Dave Foreshew’s Clee

Dave Foreshew wins Clee Hills Trial

Dave had a clear victory, dropping only ten marks, seven less than Andrew and Sticker Martin who both dropped 17 in their Escorts. It has to be said that the lower classes had significantly easier routes, one of the features of The Clee Hills Trial. There had been a lot of rain leading up to the start and some of the sections were pretty sticky, leading to some cancellations. Nerveless, despite this and some route card problems, the Clee maintained its reputation as an thoroughly enjoyable and continually evolving event.

Lindon Alcock and Tessa Harrison Puzzle at the Penhale’s Special Test with their Dellow Mk2 in this Video by Claire Oakes.
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Dave Cooks Photos

 In recent years the Clee has employed a unique system where the route is two circles, forming a figure of eight with the start in the centre. The entry is split according to class. So 6, 7 and 8 do one loop first while the other classes do the other. It’s a bit more complicated as class 0 have some unique sections and omit some used by 1 to 5, while 6,7 and 8 also have some unique sections. Why am I telling you this? So you understand that as a competitor in class 4 I didn’t see all the sections! 

Penhale’s Puzzler Special Test – I will start by being sarcastic and say that the first puzzle was finding the damn thing! Fortunately one of our fellow Beetle driversknew where it was and the rest of class 4 followed them! When we got there it wasn’t so much of a puzzle as a very nice marshal told us what to do, which was to drive forwards in a circle, then retrace in reverse. Kevin Barnes didn’t make it this far in his venerable Singer ADU, retiring less than a mile from the start when the cylinder head failed. 

Section 10 Flounders Folly – A very slippery route though the trees next to the special test. There wasn’t really a track there so there was no bottom and the wet clay was very slippery. Everyone spun to a halt in the slime. Dudley Sterry got the furthest, stopping just before the sections ends board. Eventual winner David Foreshew came just behind, making the two. Both Stephen Kenny and Mark Endley retired their Liege’s here, Stephen with a disintegrating distributor. 

Section 13 Easthope 1 – This is in the same complex as the old Ipikins Rock section, which wasn’t used this year. It’s a muddy track with some pretty deep ruts. Quite a few cars in 7 and 8 cleared the section but most who got through the ruts at the bottom OK spun to a stop as the going got more slippery. 

Section 14 Easthope 3 – Attempted only by the lower classes the section started with a horrible right hand hairpin which defeated many, most of the remainder failed to surmount the deviation that lay just ahead. It was possible though, and the eventual winners of classes one to four all went clean, although goodness knows how Dave Haizelden managed it in his Golf.

Section 15 Majors Leap – Only attempted by the reds and yellows Dave Foreshew was the only clear. 

Section 16 The Jenny Wind – Well known section which has been used on The Clee for many years and was trialled before the war. After the sharp right hander its straight up if you can. Most couldn’t and spun to a stop on the lower reaches, way below Dave Cooks camera! Nigel Jones had to retire here with driveshaft problems and Nigel Scotford dropped out with clutch issues in the ex-Courtney Yandle Skoda. Nick Farmer had electrical problems with the ex-Tony Rothin Cannon Alfa but was able to continue. 

Section 17 Harley Bank – This used to be a wonderful long track but the old route has become too easy after council re-surfacing so there is now a horrible deviation with a very tight left-hand corner which was impossible in the sticky clay.

The 2nd loop had a very different character. Much more picturesque, more rocks and less mud. It started with a trip over The Long Myndd. It was very clear so there were some wonderful views. Its a long way down, with unprotected drops. At least when it was used as a selective in Motoring News Rallies it was dark and they couldn’t see what would happen if you didn’t make the corners! 

Section 1 – Ratlinghope – Not particularly competitive but a wonderful long old section. It should have been followed by… 

Section 2 – Phil’s Folly – Unfortunately the conditions were to bad to allow this old track to be used this year. Something I have experience off when marshalling the section a few years ago. Nobody was more disappointed than John Sergeant who was first going to be marshalling at Round Oak before it was cancelled, only to arrive at Phil’s Folly and find that couldn’t be used. 

Section 3 – Gatten’s Gamble – Starting in farmer Phil Harding’s yard this is another wonderful long up and over Clee sections with fantastic views crossing the summit. 

