You have stumbled on a delightful box of tricks, Classic Trials & other perverse stuff from Michael Leete. MCC ACTC and other trials. VW Beetles, Dellows, Marlins, or even Suzuki X90's
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)
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.
Class
Driver/Car
Marks
Overall
Dean Partington (DP Wasp)
0
1
David Haizelden (Golf GTi)
2
2
Adrian Dommett (Wolseley Hornet)
9
3
Aaron Haizelden (Ford Escort)
12
4
Sam Holmes (VW Beetle)
5
5
Keith Sanders (Reliant Scimitar SS1)
8
6
Gary Browning (VW Beetle)
6
7
Dave Broom (Marlin)
10
8
Dave Wall (Dellow)
5
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
Please help spread the word and share this on your Social Media:
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)
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.
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
Please help spread the word and share this on your Social Media:
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)
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.
Class
Driver/Car
Marks
Overall
Mark Busfield (CWB Trident Ford Special)
11
0
Graham Redmayne (Liege)
35
1
James Shallcross (Peugeot 205)
32
2
John Bell (MG TB)
34
3
Nigel Hilling (Ford Anglia)
71
4
Sam Holmes (VW Beetle)
23
5
Kraig Mycock (Riley Nine)
62
6
No Starters
7
Duncan Stephens (Dutton Melos)
12
8
Dean Partington (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
Please help spread the word and share this on your Social Media:
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.
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
Please help spread the word and share this on your Social Media:
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)
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.
Class
Driver/Car
Marks
Overall
Dave Wall (Dellow Mk1)
7
Best Stroud
Tony Underhill (Triumph Special)
7
1
Dave Haizelden (Golf GTi)
17
2
John Bell (MG TB)
21
3
Mark Linforth (Ford Escort)
22
4
Ian Moss (Hillman Imp)
10
5
Nick Deacon (Suzuki X90)
23
6
Harry Butcher (VW Beetle)
21
7
Rick Neale (Dutton Melos)
14
8
Mike Wokman (Golden valley Special)
11
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
Please help spread the word and share this on your Social Media:
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
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.
Class
Driver/Car
Marks
Overall
Dean Partington (DP Wasp)
8
Best Falcon
Michael Leete (VW Beetle)(
21
1
Dave Oliver (Peugeot 205)
25
2
Ivan Sharrock (HRG)
39
3
Jade Bray (Ford Escort)
30
4
Michael Leete (VW Beetle)
21
5
Peter Manning (MG Midget)
29
6
Nigel Jones (MGF)
34
7
Kevin Barnes (Liege)
24
8
Mike 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
Please help spread the word and share this on your Social Media:
Dean Partington won the Northern Trial with the only clean sheet. Fellow DP Wasp driver Mike Chatwin wasn’t far behind, dropping a solitary mark. Duncan Stephens was third in his Melos.
The Fellside club organised some challenging weather for their annual trip to the forests around Bassenthwaite Lake. The early morning rain turned to sunshine, but snow started falling around noon, followed by hail. This caused problems on some of the sections and Routens Romp had to be cancelled when it became difficult to get to the start. Some of the later numbers either called it a day or missed some sections after this. All this didn’t prevent plenty of smiles at the finish after what most reckoned was a grand event.
Charlie Knifton lifts a wheel as he applies 1800cc of Subaru Turbo Power to the task of restarting on Lothwaite Side. It was a real shame that Dave Cook couldn’t have found a more scenic backdrop 🙂
The rain was pouring down as the early numbers left the start at the “Stocksman”, clearing as they reached the first section and special test at Allhallows Colliery. This was an artificial affair, up and down some very slimy spoil heaps, with some tight corners thrown in. The right right hander after the start was to catch out the majority of the field, who understeered off for a ten. There were only six clears, Bill Bennett joining in with a select group of 7 & 8’s . Nigel Jones had problems when the rivets holding his sumpguard in place sheared and he needed to raid Colin Perryman and Michael Leete’s spares to find some replacement bolts.
