Author: classictrials

James Wins Ilkley

James Shallcross won a closely contested Ilkley Trial in his Peugeot 205, with the top six coming from four different classes.

John Bell took over the C of C role from Stan Peel and continued to improve the route and sections. Unfortunately the event will be remembered by controversy at scruitineering, an issue that will have to resolved if the event is to continue.

Dragging water up the section after fording  the small stream Class 5 winner Chris Maries tackles Hawpike 1 in his Suzuki X90 while overall winner James Shallcross waits his turn in his Peugeot 205
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After many years moulding the Ilkley into an ACTC event Stan Peel handed over Clerk of the Course duties to John Bell. During his custody of the event Stan had changed the event from a series of PCT sections into a real Classic Trial, albeit still betraying its PCT legacy. John had some route authorisation issues which denied access to some traditional sections. His hard work payed off though and the way he used the restarts meant the overall winner could have come from anywhere in the field.

Scruitineering was a strange affair 

With John Blakeley in charge, assisted by June and Alex, the formal part of car scruitineering went smoothly. However competitors then had to endure further scrutiny by a local official who found fault with by far the majority of visiting cars. Visitors had been forewarned this would happen, and assured it would be resolved, which it was. However, this will need sorting if the event is to continue. 

Changes at Hawpike

It was dry when cars arrived at the familiar Hawpike 1. John Bell had introduced a restart on grass towards the end of the section and the majority didn’t get away. A few performance markers were laid down here. James Shallcross went clear, as did Julian Lack (Liege) and Chris Maries (Suzuki), the only clears in their respective classes. 

Section 2 was a new one at Hawpike Farm before the long track over the moor to the Special test where there was a compressor available for competitors to pump up afterwards. Barry and Graham Redmayne weren’t able to take advantage of this facility having retired their Liege with a sick Suzuki engine. 

Strid was a Stopper 

Strid Wood was just down the road from Bolton Abbey for the usual two sections. Both stopped all the four wheeled brigade. Nobody could get over the huge step halfway up the Strid Wood 1 gully which has dug out very deep before the slab. Strid Wood 2 was very muddy and the lower classes struggled to get to the top track. Outside of Class 8 only Julian Lack got to spitting distance of section end, scoring a two. 

Problems at Peels

Later numbers were delayed at Peels Wood 1 where Class 8 deviated left before attempting the very steep bank. Only Mike Chatwin was able to surmount this obstacle with Carl Talbot next best dropping six. Some of the less competitive cars in the lower classes had problems getting to the start of the section but the section itself didn’t produce to many problems for those that didn’t have to deviate. 

Restart at Wilsons Wood 

Wilsons Wood is an interesting section in a nice setting. Its all about a tight, near hairpin, left-hander with a restart for Class Four and above. The restart area has really dug out over the years but there is plenty of grip. It wasn’t Suzuki X90 friendly but Chris Maries continued his good day and joined Nigel Jones in his Mazda MX5 as the only class fives to get away. 

Brimham Lodge was Difficult

The club had repositioned the burger van to the farmyard near Brimham Lodge so there was opportunity to get some hot food and drink to counteract the cold wind. The section is grassy and quite damp. The corner just before the steep bank was pretty slippy and the challenge was to get round without under-steering into the trees. Outside of Class Eight only three cars succeeded, James Shallcross (Peugeot 205), David Golightly (Ford Model A) and Julian Lack (Liege). All were to head their class at the end of the event. 

Coppy was Rough

With no Incline on the agenda Patley Bridge was bypassed on the way to Coppy alongside Gouthwaite Reservoir. There isn’t much gradient here, the section is all about picking your way over some very greasy rocks. This is the roughest section on the trial, in the opinion of some to rough, but in fairness to IDMC its nowhere near as rough as Putwell or Tipley. 

The 7’s and 8’s had a restart and Liam Rafferty was the only class eight to get away. The six Mike Chatwin dropped put his score up to twelve, one more than James Shallcross who went clear here. Julian Lack also went clear and was now overall leader of the trial with only six marks lost. 

The section took its toll on tyres and Nigel Jones ripped the sidewalls out of both rears on the way to going clear. Nigel continued but was to break the MX5’s diff on the next section. 

New exit track from Longside Wood

This was the third year the Ilkley has used Longside Wood, a long, steepening track through a Bluebell Wood. In previous years clears have had to come back down but John Bell had secured the use of an exit track for those lucky enough to reach the summit. The track was a lot drier this year and most competitors got to the twisty steep bit at the top, many for the first time. Few in the lower classes managed to get through this part of the hill so hats off to Jonathan Toulmin who stormed out the top in his X90. 

Rain at Watergate

It had started to drizzle by the time the later numbers arrived at Watergate 1, another excellent Ilkley Hill. 6, 7 & 8 all had a restart but there was plenty of grip. It is a bit rough though and despite not having to restart many in the lower classes were defeated by the greasy rocks. Michael Leete conquered the rocky part but running almost at the back fell foul of the grassy bit at the top which had become very greasy now it was raining. 

Peels Wood 2 Cancelled

The rain had turned the approach to Peels Wood 2 into a quagmire and the section had to be cancelled when some of the later numbers couldn’t get to the start, even with the help of a Land Rover tow. Charlotte Arrowsmith had retired her 1600 Beetle with a variety of small issues that made the car difficult to drive. 

Julian lost his win at Sword Point 

There were two sections at Sword Point. The first had a remarkable amount of grip this year and very few didn’t make the tight right hand turn onto the exit track at the summit. 

Sword Point 2 weaves amongst some pine trees and is all about a leaf mouldy restart on a left hand bend for all but class 0. Most got away OK but Julian Lack was judged to have failed and his hopes of an overall win slipped away. 

Dob Park Watersplash returns

Browns Wood was the last section, which was nice as it was approached through the Dob Park Watersplash. The restart on this nice little section was quite tight but it was nice to see it return to the event. 

Back at the Finish

So the 2013 Ilkley saw James Shallcross take an overall win in his Class 1 Peugeot 205 with Mike Chatwin 2nd in his DP Wasp followed by a disappointed Julian Lack in his Liege. John Bell is to be congratulated on getting a spread of classes in the top 10. It will be interesting to see how the Ilkley evolves in the future.

ClassDriver/ClassMarks
Overall WinnerJames Shallcross (Peugeot 205)11
0Odgie Danaan (Austin 7)32
1Dave Oliver (Peugeot 205)38
2David Golightly (Ford Model A)19
4Michael Leete (VW Beetle)33
5Chris Maries (Suzuki X90)31
6Adrian Tucker-Peake (MGF)31
7Julian Lack (Liege)13
8Mike Chatwin (DP Wasp)12

We have been publishing stuff about Classic Trials on the Web since 1995 and always appreciate feedback. Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns are all welcome. You can leave a comment to have your say here on this web site or our Social Media

Lands End 2013

Cold and Dry Conditions but delays for the later numbers

Despite Easter being early this year the Lands End was run in pleasant conditions. This meant some of the sections were very dry and dusty, even Crackington which wasn’t the same section without the usual doctoring.

