Y & C Durham Trip Day 2 - Wetherby to Durham

We pulled away from The Days Inn at Wetherby just after 9.15, bound for Frosterly in Co Durham for lunch and a train trip. We spit into three groups to travel the 40 or so miles to Scotch corner where we gathered together to drive up Teesdale and across the moors to Weardale for Sunday lunch at The Black Bull at Frostely. It was an early lunch because at 13.30 we were just across the road boarding a train on the 15 mile long preserved Weardale railway.

Duncan Davies welcomes us to The Black Bull

Sunday Lunch

The plan had been for steam but the loco had failed its boiler inspects so. We were conveyed in a DMU of suitable vintage. Frosterly was a request halt but we stuck our had out, the DMU stopped and 17 people got on. It was a long ride, around 15 miles to Bishop Auckland where we stopped just short of the Network Rail station which is now the last passenger stop on what was the original Stockton to Darlington railway. The preserved line still has a commercial used as it is used to haul minerals down from Eastgate.

Back at Frosterly it was into the cars and up some steep and windy moorland roads on the scenic route to Durham,stopping to see some of the vehicles pass by on the annualBeamish reliability run. We were tail end Charlie for this part of the journey and got separated from the group when we stopped after David Kent had some problems. These were sorted and we all made it to the hotel OK.

• Pictures at http://classicalgas.smugmug.com/2012/Ford-Y/23845438_8bB6GZ
• Start Miles 21415, End Miles 21521
• Miles for day 106
• On to Day 3 or Back to Day 1

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Y&C Durham Trip Day 1 - Bedford to Wetherby

We left home 9.20, destination The Days Inn Wetherby. Didn't want to go up either the M1 or A1 so we travelled cross country Corby, Melton Mowbray to Sherwood Forest to find somewhere for lunch and to meet up with Neil and Heather who were leaving later and planned to catch us up.

Meeting up with Neil & Heather in the Model C at The Limes Transport Cafe

After deciding not to pay £3 to stop at The Sherwood Forest visitor centre we settled on The Limes Transport Cafe and their Ham Egg and Chips. While there we had a call from Graham Miles to say he, John Argent and Jim Miles had seen us drive by while they were eating their fish and chips at Ollerton Services. Half an hour later we got another call, did we have a Whitworth spanner so Graham could take Johns carb off the manifold. Yes the Y&C trip was off to its usual start!

All hands to the pumps to fix John Argents car

Meeting up with them it was tools out but there was no way the carb would come off without taking the manifold off the block, remember we are talking side valve. The problem was that the carb was pouring fuel out of every orifice and the engine would just not fire despite a healthy spark. Changed the carb, no difference, tried to start it, still no joy.

In convoy past the Ferrybridge Power Station

Finally after a couple of hours it was Jim Miles who figured it out leaving an embarrassed John to work out how to dispose of a tank of diesel.So after 3 hours we got away and the five cars went in convoy up to Wetherby to meet up with Jim Sharp and David Kent to tell us of their own adventures on the journey north.

• Pictures at http://classicalgas.smugmug.com/2012/Ford-Y/23845438_8bB6GZ
• Start miles 21243, End miles 21415
• Miles for Day 1 = 172
• On to Day 2

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MCC Summer Run in the Model Y

I had never participated in the MCC Summer Run before but with it based in Oxford this year it seemed a nice opportunity to give the Model Y a run. We left home about 6.30 and arrived at the English Rose in Postcombe just after 8 for a nice English breakfast.

There weren't that many taking part and even fewer old vehicles. I reckon the Y was the most ancient by a considerable stretch. We left at 9.30 for the 100 mile tour which took in some interesting places, far too many to stop at all of them but the ones we explored were :-

Oxford Canal at Aynho One of the early canals which twisted and turned to follow the contours of the land rather than build cuttings and embankments.

Rollright Stones A sort of mini Stonehenge. I have passed this site many times and didn't know they were there

Minster Lovell Hall a ruined medieval house.

Stop for tea and a visit to Churchills Tomb at Blaydon

The Y ran OK apart from some issues with the exhaust. We were back at the pub by around 4pm by which most of the others had been and gone. We had a chat for a while and were home before 7pm. In total about 200 miles. 50 there, 100 on the run and 50 back. nice day and even the weather was kind.

Good Day at a Damp Brands Hatch 3 June 2012

Single day event with Neil having one race on the BMW M3 in Pre 93 and a double header in the Group 1 Fiesta. This race was amalgamated with PHTC and for the first time the Alfa Romeos.

Michael sheltering from the wet weather

Pre 93

Neil had a cautious race with the M3 in the damp weather

Neil qualified 11th out of 18 on a wet track, around 3 seconds slower than Jack Stanford, back in the E30 M3 and faster than father Roger in his similar car.

Neil had a cautious race, finishing 10th without incident. Thats more than many whose ambition proved greater than their talent. Jack Stanford won the race after a very smooth and accomplished drive.

Full Results

PHTC/Grp 1/Alfa Romeos

Neil carving his way through the field after a slow start in the first Fiesta race

With three categories grouped together into one race 24 cars qualified for this double header. Neil qualified 7th on a very damp track but with quite a bit of understeer so we made a significant tyre pressure adjustment for the race.

Race 1 - Neil struggled to find second gear for the first couple of laps, slipping down to 17th place in the process. Thins improved by lap three and he slowly climbed through the field to finish although lapped by the leaders. Up front it was David Howard in his XJ12 who took the win from the ever present Tim Scott Andrews in his Rover SD1. Despite the damp conditions Neil lowered his own lap record by half a second.

Race 2 - Neil had been really pleased with the handling in the first race so we left the tyre pressures alone but did take a bit of slack out of the clutch cable. A rain dance only produced a feeble drizzle but at least the track was a bit damp, ideal conditions for the 1300 Fiesta. With the grid determined from finishing positions in the first race Neil started 8th. There were no gear selection problems this time and after a couple of laps Neil was up to fifth, behind David Howard (Jaguar XJ12), Tim Scott Andrews (Rover SD1), Jason Christie (escort RS2000) and Riorden Welby (Rover SD1).

Neil was loosing about a second a lap to the top four but the rest of the field couldn't see him for dust and by lap seven he was lapping the tail enders so he had plenty of work on his hands. In fact by the end he had lapped everyone down to 10th place.

• Full Results
• More Photos
• Brands pictures from Marc Lawrence

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