Delays at The Black Hole
There was a 15 mile run to The Black Hole, the first of many forestry sections. This is a lovely hill, pretty much straight up, muddy on the lower reaches with some serious ruts where the gradient steepens in the 7 & 8 restart area. The only problem with the section is that even the cleans have to back down, with the inevitable delays. Around half the entry failed this one, mainly in the restart area. Colin Perryman’s trial came to an end hear when his BMW transmission went clunk and had quite a struggle to get recovered back to his trailer.
Snow in Whinlatter Forest
The sections came thick and fast when the event entered Whinlatter Forest. “I’m Back Darling” was a wonderful long hill. The first part was loose stones, the second loose rock! This was the end of Nigel Jones Trial as the MGF’s sump guard got pushed up onto the gearbox linkage. Nigel managed to get it going but retired after the next hill.
After Sheepfold there was a long drive through the forest. The track climbed and climbed, with magnificent views over Bassenthwaite Lake before it started snowing! Lord’s Seat was a grassy forest track with a sting in the tail, a very sharp left hand hairpin, preceded by a restart for 7 & 8. This really sorted out the higher classes, only the DP Wasps, Charles Knifton in his recently acquired, Subaru 1800 Turbo powered, VW Scorpion and Duncan Stephens in his Melos going clear.
The snow had stopped coming down out of the clouds to Ullister Hill where it was replaced by hail! This was cleanable but the final bit was a bit artificial and it was difficult to get past the one marker. Quite a few did, but not Mike Chatwin and the one mark he lost was to give the overall trial win to car builder Dean Partington.
Across the road to Hobcarton Plantation
There were two sections in the adjacent forest. Long Crag was a straight blast which didn’t trouble the leading contenders. Ladyside was a very different hill, not much gradient but some fearsome mud and ruts after the track came out between the trees. There was only one way to go clear here and that’s to drive a DP Wasp, consequently Dean Partington and Mike Chatwin were the only two to experience the exit track.
Problems in Wythop Woods
There should have been five sections in Wythop Woods but there were problems at Routen Romp. The plan was for this to be one of the events stoppers but there was chaos when a lot of cars couldn’t get to the start line. The problem was that the long entrance track was blocked by cars so everyone had to be towed up. The entire field was soon blocking the track and the section had to be cancelled. To get out those in the queue had a half mile reverse before they could turn and go to the next section. In the confusion most of class 0 and one or two of the main trial missed some or all of the sections in Wythop Woods which was a shame.
Falcons Crest and Browns Challenge were both mud baths at the bottom, almost every one floundering for an 11 and 12. Not if you were in a DP Wasp of course and Dean and Mike both blasted through for clears, as did Duncan Stephens on Browns Challenge.
Little Cockup has a real sting in the tail, exiting up a really steep bank. About half those that attempted it went clear though and Myke Pocock in particular was delighted. Chris Maries nearly made it in the heavy Suzuki for a two but this was good enough for him to win Class 5 after Stuart Bartlett was penalised on both special tests and Jonathan Toulmin missedx sections in the woods. Michael Leete choose a really bad line, stopped at the five and reversed into the same tree that he hit a a few years ago!
Louthwaite Side was the final forestry section and Dave Cook was there to take photos on the spectacular rocky hairpin. Fortunately almost everyone was able to go clear and enjoy the long exit track to the tarmac road.
Sandale, What a Hill
It was around 12 miles to Sandale, the best known section on the Northern Trial and what a hill it is. Not that steep but the mud, ruts and spectators make up for it. A northern Crackington if you know what I mean. There is a restart for 7 & 8, right at the muddiest bit where there is a sort of chicane. For the non re-starters the technique is to build your speed on the lower slopes so you are flat out by the time you get to the restart chicane. You will most likely bottom out but with luck you will have enough momentum to slide over the mud on the cars belly and pop out the top like a cork from a bottle!