Section 4 – Allez ‘Oop1 – Classes 6, 7 and 8 all went clear as they climbed this cleft in the hillside, made infamous by C.A.N. Mays book Wheelspin. Although it has been resurfaced since, it couldn’t be taken lightly, and claimed some scalps amongst the lower powered cars for who were using  it as a section. At the top the route followed the southern ridge of The Long Mynd before entering the forestry containing the Priors Halt sections. 

Section 5 – Priors Holt 3 – Another Clee section Mike Hayward and I have marshalled, and as last year there were multiple restart lines depending on your class. There was plenty of grip for the later numbers, to much in some cases as some of the less powerful cars on low pressures found themselves bogging down. Giles Greenslade went clear for the second year on his way to winning class four, as did both Sticker and Arnie Martin in their Escorts. 

Long Mynd Special Test – Nice timed rocky climb with a nifty descent where it was all too possible to overshoot the finish line. Unfortunately it was probably a bit steep for some of the lower powered cars as several of them couldn’t make the climb. 

Section 6 – Priors Holt 2 – Yet another section Mike Hayward and I have marshalled. Used only for Class 0 this year. 

Section 7 – Priors Holt 3 – A steep climb with loose rock, demanding close attention to tyre pressures and throttle control. This was the last section for the lower classes as Strefford Wood was cancelled after 6,7 and 8 passed through and Round Oak was taken out before the cars started although this failed to get into some of the road books.

Best OverallDave Foreshew (Ford Dingo)10
Class Winners
1David Haizelden (VW Golf GTi)30
2Adrian Dommett (Wolesley Hornet)25
3Andrew Martin (Ford Escort)17
4Giles Greenslade (VW Beetle)22
5Thomas Aldrian (Austin 7)40
6Gary Browning (VW Beetle)30
7Mal Allen (Marlin)40
8Dudley Sterry (MG J2)21
0Keith Hill (Singer Junior)24

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

Exeter Trial 2008

Another Excellent Exeter

A very wet night followed by a tough trial for Class 0.

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It was a very rainy night, a tough one for those in open cars and the bikers, who included Ted Holloway, riding in Class 0 on his MZ. John Parsons was nice and dry though, in his road car, as he couldn’t take the start after un-resolvable lighting problems with his VW Buggy. 

The rain had cleared, for a while at least, as the cars tackled Meerhay, which although it wasn’t challenging is a very nice start to the competitive sections. Both here and at the next sections Gatcombe Lane the marshals had magnificent braziers going to fight off the chill of a cold night. 

Into Bovey Woods and Normans Hump awaited, seemingly smoother on the upper reaches, at least for the early numbers. Things were spiced up a bit here for class three as they had to restart on the cross track, just like the yellows and reds. The section took its usual crop of scalps, including Brian Alexander, back behind the wheel after a couple of years marshalling Wooston Steep. Clinton was just up the track and wasn’t very Skoda friendly this year, costing both Aaron Homewood and Philip Mitchell their gold medals. 

Waterloo was David Haizelden’s Waterloo this year, loosing his triple when he stopped on the old section, as did Nicola Wainwright. There were three more sections before the rest stop at Exeter services where Ted Holloway had retired, finding the road gearing of his MZ far to high for the off road sections. 

Tillerton was as rough and rocky as ever, complete with its challenging restart for the higher classes. Mike Pearson was particularly pleased to get away as he had stopped in a difficult place. 

There were delays at Fingle, some of the class 0 cars struggling with the ever deepening ruts on this previously smooth hill. Then came Wooston Steep, a fearsome obstacle for the early runners in the higher classes. The problem was the leaves and mud in the ruts and it wasn’t until Brian Colman came along in his Dutton Phaeton that the first car blasted up. Paul Bartleman was one of his unlucky ones, spinning his triple away in the leaves. 

The lower classes turned off the track before the gradient steepened, this area really cut up and became a problem for the later runners with small wheels and Bill Rosten lost his gold here. 

While this was going on Hitchcombe was proving a major problem for Class 0 and afterwards Mike Oakins emerged with the only Trio. Neither Fred Gregory or Verdun Webley were successful in their Rickman Rangers, Verdun having purchased his especially for the event and Fred loosing his Trio. 

Simms had been resurfaced for the event, making it a little easier this year. Nerveless it was a wonderful achievement for Steve Potter to go clear here, his wonderful Trojan getting the biggest cheer of the day. 

Only the rocky sections of Tipley and Slippery Sam had to be completed before the finish at Torquay to conclude a very good Exeter Trial.

