Social Scene Report - TR Action Issue 315
TR Action 315
Publication Date: 22nd July 2019
Derbyshire Dales Group Social Scene Contribution
Alan Ford reports:
Greetings from a very damp and misty Derbyshire. June, so far, has been more memorable for continuous rain, wind and low cloud, in stark contrast to the flaming June of last year!
Following our Barnes Wallis talk by Peter Rix from the Barnes Wallis Foundation in early May, a week later the Derbyshire Dales Group organised a mid-week trip to RAF Scampton Heritage Centre. All told we had something like 38 cars and 58 members & visitors attending, this event being pretty much a joint meeting between the Derbyshire Dales and Leicester groups. With Scampton due to close next year, this was one of the last opportunities to visit the Heritage Centre and view the museum and memorabilia from the Dambuster and more recent eras. The photo of the assembled cars attests to bright sunshine. The visit was followed by lunch in the beer garden of the Dambusters Inn in the village of Scampton, where we were very fortunate that the weather was so kind as the pub would have struggled to contain our large group had it rained! Both the Barnes Wallace and Scampton events were well received and altogether in the region of £900 in total was collected as donations to both the Foundation and Heritage Centre.
Following this we had four TRs joining a dozen other TRs at the TR6 commemoration day at Wroxhall Abbey Estate, offering the opportunity for a picnic amongst a magnificent collection of Triumphs of all ages assembled in the splendid grounds of the House.
Mid-June brought us to one of the major events of our Group, the Derbyshire Dales Weekend, and rapidly deteriorating weather. Friday brought strong winds, persistent rain, low cloud and drizzle. What a welcome to Derbyshire! This event was attended by over 100 members and guests, and another impressive turnout of TRs - somewhere in the region of 50 cars, with the furthest travelled TR coming up from Dorset with the furthest travelled members being Bjorne and Torve Refsnes from Norway – by my count, we had TRs and members from around 17 TR Register groups in attendance. Friday evening saw a low-key evening reception at the Palace Hotel followed on the Saturday by what should have been a run through the White Peak area of the Peak District National Park. However our foul weather and a major road traffic accident on the route caused major disruption of the plans and most cars made their own way by diverse routes to the Miners' Standard where a buffet lunch was served. Post-lunch offered a chance for a photo opportunity of our cars driving through the ford at Tissington, where 13 TRs dared to cross the surprisingly shallow waters. The run was followed by dinner at the Palace. Sunday dawned brighter and saw another run of something like 28 cars which finished at the Peak Village Shopping Centre, Rowsley.
Our club night on the following Wednesday was somewhat thinly attended, most probably due to the continuing foul weather but also because our members were beginning to scatter to the four winds with visits to Spa, Osnabrück and the Belgian Ardennes drawing off our membership. However we did have one brave TR6 attend, driven by two very new members; Martin & Helen Flanders, new to TRs but long-standing Morris Minor owners which in the past they have rebuilt mechanically and electrically.
As soon as I finish typing this we are looking forward to finishing packing the TR and setting off for Belgium. We are now looking forward to the start of a long, simmering and sunny summer. Some hope!
Forthcoming Events.
Sunday 21st July: Sunday Run organised by Jim Tully
Wednesday 14th August: Club Night at the Amber starting at 7:30pm.
Sunday 1st September: Sunday Run organised by John Browett and Peter Callender
As always, please keep up to date with our ever growing calendar of events through the Derbyshire Dales Webpages.