Category: MCC

After last years medal feast there were no Golds awarded on this years Edinburgh, the only clean sheets going to John Kenny (Beta Alp) and Murray Montgomery-Smith (Marlin) who received the premier awards and Michael Weeks (MG Midget) the Class 5 award.***

 It was a difficult trial for both the organisers and competitors. With old favourites like Haggside, Great Hucklow and the traditional Litton Slack unavailable it was a very different route to usual. However, rain in the week leading up to the trial caused further problems and Grangemouth was cancelled at the start and Litton after the bikes had gone through.

Most of the severely diminished entry enjoyed the trial although there was a feeling that some of the sections were too rough for an MCC event.

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After a wet few days it was dry without much wind when competitors gathered for the start at Tamworth Services. Unfortunately, despite the clubs warning, a few arriving to early got a nice surprise a few weeks after the event when they got a parking ticket for staying too long!

After a main road run to Ashbourne there was a holding control at Carsington Water before the first section. There were some delays here, giving Michael Weeks time to sort some issues with the exhaust of their Midget.

The first section at Haven Hill had a common restart for all, omitting last years controversial deviation. This didn’t cause any problems for the main trial but some of the lower slung cars in Class 0 had problems with ground clearance causing a few delays.

Rileys Rise was a new section this year. It was slippery, which caused problems for some of the motorcyclists who found difficulty staying on their machines. The section itself wasn’t to troublesome for the four wheeled brigade, but getting to “Section Begins” was a problem for some and there were long delays for later numbers. 

Classes C, E, 0 and 1 didn’t attempt Rileys Rise and went directly to a special section for them, Deep Rake, the first of three sections in the quarry complex south of Stoney Middleton. There was a restart on slippery grassy bend but this didn’t cause too many failures.

The Deep Rake Special Test was just up the track. A figure of eight with a very large puddle just before the end. This produced a few failures with competitors over-running the line. John Parsons was one of these. John’s VW Buggy was not running well and running later and later he retired a few sections after, only to have the transmission fail just before home.

There were many miles of nice green laning though the quarry complex to get to Black Harry, where a 10mph speed limit was in force on the section. Everyone, including Class 0, had to restart before exiting the summit. Trojan driver John Whilton was mashalling the start, warning of a big rock just round the corner where some lower slung cars had grounded. In the main trial most cars went clean but the experienced Nick Farmer, didn’t get away in his Class 1 Astra. The restart proved a challenge for Class 0 and Verdun Webley (Rickman Ranger) was one of many to loose his clean sheet here.

While Class 0 went for their breakfast at Bull I’th Thorn the other classes went to the horror that was Putwell. Sadly this much loved section, with his magnificent views across to Monsail Head, has become rougher and rougher and is reckoned by sum to be past its sell by date. Michael Weeks had two punctures on his way to cleaning the second section, although the results show a fail, depriving him of a clean sheet. (This was amended in the published final results***) Michael and Colin were appreciative of assistance received from Duncan Welch, Brian Alexander and John Parsons that enabled them to finish the event. Steve Kenny was one of many others to puncture here but the delay between the two sections enabled him to change both a wheel and a tube.

Litton should have been after the break. It was for the motorcyclists but not the traditional section which is not available. The hill was approached through by turning off the main road at the Anglers Rest and following the river valley to Litton Mill. Then, from approximately the usual start line, the hill went up the normal approach road before picking up the grassy Class 0 section and finishing in the usual place. The bikes were OK and so were the initial experienced competitors in well prepared cars. Unfortunately the earlier delays meant that some Class 0 cars were running towards the head of the four wheeled brigade. Several had problems getting to section begins and nervous of PR issues the Chief Official called a halt to proceedings. Julian Lack and David Bache were amongst the lucky few to get an attempt and reported it was a good section.

Later numbers were diverted from breakfast directly to Bamford Clough, where there were more delays for later numbers. This is inevitable for such a long hill, surely the highlight of the trial, and competitors are used to waiting for their turn. This was another section reckoned to be rough, caused by water eroding the loose material where the concrete patches end, creating “steps”. There was a restart as well for the higher classes and this claimed many victims. When Dudley Sterry fails a section its got to a be a tough one!