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

Ilkley Trial

Bill Bennett Best Car

The Ilkley Club were lucky with the weather. It was a nice early summer day for the event, but wet weather during the week spiced the sections up a bit. Bill Bennett was a decisive winner, dropping only two marks after the second slippery PCT section. The higher classes had some extra challenges, including an “impossible” section at Peel’s Wood. However, even without these Bill would still have won.

The competitors all enjoyed this unique event which, incorporating a lot of grassy sections, PCT marking and stopping to have score cards marked on each section, falls somewhere between a conventional Classic and a Production Car Trial.

Bill Bennett picks his way through the rocks at the Dob Park Watersplash on his way to winning The Ilkley Trial (Picture by Dave Cook)
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Dave Cooks Photos

The grounds of Ilkley Rugby Club provided ample room for parking and formalities although one wondered if the club should have been there as the burglar alarm was in full song for quite a while!

The first two section sections were pure PCT affairs in a grassy field and any doubts if there were penalties for hitting the markers were dismissed when Nigel Jones was penalised for brushing the seven marker on the first one. This was cleanable though, with a gentle foot, and about half the entry managed this. The second section was similar in nature but a sharp right hander got the diffs working and John Rhodes was the only car to go clean. No other car got further than the six. Bill Bennett dropped nine here in his MG J2, his biggest loss as he was to drop only two more during the rest of the event.

This super little section had a restart on a sharp left hand corner. You had to get going of the start line first though and two didn’t, including Boyd Webster from the organising club who couldn’t coax his Canon away, dropping 12 marks that would hand the class award to Dean Partington at the finish.

There were quite a few unique aspects to The Ilkley and the special tests were one of them. You had to go as slowly as possible, incurring a fail for stopping. Times ranged from 6.3 seconds to the 53.9 of John Rhodes.

The two grassy PCT sections required a very delicate foot on the throttle, especially the second one where the higher classes had a more difficult alternative start, they were possible though, unless you were in a front wheel drive car! The third one was completely different in nature, a muddy, bumpy blast through the trees and there were only three cars, all in class eight got to the top.

There were a couple of retirements here, neither Richard Parker (Austin Seven) or Derek Reynolds (DAF 66) going any further.

Both of these sections severely penalised the higher classes and only three cars reached the summit of Fewston 2, these included Dudley Sterry who achieved notoriety the previous year when he nearly went sideways over the steep bank.

Any hopes anyone in classes six, seven or eight had of beating Bill Bennett were dashed here. While the lower classes had a gentle poodle up a gentle grass track the yellows and reds had a horrendous deviation down into a gulley where they had to assault a steep, slippery grass bank after which they had to make sure they kept straight while reversing down to make sure they didn’t turn over!

Looking through the results only Falcons Ed Nikel (Dellow Mk2 Replica) conquered the bank and even he dropped three.

The final section of the morning was on Moorland on top of a hill that would have been very windy had the wind been blowing. Inspection was permitted and the higher classes could see they had to fight their way through a bog before tackling a steep bank. The lower classes skipped the bog but everyone had to start by going over a steep bump where you could ground out if you weren’t careful and this is what happened to Falcon’s Nicolas Cross, Ted Holloway and Michael Leete. The club had moved their chuck wagon giving those who weren’t running late a chance to grab a bite to eat.

After the lunch break the route passed the mushroom globes at Mentwith Hill Station, complete with machine gun totting police at the gate. Wilsons Wood was off quite a busy road. The section was a grassy track, starting with a couple of sharp corners then a gentle climb. Unfortunately there was a big snag in so much as the official route deviated off the left to run through the undergrowth parallel to the track. This caught out nearly half the entry who followed the track itself.

The special test was another “go slow” affair through a puddle. The section was a nice challenge however, making excellent use of the venue and ending with a steep bank as a sting in the tail. The results show three of the FWD cars clearing the section which is surprising as most of the other cars in the lower classes failed apart from the on-form Bill Bennett.

The club had some PR problems here and some of the later runners were delayed for half and hour while the officials sorted out some irate locals. Once that drama was over there was a shallow deceptively slippery grass track between stone walls too climb. No problem if you were gentle on the throttle but if you gave it to  much welly and the wheels started to spin there was no hope, as Ted Holloway, Michael Leete and a few others discovered.