Thats the theory but its not that easy and even the experienced Bill Bennett failed, perhaps aided by the fact the track of his MG is so narrow it doesn’t fit in the ruts! Perhaps Bill needs DAF as the results show Derek Reynolds cleared the section and that would have raised a cheer! For the restarts it was a question of power, something a Liege doesn’t have that much of, but despite picking up a three here Kevin Barnes was able to win the Class 7 award.
A new section at Carlislegate Lane
John & June Blakley and Alex were here and had a long day as the field was well spread out by the time they got here. There were only a couple of failures on this long muddy track but its a very nice addition to the route as it had a different character to the many forest sections.
Nice Meal at the Finish
There was a super autocross style Special Test on the way back to the finish where a super meal was available. There were many tales to tell but the consensus was that it had been a cracking trial, despite the problems and delays.
Class
Driver/Car
Marks
1st Overall
Dean Partington (DP Wasp)
0
2nd
Mike Chatwin (DP Wasp)
1
3rd
Duncan Stephens (Dutton Melos)
9
0
Keith Thomas (Buckler)
64
1
James Shallcross (Peugeot 205)
34
2
Bill Bennett (MG J2)
26
3
Nigel Hilling (Ford Anglia)
61
4
Michael Leete (VW Beetle)
36
5
Chria Maries (Suzuki X90)
58
7
Kevin Barnes (Liege)
33
8
Charlie Knifton (VW Scorpion)
31
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
Please help spread the word and share this on your Social Media:
With unusually dry conditions there were nine clean sheets, across five classes, so special test times came into play to determine the results.
It was an excellent trial, with some new and reintroduced sections,although the dry conditions made stoppers like The Jenny Wind and Easthope cleanable by mere mortals. The event was notable for the bumper Class Two entry with the VSCC coming out in force to enliven the proceedings.
Clee Hills Winner Dean Partington enjoying the classic section at Castle Hill. Picture by Dave Cook
Clerk of the Course Graham Austin and his Midland Automobile Club Team were rewarded by a bumper entry for this years Clee. A few weeks before numbers were a bit thin and consequently Graham decided to do away with the events familiar double loop system. Come the day there was a full entry of 80, with some prospective competitors turned away. The system worked well though and there were very few delays.
Although there were 22 sections they were not attempted by everyone, as the comprehensive plan sent out with the final instructions revealed. The idea was to more or less eliminate the necessity for restarts by deviations, differential start lines and alternative sections for the different classes.
Muddy Strefford
A muddy Strefford Wood 3 was first on the agenda for 1,2,7 and 8. This defeated all in classes 1 and 7 with Pete Hart doing best to get to the three. Unfortunately some of the VSCC contingent in class 2 had trouble with the entrance track and it was abandoned for them, but not until Bill Bennett stormed to the 5. It was on for the Class 8’s though and half a dozen of them went clean.
Class Eight Flounder
Those who didn’t start at Strefford Wood commenced battle at a reintroduced Flounders Folly, now without the gate on the twist at the start. This proved relatively straightforward for the lower classes, who turned off before the mud started. Classes 7 & 8 had to go straight up where the mud and increasing gradient saw only eventual winner Dean Partington and fellow DP Wasp driver Mike Chatwin go clear. Despite having picked up two punctures already Duncan Stephens came close in his Class 7 Melos, getting to the two, one further than Tim Smith (Marlin). As it turned out these first two hills decided 7 & 8 as the leading contenders were to clean the rest of the sections.
Cleared Callow
The next section was just across the car park and the clearing refers to the organisers efforts with saw and brush cutter to make the section usable. It was a straight blast for everyone but class eight, who had a wicked deviation that was too much for 50% of them, including Adrian Marfell (in his special rather than the Beetle he had entered) and Dudley Sterry. The other classes had to contend with differential start lines which resolved Class 6 as Gary Browning went clear and remained so, while Vic Lockley dropped his only mark of the day. A couple of the Class 0’s went clear, Andrew Isherwood wasn’t in this group, dropping six in his Dellow Mk1. However, these were the only marks he was to lose all day and he went on to win the Class.