After Bamford the main trial headed south to join class 0 at Calton. Everyone except classes E and 0 had a restart on polished stones and around 40% of the cars couldn’t get away. Some in Class 0 had issues as well and neither Mike Westbrook (Dellow) nor Verdun Webley (Rickman Ranger) had enough momentum and stopped.  John Beaumont had transmission problems with his rear engined, A series powered Reliant. It took John a while but he worked on the car on the windswept summit and went on to finish the event.

After tea and cakes at Hollinsclough Village Hall the main trial went to the short Rakes Head section while Class 0 went direct to Excelsior where, unlike the rest of the trial, they didn’t have to restart. The section comprises exposed rock and toughened up as the day went on and the loose covering material was burnt away. Steve Lister was giving his ex Geoff May Dellow its first outing and was one who spoilt his clean sheet on those polished stones.

Class 0 had their own section at Moneystones with MCC Secretary Peter Lawley in charge. This is a super section for Class 0 who appreciated Peter and his team standing out in the cold just for them.

With the section at Grangewood inaccessible after the rain and cancelled before the start the route followed an unfamiliar path to Darley Bridge and the Clough Mine/Clough Wood complex. There was some confusion here as the “Enthoven” sign isn’t visible from this direction and a lot of people missed the turn.

The two sections at Clough Mine were muddy affairs. Everyone did the first one, in front of Dave Cook’s lens. Dave was the MCC’s official photographer for the event and as I am not sure of the arrangement he has with the club I have not used or linked to his pictures here. The nature of these sections was different to the MCC’s traditional Derbyshire Fayre but with all the problems with officialdom may well have to feature in the future if the old favourites are denied.

The main trial then used Clough Wood while Class 0 went directly to the Dudwood Complex on private land.

Dudwood 1 was a muddy horror and the A boards came into the reckoning for all accept Class 8 where Robin Preedy went clear in his special.

Dudwood 2 went up into a wood and was attempted by everyone. After a gentle start it became rutted and rough. It was possible to blast up but it was far to damaging for Class 0 which was a shame as the rest of the event had been ideal for those who like to be gentle on their pride and joy.

And finally we came to the Dudwood Special Test. A simple blast round in a circle, only it wasn’t so simple as it was on heavily rutted loose material. This caused a lot of problems to Class 0 and cost Richard Andrews his Tin. Clean up till now, even though he had done some damage to his Dellow on the last section, Richard floundered in the mud and that was the end of his medal hopes.

For once there was very little wind back at the Bull I th Thorn finish, so competitors could stand outside and chat while they watched the stragglers drift in, some quite a few hours behind time.

The day finished with a club supper in Buxton. Once again this wasn’t very well supported, and with no words from the management, provided an anti-climax to the event. Trialling in Derbyshire has a special atmosphere but with a thin entry list and problems obtaining the use of the old sections it is becoming an organisational challenge. Lets hope the MCC can rise to these challenges so the event can continue.

*** amended to reflect changed final results. Michael was previously shown as failing Putwell B

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A comparatively easy route, and dry weather, meant the competitors won this years battle against the club, with a lot of happy MCC members winning a medal on the trial and 14 the coveted triple. The organisers had a lot of problems gaining permission to use sections and favourites like Litton Slack and Great Hucklow were omitted. Of the sections that remained Putwell and Bamford were considered much rougher than usual.

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It was nice and dry without much wind when competitors gathered for the start at Tamworth Services, those arriving to early getting a nice surprise a few weeks after the event when they got a parking ticket for staying too long! These didn’t include Peter Mountain or Don Stringer as neither were able to take the start. 

The run in to the first section at Wigber Low was over good roads. The MCC had made the holding control a time control as well. With the prospect of penalties for early arrival lay-bys and driveways were full of competitors whiling away time, which in the event may have been more disruptive to the local community than an orderly queue on the deserted country road where the holding control was situated! Ross Nuten was one of those parked up with his Dellow Mk2, not waiting but broken down with electrical problems. At the time Ross thought it was a capacitor issue, but after a re occurrence on a Falcons Brickhill Trial the following week, it appears the inside of the Aldon distributor had come apart.

Wigber Low didn’t present any problems to the main trial and failed only a couple of bikes in Class 0, including John Turner on his Lambretta Li 150. With such an unsuitable machine John deserved a special medal for finishing the route, despite being rather intimidated by the omni-present course closing car for most of the trial. 