Dave Cook pictures Greg Warren on a very unfamiliar un-doctored Crackington.
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Early fails at Felons Oak

The restart was in its usual place and the holes were quite deep. There was a lot of grip, perhaps too much for some, and this seemingly innocuous section claimed 38 scalps this year. These included both Steve Potter and John Wilton in their Trojans and the equally experienced Dennis Greenslade (MX5) and Bill Bennett (MG J2).

The section and the rough exit track were too much for Marc Shafer and Tomas Pordzik, who had come across from Bonn in Germany in BMW 318 and Peugeot 305 respectively, and they both retired.

Problems on Beggars

The Crook Horn Special Test was on tarmac with a flying finish. Eventual Best in Class Six Dean Vowden was penalised for over running a line in his Notchback but otherwise this substitute for the nearby section was uneventful for most. It was getting cold now and there was still snow under the hedges on the twisty minor roads leading back to the A39 and a long chilly wait at the Barbrook control. 

Beggars Roost has not been very competitive since the restart was dropped, until this year. The big problem was getting away from the start line on some very loose stones. This caused a lot of fails, including Lester Keat and Greg Warren in their class three machines.

Hangmans Hill

With no Rodneys Revenge the inclusion of the real lane at Hangmans Hill was very welcome. New to the Lands End this long section had a restart for all classes. There was more than enough grip in the bone dry conditions so there was little impact on the results. This could have been very different had it been wet. There was more than an hours wait for the later numbers but the queue was in a sunken lane so there was plenty of time to look at the primrose growing in the grassy banks.

Cutliffe Lane and Sutcombe were very Dry

Neither of these well established hills had real teeth list year although Cutliffe Lane took its toll of the less experienced who weren’t going flat out through the gate at the bottom.

Changes on Darracott and Crackington

Both of these famous old hills had their teeth drawn this year. Darracott had the section ends before starting the famous hairpins, which were sporting recent concrete repairs. Although competitors still had the enjoyment of the hairpins it wasn’t the same with them being on the exit track. 

After the control on the sands at Widemouth Bay Crackington addded to the disappointment Easing off the line down by the ford competitors built their speed to assault the deep ruts in the fresh mud dumped in trailer loads towards the summit. Only this year there was no mud and without this doctoring the hill had no impact on the results. Lets hope the muck returns next year.

Warleggan 

The rest halt at the Wilsey Down cattle market was very welcome. Many competitors taking the opportunity to repair the many punctures incurred on the sharp rocks. 

Later numbers had a long wait in the sunshine for their attempt at this rocky section. With no restart the lower classes had a relatively trouble free run. Not so for the yellows and reds who had a tricky restart. This took its toll on medal aspirations, particularly in Class six where Harry Butcher was the last to loose his clean sheet and a gold medal. 

Cardingham Woods

Entering the woods from the top it was along way down to the first section, Lady Vale, the only section shared with Class 0. This is a very artificial affair, all about a tight restart, marked out with tape. It always seems a shame that something a bit more natural can’t be found in this complex. 

Following the track along the river came Hoskin. Long and steep with different restarts for the lower and higher classes. Most found the necessary grip but the section is a power sapper and many of the cars with a low power to weight ratio failed. This was a particular issue in Class 2 where the gradient proved to much for the Trojans of Steve Potter and John Wilton and Nigel Hilling’s 1171 Anglia. 

Bishopwood

Later runners slipped further behind schedule in a long queue on the A30 which was closed near Bodmin. Arriving at the woods the special test came first. Not too much of a problem unless you were Greg Warren who was penalised for over running the line. 

The following section is all about the restarts where it crossed the main track. The higher classes had to stop in their usual place, on cobbles, after the cross track. The Blues and Whites had theirs lower down on a loose surface, leading up to the cross track. Positioning was everything and it was essential to stop low down to stand any chance. Many didn’t and paid the price, Alan Selwood, Michael Leete, Paul Allaway and Sam Thompson all loosing their chances of a Gold Medal here. Both of the Trojans failed and one just avoided overturning into the trees. 

Blue Hills

Unlike Crackington Blue Hills 1 hadn’t escaped the doctor and there was a veritable lake round the horse-shoe to wet the tyres before the cobbled exit back onto the road. The higher classes had to restart here and this cost Brain Partridge / Lee Peck their Gold Medal in Brians familiar Cannon. 

Bluehills 2 may be the MCC’s showcase section but the modifications for this year weren’t universally popular. A vertical stone wall now lines the deviation. This has the benefit of removing the banking, which could act as a launching ramp for spectacular acrobatics However, it has made the track very tight and narrow and a lot of cars scrapped against it, blinded by the setting sun.

Finish and Reflections 

There was just a 20 mile run to the finish remaining. Time to reflect on another Lands End. It was surprisingly dry, considering the wet winter. This had made some of the sections easier than usual, compensated by a tricky Beggars and some difficult restarts. The finish at a Brewers Fayre, mixing with families out for lunch, was a questionable finale to an otherwise excellent event. The Lands End isn’t for everyone. Its a trial bigger than the sections and is above all an adventure. A battle of emotional highs and lows, tiredness, fatigue and a feeling of achievement just reaching the finish. Long may it continue.

We have been publishing stuff about Classic Trials on the Web since 1995 and always appreciate feedback. Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns are all welcome. You can leave a comment to have your say here on this web site or our Social Media

Liam’s March Hare

Liam Rafferty won a dry March Hare, setting the fastest test times from the five clean sheets.

With a break in the wet weather the sections were very dry and there were five clean sheets. Three were Class Eight, dominated by the very welcome contingent that came down from Derbyshire. In Class Five former March Hare winner Keith Pettit went clean as did multiple PCT and Sporting Trials Champion Dave Oliver in Class One.

Alan Oakes drops the flag and Liam Rafferty eases his DP Cannon off the restart at Binghams Warren to win The March Hare Trial

Unseasonably Dry Weather

Unlike last year when the event was run in a blizzard this years March Hare enjoyed fine weather. This posed problems for the organisers as some of the sections were very dry necessitating toughening up some of the restarts, in what proved an unsuccessful attempt to get a result on the hills. 

The first couple of sections were a gentle introduction to classic trialling for the several competitors who were competing in their first event. This was to change when they had problems in finding Chalk Hill. The problem was that there were no marshals on Dead Woman’s Lane and many missed the turning off the track after the intended section ends.

The Chalk Hill Restart was Difficult

After a glorious couple of miles of greenlaning Chalk Hill presented a different challenge to recent years. The muddy deviations off the track aren’t presently accessible. However, water erosion has created a gulley and a judiciously placed restart made the section competitive. Around half the entry lost their clean sheets here. These included Nigel Jones, debuting his newly acquired MX5. The other byways east of Luton Airport challenged some of those trying the sport for the first time but didn’t impact on the head of the field.

There was a Special Test and Two sections on private land alongside the Thameslink line, within sight of Luton Airport. The ST was to be very important at the end of the day, Dean Partington narrowly setting fastest time just ahead of Liam Rafferty in his Dean constructed DP Cannon. 

