Roy B

continued from above It was a replacement for a previous shooting van, which was a class ST manufactured in 1911. When the ST was originally delivered the King was dismayed to discover it was actually a baggage van. It had a very obstructive windscreen, making it extremely difficult to get a pot-shot at anything except an unsuspecting pedestrian that the driver could not see! The windscreen had a solid timber lower panel, and the van was returned to Leyland Motors to have a glass lower panel fitted. The van as delivered with the windscreen solid timber lower panel continues below

Thank you Steve, linky, and Bas. A bit more info. I’ve found a couple of pre delivery pics taken on the 5th August 1927 of the vehicle when new from Leyland Motors. King George V had stipulated the body as shown. It was classified as a shooting brake/estate. continues below

continued from above A few of the roads are quite narrow so the route used was one that avoided the majority of them. The footbrake is only effective above 20 mph so the ratchet handbrake is of prime importance at slow speeds. On the odd occasion when an inconsiderate car driver attempted to come through a gap that was decreasing it was a two handed job on the brake to bring it to a quick stop. We even had one car that expected us to reverse out of his way even though he was on the wrong side. We stayed put of course and he had to accept defeat. Seeing the Lioness at the Tesco fuel pumps was a surreal sight. 1920’s glory surrounded by the here and now. We did a couple more laps of the town going up and down through the four speed ‘crash’ box and then back to the museum. With a fine weather forecast overnight it was tempting to have left her outside ready for the next day, but the risk of damage from the undesirable element made it too risky. That was it. The end of a perfect day.

continued from above Last year I was very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. I had a midweek day off shift, and went to the museum as it’s a quieter time to have a look around. It was certainly that alright. Four people at the most. I got chatting to the owner of the Lioness who told me that his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent was visiting the next day. Owing to its Royal past they were going to use his vehicle as transport. He needed assistance to give it a run out and fuel it up. “Any chance of a hand?” he asked. “You bet”, I replied. I was not going to miss this opportunity that’s for sure. Owing to fire regulations the museum exhibits are not permitted to be started up inside the building. The Lioness was toward the front half of the main hall but had other vehicles blocking it in. I was thinking how were we going to manoeuvre this lot around. From a side room a really nifty bit of kit was brought into play. It was a small air driven motor with a slotted nylon drum wheel. This could move anything, even the multi ton traction engine! With a bit of teamwork and slow careful positioning the vehicle was out without the need to park any others outside. Air driven Now for the fun part! A trip through Leyland. A swing handle start and she was away ticking over like a good’un. The interior has been restored to the highest standard and has that lovely old coach smell. Restored to a very high standard. Amazing to think Nazi forces have been sat in here. continues below

Hi there folks, A work of art to look at this week. What a beauty. A 1927 Leyland Lioness PLC1 which resides in the British Commercial Vehicle Museum at Leyland She has a fascinating history. Ordered by King George V on the 22nd March 1927, and delivered to Buckingham Palace on the 18th August. She was used by the King, and Queen Mary for Royal household use and was based in the Royal Mews in London. Most of her ten years in service was involvement in the transport of the Royal servants and luggage on visits to Sandringham, and the various estates for hunting parties. In 1938 she was sold to Jersey Motor Transport who replaced the original hard roof with the folding top, fitted extra seats, and commissioned her in this livery as an island tour coach. During 1940 Jersey was invaded by Germany who put all transport under Nazi control. The vehicle was then used for transporting the German armed forces. After the war she remained in service until the late 1960’s. Upon a return to the mainland she was put into preservation by the current owner. A brief spec: Engine: 5.5 litre Leyland OHV four cylinder petrol. Gearbox/Transmission: Four speed ‘crash box’ with torque tube. Brake system: Drums, mechanical servo to the front, ratchet operated rear. Starter: Original swing handle. Performance: 50mph/10mpg. Body: Ash frame with Duralumin panels, cast alloy bulkhead. The roof folds all the way back to the rear. The headlamps can be dipped by the driver pulling a short lever located near his seat. As a result of its supply to Buckingham Palace permission was given for Leyland Motors to use the Royal Crest. The lateral rod between the headlamps used for setting the dipped beam continues below

Thank you for sharing some great memories Graham. I remember travelling back from Brands in 1977 on Graham Blundell's bus. We were leading a convoy of transporters through the centre of London with John Hillam directly behind us.

