Kennet Valley TR Group enjoy West Green House 'finally'

Three KVG cars attended the West Green House Classic Car Show on Sunday 27 October.Stuart and Christine in their TR6, Ian and Maureen in their TR4 and Gerry and Moreen in their Stag. Emrhys and Linda arrived in their electric car at lunch time.The day started cold but the sun soon came out and dried up the grass where we were parked.

One of the group (no names but he has a red car), managed to find one of the few cow pats in the field, and his nearside wheels were covered in a horrible brown mess. He then, somehow, managed to step in the cowpat, not just once, but three times, then stepped in another one whilst looking at the other cars!

The beautiful Georgian manor house at the centre of West Green Gardens is the private home of the owner and therefore not open to the general public. However the gardens (which are National Trust) are lovely, with neatly cut box hedging, and good paths to walk on. They were created over two decades by Marylyn Abbott a renowned Australian garden designer. Unfortunately being late in the season the best of the flowers were over, but the grasses and autumn colours of the trees made up for that.

As it was Halloween, there were lots of children with their parents, and most of the children were in some sort of costume. They were having great fun looking out for the pumpkin clues. A stall was set up for the car owners with coffee and cakes, and the Courtyard Tea Room served light lunches. Gerry and I had a very good Ploughman’s with cheeses, pork pie, salami, chutney, pickles, salad and a chunk of wholemeal bread. We could almost have had one between us! Next to the shop were boxes of apples, and vegetables from the garden, and the public were invited to fill a carrier bag for free.

There were about 60 cars there, of all makes and years, from a Rolls to a Mini, and a Corvette Stingray to a Spitfire, also a pre-war Triumph Dolomite, and a very rare Ford Anglia Friary Estate, the only roadworthy one of three in this country. Friary were based at Hatch near Basingstoke. (The red car with cream top in the photograph.)

There were prizes for the people’s choice– a blue Renault Alpine rally car, (parked next to Stuart’s TR6) also best in show car chosen by the lady of the house, a pristine unrestored green Citroen DS Pallas. Unfortunately none of us won, but it’s the taking part that counts.

We were told that on our way out we could turn into the drive of the house, and park the car there for a photograph. Needless to say, Gerry took the opportunity.

Thanks to Moreen & Gerry Thorne for the report and photos and Emrhys Barrell for photos he supplied.