The first of the two observed sections was relatively straightforward, but even so former March Hare winner Andy Curtis dropped 7 in his VW Buggy. 

The second Copt Hall section had tight turns up the railway embankment used by the former Dunstable branch line. Unfortunately one of the turns was too tight for both the Trojans and the four X90’s, duly noted by the Clerk of the Course as a problem to be fixed for next year. Class 8 had a restart on the steepest part of the bank. Mike Pearson was to regret not letting his tyres down and couldn’t find enough grip to get his Dellow Rep away.

Binghams Wood

Beetle Drive is one of the toughest March Hare sections and was to have a big impact on the results. In Class one Dave Oliver was the only FWD to clear the steep bank and maintain his clean sheet. Both the Trojans did well but Steve Potter couldn’t quite clear the summit. John Wilton did that tiny bit better to get over the top to huge cheers from everyone in the wood. 

Classes 7 and 8 had a restart before the final bank. This stopped all of Class 7, Mark Endley getting the furthest in his Liege which had broken its new front mudguards earlier in the event. 

Charlie Knifton just failed to get to section ends but Liam Rafferty, Dean Partington and Stuart Bartlett (in the Datsun Sunny powered, ex Adiran Linnecor, Cannon) all went clean.

Webleys Wobble was more straightforward but still claimed a few scalps including Geoff Hodge (RDT), Graham Redmayne (Liege) and Tony Christie (Dellow Mk2) who all failed the Class 8 restart.

Kensworth reduces the Clean Sheets

The Kensworth Special Test, marshalled by the Herts VW Club, was a super affair, uphill around a barn. Liam Rafferty was on fire, posting 8.56 in his DP Cannon, more than two seconds faster than Dean Partington. Mark Wills (Marlin) and Andy Curtis (VW Buggy) were the only other cars under 10 seconds. 

The first observed section at Kensworth was a pure PCT affair, on a steep grassy bank which tested competitors trickling skills. 

A few hundred yards away the second one was very different, all about a “tree rooty” restart for classes 3 to 8. This proved too difficult for locals Michael Leete (VW Beetle) and Peter Manning (MG Midget), both loosing their clean sheets here. This left five drivers on zero. Dave Oliver (Peugeot 205), Keith Pettit (AH Sprite), Liam Rafferty (DP Cannon), Dean Partington (DP Wasp) and Stuart Bartlett (Cannon).

New for last year the sections here had been changed following the lessons learned. Coombe Hole was completely new and really long, but being dry was much easier than anticipated and cleaned by everyone. 

Coombe Bottom started differently to last year but finished up the same steep track with a Class 8 restart which caught out Charlie Knifton in his Subaru powered Scorpion.

Hawridge Lane and Hill Farm

Simon Robson had positioned the Hill Farm class 3 to 8 restart in the toughest place he could find to negate the dry conditions. In class five it caught out both Peter Manning in his Midget and Chis Maries who has reverted to an X90 after experimenting with a FWD RAV4.

Back to Binghams

Back at Binghams the field had two different sections to those attempted in the morning. Falcons Folly had its usual tree rooty restart for 6, 7 and 8 but it wasn’t on form this year, catching only Tony Christie in Ross Nutens Dellow Mk2 in class 8, Harry Bounden in his Class 7 Marlin and both Adrian Tucker-Peake (MGF) and Reg Taylor (Beetle) in Class 6. 

The final section, Binghams Warren, is all about a very tight hairpin towards the end, with a restart for class 8 right on the apex. Although half the entry failed the section all the leading contenders managed to get round the bend OK.

Back at The Finish 

The organisers were pleased that everyone returned to the finish with no retirements. It was certainly an experience for the several drivers who had never competed in a Classic trial. Hopefully they will have enjoyed their day and will come back to the hills soon.

ClassDriver/CarMarks
OverallLiam Rafferty (DP Cannon)0
Best FalconMike Pearson (Dellow Rep)9
1Dave Oliver (Peugeot 205)0
2Steve Potter (Trojan)14
4Michael Leete (VW Beetle)12
5Keith Pettit (AH Sprite)0
6Adrian Tucker Peake (MGF)18
7Mark Endley (Liege)8
8Dean Partington (DP Wasp)0

We have been publishing stuff about Classic Trials on the Web since 1995 and always appreciate feedback. Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns are all welcome. You can leave a comment to have your say here on this web site or our Social Media

Enigmatic Exeter

Smooth Running Trial, Just the Right Amount of Bite

It had been wet before the event, but was dry on the day, creating ideal conditions. There were some new ideas which worked well, although with some controversy over Run Back penalties on the timed restart. The old favourites were on form. The resurfaced sections at Normans Hump and Simms still took their toll as did a rough Tipley.

Mike Pearson getting out of shape as he fights a loosing battle with the rough steps of Tipley. (Picture by Brian J Rees)
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Clerk of the Course Tim Whellock introduced the trial by explaining how he had revised the first part of the route to make the transition down to Bovey Woods more interesting. This started with a Special Test within the Haynes Complex. This went down well, especially with car competitors who had a rare chance to see the motorcyclists in action.

Timed Restart at Windwhistle Hill

A concept not seen for a while. Competitors were stopped on a muddy tarmac road, drove into a restart box then restarted on a light signal and given 10 seconds to clear the section ends board which wasn’t that far away. All should have been well. There were certainly plenty of marshals but the provisional results caused controversy when 25% of the entry were shown with Run Back penalties, including eventual Best in Class 1 award winner James Shallcross.

New Underdown Sections

With Meerhay no longer available it was good to have these new forestry sections near Yarcombe, close to where the A30 joins the A303. Class 0 and the main trial shared the rough downhill approach track. The Class 0 section came first, but proved too difficult for quite a few cars, causing a tailback while they reversed out. Unfortunately this prevented cars in the main trial getting to their section and a big queue built up until the Class 0 section was cancelled. The section proved nowhere near as rough as the entrance track and Bill Bennett (MG J2) was its only notable scalp, although it did prove problematic for quite a few of the Suzuki’s in Class 5

Normans Hump

Back on the agenda after a years absence the area around Normans Hump looked very different after all the logging. The surface of the track had changed as well. It wasn’t as rough and stony but there was a layer of mud to contend with. The restart was limited to Classes 3 and 6, taking its toll of both. In Class 3 only Lester Keat (Avenger) and Neil Bray in his ex Tony Underhill Escort went clear. It was a similar story in Class 6, only three of a sizeable entry reaching the summit with Courtney Yandle (Beetle) and Dean Vowden (VW Notchback) going on for Gold.

Clinton

After an easy run so far Class 8 had to restart on Clinton. Although the logging hadn’t affected the track the restart was still a test for the specials and 50% of them didn’t get away, including Dean Partington, Brian Partridge and all the Dellows apart from Eric Wall.

Waterloo

After last year there had been some improvements to the section and it didn’t have much affect on the results of this years trial. Mind you, there were a few competitors that hadn’t got this far. John Plant’s Golf had lost all its power; Barry Clarke had retired the Grotty Chummy; Tim Smith and Chris Maries were both on their way home after strut problems with their very different Toyotas; Matt & Barry Denny were trying to get back to Popham on the train to collect their trailer and pick up their Fugitive after breaking the diff; Mark Rosten-Edwards had broken his Escorts Gearbox in Bovey Woods; Colin Sumner had fuel feed problems with his Beetle…….