Deane was certainly entertaining and one to watch Steve. This DVD is well worth adding to the collection. It traces Deane’s career from the mid 1970’s until 1990 with loads of photographs, and explanations of his crashes and feuds from the man himself. There’s some good film of the old Aldershot as he has a walk around the track. It’s available from Martin Hunt Videos at www.mhvideos.co.uk. At the moment delivery is as normal.

Correct. Do you remember the two caravans?

continued from above A pic for the old timers Where are we at?

continued from above Saloons All three races had classic last bend finishes. Heat 1: 17 cars. In this opener Kieren Bradford (27) played a major role. Ian Govier (28) was stationary in the fence facing the wrong way as the field hurtled down the straight. The 27 car picked up Georgie Boult (57) and followed him in into the 28 car. The resulting hit saw the caution flags out and a slight delay whilst Ian gingerly exited his car. It was very fortunate that he was drivers side to the fence as there was a large hole through the left side. At the restart Bradford chased down long time leader Jack Grandon (277). Entering the last lap he made contact with Grandon who spun. This delayed the 27 car long enough for Junior Buster (902) to mount a last bend successful challenge for the win. Top 3: 902, 27, and Frank Little (10). Heat 2: 17 cars. Another hectic last lap. Aaron Totham (561) was way out in front until he got baulked by a backmarker. Bradford saw his chance for an audacious last bender but the 561 car was just out of range. As Aaron headed for victory the 27 car rebounded off the plating, and Buster once again swept past to steal the place. Top 3: 561, 902, and 27. Final: 15 cars. Grandon looked to have this in the bag. However, towards the end of the race Billy Smith (161) was gaining on him. As they both raced down the back straight on the last lap Smith had got himself in position. Entering the final turn he kept his foot down on the go pedal and made hard contact with 277 sending him into a half spin. Both cars headed towards the fence, and in a mad scramble Smith just got clear. The 161 car was slow to pick up speed and was so close to being passed by the 3rd place car but just made it over the line by 0.3 of a second. A well deserved win as Billy had been racing at the Racewall the night before. Leaving Cowdie they drove through the night arriving at Smeatharpe at 06:30 that morning. The internal damage to the 28 car It was so lucky that the car was driver side to the fence continues below

continued from above As is the tradition at Autospeed circuits a pre meeting Grand Parade opened proceedings. F2’s Heat 1: 16 cars on track for this one. On a still soaking surface Steven Gilbert (542) was so much faster than the field and he took the flag with close to a 2 sec lead. Post-race checks changed all that though. The rear axle offset was way out and resulted in a DQ for the 542 machine. Dale Moon (302) was promoted into first place. Top 3: 302, 560, and Ryan Sheahan (325). Heat 2: 19 cars. A bit of aggro in this one featuring Chevy Mills (538). In the early laps a pack of cars were entering turn 1 with Paul Moss (979) pushing. The end result was a trip to the fence for the 538 car with Jack Prosser (844) going in with him. Presumably Mills thought Prosser was the guilty party and promptly launched him fencewards next time round. Both cars were out on the spot bringing out the caution. At the restart Ben Goddard (895) caught and passed Moss for the victory. Top 3: 895, 979, and Jon Palmer (24). Consolation: 15 cars. A first win in this one for Matt Hatch (320) after a battle with Charlie Fisher (35). After rectifying the axle offset Gilbert came home in 3rd. Final: 29 cars. Much to everyone’s surprise this race went from flag to flag without a caution. The track was now dry on the straights but damp on the bends. Hatch had taken the lead early on until Moss and Paul Rice (890) arrived on the scene. These two pulled clear and swapped the lead between them. It all ended in tears for the 979 car however when they came upon a backmarker. Rice sent the lap down car into Moss who ended up going over the bonnet of the adjacent 689 car and into the turn 4 plating. The way was now clear for an untroubled run to victory for 890. Of note was a brutal fencing of Neil Hooper (676) by the 24 car, and a race long side by side battle between 24 and Ben Borthwick (418) which cost them a lap in lost time. Top 3: 890, 560, and Mark Gibbs (578). GN: 25 cars. Another good one. The track was now virtually dry so higher speeds were in order. After repairing his car all eyes were on Hooper who lined up directly behind the 24 car. Would he exact his revenge? Despite having at least three opportunities in the early stages Neil was’nt for taking Palmer on. Just as well really as Jon loves nothing better than carnage and mayhem. Gilbert set off after Mills and passed him for the win. More action from JP (24) as he snookered his car builder Wrench, and pit neighbour James Rygor (783) in one direct hit for a 2nd place finish. Top 3: 542, 24, and 560. Neil surveys the damage after Jon Palmer fenced him continues below