Having passed Haven Hill on the way to the first section the route went in a circle before retuning to this rather rutted track across a field before venturing into a small wood. Here competitors on the main trial did a restart and diverted off to the left, round a taped off chicane. This was controversial as it wasn’t mentioned in the routecard and in the end those who wrong routed were credited with a clean, including Bill Moffatt in his Reliant Scimitar who would have lost his Triple had the section stood. 

Class 0 bypassed Clough Wood, where car competitors had their usual long wait for the bikes to clear, this section always causing them problems. It didn’t pose to much difficulty for the four wheeled brigade, Nick Farmer in his Cannon Alfa being a notable exception. The engine kept dying despite Nick changing most of the ignition and cleaning out the fuel system. After the event Nick discovered the problem was the ignition switch. 

Then it was North up the A6 to the quarry complex where Class 0 had their own nice little section at Deep Rake with a restart before joining the main trial for the Deep Rake Special Test and the Black Harry section where they were didn’t have to do the restart. These sections were quite exposed. A cold wind had whipped up which wasn’t so great for the marshals. These sections didn’t trouble the scorer to much apart for poor Reg Taylor who was penalised for hitting a marker on Deep Rake.

While Class 0 went off for their breakfast at Bull I’th Thorn competitors in the main trial went to Putwell, considered by many to be the roughest hill on the trial. Robin Barlow would certainly agree after breaking the diff on his Dellow Mk2, running in Class 8 because of its OHIV cylinder head. Despite being so rough there were were few failures but it did claim the scalps of Kevin Barnes in his Liege and Beetle mounted John Looker. Michael Weeks punctured in his Midget but still cleaned the section, going on to win a Triple in his first MCC season.

Class 0 went directly to Calton after the break, missing out the main trials 25 mile loop as they visited the sections at Bamford Clough and Elmore. David Alderson was Chief Official at Bamford and reckoned it was a lot rougher than when he last drove it a few years ago. Competitors in low powered cars who eased off over the bumps paid the price when they didn’t have the power to re-build their momentum. Classes Seven and Eight had a restart. It proved to much for Nick Farmers Cannon Alfa which was still not running properly and Paul Bartleman was another Class 8 driver who lost his gold here. In Class Seven the restart wasn’t Liege friendly Julian Lack, Mark Endley, Kevin Barnes and Steve Kenny al being penalised. Arthur Jones was clean in his larger engined car running in Class Eight and Colin Marshal proved it could be done with a Reliant engine in Class Seven. Myke Pocock had a drive shaft pop out but fortunately had a spare and was able to change it back down in the village. The good news was that the engine is finally running well. 

After Bamford the main trial headed south to join class 0 at Calton. There was a section called Elmore on the way, located on the rough track between Brough and Abney, heading over the top of Bradwell Edge, bypassing the usual run through Bradwell itself. Everyone had a restart on the section, which competitors reckoned was another rough one. It certainly wasn’t very friendly too Stuart Harrold and Chris Phillips. The rocks proved to much for one of the balljoints on the front section which popped out, disabling their Troll as they exited the section. Not to be thwarted they, like Fred Gregory on Putwell a few years ago, found the missing nut and were able to continue to gain a gold.

Down at Calton Classes 0 and 1 didn’t have to restart but the others did. This wasn’t very Falcon friendly and both John Parsons (VW Buggy) and Peter Thompson (Opel Kadett) were given fails. John’s Buggy sports a type 4 engine, a smart paint job and a different number. However, it is the well trialled machine, campaigned by Graham Marshall before he switched to the RDT, and David Thompson before he purchased his Troll from David Alderson.

Stephen Kingstone had been clean up till now in his Midget. He was also to fail on Calton and was given a run back on the restart at the Excelsior section where everyone except Class 0 had to stop and get going on the polished stones between the ninety right and ninety left, their efforts captured by John Salters lens. The dry conditions made the section easier than some years but it still claimed Myke Pocock in his Skoda and the Suzuki X90’s of Howard Blackwell, Marvin Hurst and Peter Grenyer. Brian Alexander proved it was possible to get away in a heavy XC90 but unfortunately he had failed the previous section at Rakes Head.

There was nice bit of green laning between Excelsior and Moneystones, so the route could bypass the village of Hartington. Unfortunately there was some confusion between the route marking and the route card. Some of the early numbers followed the routecard before getting lost, going back and following the marking which was correct.

Moneystones was similar to last year. Everyone had a restart in one the Edinburgh’s tiny boxes. Class 0 had a straight run up the track but like Haven Hill the main trial had a diversion that wan’t mentioned in the route card. Unlike Haven Hill this stood in the results, costing Stuart Roach his triple, as Stuart was shown as stopping in his Austin Seven. 