Hungerford Returns
2011 saw the return of the marvellous Hungerford, at least if you weren’t in 7 or 8 who gave it a miss. The lower reaches were dry with the exposed rock steps to contend with, not too bad if you took it easy. Once out of the gully the gradient eased and the rocks stopped, replaced by mud and deep ruts that went on and on, a truly marvellous section, if you have the ground clearance. The VSCC contingent did well here but only Rob Wells could coax a Suzuki X90 over the muddy hump at the end, even Jonathan Toulmin, who has done so much for the event, needing a tow. After a Class 0 only section at Harton Wood they were given a taste of the action here, which was perhaps a little unfair for the lower slung cars as some of the ruts were really deep.
Lots of Grip on The Jenny Wind
Everyone attempted The Jenny Wind, but how different can a hill be. It was very dry and there was plenty of grip everywhere, apart from the very top where the gradient increases as the section meets the cross track. The majority of the entry cleaned the section, many for the first time. Most of those that didn’t at least saw the summit, defeated by the mud at that last little rise. This group included Clee stalwarts and Northern Trial organisers Fred Mills (Marlin) and Derek Reynolds (DAF). Having lost Lee Huck at the first section all the class 1’s stormed up, at the expense of a CV joint for Dave Haizelden’s Golf which he soon repaired. Nigel Jones was delighted to go clean in his MGF but decided to retire afterwards with gear selection problems, caused earlier in the day when the sump guard was pushed up onto the linkage,
Into the Woods
Going back through Much Wenlock and onto the B4371 there was a new route into Easthope Wood and its one way system. 7&8 had Major’s Leap and Hill Top on the agenda. Everyone in Class 8 cleaned both and most of the Class 7’s as well.
Classes 1 to 6 were treated to a relatively dry Easthope, cleaned by all but a few who struggled with the bump at the top. Ippikins Rock followed. Its hairpin bend was on form but those that got round were disappointed as it had to be taken out of the results following some confusion regarding the instructions.
Heywood Common
Classes 7 & 8 missed out on this nice little BOAT, that proved surprising difficult. It was rocky, rutty and being shaded the mud hadn’t dried. It certainly sorted out the Class 0’s, only a couple of Dellows a Melos and a Marlin getting to the summit. It defeated quite a few of the VSCC contingent as well. Surprising with the large entry, there were only two Class 3’s in this years Clee and neither climbed Heywood Common. James Smith was to win the Class in his BMW while Derek Reynolds had to retire after Castle.
Castle
The organisers are to be congratulated for finding this fine old track. Everyone had a go and there were no failures despite being restricted to road pressures. It is truly a magnificent setting, providing a stunning backdrop to Dave Cook’s photos.
Rattlinghope & Gattens Gamble
After a nice run over The Long Mynd there was a the usual special test at Rattlinghope followed by Gattens Gamble, run the normal way round this year. It was nice to see the land owner talking to some of the competitors at the start of the section. The club are very lucky to have him support the event with such enthusiasm. He is well known in the area for taking his daughter to school in his tank! The views at the top of Gattens Gamble are truely magnificent, as they were through the Gliding Club on the way to the Priors Holt Complex. One of the many reasons why competitors are attracted to this event.
Priors Holt 4
This was a new hill, despite looking very much like Priors Holt 3. Everyone but Class 0 attempted the section which had differential start lines. The first part was steep muddy rock, although there was plenty of grip, before a sting in the tail when the route dived off into deep muddy ruts before finishing back on the main track. As it happened it didn’t prove a problem to the regulars, although Nick Cleal bogged down in his Peugeot 205
Enterprise Observed Test
There was a long run round the perimeter of the wood to this new special test. The finish line was on a steep bank where, perhaps surprisingly, most people managed to stop astride. Former Clee Clerks of the Course Simon Woodall and Jonathan Toulmin managed the finish line OK but fell foul of line C-C.