Hi there folks, Let’s have a look back at the opening Taunton meeting on Sun 15th March. 35 F2’s, 17 Saloons, plus ORCi Minstox and Bangers were in attendance at this Smeatharpe season opener. Extremely poor weather persisted throughout the morning. As this eased off the track gradually dried out during the afternoon leaving us with a marked increase in speeds, and an extravaganza of hard hitting action. The stadium takes quite a battering during the winter months and keeping on top of repairs and maintenance is a major job. However, a few alterations had taken place over the winter. A new bar has been assembled on the turn 2 banking. The trackshop behind the home straight stand is no more. It suffered weather damage during the off season and has been condemned. A replacement was in the process of being installed at the top of the turn 3 banking. Let’s hope they still have their large stock of old F.1 mags/programmes. In the pits it was a chance to see several new cars, some of which had debuted at St. Day the previous weekend. There were three WRC’s built by Luke Wrench (560), and raced by himself, Aaron Vaight (184) and Paul Rice (890). A brace of Motorworld cars for Joe Marquand (689), and Jon Kind (229), plus a KMR for Matt Linfield (464). The Motorworld car of Joe Marquand Luke Wrench's latest continues below

Hi there folks, I did’nt expect to be doing this that’s for sure. What a horrendous week. Each day that passed added more fear and anxiety for everyone. It does’nt seem real does it? It’s going to be a long haul before even the slightest hint of normality returns. The supermarket panic buying is showing the worst side of humanity and is totally unnecessary. My youngest daughter is a newly qualified nurse in Leeds, and after finishing a 12 hour shift is having to scratch around various shops for whatever food is left. She had a bit of luck this morning though, as Tesco opened up the first hour for NHS staff. My son is also employed by the NHS looking after vulnerable adults and his workload is increasing daily. At least they shouldn’t have the worry of losing their job or income. However, my eldest daughter works in the car trade and is obviously concerned for her job. I am still working at present but there are rumours of a shut down. I think it’s a case of when rather than if. It’s easy to become obsessed with checking the news and social media but this can fuel the anxiety rather than ease it. I find a look at the news at teatime is the limit for me. To subject yourself to some of the doomsday scenarios on the internet can wear you down mentally. As regards the racing I honestly don’t think we’ll see much of the season. My concern is will the tracks survive without any income? Only time will tell. We will get through this folks. Just be strong for each other. I’d like to express my total gratitude to the staff of the NHS, supermarkets, and the truck drivers that get all the food to us. Hopefully people will now give the truckers the appreciation that they’ve always deserved rather than reviling them at any opportunity. Okay, let’s discuss the plan. As you know, usually through the year i get out and about to various places, and other race meetings. This then provides the next winter’s articles. I have some things which can keep us going for a while, but not the whole year if i put it on weekly. It’ll be better to spread it out a bit, or put it on every two or three weeks perhaps. I do have some ideas and places I want to go to which will add to it, but it all depends whether we go into the total lockdown phase. As it stands I only have the one meeting to showcase so the majority of things will be non racing related. I appreciate that not everyone is interested in old derelict stuff, railways etc. The picture side of things is a bit problematic at the moment. A technical hitch is preventing the gallery from being reinstated at the present time. I’m limited to only a few pics to upload to the forum post. These have to be reduced in size which affects the quality, or makes them too small to see easily. It is a great shame as I do have loads of pics for each thing posted. I’ll leave you with this pic from the opening Taunton meeting as a taster for next time. This Saloon was stuck at turn 3 when a car was followed in to it Keep safe everyone, i’ll be thinking of you.