Incline 2 came shortly after and was attempted only by the higher classes with quite a few making clean climbs this year.

For many Watergate was the best hill of the event, a real classic section. There was a ford at the start and it needed plenty of welly to climb the stony bank the other side. After this the track got a bit rocky and ground clearance became an issue, defeating the Skodas of Ted Holloway, Nigel Jones and Myke Pocock.

Like Wilsons Wood there was trap if you didn’t look out carefully for the markers half the cars missed the “gate” at the nine marker, including Ilkley member and well know rally driver Tony Fall who was driving a Nissan Micra and appeared to be enjoying every minute of it judged by the smile on his face.

Tony wasn’t the only one to miss the nine marker as class eight contenders Dean Partington and Dudley Sterry did the same thing. Nigel Jones ended his trial here. Nigel and David Hunt had been struggling with the clutch on their Skoda for sometime and having used up all the adjustment decided to call it a day.

Strid Wood 1 was a nice friendly little affair but Strid Wood 2 was pure PCT and required considerable agility from car and driver. It was certainly a problem for long wheel base cars and Keith Oakes and Dudley Sterry dropped marks here.

Hawpike 1 was another pure PCT section. There wasn’t much space between the markers and the marshals were watching out for the slightest touch, even penalising Bill Bennett for his only lost mark of the afternoon. 

The final competitive section was a very strange affair. Another “go slow” special test on a grassy bank. The problem was that the marshals didn’t impose the “four wheels out” rule so some cars deviated a long way off route without penalty. John Rhodes had the longest time of 167 seconds but somehow incurred a six point penalty, although he was sufficiently in front of Stephen Kenny to keep his class lead. 

Back at the finish their was an excellent pie and peas supper to entertain competitors while they waited for the results which showed Bill Bennett a conclusive winner. Everyone seemed to enjoy their Ilkley Trial. Its different to its southern counterparts but accept it for what it is and its a super day out, not just for the sections but the route through the Yorkshire countryside as well. It’s a nice time of year to hold the event as well as the club would have had problems with all the grassy sections in the winter.

Best OverallBill Bennett (MGJ2) – Class 211
Best IDMCBoyd Webster (Cannon) – Class 836
Class Winners
 1Nick Pullen (Nissan Micra)60
 2Don Griffiths (Austin 7)33
 3Nigel Hilling (Ford Pop)64
 4Jim Welsh (VW Beetle)25
 5John Bradshaw (Morgan 4/4)63
 7John Rhodes (Dutton Phaeton)29
 8Dean Partington (D. P. Wasp)25

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

Lands End 2007

What a Glorious Trial

Lots of Sun and Lots and Lots of Golds

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There was lots of Sun and lots of gold’s and lots of sun on the Lands End. Unfortunately, not so many came Falcons way, as only Keith Oakes and Simon Groves came home with a gold. 

Most Falcons elected to start from Popham, and were flagged away by Verdun Webley for a nice run through the gathering dusk to the consolidation point at Bridgewater Rugby Club. There was work for the passengers here, updating the route card with amendments, as there were problems with both Riverton and Hoskins. 

The run to the first hill at Felons Oak was not without drama. The two Trojans were stopped by the roadside and Steve Potter had to retire soon after. Neil Bray heard ominous rumblings from the front of Primrose and diagnosed wheel bearing problems. He continued, but by Minehead it was so bad he had to retire. Primrose was despatched back to Hertfordshire with Arthur’s Army while Neil and Julie went down to Wilsey Down in a hire car and on to Bluehills to watch their fellow Falcons. 

Felons Oak only claimed a few casualties, but Paul Weston (Liege) and Nick Wollett (Dellow Mk1) must have been disappointed this was their only failure. With Stony Street out of bounds competitors tackled Stoneless Street instead, but this wasn’t too trouble the scorer to much, although Mike Young was penalised a runback in his Austin Big 7 on his first trial for the best part of ten years. 

Beggars had a restart within a chicane created by tape, causing uncertainty as to what happens if you touched it or knocked it down. Both Simon Groves and Michael Leete came very close and were relieved to see they had not been penalised when the results were published. 

With Riverton out of action, Rodney’s Revenge was on the agenda, a hill familiar to some from North Devon’s events. It was a short, sharp, very steep affair, cleaned by most of the early numbers. However, like Beggars Roost it cut up badly towards the end and claimed numerous scalps amongst the later runners. 