Stretes, Core Hill ST,  Bulverton Steep and Breakfast

None of these caused any problems, especially with the restart on Bulverton Steep cancelled, although the trial lost Wheelspin Champion Dean Partington before breakfast. 

The Mid Trial break was at Crealey Amusement Park, and most people thought it was a much better venue than Exeter Services. MCC President Jonathan Laver was on hand to talk too as many people as possible. Jonathan had started the event in his MGB but retired when he found a newly fitted axle had far to higher ratio.

Tillerton

Only 7 and 8 had to restart on Tillerton. The section is a bit of a shock to newcomers. It looks horrendously rough over the solid rock. But the rises and falls are not too bad and its possible to get up without risking much damage. The problem was that the rock was pretty greasy and it took a fair toll. Roger Bricknell (Vincent) and Josh Moss (Gregory) both lost their clean sheets on the slippery rock. Other notable Class 8’s to be penalised were Eric and David Wall in their Dellows and Carl Talbot in his Special. 

In Class 2 Nigel Hilling lost his clean sheet in his side-valve Ford Anglia but Ben Collings romped up in his wonderful Mercedes although he was to miss the final few hills.

Fingle

Chief Official Jeremy Bennett had moved the section start way down the hill compared to usual. This didn’t have any affect on the results but certainly added to competitors enjoyment.

Wooston Steep

Only Class Eight were allowed to assault the long bank this year. All the others had to turn left before the gradient went up, albeit classes 6 and 7 had to restart. 

Only five of the Class 8’s reached their section ends board, including Alex Wheeler in his ex Tony Underhill special with the former owner urging him on from the passenger seat. Alex went on to join Nick Farmer and Mike Chatwin to keep clean sheets amongst the specials.

Simms

After pasties and cake at Ilsington Village hall it was time for Simms. The hill was going to be different as the Torbay lads and the Flay family digger had put in a lot of repair work. This really paid off as they had eliminated the worst of the rough stuff without loosing the hills competitiveness. Experience pays! 

It was generally reckoned that conditions became tougher as the day went on and the upper part of the hill became more and more slippery. 

Class 1 – James Shallcross made a storming climb, the only FWD to reach section ends. James was one of many to pick up one of the unfortunate RB’s on Underdown and had failed Normans Hump. However, the shape of Class 1 started to change when David Haizelden lost his clean sheet failing Simms. 

Class 2 – Nobody got a clean so the hill didn’t count in their results. Unfortunately the many spectators were denied the spectacle of Ben Collings Mercedes as he had driven to the finish after Wooston. 

Class 3 – Three of the Front Engined RWD saloons made the climb. No surprises that Lester Keat was one of them in his Avenger, David Millar made it with his Escort but Alan Selwood provided the best spectacle for the many spectators, with flames belching from his BMW Estate. 

Class 4 – There was a high success rate here, four of the eight survivors going clean with the best performance put up by Nicola Butcher who stormed up late in the gathering gloom when the hill was very slippery. 

Class 5 – Only two cleans amongst the sports cars. Phil Tucker in his TR3A and a stormer by Paul Brooks in his Suzuki X90. Simms wasn’t very kind to Mike Warnes who had the prop shaft yoke break on his TR7. Fortunately Mike was carrying a spare and changed it at the bottom of the hill. 

Class 6 – I hope Dean Vowden and Alan Treloar don’t mind but the star performance in this class was Courtney Yandle in his Beetle, cleaning Simms and getting a Gold at 85 years young. 

Class 7 – 7 and 8 both had a restart but the three cylinder Suzuki engined Lieges of Julian Lack and Mark Endley were up to the challenge, joined only by Nick Gibb’s Marlin 

Class 8 – The Specials were up to the challenge of the old hill, most of them storming up and it didn’t seem to matter where you were in the running order in this class.

Tipley

The hill was very rough and slippery this year. With a lot of failures the queue at the preceding Lenda Lane control soon built up. The organisers took the unusual step of persuading competitors who were not on for a medal to miss the hill so that it didn’t have to be cancelled.

Dave Haizelden probably wished he was amongst them as the suspension on his well prepared Golf broke on one of the rough steps and it took a while to get it out of the section. Dave wasn’t the only failure to have problems getting out and its hard to see how Tipley can remain in the event unless things change.

Slippery Sam

The field was very spread out by the time the cars came to Slippery Sam The hill has become very rough at the top and a big problem is looming here. There was plenty of grip however and it was only Class 7 that had a lot of failures, having to re-start along with the Class 8’s.

The End

With some missing Tipley the survivors all made it to The Trecarn in time for the traditional evening meal. The Windwhistle Hill RB issue hadn’t reared its head at this stage and popular opinion was that it was a good event.

The innovations at the start of the event were very welcome and Underdown was a good find. The last few hills became quite challenging for the later runners and Tipley will need some work if its to stay in the event. The organisers had put a lot of work into the event and its clear why The Exeter is so popular.

We have been publishing stuff about Classic Trials on the Web since 1995 and always appreciate feedback. Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns are all welcome. You can leave a comment to have your say here on this web site or our Social Media

Dean Cleans Allen

Dean Partington had the only clean sheet on a very wet Allen Trial, clinching the Wheelspin Championship in the process.

There had been a lot of rain in the preceding week, with extensive flooding in the south west. This made the Ubley Wood sections very muddy and it was here the event was decided. Dean was challenged by  Dave Haizelden and Keith Sanders, both losing only two marks on the hills, although Keith also dropped marks when he incurred a fail on the special test.

Mick Workman and Tony Underhill are pictures of concentration as they tackle the mud on John Walker (Picture by Calvin Talbot from Cstartworks)
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With all the flooding there was concern that the event was going to take place. However Pete Hart and his team checked things out on the Saturday and reported that, apart from the stream at the bottom of Uplands which was impassable, the route was good to go. 

There were a couple of non starters but there were still nearly 60 cars lining up at the start in Doynton near J18 on the M4. 

The Travers Restart sorted Class 7

After a gentle run up Tog Hill the restart on Bitton Lane was unfriendly to Class 5 and Nick Deacon was the only one of five Suzuki X90’s to get away. Guys Hill was next, perhaps the rain had washed the mud away because there were fewer failures than usual. 

The Yellows and Reds had to restart on Travers. and this certainly sorted out class 7, only the Marlins of John Hammill and eventual Class winner Dave Broom getting away. The restart also accounted for around 50% of class 8. 

Ubley Decides the Trial

The four sections at Ubley Wood were just up the track. unlike the other hills, which are all on green lanes, these are artificial sections marked out on the top of a grassy hill. With no stone bottom they were very slippery and a full blooded approach was required. Only Dean Partington cleaned all four. Dave Wall and Charlie Knifton did well but succumbed to the Class 8 restart on the Ubley 1 to loose their only five marks of the day. Without a restart here Sam Holmes in Class Four, Keith Sanders in Class Five, Gary Browning in Class Six and Dave Haizelden in Class One also went clear and went on to win their respective classes. 