Hi folks, would anyone like me to continue with the off season articles whilst the racing is suspended?

continued from above There is the rusting remains of a James Simplex Vibrator which was used for separating the ore. For men living in the nearest village of Low Row this would have been a long, hard walk before they even started work. In the middle of a winter’s blizzard, in the dark it would’nt have been an enjoyable way to start and finish your day down the mines. Just standing in the middle of the smelt mill and looking at the crumbling stonework, and the neatly stoneflagged floor imagining the hundreds of men working here day and night is a sobering thought. One of the access tunnels into the lower level of the mine Looking down Gunnerside Gill There are a number of ways to return to the starting point at Keld from here. Either retrace the outward route, or take any number of tracks that criss cross the landscape. These link up with various other mines/shafts etc. An Ordnance Survey map is a must on a walk of this nature as you can miss out on seeing other interesting sites nearby. In snowy conditions the mine sites take on a whole new magnificence. The only problem is making sure you don’t fall down a snow covered pit or shaft! In the valley beneath the hushings it’s possible to find fossils that have been washed down from above. If any of you would like to do this walk, or any other of the “off the beaten track” things we’ve done this winter just let me know. I’d be more than happy to show you around. That’s it for this off season folks. When the gallery is back I’ll upload all the pics in connection with the last few weeks. If ok with the admin we’ll all meet back here in November and head off the beaten track once again. Here are a few tasters of things we’ll find over the next winter: A shed in the woods, but not just any shed. A fortress on the moors, with a portal to the underworld. Triumph over the Pacific, tragedy in the Dark Peak. The last train departed years ago. A look at a derelict station being reclaimed by nature. Dare you enter the tunnel where the grey lady waits? We’ll also have a series covering the history of Blackpool Transport, and all the usual F2 and Saloons stuff. Finally, I’d like to thank the admin for giving me the opportunity to put this winter series on, and to thank you all for joining me on our trips around and about. Back with the pit news from King’s Lynn next week hopefully. Obviously we’ll have to wait and see what the government’s next move is regarding the virus.

continued from above The smelter's chimney Wheel pit The amount of peat required at this site for fuel is reflected in the size of the drying stores. continued below