The dry conditions made both Sutcombe and Cutliffe Lane achievable for most, but Michael Leete fell foul of the restart on Darracott, which had a taped off chicane like Beggars, marshalled by Brian Alexander. Simon Robson lost his gold on Crackington, the next hill, after the engine fluffed and the 850 motor didn’t have the steam to pull the Liege through the doctored section where there had been the usual localised shower. 

After Warleggan and Powells Hill (substituting for Hoskin) came Bishopwood. The yellows and reds had been dreading this. However, the usual Mickey Mouse restart was been more generous and there was the possibility to stop before the slab and get some momentum going. Keith Oakes and Simon Robson were both thrilled to get away. Peter Mountain, Geoff Hodge and Ross Nuten all picked up their only fails in the event here. Ross was later thrown excluded as Maureen was down in the program and the MCC ruled he was not allowed to change the driver. 

On to the finale at Bluehills, where there did not seem to be as many spectators as usual, despite the lovely weather. Both hills were Falcon friendly, apart from BH2 where running at the back of the field Mike Young had problems with the big holes that had dug by preceding competitors. 

In Class 0 both Fred Gregory (Rickman Ranger), Richard Tompkins (Imp) and Ian Nute (Suzuki X90) went clean but Reg Taylor and Clive Booth (Ford Ka) were penalised for alleged misdemeanours on the special tests.

Duncan wins March Hare

Duncan Welch makes it two in a row with a clean sheet.

Brian Colman ran Duncan very close though, also getting a clean sheet in his Dutton Phaeton, victory going to Duncan’s Austin Healey SS on Special Test Times.

Going into the final three sections in Binghams Wood Don Stringer (Austin 7), Steve Potter (Trojan Utility), Simon Robson (Liege), Martin Allen (Racecorp) and Jim Mountain (Dellow Mk1) were also clean. However, all but Jim failed to climb the notorious “Verduns Bank” on Beetle Drive and then Jim couldn’t get the Dellow away from the “Class 8 Stopper” restart on the last hill.

March Hare Winner Duncan Welch looks worried on Binghams Warren, knowing the “impossible” class eight restart is just around the corner.. (Picture by Dave Cook).
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Dave Cooks Photos

The crews lined up at  Watling Street Cafe, just off junction nine of the M1, on 11th March. There were only two non-starters from the 43 entries (coincidently the same number as a NASCAR field) so 41 cars took the start after passing through the scrutiny of John and June Blakeley and Steve Willis.

The first section, with sponsor Murray MacDonald  in charge, was in superb condition after the recent spell of wet weather, which had made it challenging for a first section, even in the absence of a restart. Almost everyone made it, except the lower slung class 0 cars of Ben Hardcastle (Skoda Favorit) and James McMurray (MG Midget) who struggled with the ruts at the top.

With Reg Taylor and Geoff Jackson in charge everyone behaved themselves and cleaned this short little section.

Once again the challenge of Water Tower was the muddy ruts at the bottom which were avoided by most people and again everyone went clean.

The first Special Test was nice and simple Start on Line A, go through Line B without stopping and finish astride Line C. Why can’t they all be like that? Mike Pearson (Dellow Mk2 Rep) and Brian Colman (Dutton Phaeton) were joint fastest with 11.24 seconds.

The observed section started up the stony track before, going down, through the upper gate and sharp right to follow the fence. At the top it was wise to stop and back down the first bit as Colin Sumner found when his Beetle tilted dangerously sideways. It didn’t claim many scalps but Ian Nute, Ivan Sharrock and Ben Hardcastle all succumbed to lack of grip on the grassy surface.

The club were very lucky with the weather. Edlesborough is very sensitive to the rain. Easy when its dry, totally impossible when its wet. For the March Hare it was just right. Both sections were very artificial in nature but were well marked with tape. The first started at the bottom of the hill and wound its way through the bomb hole before trip though the roller coasters at the back of the hill.

The bombhole proved a problem for the lower classes, the gradient and a bit of mud making grip a premium. In class two neither Kevin Coplestone (Singer) nor Ivan Sharrock (HRG) could get through but both the Tojans sailed up and went on to clean the section and Steve Potter got through the next one as well. In class three only John Groves was clean and in four Nigel Jones failed. Also in four the Roller Coaster proved to much for Aaron Homewoods Skoda which broke a drive shaft and Aaron had to retire. Yellows and reds had a restart in the roller coaster, this stopped a couple, including Mark Worsfold who dropped two, without which he would have won class eight.