With several clean sheets the two observed tests were important. Dean Partington was inch perfect to make it a DP Wasp one, two with Mike Chatwin in Class Eight and take the Fray Cup for the overall winner.
James Shallcross kept to his winning ways in Class 1 while in Class 2 I’m sure even Bill Bennett wouldn’t have minded being pipped to the class by John Bell in his slightly more modern MG TD. Class four was the other category to be decided on test times and John White made it decisive, by nine seconds, over Sam Holmes.
The Slab
This was the first year the lower classes had been let lose on this twisty, bumpy little section. Although tricky there was plenty of grip in the dry and the main contenders had no problems. It was easy to lose control though and David Jackson dived into the bracken in his FPS but was able to continue. Not so Dean Yarranton who retired his Reliant Goose Special in the Priors Holt Complex with a broken diff. Julian Fack was spectaing and promptly sold him a new one!
Priors Holt 1
Adjacent to The Slab, and attempted by only 7 & 8, PH1 is long with loose stones, mud and a steadily increasing gradient. It turned out to be tricky, stopping more than 50% including Ian Davis who had dropped only one mark till then.
Priors Holt 2
The lower Classes were spared the fearsome reverse down PH1 this year but still had PH2 to contend with. This is a very long hill, stony at the bottom, mud and ruts at the top with a restart for 3 to 6, their only one of the day. There was plenty of grip and the section claimed only a few victims. A couple on the sharp corner at the bottom and a few more in the ruts after the sharp right hander at the top.
Strefford Wood 1
The lower classes were off to the finish to sign off after the Piors Holt Sections but 7 & 8 went back across the A49 for Strefford Wood 1 to tackle the full section this time. Things had dried out considerably since the morning but the gully was there to trap the unwary. The section proved a sting in the tail for Andy Curtis who went up the class 7 route in his Buggy, losing the award for second in class in the process.
The Finish
Back at the finish there were a happy crowd of competitors who had enjoyed a near perfect event. OK it was a shame that some of the awards had to be decided on the Observed Tests but the organisers couldn’t have expected things would be so dry. At least it gave some of the stalwarts of the entry list the chance to see the top of a few hills they had never seen before. There were a few criticisms but in true Clee spirit Graham Austin and Adrian Tucker-Peake didn’t defend the situation but vowed to sort them out for next time. Its that attitude which brings competitors and marshals back to this excellent event.
Class
Overall
Dean Partington (DP Wasp)
0
0
Andrew Isherwood (Mk1 Dellow)
6
1
James Shallcross (Peugeot 205)
5
2
John Bell (MG TB)
7
3
James Smith (BMW 318 Si)
6
4
John White (VW Beetle)
0
5
Keith Sanders (Reliant Scimitar SS)
0
6
Gary Browning (VW Beetle)
0
7
Duncan Stephens (Dutton Melos)
5
8
Mike Chatwin (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.
Please help spread the word and share this on your Social Media:
Multiple Incidents Didn’t Detract from an Excellent Exeter Trial
The weather was unseasonably mild but it had been very wet the preceding weeks and some of the sections were very sticky and Wooston Steep and Simms were particularly tough. There was no Meerhay this year and Normans Hump was replaced by neighbouring Marilyn because of logging. There were further problems during the event which resulted in several sections having to be cancelled. However, this didn’t seem to detract from a very good trial.
It was a dry, mild night as competitors left their respective starts. Unusually it was the West Country contingent that were first away, from Plusha on the A30, followed by Cirencester and Popham. The last car scheduled to leave Cirencester was Simon Woodall in his familiar VW Buggy. Unfortunately his Triple hopes were dashed as he retired soon after when the Hall Effect unit failed in his distributor and he wasn’t carrying a set of points.
The routes converged at the Haynes museum at Sparkford, although it was hard to recognise the place as its undergoing redevelopment. Scruitineering was very efficient this year, even with the extra job of checking Spill Kits. In a way the facilities for the trial were better than usual with plenty of room to park on the Kart Track and a nice big room for the control and those that wanted a midnight fry-up.