Ubley Woods 2 and 3 were difficult but cleanable but it was Ubley Woods 4 that decided the trial when Dean was the only clear. 

Big Uplands was Cancelled

With Big Uplands cancelled there were only three sections after the lunch break. It should have been plain sailing for the leaders with Dean clear and Dave Haizelden and Keith Sanders on two. That wasn’t how it finished as Keith overshot a line on the Special Test which penalises you six marks on The Allen and it dropped him down the standings promoting Dave Wall to 3rd overall in his tidy K series Dellow. 

John Walker was the last section, a glorious blast though the mud and ruts just as the light was failing. It wasn’t a formality for the low slung cars though and Ian Moss dropped six in an unfamiliar and very standard looking Hillman Imp. The ruts were deep and both class winning cars of Aaron Haizelden and Dave Wall ended up with deranged front suspension.. 

Dean wins The Allen and The Wheelspin

So ended another well run and popular Allen Trial with Dean Partington victorious for the fourth time giving him an unassailable lead in The Wheelspin Trophy.

ClassDriver/CarMarks
OverallDean Partington (DP Wasp)0
1David Haizelden (Golf GTi)2
2Adrian Dommett (Wolseley Hornet)9
3Aaron Haizelden (Ford Escort)12
4Sam Holmes (VW Beetle)5
5Keith Sanders (Reliant Scimitar SS1)8
6Gary Browning (VW Beetle)6
7Dave Broom (Marlin)10
8Dave Wall (Dellow)5

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Problematic Edinburgh

Unfortunately a Memorable Event for Rough Sections, PR Issues and Delays.

Rain immediately before the event toughened up a route that had lost many of its traditional sections. This caused delays and some later numbers finished some four hours after scheduled time.

John White negotiating his way over the Putwell Rocks on his way to winning the only MCC Triple of 2012 (Picture by Dave Cook)
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It is becoming more and more problematical for the MCC to run a trial in Derbyshire. Haggside and Hucklow have been lost in recent years. Litton Slack is no more and there are doubts about other favourites. As a result the Edinburgh is a very different trial these days, with an increasing number of sections on private land.

Delays in the Night

After a period of dry weather there was rain during Friday night, making some of the sections quite slippery. Car competitors faced immediate delays when an early number had to be extricated from Haven Hill. This caused a delay which built up and an hours worth of cars were soon backed up at Robin Barlows Carrsington Water Holding Control. 

Cliff Quarry was next, new to the MCC but well known to VSCC aficionados. Everyone had to do a restart here, including Class 0. The rain had made this much harder than the organisers probably intended and with no recovery possible. The inevitable failures had a long, difficult, reverse back to the road to the head of the long queue that soon stretched back to the nearby village.

 Although it wasn’t shown in the route card classes 7 & 8 had a tricky deviation, with a corner that stopped almost everyone, including eventual best in Class 7 Roger Bricknell, making a welcome return in his Vincent. It was possible though, as Nick Farmer proved on his first outing in his Red Top powered Fugitive. There was no deviation for Class 1 but Ian Cundy will remember this section as he lost his Triple here when the engine on his Golf fluffed.

Rileys Rise was a nice section, a bit rough, and maybe not the same track as has been used previously with that name. It was unfortunate that a PR problem developed towards the end when the local farmer arrived, objecting to the track being used as a section. Things were smoothed over by the Bristol club marshalling the hill and lets hope it doesn’t prevent its use in the future.

Into the Quarry

The Quarry complex was uneventful, apart from those that got soaked in the water at the end of the Special test! 

Putwell was just down the road and although not in the quarry it was certainly rough enough. After another long wait car drivers found that Putwell A was full of loose rocks and those with limited ground clearance really suffered This was merely the appetiser for the unbelievably rough Putwell B. Always a rough one it appears that water erosion has made the “valleys” deeper while 4WD drive traffic hasn’t reduced the height of the mountains. While there were some that were OK with the section the majority of car drivers reckoned the section was past its sell by date. 

Stuart Harrold was observing driving standards on the exit track and was delighted to report that everyone was behaving. 

With all the delays breakfast at Bull I’th Thorn was most welcome, especially the generous portions and friendly service. 

Litton wasn’t the Traditional Section 

Unfortunately the traditional Litton Slack isn’t available as a section but one was run along the track at the top. With it being so wet the restart was cancelled but it was still necessary to use considerable throttle control in the mud. 

Bamford on Form 

The wet conditions made Bamfords infamous steps very slippery this year and there were numerous failures. It certainly wasn’t very friendly to Class 5 where the Suzuki X90’s all struggled for grip. Paul Clay was on form in his Ford 10 powered Austin Seven Special, clearing the section on his way to being best in Class 5. The inevitable Bamford delays were exasperated by non-competing traffic and Dudley Sterry received a baulk. 

Tricky Restart at Calton

This is of those sections that looks so innocuous from the start line. Twenty years ago it was deep ruts that were the problem. Then they were filled in and it became an easy section for a while. Now everyone except Class 0 has a restart on polished stones and this year the damp made the limestone really slippery. Sadly this cost Dick Bolt his triple when the Cornishman couldn’t stop the back wheels spinning. His only hope was for none of the class to go clean but unfortunately for Dick both Lester Keat in his Avenger and Edward Broom in his Escort got away. This left only John White on for a Triple this year.

Running late at Hollinsclough

By now the delays had spread the field out and cars were arriving in dribs and drabs. This had one benefit as the parking field was out of use as it was too muddy and cars had to park on the limited space on the road. 

Rakes Head was a few yards up the road. It isn’t very long but this is a nice little section attempted by everyone apart from Class 0 with a restart for everyone. This took its toll of the lower classes but it also defeated Nick Farmer and Duncan Stephens in Nicks new Fugitive. 

Excelsior came next, with a restart scheduled on the slippery cobbles. This proved very tricky and after numerous failures it was cancelled. 

Cancelled Clough 

Heading East towards Darley Dale there were two sections on the Routecard. One on private Land at Clough Mine and the traditional Clough Wood track. 

The Clough Mine section was a very muddy, rutted track, quite long and straight. Ground clearance was the big problem. Classes 6, 7 and 8 had a restart as well. None of the 6’s and 7’s got away, nullifying things for them. It was pretty difficult for Class 8 as well, but it was possible. Local men Dean Partington and Liam Rafferty got away in their Dean constructed cars, joined by veterans Dudley Sterry and Eric Wall. 

With a restart for all, delays soon built up on the nearby Clough Wood and Chief Official decided he had to cancel the section. 

Quagmire at Dudwood.

The final action was scheduled at Dudwood Farm, with different sections for Class 0 and the main trial. Everything was very muddy and the special test had to be cancelled. The main trial had to tackle the quagmire at Dudwood 2. It looked impossible and it was, for all but one man, Dean Partington, who powered his way to the summit. 

Fortunately for John White he was joined by everyone else in class 4 in not getting up this last hill, earning him the one and only Triple for 2012.