The second section at Edlesborough used one of the established routes through the bushes with a restart for all except 0 and 2 at the end. Again most of the entry were clean although both the Suzuki X90’s stopped on the first bit. The re-start wasn’t friendly to rear engined cars and neither Nigel Jones nor Colin Sumner could get away.

The Herts VW Club were in charge of two very different sections. Section seven started with a very muddy climb through the trees before a tight hairpin and descent to a sandy restart for classes three to eight and a steep climb to exit the section. The restart wasn’t to prove much of a problem, but the earlier muddy part was, for those who didn’t give it enough welly, or had limited ground clearance. Those who failed here gave Burl Solmons some work to do with his recovery Land Rover.

Section Eight had to be re-routed because of a fallen tree. It was a nice long journey around the sandpit with different restarts for the various classes. Unfortunately it wasn’t marked very well, causing a problem for some who wrong routed. Sections like this need a fair degree of taping and I am sure Falcon will learn the lesson for next year. The restart for the higher classes meant the end of some clean sheets and Ted Holloway (Enigma Special), Nicholas Cross, Julian Lack and Roger Dudely (Marlins) and the Lieges of Stephen Kenny, Richard Irvine and Mark Endley all dropped six here.

After another straightforward special test came the deceptively difficult section, where the restart on the steep grassy bank was problematical for quite a few of the lower classes.

Although nobody realised it at the time this Special Test was to decide the winner between the two sheets as Duncan Welsh was three seconds faster than Brain Colman. Unfortunately former March Hare organiser John Parsons didn’t make it to Ivinghoe in his type 4 engined buggy. The engine had been loosing a lot of oil and finally nipped up so John had to retire.

A previously un-trialled section, on land owned by Mike Young, builder of the Racecorp driven in the event by Martin Allen. Mike has been taking a trialling sabbatical recently but expect him back on the hills in a Marlin soon.

The section was a long blast on grass, following the hedgerow. Well not so much of a blast for seven and eight who had a deviation and a restart. The hill was in prime condition, very sticky near the summit but well on if you got the throttle control right.

Ian Davis was in charge here and had laid out a restart on the Right Hand Bend. The ruts on this lane made it a bit marginal for Class 0 and both Ben Hardcastle and James McMurray had problems with ground clearance and failed. James was to do well to reach the finish in his MG Midget as it was on three cylinders for part of the event, diagnosed as a crack in the distributor cap, right by one of the contacts.

Neither Suzuki got away from the restart and neither did Ross Nuten who was really struggling with fuel starvation with his Dellow Mk2.

The first section in the Binghams complex  contained the notorious “Verduns bank”, which only Duncan Welch climbed last year. The lower part wasn’t to bad (it had been eased the day before because of the wet conditions). However, above the cross track it was very sticky. The lower classes had a clean run at it, but none succeeded. Seven and Eight were denied a clean run as they had a restart in the goo. It looked impossible, but it wasn’t, as Duncan, Jim Mountain and Brian Colman all came out of the top. Supermen indeed as this was supposed to be the stopper of the event!

The lower classes had a clear run, with an easier route for Class 0 and only Ian Nute in the Suzuki X90 had problems in the mid reaches where Mike Pearson had cleared the fallen tree the week before.

Seven and Eight had the infamous restart on the tree route where positioning was everything and caught out 50% of the seven and eights.

The final section in the Binghams complex and the final section of the event was all about a very tight left hander. Most could go straight through, but not class eight who had to restart right on the bend itself. Even without the restart it wasn’t so easy for the lower classes and in two to six only Steve Potter succeeded. He cleaned this one last year as well. How long before we have a Trojan winning The March Hare?

Three in class seven were successful Brian Colman, Simon Robson and Martin Allen. Unfortunately Simon and Martin had previously failed Verduns Bank, but his success here earned Brian a clean sheet. The class eight restart was supposed to be a stopper, but neither Mark Worsfold nor Duncan Welch had read the script, got away and around the hairpin. This gave Duncan a clean sheet to tie with Brian Colman on the hills and win the event on Special Test times.

The finish was at The Bull in Redbourn High Street where Margaret Lawson soon worked out the results confirming that the popular Duncan Welch was the overall winner for the second year running.