It was the best part of 55 miles to the first section in Bovey Woods, passing both the entrance and exit tracks to Meerhay, which could not be used because of access problems. Things were different in the woods as the loggers had been at work. This meant that Normans Hump was unavailable but fortunately Tim Whellock and his team know this forest very well through organising the Bovey Down Trial, and opened up an adjacent track which they called Marilyn. With loose stones and a similar gradient to Normans Hump this proved challenging, even without the restart for 6, 7 and 8. The unknown section had a significant effect on the results with many failures, including Greg Warren (Escort) and Dennis Greenslade (Mazda MX5). It was climbable though, and despite the steepness and deep ruts both Peter manning (MG Midget) and Steve Potter (Trojan Utility) went clear. Both went on to win gold medals, a significant achievement in a Trojan.
The familiar Clinton lay waiting deeper into the wood. This was unaffected by logging and there was plenty of grip this year. If Clinton had plenty of grip the upper reaches of Waterloo certainly didn’t. It appears that rain during the week had washed mud from the banks onto the track. When people stopped it was a question of a very difficult recovery or a long reverse down to use the escape road, which was also slippery. Unfortunately a very long queue soon built up and Tim Whellock had no alternative but to cancel the section.
Fortunately the next group of sections near Ottery St Mary proved unproblematic and the trial remained pretty much on time at Exeter Services Rest Halt.
It was a fine, bright day as competitors left Exeter for the second half of the trial, soon turning off the A30 to take the windy back roads to Cheriton Bishop and on to Tillerton. The section has become very rough these days, especially in the restart area which proved challenging for classes 7 & 8. When Dudley Sterry fails a re-start it has to be tough! Fingle seemed smoother than last year and attracted the usual spectators, bunched around the first two hairpins. It wasn’t a lucky hill for Mike Warnes who failed with a fuel blockage and decided to retire his TR7.
If Fingle didn’t claim many scalps that couldn’t be said for Wooston Steep which was in fine form for the restarting 7 & 8’s, defeating the majority of them. Then came Simms. The hill started out muddy at the bottom and dry at the top. However, the mud was soon carried up the hill and the huge number of spectators were entertained by car after car either failing at the big step or slowing so much the soon spun to a halt. It was climbable though, and both Phil Tucker (Triumph TR3A) and John White (Class 4 Beetle) showed that if you picked the right line it was on with a relatively low power to weight ratio.
Reversing down the slippery slope proved a problem for many and crews of several cars had heart stopping moments when they slipped sideways. Finally two ended up on their side. For Alan and Matt Bee it was mostly injured pride in their Austin Seven but it was a hospital job for Alan Spencer and John Dando in their Class Eight Parsons Special. The incident made the Daily Mail and it is to hoped there aren’t to many repercussions. Full marks to Alan and Matt for continuing the trial for a Bronze medal.
Simms had to be cancelled and the delays meant some competitors missed Tipley and Slippery Sam. In the latter case because the marshals had gone when they arrived but one or two climbed the section in any case. Slippery Sam was still live when Nick Farmer came along and tore the rear suspension away from the chassis on a rock. Fortunately he was able to ratchet strap things together enough to get to the finish.
So ended an Exeter that was probably a nightmare for the organisers but somehow proved very enjoyable for the competitors, despite all the problems. Perhaps the weather helped but Tim Whellock and his team have got the trial pretty much right and were unfortunate with the happenings on the day. It must have been very difficult to decide what to do with the results and in the end Simms was cancelled and competitors who missed Tipley and/or Slippery Sam were not penalised.
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
Please help spread the word and share this on your Social Media:
Dean Partington won the Allen Trial with the only Clean Sheet. It was a DP Wasp one-two as Dean’s sister car was 2nd in the hands of Mike Chatwin. Mike only failed the muddy Ubley Woods Three which claimed most of the experienced drivers and potent cars.