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Idiosyncratic Ilkley

Dean Partington and Duncan Stephens drop 12 marks, but Best Overall awarded to a competitor in Class 0

The Ilkley continues to be an enjoyable and developing event, despite things being done very differently to the other championship rounds. A couple of the regular sections had to be cancelled because of the wet weather but this was more than compensated for by Stan Peels new find, a section called Coppy alongside Gouthwaite Reservoir although this proved damaging for some in Class 0.

With little regard for 4.1.11 Ilkley winner Mark Busfield  guns his special as he charges the rock pile at the top of Watergate 1. (Picture by Unknown)
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Clerk of the Course Stan Peel had been very worried about the weather building up to the weekend as some of the roads on the route were flooded. Come the day the water had receded but it was still necessary to cancel a couple of sections, including the popular Incline on the outskirts of Pateley Bridge. To compensate a couple of familiar sections at Sword Point were drafted back into use. 

The event attracted quite a good entry of 38 bikes, 14 cars in Class 0 and 33 in the main classes. Most of the events regulars were present, but noticeably only a handle of championship contenders. The main car classes had quite high pressure restrictions of 15psi for Seven and Eight and 12 psi for the others. Class 0 had neither pressure restrictions or restarts

Big Hole at Strid Wood 

With the first Hawpike section being cancelled the picturesque Hawpike 2 was first on the agenda. Quite a few drivers were caught out by the steep bank at the start, including Paul Clay and Nigel Hilling with their 1172 sidevalves and Graham Redmayne in his Liege in Class 0. Graham didn’t make many more errors and went on to an excellent second in Class 0. 

The familiar sections at Strid Wood came next. The first wasn’t too bad for the early cars in class 0, but soon developed a huge hole in the soft surface which only Dean Partington and Stuart Lambert of the later numbers could surmount. The second hill here had a very difficult 90 right onto a track which proved too much for most cars. The few that did get round were trapped by the tight PCT markers higher up and two was the best anyone could do. David Golightly had a good try in his wonderful Model A but got rather crossed up in the process and had a rather alarming unplanned descent through the undergrowth. 

Suburb Green Laning across Pock Stones Moor 

There was a new section called Ellers Edge on Pock Stones Moor. The section was fine but even better was mile after mile of green laning to get to the section and more afterwards, finally emerging at the Hey Slack Section. Ellers Edge was a slippery bank which stopped a surprising number of the entry including all the Lieges apart from Graham Redmayne in Class 0. 

There were the usual two sections at a cold and windy Hey Slack, attempted according to Class. They were very wet at the bottom which prevented competitors attacking the short sharp banks. Nobody climbed the easier one and in 7 and 8 only Duncan Stephens in Class 7 and Dean Partington and Charlie Knifton in Class 8 came out the top. 

The weather was better at the sheltered Peels Wood 1 where the routes were split, class 8 having to descend to the bottom before attacking a steep grassy bank. Only one competitor surmounted this bank and nobody will be surprised that was Dean Partington. The other classes had a much easier route and there were few marks lost. 

Only the higher Classes tackle Wilson Wood 

Wilsons Wood was only attempted by Classes 7 & 8 and didn’t take too many scalps this year. The only two retirements occurred here. Steve Lister had problems with his blown Dellow and there was no Charlie Knifton as his Subaru powered Scorpion had stuck in gear leaving Peels Wood. 

There was a lunch break in the farmyard before Brimham Lodge, with a much appreciated refreshment wagon and toilets. The Brimham Lodge section was in fine form. Cleanable, but it wasn’t easy and about half the cars didn’t succeed in getting up without a tow. David Golightly in the Model A was penalised 50 marks here, presumably for tyre pressures and this cost him a class win. Incidentally the tyre pressure check was at the top of the section, so no chance to adjust them if they didn’t satisfy the marshals gauge. (1)

New Section at Coppy was Rough 

With the Incline Sections cancelled due to the wet ground the route went through Pateley Bridge and alongside Gouthwaite Reservoir to a new section called Coppy. This had a relatively gentle gradient, the challenge was the ruts, rocks and mud. The majority of the Class 0’s running at the front of the field had problems and had to back out. Before long pretty much the entire field were queued on the main road. Fortunately some of the senior competitors stepped in and marshalled the cars onto the adjoining grassy field otherwise there could have been a nasty accident. 

The main classes were not without their problems, but even those that cleared the section had a struggle with the hairy drop into the stream on the exit track. 

After Coppy the route continued to follow the reservoir road to Longside Wood, introduced for last years event. Stan Peel had taken pity on the lower classes and allowed them to start after the tight hairpin at the bottom. The section is a magnificent long blast up a track through a Bluebell Wood, finishing with some tight corners. These were the downfall of the few competitors who got that far, all except Mike Chatwin who was the only clear in his DP Wasp. 

On the Moors above Pateley Bridge

Watergate lay back down the reservoir road, through Pateley Bridge and up onto the moors. Watergate 1 is one of the jewels of the Ilkley Trial, a real classic section in a picturesque setting, such a shame about the car damaging unnecessary artificial bit at the top. There were no restarts for the lower classes but even so it the section claimed scalps on the lower reaches. 

Watergate 2 was a dive into and out of a quarry, cleaned by all but one competitor. 

The Cock Hill Mine section was higher on the moor. Bleak and exposed it was a new variation for most classes, marked PCT style and routed over some big rocks before a tight 90 left onto the exit track. This was quite tricky but competitors in most of the classes managed a clean, including three in Class 2, John Bell (MG TB) and Richard Parker and Sebastian Welch in their Austin Seven’s. David Child did some damage to his Pop here and he missed the remaining sections. 

Back to Peels Wood

There was a second run at Peels Wood on the way back to Otley, with a relatively straightforward restart for those who didn’t have to deviate. The Class 8’s had their deviation again and once again it was only cleaned by a DP Wasp, but it was Mike Chatwin this time. Dean dropped seven, loosing the overall win in the process. 

Two familiar sections at Sword Point weren’t included originally but were drafted in a few days before to replace those lost to the wet ground. The first one had a more attainable route through the trees before the step up to the track. Very few in the lower classes could surmount that so well done to Sam Holmes (beetle), David Golighltly (Ford Model A) and Paul Clay (Ford 10 powered A7) who crested the summit. 

Sword Point 2 was another weave though the trees with a tricky restart on some soft peat thrown in for good measure. This proved a real challenge and only John Bell and Sam Holmes got away. The higher classes didn’t fare much better, most of them failing to get away. 

Finish and Reflections

With so many sections and some substantial delays, later numbers were still trickling into the finish for their supper past 6pm, which was shame for those who had a long journey home followed by work on Monday morning. For those that had the time to enjoy it there was a nice supper, included in the entry fee. 

On reflection the trial was much rougher than usual in places and Class 0 had no respite from these sections on this event. The overall winner came from this class but considering they had no restarts, free tyre pressures and were in a road going Sporting Trials car this attracted quite a bit of comment. 

Having made these comments The Ilkley has never fitted into the mould of the other championship events. Those who come back each year know what to expect and enjoy the event for what it offers. Just a shame it was rough for those who choose Class 0 to avoid damage to their cars.