The same sort of layout was used just across the A515 at Middleton Steep. This was the last section for Classes 1 to 6 who didn’t have a section at Dudwood, only driving the special test there. 

There was a lot going on at Dudwood, centred on a farm. Class 0 had their own section. The lower part, on a surfaced track, wasn’t too problematical but as it went into the trees there was a restart, followed by some ruts which provided ground clearance issues for some of the lower slung cars. Jonathan Laver was just able to ease his wheels past the sections end board to gain a coveted Trio award in his MGB GT. 

The other Dudwood section was for 7 and 8 and proved a sting in the tail. There was a restart and all the Lieges remaining in the trial failed. It did require a bit of power and there were trees to catch the unwary, as Nick Woolett found when he hit one, damaging a front wing and loosing his gold. 

The Dudwood Special Test was the last competitive section. It was fortunate the weather was dry as there was a soft bank to surmount towards the end. As it was there were a few failures including Paul Allaway who lost a gold in his Astra and Barry Clarke who according to the results didn’t! 

It was still blowing a gale back at the Bull I’th Thorn finish, not encouraging competitors to stay and chat unless they could find some room in one of the crowded bars. The day finished with a club supper in Buxton. This wasn’t very well supported, and with no “words from the management”, provided an anti-climax to what had otherwise been an enjoyable event. It was disappointing not to drive some of the usual sections. However, it was still an interesting route although the very dry conditions didn’t give the sections the bite the organisers would have wished for.

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It was a cold and wet Edinburgh for the later numbers, causing problems at Litton Slack and especially the final section at Moneystones which finished off many triple hopes.

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The usual start at Tamworth Services saw a route amendment that eliminated Haven Hill for the main trial, who joined class 0 on Wigber Low. The sky was clear, so it was a cold trip north up the A515 through Ashborne to Wigber Low, where the normal holding control ensured there wasn’t a queue on the main road where the section started just up the track. This was a pretty straightforward section, although quite rocky, which may not have been ideal for the more delicate cars in Class 0. It wasn’t a happy hill for Myke Pocock, as having come all the way down from Carlisle he had too retire with damaged rockers. Fellow Skoda driver Aaron Homewood had to nurse his car round with a collapsing driveshaft bearing and starter solenoid problems. Team mate Nigel Jones was the only one who went round trouble free although both Litton and Moneystones defeated him. 

It was quite a long way to the second section at Clough Wood, considered a bit rough for Class 0. The cars were delayed at the start as quite a few bikes had still to make their attempts. There was a restart for 6, 7 and 8 but this wasn’t to present many problems. 

The Deep Rake special test was a real corker. A nice straightforward figure of eight blast round a super track in a quarry, ending with surfing through a small lake! This tested out the waterproofing of the electrics before the forthcoming rain! Roger and Tania Beaumont, on their first trial on their 2CV based Blackjack Avion, were amongst those who discovered some improvements were required! 

The observed section at Black Harry was in the same quarry complex, although it was a a couple of miles away, mostly on extremely well made tracks. Everyone attempted this, with a restart for all except class 0. 

Litton Slack was next, passing the approach to Putwell, sadly not on this years agenda. The section was pretty slippery, but the bikes were having a fair crack at it, with a lot of them going clean. The successful solos seemed to choose the grass by the side of the track, many of those who chose the ruts fell off! The bikes were starting on the main track by the telegraph pole. But Chief Official Roger Ugalde was concerned that the less able cars would be able to get across the grass to the start line, so changed the section in order the four wheeled brigade could blast off on the lower reaches of the normal approach track. This didn’t help a lot initially as many of the cars really struggled for grip in the start area. It started to get easier as successive competitors cleared the mud off the limestone chipping’s put down by the MCC in the early 90’s. Good conditions didn’t last long and things got tricky again when the rain come down and remained for the rest of the day. 

Harry Butcher lost his triple here but some class eights stormed to the top, including Dudley Sterry (MG J2), Dean Partington (DP Wasp) and triple contender Bill Appleton (VW Buggy). Non Restarting Triple Contenders Simon Groves (Escort) and Giles Greenslade (1300 Beetle) both got to the A Boards so were hoping they would still be in the running. Andrew Martin saw his triple hopes disappear in a shower of stripped teeth as the diff on his Dutton Melos failed as he tried to restart. 