continued from above Now it’s time for our last walk off the beaten track for this winter. We’re going to head for Swaledale. It is very rugged and wild, and one of the northernmost dales (valleys) in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It runs west to east starting around Keld in the high moors on the Cumbria/Yorkshire boundary, and ends near the market town of Richmond, home to a medieval castle. Get yourself a brew and i’ll tell you a bit about it. Swaledale is a typical limestone Yorkshire dale with its narrow valley-bottom road, green meadows and dry stone walls. There are numerous old limestone barns throughout the fields in the upper parts. Around 4,500 stone barns still exist in Swaledale, all built in the 1600-1700's. Virtually one per field. Sheep-farming has always been the main economy here. The traditional products are woollens, and Swaledale cheese. This dates back to the 11th century and is produced from ewe’s and cow’s milk. However, the idyllic scenery of country walks, village tea shops and holiday homes is only a recent invention. During the 18th and 19th century lead mining was a major industry, and the remains of this is what we’ll be looking for. Up until the end of the 19th century the hills around the valley were alive with hundreds of men mining minerals from beneath the moors. They toiled underground, whilst chimneys on the moor tops spewed toxic gases from the smelt mills. Ponies pulled carts of metal ingots to market in Richmond, and the life of those in the dale was poor and hard. The main mineral being extracted was galena, which when smelted (heated) in a very hot furnace produces lead. This was done with a very large open fire on the hillside, where the lead would pour out the side to be collected and cooled into ingots called “pigs”. Lead has been used throughout history for many things: roofs, pipes, and bullets. It was also used to create stained glass windows, paint, dyes, and as a glass glaze. Littered around the countryside here are many circular depressions in the ground where a “bell pit” shaft was sunk and ore extracted. To find the veins of galena ore a method called “hushing” was employed. Springs up on the moor tops were dammed to create large artificial lakes. The dam would then be demolished and the torrents of water roaring down the hillside would strip all the topsoil and loose material off. This would reveal the heavy deposits which could then be mined. The veins were usually only a couple of metres wide but went straight down to great depths. They were vertical seams, unlike coal which is horizontal. Mining was done by driving in levels from lower down the hillsides, and from here the miners would then dig up and down into the veins. The men who worked at the face blasting the rock and finding the ore were called the “orewinners”, and the miners underground the “deadmen”. The deadmen had to take the “deads” (the non-productive rock) and leave it in spaces left open by previous mining. Boys over the age of 12 would have the job of dragging the ore carts out to the surface. Once on the surface the ore was dressed, separating it as much as possible from other rocks. Large pieces could be done by hand, but for smaller pieces a method called “bousing” was used. This used water and gravity to separate the heavier ore from the lighter surrounding materials. Streams were directed into a sluice system which gave an increased flow. From here it was transported to the smelt mills which were as close as possible to the mine levels. Furnaces were housed within, and the smelters job was to produce the purest quality lead. The smelters were the highest paid as they controlled everything: lighting the furnace, choosing the type and amount of fuel to use, and the casting of the lead pigs at the end of the process. Coal produced the hottest fire, and Swaledale had a good supply from the Tan Hill collieries, but too much coal produced inferior lead. The smelters used wood when they could get it, but the high moors are very barren and devoid of tree cover so more often than not easily obtainable peat was dug from the surrounding areas. Buildings were constructed to dry the peat. After smelting into lead pigs it was transported to market by pony and cart. Many local towns had lead markets, particularly Northallerton and Richmond. Life in the mines was very tough. Miners had shifts of up to 14 hours underground, doing back breaking work in damp, cramped, wet and cold conditions. The oxygen levels were so low that candles barely had enough oxygen to burn. On top of this, they had to walk to and from the mines from their homes in the villages. A walk which could be many miles each way, and would often be done in the dark. Miners and their families struggled to survive and the men often used to knit while walking, both to produce things for their own needs, and to sell. Towards the end of the 19th century, Spain and the United States were producing far greater quantities of lead at a much cheaper cost. Over two decades the mining operations in Swaledale came to a halt as they became unprofitable. Despite the harsh working conditions many miners left for Lancashire to work in the coal mines. There are parts of Lancashire where Swaledale surnames are still common. The villages around Swaledale lost two thirds of their population between 1875 -1885. Reeth was the largest village with a population of 1,425 in 1821. A century later it was down to 616, and has only risen very slightly since then. With the departure of mining, life in the dales became a lot quieter. Farming became the only economic activity. Ok then, let’s have a walk around and see what remains today. We’ll start in the village of Keld and cross the River Swale to have a look at one of the waterfalls - Catrake Force. It’s not visible from the minor road through the village but is only a short walk to reach it. It is made up of a series of four steps, each with its own waterfall. Leaving this we come to Kisdon Force which is a two stage falls. Again this can be easily reached on foot from the village. The rock at both of these falls is limestone and therefore is lethally slippery when wet. Leaving the river we start our climb up onto the moor. Before long we come to the delightfully named Crackpot Hall. There has been a building on this site since the 1500’s when a hunting lodge was constructed for one of the landowners. The current ruin is of a mid 1800’s farmhouse. It was an impressive two-storey structure with matching cow sheds at either end. It was rumoured to have been used as mine offices as it was close to the many lead mines. Sticks of dynamite have been found there! In the 1930’s a wild four year old child named Alice lived there. The current building was abandoned in the 1950’s because of subsidence. The name Crackpot is of Viking origin for “a deep hole that is the haunt of crows”. We now come to Swinner Gill and the track that takes us across the moor. Within 15 minutes we arrive at a scene that would’nt look out of place in the Lord of the Rings. This is the start of the most prolific area of mining activity. Lownathwaite Lead Mines are situated here. Dams, undisturbed shafts and ore processing areas abound. Most of these are from the 1700’s and earlier. Records exist dating back to 1680 and make mention of mineral rights assigned to a local family from 1544. The history around this area is simply mind boggling. Within 5 minutes Gunnerside Gill is reached. The whole scene is like a lunar landscape. Walking from the top to bottom of this gill you would have the whole process of lead mining laid out before you. At the top are the great channels caused by hushing, and the remains of the dams. Lower down the area is littered with buildings and structures. There are huts once inhabited by workers and supervisors, storerooms, engine rooms, dressing floors where the ore was prepared for smelting, and various kilns. There are also numerous shafts and caves. As we leave the gill and make our way further into the industrial landscape we find that we are walking on a wasteland of crushed rock, ground down virtually to a fine, sandy powder. In the middle of all this sits an abandoned cast iron stone crushing machine. Stamped on the side are the words, “Patent Kibbler Stone Breaker, Leeds, England. It is a truly surreal sight. The lone stonecrusher We now come to the most impressive derelict lead mining site of them all – Old Gang Smelting Mills. The smelter’s high chimney is still fully intact. The remains of a wheel pit are still visible. This was to house the large water wheel that powered the bellows to heat the smelting hearths. Old Gang Smelting Mills continued below