ClassDriver/CarMarks
OverallMark Busfield (CWB Trident Ford Special)11
0Graham Redmayne (Liege)35
1James Shallcross (Peugeot 205)32
2John Bell (MG TB)34
3Nigel Hilling (Ford Anglia)71
4Sam Holmes (VW Beetle)23
5Kraig Mycock (Riley Nine)62
6No Starters
7Duncan Stephens (Dutton Melos)12
8Dean Partington (DP Wasp)12

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Lands End 2012

Few Strike Gold on Dry Trial

The dry weather took away the stopper status from sections like Rodney’s Revenge and Cutliffe Lane. Elsewhere a tough restart on Bishops Wood reduced the medal count and there was controversy about the condition of Darracott and Blue Hills Two.

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It was a dry when the routes converged at Bridgewater after the regularity test on the night run. The conditions meant that neither Felons Oak or Beggars Roost were too demanding this year. There was no restart on Beggars again but there was a chicane created with tape. Interestingly there was no mention of any penalties to be applied regarding this tape.

Busy at Barbrook

After battling with thick fog over the moors came a new innovation. There was a control at the village hall opposite the petrol station in Barbrook, just before Beggars. Competitors were supposed to wait a few miles up the road at an unmanned holding control so they didn’t arrive to early. Very few, if any, did and the area became congested with cars and people as the signing in desk struggled to cope with the rush. Fortunately next years Clerk of the Course was on hand and plans to organise things differently for next year.

Dry Sections

The fog had cleared by Simonsbath and Rodneys Revenge awaited, a stony track high in the forest complex. It was dry this year and was not the usual stopper for those who didn’t have to restart. Class 8 did have to stop though and this wasn’t so easy, catching out the experienced Tris Whit in his Troll amongst others. Neil Bray cleaned the section in his Rover V8 powered Skoda but retired on the exit track and narrowly escaped getting locked in the forest when the marshals didn’t notice he was still there when they went home.

Neither Cutliffe Lane or Sutcombe were problems for the more experienced triallers.

Darracott was Rough

Although there weren’t too many failures many thought Darracott was very rough this year. It appeared that water had washed the section away before the concrete slabs creating steps that proved a problem for some cars that weren’t really trials prepared.

The usual doctoring of Crackington took its toll, mainly for cars in the lower classes, and for Class Eight who had a restart in the goo. This proved a problem for one or two stalwarts including Eric Wall (Dellow Mk 1) and Brian Partridge (Ridge Cannon). Nick Farmer was another Class Eight to fail, when his draft shaft snapped. Fortunately he managed to obtain another one and continued to gain silver.

Tough Restart at Warleggan

While 1 -5 had a straight run through 6 – 8 had a very rocky restart to contend with and very few managed to get away. Dean Vowden was unfortunate to have the bolt securing the rear radius arm on his VW Notchback come adrift and had to retire with the resulting damage.

The restarts on Hoskin were to be problematical as well, destroying the medal aspirations of much of the field. There was some debate about the initial results from the Class 7&8 restart and there were some changes to the results that were first published.

Burning Rubber at Bishopswood

Drivers in the lower classes may have been feeling complacent without all the restarts but Bishopswood was to change that. Hardly a classic hill its all about the slopes up too and after the cross track. 7 & 8 had their usual attempt on the cobbles while the lower classes, including 1 & 2 had theirs on the un-surfaced lower slope. Only a handful of competitors got away from this and Ian Cundy (VW Golf) and Stuart Roach (HRG) were in this very select group.

Vandals at Blue Hills

Love it or hate it the MCC regards Blue Hills 2 as its showcase section. So the organisers were not pleased to find trenches dug across the section when they arrived on Saturday morning. The decision was made to allow the section to run but it was bad enough not to allow the chairs in Class D to have a go, which didn’t go down well at the time.

Class 0 had the option to attempt BH2 and many of them did, although some of the lower slung sports cars may have regretted their decision!

Despite the problems this years Lands End seemed to go down well with most of the competitors. It was the swansong for the team led by Roger Ugalde for the last decade and they can look back at some very successful events.

We have been publishing stuff about Classic Trials on the Web since 1995 and always appreciate feedback. Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns are all welcome. You can leave a comment to have your say here on this web site or our Social Media

Dave’s Dellow Mechanics

Dave Wall proved Dellow’s can still cut the mustard, beating Tony Underhill to win the Mechanics Trial on Special Test Times

With dry sections the leaders contested the win on the Catswood sections where the slippery Sapseds Big Surprise proved the deciding hill. Dean Partington actually cleaned this beast but fell out of contention when he was one of many to go the wrong way after the restart on Mini Hoskin.

Dave Wall guns his K Series powered Dellow up the deviation on Mini Hoskin on his way to winning The Mechanics Trial. (Picture by Calvin Talbot)
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Alf was fearsome not Delightful! 

After all the recent snowy trials Stoud & DMC had arranged fine weather for The Mechanics as Sam Holmes led the field away from the well organised start in Stonehouse. Sam’s hopes of another Class 4 win were soon dashed when, like all but one competitor in the lower classes, he failed the fearsome restart on Alf’s Delight. The one who succeeded was Ian Moss in his Imp, now running on approved 13 inch wheels. Ian was to continue his form throughout the day, challenging for the overall lead and eventually finishing third overall.

About half the Class 7 & 8’s managed to get away from the restart. They didn’t include Brian Partridge who had a rear upright break on his Ridge Cannon. Aaron Haizelden retired soon after, worried about the oil pressure of his Cosworth engined Escort.

Into Catswood 

After some delightful traditional sections the route entered Catswood from the top, where three observed sections and a Special Test awaited. Sapseds Big Surprise is a slippery, muddy climb between the trees. Only Dean Partington, in his DP Wasp, could clean this difficult section. Dave Wall (Dellow Mk1), Tony Underhill (Triumph Special) and Mike Chatwin (DP Wasp) all came close, but couldn’t quite make it past the one marker. Ian Moss showed his mastery of the conditions, the only car outside of Class Eight to get a two. 

Climbing to the top of Catswood Mini Hoskin awaited. This had a sting in the tail, a restart followed by an immediate 90 left up a steep bank. Unfortunately this deviation wasn’t obvious too most of the entry and around 70% went straight on, dropping four marks in the process. Dean Partington was the big loser here, taking him out of contention for the overall win. 

Greenway Lane 

After the traditional sections at the picturesque King Charles Lane and Bulls Cross the route descended Greenway Lane to the sections on private land half way down. These didn’t have any significant impact on the results but the news is the main track has been repaired and hopefully will be back in action as a section soon 1. 

The Finish 

After some extended Green Laning and another Special Test there was just Bulls Bank and Viaduct to come. These passed without impacting the results and the last competitor signed off at Minchinghampton Golf Club before 5pm, where many realised their mistake by not planning to eat here as the food looked first class.

Congratulations to Dave Wall for proving a Dellow can still win a one day classic trial. It was a shame about the confusion on the route at Mini Hoskin. Lets hope it didn’t spoil too many people’s enjoyment of another well organised Stroud event.