As well as the Field Trial sections at Ubley Woods Big Uplands was also on form, ensuring that the all the classes were decided on the hills and not on Special Test Times.
It is testament to the reputation of The Allen Trial, and its organisers that it attracted 63 entries at a time when entries are significantly lower. Not just in Classic Trialling but in all forms of Motorsport. The Allen was known for being run exclusively on classic lanes. In recent years some of these have been lost and this year five of the twelve sections were at private venues.
Fine Weather
The weather was ideal, wet overnight, with a bright sunny day for the event itself. The opening section at Tog Hill, only a few hundred yards from the start, didn’t cause any problems. Not so at Bitton Lane where the restart claimed the scalps of all four of the Suzuki X90’s in class five. There were only a couple of other failures, but these included the Escort of eventual Class Three winner Dick Bolt, who would need all the horsepower of this mega machine to blast through the mud on the later sections to claw back this loss.
Big Uplands on Form
Classes 1 to 6 had their visit to Big Uplands in the morning, while 7 & 8 went straight to Guys Hill. This arrangement is to save time for the the long reverse after the inevitable long list of failures towards the top. This year didn’t disappoint and big names like David Haizelden and Dick Bolt weren’t in the select half dozen who cleaned Big Uplands. Special mention to Peter Jones who came so near in his Suzuki X90. Also too Steve Potter and John Wilton went clear in their marvellous Trojans. Class six was to be decided here as Dean Vowden got out in his Type 3 Notchback while Claire Rippon stopped at the five.
Incident at Guys
Over at Guys Hill the organisers had to help the police and local farmer to sort out a road traffic accident on the exit road. Fortunately all was well when the cars came along. There were a few who might have preferred the section was cancelled as the tree roots were on form, making life particularly difficult for the re-starters in 6, 7 & 8.
More Roots at Travers
The route headed west of Chew Valley lake for the historic Travers section where 6, 7 and 8 had another battle with a tree rooty restart, which eliminated all but Dean and Claire for Class six honours and failed many in Class Seven.
Muddy Ubley
The Ubley Woods complex lay just up the track, where three sections and a special test were laid out on the top of the hill with magnificent views of the Bristol Channel in the fine weather. The observed sections were very muddy and only Dean Partington retained his clean sheet. Simon Woodall was the only other driver to clean the three Ubley’s but had failed at Guys Hill earlier in the day. Simon was to drop further from contention when he failed the restart at Burledge. He wasn’t the only one and the section is returning to competitiveness after many years following its resurfacing.
Pete Hart and his team had put a lot of work into the Lakeside sections since last year. Unfortunately everything didn’t go too plan, with Mullholland Bank having to be cancelled after PR problems. Then Chimney had to be abandoned for 7 & 8 for safety reasons after a couple of incidents with rear engined cars becoming too light on the front end. Fortunately this didn’t affect the overall result as Dean Partington had gone clean before the closure.
Magnificent John Walker
Seven and Eight had their attempt at Big Uplands on the way to the events finale at John Walker which was as magnificent as ever. Well perhaps not so magnificent for Nick Farmer who dropped six after a puncture resulting in a tyre come off the rim.
Another Classic Allen
So ended another classic Allen Trial. Charlie Kifton was delighted to win Class 1, a rare defeat for Dave Haizelden in this class. Sam Holmes won an event long battle with Hans Viertel and Ryan Tonkin emerging class four winner with his performance on the Ubley sections. In Class 7 Mal Allen won the battle of three Marlins followed by Kevin Barnes in his newly rebuilt supercharged Liege.
Class
1
Charles Knifton (Peugeot 205)
11
2
Adrian Dommett (Wolseley Hornet)
7
3
Dick Bolt (Ford Escort)
15
4
Sam Holmes (VW Beetle)
11
5
Keith Sanders (Reliant Scimitar SS)
17
6
Dean Vowden (VW Type 3 Notchback)
24
7
Mal Allen (Marlin)
10
8
Dean 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
Please help spread the word and share this on your Social Media:
Classical Gas 