March Hare TrophyDuncan Welch (Austin Healey SS))0
Best FalconSimon Robson (Liege)6
Best NoviceBen Hardcastle (Skoda Favorit)80
Class Winners
 0Don Stringer (Austin 7)6
 2Steve Potter (Trojan Utility)6
 3John Groves (Escort)28
 4Anthony Young (VW Beetle)12*
 7Brian Colman (Dutton Phaeton)0
 8Jim Mountain (Dellow Mk1)6

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

Ed’s Exmoor

Ed Nikel reports on his Exmoor Trial

We have just returned from North Devon having competed in this years Exmoor Trial in my Dellow. It was this trial that introduced us, my brother Richard (Dick) and myself, to classic trials, first as a spectator then as a competitor, let me explain….

Our cousin, another Richard, who lived in Bideford was looking for a car to compete in PCT’s and trials. Dicks old Imp (Denis) was available, so was dispatched down to North Devon to start a new life as a trials car. It was called Denis the menace having been painted red and black!!!. For several years Dick and I would make an annual pilgrimage to Exmoor and spectate and support Richard and Denis.

Fast forward a couple of years another Richard (Tompkins) influenced me to prepare a car for trials, naturally an Imp, and our first trial had to be the Exmoor trial, which also happens to be a favourite of mine.

Up to date now, Saturday 27th saw us trailering the Dellow down to the farm at Bideford, picking up a parking ticket from jobs worth Bideford warden—– empty car park, car and trailer taking up two spaces but we only bought one ticket instead of two!! ‘How does he sleep at night’?

Sunday morning we were of to Barnstaple for scrutineering, which is across town from the start. Our first panic, the radiator cap was missing! A friendly scrute was dispatched home to find his spare. Fortunately, the cap was found ledged down the side of the rad, so use of the pliers to tighten and secure it in place.

Scrutineering passed, then off to Cedars Hotel to sign in and sample the welcoming bacon cobs, and a chance to catch up with Les Newell the new owner of my buggy who was entering his first trial and coincidentally also lived in Bideford.

Onto the trial and the first sections, Snapper1 and Snapper2. A slippery access track up into the woods with a hairpin right then upto the start of the section. No restart so straight onto Snapper 2 for our first restart. No problems so far.

Out of the woods and onto Riverton via Tordown special test, which was completed not particularly, quickly but clean. Riverton was its rough slippery self; we were only the fourth car so the restart was not to badly cut up and we went clean.

Lee Moor special test was completed then into Huntstone1. A bit of a wait while the bikes had their goes at the hill. The restart on the steepest section of the hill, just after the start, was cleaned, having watched the previous cars come to grief, we kept to the left and had no trouble.

Straight onto Huntstone 2, a grassy track with a 90 right upto the restart and then no further, still our first failure and 6 points.

High Bray again caught up with the bikes. This is a right hand hairpin upto the restart on a rock slab, then a rough rocky climb with a deep gulley on the right track up to the top. We managed a 4 and after dropping back to the hairpin took a run at it and was able to clear the section in front of lots of spectators.

Higher Molland, A grassy rutted track with slippery restart. Then into another woods for Jimmy’s Hill. This is a straight drag up a shale, stone track, very steep though. Worst so far for us, we couldn’t even reach the restart 8pts here. How does Dudley Sterry do it. He cleaned it when many people barely got of the start line!!

Still in the same woods onto Badgers Hill and Rodneys Revenge. The first a right hand turn onto the hill and a straight drag up. We managed 4 here. Reversed down hill and straight onto the start for Rodneys. Left hand hairpin up to the restart, again a stopper 5pts, a run at the hill and we were on our way for the 20mile run up to Lynton and Beggars Roost. We had our first and only puncture while travelling to the section. The restart was on the right, a bit lower than last years Lands End, but was no problem, back to clean again.

Next Scoresdown with a restart for all classes. A tarred road but washed out sections and deep potholes. We were clean so onto the last section, Floyds Bank a short section at right angle to the road grassy, slippery and overlooking Breedon and the Staghunters Inn for the finish and signing off.

To cap the day of we were most surprised to see the provisional results have given us 2nd in class! 

Thanks to all the organisers and marshals from NDMC for an excellent trial and a thoroughly enjoyable days trialling with the bonus of the stunning Exmoor scenery. We will be definitely be back again next year and I would highly recommend that you make the trip and give it a try yourself next year. 