ClassDriver/CarMarks
OverallDave Wall (Dellow Mk1)7
Best StroudTony Underhill (Triumph Special)7
1Dave Haizelden (Golf GTi)17
2John Bell (MG TB)21
3Mark Linforth (Ford Escort)22
4Ian Moss (Hillman Imp)10
5Nick Deacon (Suzuki X90)23
6Harry Butcher (VW Beetle)21
7Rick Neale (Dutton Melos)14
8Mike Wokman (Golden valley Special)11

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March Hare Blizzard

Dean Partington won his third March Hare Trial in a Blizzard, just pipping Mike Pearson on Special Test Times.

It was a memorable March Hare, both for the narrowness of Dean’s victory and the weather, which couldn’t have been worse. A couple of sections had to be cancelled but the rest held out and provided a real challenge. The real heroes of the day were the marshals, who went home wet and cold after providing the competitors with a fine days sport.

Dave Cook captured Dean Partington restarting on Water Tower & Mike Pearson clearing Coombe Hole in the snow before the weather got to his camera’s
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Here Comes the Rain 

No sooner had competitors started to arrive at the start than down came the rain that was to persist throughout the day, when it wasn’t snowing of course! With scruitineering in the sensible hands of John Blakeley and family competitors were soon on their way east, for a series of byway sections in North Hertfordshire. These were enjoyable and contained a fair amount of green laning, but apart from the restart on Cress Beds didn’t affect the results.

Luton Airport 

The first sections were at Copt Hall, on private land were in the shadow of Luton Airport. Had they looked down passengers in the big jets would have seen the first struggle was to get to the sections, nearly three quarters of a mile from the metalled road. Everyone made it in the end but this could have been a section in itself. 

First came a Special Test, with past March Hare winners Dean Partington and Mike Pearson sharing the honours with Liam Rafferty. Mike and Dean were to have a day long battle for the lead, Mike pipping Dean here by 0.5 seconds, split by Liam who was second fastest. 

The first observed section here was quite tricky, starting in the mud before twisting and turning through the trees before climbing a disused railway embankment. Only a select group of Class Eights went clean, headed by the Derbyshire contingent of Dean Partington (DP Wasp), Charlie Knifton (VW Scorpion) and Liam Rafferty (DP Cannon), joined by local Mike Pearson (Dellow Mk2 Replica). A special mention here for Kevin (son of Brian) Alexander who manged to get his diminutive Fiat panda through the mud at the bottom, nearly making it up the railway embankment. 

Strangely the second Copt Hall section wasn’t that muddy and was cleaned by most of the entry. 

Binghams Wood 

With all the rain the organisers had wisely cut out the lower reaches of Beetle Drive, but that still left a heavily rutted section, where the Yellows and Reds had to restart before assaulting Verduns Bank. Only an exclusive group got to sample the exit track. John Plant was the only non-restarter in his ex Adrian Tucker-Peake Peugeot 205. Kevin Barnes joined him in his supercharged Liege, aided by local man Simon Robson in the passengers seat. In Class Eight only Dean Partington went clear, putting him in the lead of the trial. 

Just up the track Webleys Wobble wasn’t subdivided but in the conditions proved difficult, especially with a Class Eight restart. Nobody went clean, although Dean managed to come out the top, dropping back a few feet after the failing the restart and driving out! 

Kensworth

As the route wound its way too the top of Dunstable Downs the rain turned to snow. It was very cold and windy as well and, with no respite on the horizon, some crews in open cars decided to call it a day. 

Proceedings here started with a Special Test round the barn. With all the mud it was a struggle to complete the route but most manged it in the end. Dean Partington set the fastest time with Mike Pearson just behind. This was to give Dean a ST total of 25.1 to Mikes 25.3 which at the finish would decide The March Hare Trophy. Two Observed Sections were planned here but one had to be cancelled when it became to difficult to reach it. 

The section that ran was a blast through the mud, followed by a stony track before turning off onto the grass for an adverse camber S bend. Mike Pearson was the only one clear here. Dean understeered off on the snow covered grass for two, putting him on eight, the same as Mike. Many of the other competitors failed to reach the grassy bit. Of those that did only Dave Oliver (Peugeot 205), Michael Leete (Beetle) and Kevin Barnes (Supercharged Liege) equalled Dean’s score.

Two sections were planned at this new location but this was cut back to one in view of the conditions. Called Coombe Hole it looked like a gentle drive through a copse. Rounding the final corner revealed the sting in the tail, a long dead straight track with a fair gradient. There were only two cleans and by now you won’t be surprised that they were Dean Partington and Mike Pearson, albeit with very contrasting styles! Charlie Knifton came very close to joining them but couldn’t quite coax his VW Scorpion to the section ends board.

There were some spirited attempts in the lower classes and three very different cars managed a four, Dave Oliver and Kevin Barnes were joined by Jade Bray in dad Neils Mk2 Escort with car builder Tony Underhill coming across from the Cotswolds as passenger. 

Hawridge Lane and Hill Farm

Neither of these nice two byways had restarts this year which was a shame. Hill Farm in particular can be quite competitive if the line is put in the right place. 

Back to Binghams

The snow had stopped by the time the field returned to Binghams for the final section. Falcons Folly has a nasty tree rooty restart for the Yellows and Reds. The lower classes didn’t have to restart but even so only Dave Oliver, Michael Leete and Peter Manning (MG Midget) went clear. For those that had to restart it proved impossible for all but two drivers, and I don’t think it takes much guessing to work out they were. Dean Partington and Mike Pearson both ended the trial with up 8 marks, the win just going to Dean as a result of being 0.2 seconds quicker on the Special Tests. 

Charlie Knifton was third overall in his recently acquired VW Scorpion and Dean had better watch out when he gets the hang of this Subaru powered machine. Michael Leete was delighted to be 4th overall on 21, just pipping Liam Rafferty (22), Kevin Barnes (24) and Dave Oliver (25). 

Nigel Jones overcome gear selection problems with his MGF to finish the trial and win class six. Kevin Barnes headed class 7, followed by Roger and Christina Dudley who was second after a close fought battle amongst a quartet of Marlins. 

Back at The Finish 

In the warmth of the Chequers Inn there was much talk on the relative merits of bad weather gear and common agreement that the marshals were the real hero’s of the day. So concluded an event that will be remembered both for the weather and the closest finish the March Hare Trial has seen. Congratulations to Dean Partington on a well deserved win and to Mike Pearson for making it go down to the wire.

ClassDriver/CarMarks
OverallDean Partington (DP Wasp)8
Best FalconMichael Leete (VW Beetle)(21
1Dave Oliver (Peugeot 205)25
2Ivan Sharrock (HRG)39
3Jade Bray (Ford Escort)30
4Michael Leete (VW Beetle)21
5Peter Manning (MG Midget)29
6Nigel Jones (MGF)34
7Kevin Barnes (Liege)24
8Mike Pearson (Dellow Mk2 Replica)8

We have been publishing stuff about Classic Trials on the Web since 1995 and always appreciate feedback. Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns are all welcome. You can leave a comment to have your say here on this web site or our Social Media