Social Scene Report - TR Action Issue 294
TR Action 294
Publication Date 7th November 2016
Derbyshire Dales Social Scene Contribution
Alan Ford says:
OK, so it will be well into November and well past Guy Fawkes' Night by the time you read this, with the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness transforming into the season of both mists and fading memories of long sunny days in the TR, and with grins so wide it made one's face ache.
Not that the Derbyshire weather had been good every day. Dave and Val Sygrove's Saturday Run in August started off with a downpour. We met at the Bakewell Showground, but such was the intensity of the rain we could barely count the number of attendees. Our photo says it all.
The run traced a couple of routes which, in the mid-fifties, had been proposed as road-racing circuits on public roads. Apparently a proposal for this had passed through the local councils and achieved Private Bill status before Parliament, and was subsequently discussed in the House of Lords before being allowed to lapse through lack of outside support. David's run retraced the routes through the Derbyshire Dales near Monyash and Hartington. And what a fantastic arena the Dales would have made for such a spectacular event, although the 'natural hazards' en route – e.g. stone buttresses and walls – would have made safe racing somewhat problematic. David's research on the subject of the routes had been extensive, and over lunch at the Bull's Head in Monyash, David handed out copies of local council and Hansard minutes to illustrate how close Derbyshire came to having a road racing circuit able to host the RAC Tourist Trophy of the time.
The September run, organized by Barry and Hazel Cockayne, had to be cancelled as most of our members were either on holiday, in Italy or at Goodwood.
The last run of the season, organized by Ian and Ryan Walker and Christine, headed out to the Nottinghamshire Trent, with the road plaiting over and under the M1 at least five times en route.
A coffee stop, very welcome on the sunny but initially bracingly cold day, was at the café of the Dukeries Antiques Centre, with lots of shaking of heads and much bemoaning of 'I used to have one of those and look what they're worth now', finishing at The Bromley at Fiskerton where our 14 cars filled the car park and the 24 crew membersfilled the private room booked for the occasion.
It was good to see that all of our Group who had driven to Grossetto in Italy for the International had made it there and back safely, although en-route through France one member of the team had to be taken to hospital with an infected wound, then there was an incident where a French motorist reversed into the TR6 waiting behind, and yet another incident where another French motorist, somewhere along the twisting Route Napoléon, had driven a TR6 off the road and onto rocks, wrecking the steering and chassis outriggers. That this all happened to the same person, on the same day, says a lot about the tenacity of our members that they effected repairs and carried on with the trip, and returned home safely. Little wonder, however, that Dave Burgess's son, as co-driver, insisted on driving for the majority of the rest of the trip! Not that this was the least of the group's adventures – one of the team had to have his spare cars keys flown out after locking his keys in the boot - but for full details you will have to wait for the written account to appear in a forthcoming TR Action.
So, at the moment the autumnal sun is shining, another run out in the TR is beckoning, but, as this is the last of the Derbyshire Dales missives before Christmas, all that remains is to wish one and all a Merry Christmas, and Merry Tinkering.
Forthcoming Events: See the Derbyshire Dales webpages for a full listing
Nov 9th – Club night at the Amber for a pie & pea supper, and an opportunity to influence next year's activity programme.
Dec 11th – Pre-Christmas lunch, Bateman's Mill Country Hotel & Restaurant, Old Tupton, organised by Alan & Val Jones.
Feb 4th 2017 – Annual Dinner, White Hart, Moorwood Moor, organised by Dave Burgess. New for this year – a comprehensive awards ceremony, and an expanded provision for more members of other groups to come along.