continued from above The very smart Aaron Vaight (184) bus Speaky was out in his Saloon both days The ever entertaining JP straightening out his nerf rail with an adjustable and an extension bar! continued below

continued from above Onto the opening F2 National Series rounds at Taunton and Bristol next. Taunton – Sat 28th Sept: Under the floodlights for this opening round. All National Series contenders except Jake Walker (298) were present. They led the Grand Parade at the start of the meeting and each received a commemorative mug. For the second year running it absolutely threw it down and did not ease until partway through the Final. Thirty-eight cars in total made this the highest turnout for the tarmac venues in the National Series. The races proved difficult for the NS group as all the winners came from those outside the series. Irrespective of the weather the racing was of the highest order. The heats went the way of Ben Borthwick (418), and Jamie Avery (126). The Consi to Joe Marquand (689), and the Final saw Avery complete the double. GN honours to Steven Gilbert (542) who clinched the Track Championship with one meeting to go. Jon Palmer (24) ended the evening as top NS scorer, with Micky Brennan (968) in second place. The Saloons were present at both meetings this weekend for their NS rounds. 27 cars were in the pits. Heat 1 was won by Kieren Bradford (27), with the other two going to Trent Arthurton (610), with aggro aplenty between Billy Smith (161) and Georgie Boult Jr. Bradford took the Final from Arthurton and Diggy Smith (116). Bristol – Sunday 29th Sept: Everyone except the drivers moved north the next day to the Mendips Raceway. Only 11 cars in addition to the 13 in the NS group were present. For some baffling reason the decision was made to split the 24 cars into a full format meeting. With eight going through from the heats to the Final this left a field of only 6 for the Consi. The thinking behind this left many scratching their heads, but race control obviously know best! Phil Mann (53) won the 11 car first heat, with Steven Gilbert (542) claiming the 12 car second heat. The sparsely populated Consi went to Rob Mitchell (905). The 22 car Final was when the proper racing started. Lots of bumpers going in, and some hard hitting action in amongst the NS group. Gilbert took the win to complete the double. Top 3: 542, Ben Goddard (895), and Kelvyn Marshall (101). 20 for the GN. The 101 car made a spectacular exit from this by launching himself off the infield banking coming out of turn 4. The car took off sideways diving up in the air and performed a hard crash landing into the fence. Goddard took the victory. Kelvyn takes a flyer. Pic credit to AJPracepics A number of clashes between Luke Wrench (560) and Micky Brennan (968 set the tone for the rest of the series. Luke did however pick up the Track Championship. After two rounds then it was Jon Palmer (24) who led the way. He was considered to be too wild to accumulate the points but proved everyone wrong. 19 Saloons were present at this meeting for their only visit during 2019. Arthurton continued his winning ways from the previous evening by winning both heats. The Final however saw him walloped out wide on the turnstile bend. Jamie Sampson (149) claimed the win, with Austen Freestone (341), and Max Gunter (23) completing the podium. Paul Moss (979) with some front corner repair work needed. A novel way of pulling some bent wheel guards out by the Wrench team continued below

