenson
A panoramic shot of the club stand on the Sunday , bathed in Sunshine all day
Well done to Carole and Brian Stafford who took 3rd placed MG award on the Saturday
Dusk was just falling on the campers
when Peter took this shot
Another angle of the club stand on the Sunday
Tom had to make sure that the stand was well filled on both days to make sure that we were to keep the prime spot for our stand in future years.
We managed to have 13 cars on the stand on the Saturday and 17 cars on the Sunday and each day I think that we had the best laid out area, thanks to Tom and his big stick!
The stand on the Saturday
CAPESTHORNE - BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY - 29TH AUGUST
The day started with pouring rain, which caused a delay in starting out. The original meeting time of 9 a.m. had to be put back by 3 hours to 12 noon. This meant arriving at the show at 12.30 p.m. by which time the rain had just about cleared. The campers had just emerged and were sitting out on the club stand with no gazebo to be seen - too wet to put it up. Fortunately there was no more rain and the show progressed well. Unfortunately quite a few of the traders had already packed up and gone home and there were only half the usual number of exhibitors. There was a full contingent of American cars though- I guess they are waterproof!). The depleted field did help me, however, as going into the arena for the 1960s cars display, I was amazed to get the 1st placed trophy for my MGA. Tom also got a 2nd place with his TF in 1950s class. The club's award winning streak goes on!
Left - Ray Travies shares a joke with Tom and Grant.
Right - The stand line up
Below - The club stand right next to the arena.
Left - Jodrell Bank radio telescope is just visible over the trees behind Capesthorne.
Right - Cam's MGA wins its first show award after 2 years of trying.
SEPTEMBER 2005
VICTORIA PARK , WIDNES - 25TH SEPTEMBER 2005
Early Autumnal sunshine for club members who visited the Victoria Park Rally.
4 views of the club stand with 10 cars including the highest number of Midgets (4 of them) for quite a while.
Welcome to Keith Joughin and Bob Swindells at their first club show visit - both in Midgets.
Alan's new mascot sits on his MGB - he has christened it Nigel for some reason!
Bill has a kip in the sunshine after polishing off Olive's raspberry pie and cream
OCTOBER 2005
MARTIN MERE - SUNDAY OCTOBER 9TH
Tom emailed everyone a couple of weeks ago when he heard that the Austin 7 club were having a get together at Martin Mere. Not exactly a show but a chance to get the cars out and visit the Wild Fowl Reserve. As I arrived at 10.30 am there were 5 West Lancs cars already lined up in the centre of the coach park. (Tom, Ralph, Eric, Tommy and Bob as always early risers!) The perimeter of the coach park was lined with several Austin 7s and an assortment of other British "classics" (A35s, Minis, Spitfires,Cortinas, Escorts etc.) - This triggered Eric to start a discussion on what constitutes a "classic" car and is a 1982 Escort actually classic? Feels like a topic for the newsletter coming up. Pete from the Austin 7 club had managed to get some free passes to go into the Reserve and Ralph and Tom came back extolling the merits of the bacon butties in the cafe. The weather stayed remarkably warm and Bob enjoyed his last trip out in his roadster before heading back to Bangkok for some winter sunshine.
The "old guard" line up before going for their bacon butties.
-from L to R - Bob, Tom, Eric, Tommy and Ralph
West Lancs cars line up in the certre of the car park - note the colour segregation!
As I arrived at 10.30 am there were 5 West Lancs cars already lined up in the centre of the coach park. (Tom, Ralph, Eric, Tommy and Bob as always early risers!) The perimeter of the coach park was lined with several Austin 7s and an assortment of other British "classics" (A35s, Minis, Spitfires,Cortinas, Escorts etc.) - This triggered Eric to start a discussion on what constitutes a "classic" car and is a 1982 Escort actually classic? Feels like a topic for the newsletter coming up. Pete from the Austin 7 club had managed to get some free passes to go into the Reserve and Ralph and Tom came back extolling the merits of the bacon butties in the cafe. The weather stayed remarkably warm and Bob enjoyed his last trip out in his roadster before heading back to Bangkok for some winter sunshine.