Calton was a killer a few years ago, until the ruts were filled in and emasculated the section. The restart was more or less on the flat so not to many problems here. 

Breakfast at The Bull I’th Thorn was a copious and rather heavy affair, but gave later competitors a break out of the wind and rain. Falcons Ross Nuten and Ted Holloway both retired here. At the start Ross noticed he had lost a lot of oil on the trip up from Hertfordshire. He topped up using all his spare but it was still disappearing as the morning went on, and as neither Ross nor his passenger were feeling that great they called it a day. Ted was finding his rather low slung Enigma special was taking too much punishment. Running so late, and having a lot to do on Sunday, Ted decided to turn for home. At least his SU carbed CVH motor ran well. 

Haydale – Like Calton there was a restart on the flat. However, it was more slippery and had to be approached through some fearsome ruts so Class 0 were probably relieved they didn’t have to attempt this one. Once away from the restart the gradient starts and its quite a well surfaced track. 

Bamford Clough – Along with Litton Slack this is one of the Edinburgh’s “big ones” and this year did not disappoint. There is no mud on Bamford. Just rock and some concrete where the MCC working parties have been active. This forms some fearsome steps. Some describe these as rough but its all a matter of how you approach them and they very much form the character of the hill. This year the restart for the higher classes was quite high up, on one of the steepest concrete steps. This caused a delay when competitors failed as it takes more than a minute for most competitors to get up the hill, even if they go clean. This is extended to more than a couple of minutes for failures. There was a delay of the best part of half an hour for the first cars so it was inevitable this would build up to more than two hours by the time the last of the entry went through. 

The early cars found plenty of grip but even so the restart was to prove quite a challenge, which was to increase as the surface became more and more slippery through the day. Mike Pearson was one of many who couldn’t get off the restart, backed down a few yards and just drove up.

Peter Mountain was pleased to go clean in his Dellow Mk1, but no sooner had he hit the road again than he got involved in an emergency at the petrol station by the traffic lights, where a staff member was receiving artificial respiration and it took some 15 minutes for an ambulance to arrive. 

Great Hucklow has been one of the Edinburgh’s most feared sections in recent years. Many competitors feeling that deviating left over the dinosaur eggs was far to damaging for their cars, even if good spectator value. No problems this year, as it has been fenced off, so the organisers were limited to the main track. Even so this was quite rutted and muddy and was probably challenging for the lower slung class 0’s. There was a restart for the higher classes. 

Hollinsclough Village Hall – A nice break for tea and some excellent cakes although the ladies of the village had to work some overtime as Mike Pearson, running at the back of the field arrived there no less than three and a half hours behind schedule. 

Rakes Head – Starting on the surfaced road this short sharp section is all about a rocky restart for the higher classes which didn’t claim too many victims amongst the early numbers but was really slippery towards the end and even Mike Pearson couldn’t ease his Dellow Rep away. 

Excelsior – Here the challenge is a very slippery restart for all except Class 0 on polished flint. To make things tougher the shallow box was positioned in its usual place, right on the 90 left just where the gradient is the steepest. Again there was a half hour wait even for the early cars, boosted in numbers by the Class 0’s who were doing this one as well. Consequently the Chief Official wisely decided to abandon the restart to keep the trial moving. 

Moneystones – Normally considered far to easy for the main trial competitors still on for their triple must have been mentally clearing space on their mantelpiece for the coveted award. However, their was a catch. In the summer the MCC had solicited the services of local man Dean Partington and his fearsome special to test out some new ideas. This resulted in a restart, immediately followed by a deviation off the stony track onto the grassy verge. This may had been OK if it had stayed dry but as the day went on and the rain came down it became muddier and muddier until the end it was only cleanable by supermen in their rocket ships! These didn’t include Ray Goodright, Simon Groves or Giles Greenslade, both of who lost their triples here. Andrew Martin manged to blast his way through, as did Dudley Sterry, one of the few car competitors claiming gold. 

Moneystones Special Test – Another nice straightforward special test but not enjoyed by those who had just lost their triples on the observed section. 

Middleton Steep (Class 0 only)

Club Supper at The Pavillion Gardens – The day finished with a nice meal at the Pavillion Gardens which would have been pretty much perfect had the presidential PA worked. However, he rose to the occasion by walking round and repeating his message to those who couldn’t hear him. Well done for that.

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