Hi there folks, In this last one of the off season we’ll finish off the 2019 F2 WF weekend at Buxton with a brief look at the Sunday meeting. A few hours after the midnight finish of the Saturday WF meeting 46 cars were in attendance including three from the continent, eight from Scotland, and a quartet from NI. Charlie Guinchard (183) was using the Jon Palmer (24) car as his own was damaged from the Saturday CSF. Ht.1: 21 cars on grid with another flag to flag victory for Jessica Smith (390). Top 3: 390, Graham Fegan (NI998), and Luke Wrench (560). Ht.2: Adam Rubery (700) won this 24 car race. Top 3: 700, Mark Gibbs (578), and Gavin Fegan (NI718). Consolation: Chris Burgoyne (647) having missed the heats made his first appearance of the day in this and promptly won it. Top 3: 647, Richard Bowyer (761), and Brad McKinstry (NI747). Final: 761 crossed the line first for the victory but was adjudged to have jumped the start so was docked two places. After his early exit from the WF Luke Wrench (560) inherited the win. A feature of this race was Guinchy putting a big hit in on Graham Fegan. At the time I thought this won’t end well. Sure enough at the next corner the favour was returned with an even bigger hit from the NI998 car. It looked as though Graham was trying to send 183 to the Emerald Isle! Consequently the damage ruled the 24/183 car out of the GN owing to lack of time to fix it. The ever entertaining Fegan’s take on it was to simply say, “That’s what the bumper’s for”. Superb stuff. Top 3: 560, Sebastiaan Vowinkel (H33), and 761. Guinchy after the Fegan attack GN: Only 12 cars for this one. Another win for the impressive Harley Thackra (9). I thought the overall three days was a success especially Thurs and Sun. It was unfortunate that Saturday was such a late finish but big championship meetings always have the risk of overrunning. Rear corner damage for Jan Bekkers B96 continued below

So sad to hear this week that Mick Black has passed away. He had been a fan from the early sixties, and was of invaluable help in keeping Chris Pickup (50), and Dick Young (67)(attached pic credit) racing in the mid seventies. I got to know him when he was a mechanic for Glyn Pursey (175). He always had time for a chat, and rarely missed a meeting. I will miss seeing him around the tracks. RIP Mick

continued from above and another blast from the past a Ford Zephyr Who remembers one of these in the tv series Z-Cars?

continued from above This may look like any other Banger but it has an interesting story. It was made in South Africa in 1982 and imported to the UK in 1986. Only 200 RHD estates were imported in total. It is one of only two known survivors. The plan was to restore it as a show car but the shell was in a very bad state. The A-pillars and bulkhead were a mixture of gravel, newspaper, silicon, and filler! Virtually every seam had rotted out. The inboard brake calipers were seized and leaking. Amazingly though the engine fired up on the first crank after standing since 2012! It took four weeks of extensive welding to the A and B pillars, bulkhead, the entire floor and front chassis rails just to get it race ready. Another rarity - An Austin A55 continued below

Hi there folks, Just a few pics from yesterday’s Aldershot meeting. It was the Saloons annual visit and just under 20 cars took to the tarmac. Diggy and Billy Smith were evenly matched and raced in tandem throughout. At the end of their first race a last bender from Diggy on Billy for the win looked on the cards but it looked like dad let lad have the victory. Top 3’s were: Heat 1: Billy Smith (161), Diggy Smith (116), and Aaron Totham (561). Heat 2: Jack Grandon (277), 561, and 116. Final: 277, Jack Rust (172), and 561. Bangers were competing for the Undercracker Trophy. Forty were in attendance with a few rare cars racing. The track safety procedures here were as follows: At the end of a race all drivers had to be in their cars. If any drivers had left their cars during a caution period they would have been outside the confines of the track already. They were not allowed back on at race end. When the marshals were happy the pit gate was opened. All cars were then removed. Track clear up/corner marker tyre re-positioning then took place. Only after this were the next set of cars allowed on. It all went smoothly, and was very well organised as is the Spedeworth way. It did not take any extra time either. Diggy and the team changed a stuck in 3rd gearbox on the 176 car between races. Here's the old box coming out. Applying sealant to the mating face of the spare bellhousing before attaching it to the gearbox Billy works on the replacement continued below