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Dudley Dominates Clee

Dudley Sterry wins Clee Hills Trial

On paper Dudley Sterry and Adrian Dommett were joint equal on special test times, Dudley winning the trial on Special Test times. The reality is this was very much Dudley’s trial, having to contend with much tougher sections and restarts than Adrian. Yes, I know Adrian is in Class 2, but his Wolsley Hornet is more than equal to most Class 8 machines.

Dudley and Adrian totally dominated the event, each only dropping nine, compared to the 21 of their nearest challengers David Foreshew and Ross Norman.

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The Clee Hills retained its figure of eight format for 2007. Classes 0 to 5 doing the Western loop first while 6, 7 and 8 were out East to tackling Longville, Easthope The Jenny Wind etc. The weather was cold, and there was even a little snow, but it didn’t settle and the sky was clear enough for some marvellous views across the Shropshire countryside. Perhaps the biggest problem was the absence of breakfast at The Craven Arms start venue. 

The challenge for the lower classes didn’t start until the cars arrived at the forestry complex for The Priors Holt sections, starting quite logically with Priors Holt Three and going on to Priors Holt Two and One!

Priors Holt 3 was a short, sharp chute, all about restarting just before the rock steps started. First car was Giles Greenslade, who wheezed his way to the top, the Beetle engine hovering on the point when it would cough to a stop. Terry Ball applied plenty of power and flew up, with little or no wheelspin, but all the other class 4 competitors came to a halt with spinning wheels, including Emma Robilliard who was to go on to redeem herself on Priors Holt One and win Class 4. 

Class three had problems as well, only Andrew Martin, driving Stickers Escort as the Melos hasn’t been fixed after the Exeter, going clean. Nigel Green got away from the restart and came out of the top, but incurred a fail as he had straddled the box rather than having have two of his wheels between the markers. 

Simon Groves destroyed his chances of a good result when he went up the bank just after the start of Priots Holt 1 dropping 12. Without any restarts it was all rather easy for Adrian Dommett who arrived back at The Craven Arms for the lunch break clean. 

While all that was going on Dudley Sterry and Brian Osborne were having a successful Western loop, only dropping two on Easthope 2 and five on The Jenny Wind. They had a definite advantage running an early number on Flounders Folly, the first hill, as it was covered with pine needles under the trees and when these had gone it cut up into quite a morass, making it very difficult for following cars. 

In the afternoon the Beetles in class four exploited their ground clearance, Emma Robilliard added another class win to her trophy shelf when she only dropped three on Easthope 2 when Giles dropped six. In Class 3 Andrew Martin maintained his lead for a decisive class win. Adrian Dommett dropped nine in the afternoon to win his class and equalling winner Dudley Sterry score on the hills. 

Dudley Sterry maintained his advantage in the afternoon, only dropping two on Priors Holt 1, which was only cleaned by the flyweights of Dave Foreshew and Dean Partington. 

Derek Tyler was clean in the afternoon in his class 7 Baja to take the class win (in the absence of Andrew Martin?) and classes 5 and 6 were won by Gill Hayward and Mark Tooth respectively. 

Best OverallDudley Sterry (MG J2)9
Class Winners
1David Haizelden (VW Golf GTi)29
2Adrian Dommett (Wolesley Hornet)9
3Andrew Martin (Ford Escort)23
4Emma Robilliard (VW Beetle)27
5Gillian Hayward (MGB GT)65
6Mike Hobbs (VW Beetle)17
7Derek Tyler (VW Baja)30
8David Foreshew (Dingo)21

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Claire’s Clee

Flounders Folly: We got off to a good start on our first section and demolished post 12! If spectating there is safe off road parking opposite the start entrance. 

Harton Wood: Special test done in our usual super sonic speed, steady, but sure. 

Longville: Very steep re-start boxes for three different classes. This is the only trial to date that I have rocked for what seemed an eternity. Don’t know if we stopped forward movement or not but, the snails pace we crawled to the exit was painful. This is an excellent hill to watch & good for parking at the top. 

Easthope 2: This is on a disused railway track. Heard Myke Pocock broke a shaft on his Skoda Estelle. What a shame, as the trip to get back home to Carlisle in total for the day must be at least 400 miles. We struggled up the embankment to post six. 

Easthope 1: Steven Kenny (Liege Sports), a VW. and another car had to be man handled out while we were waiting. If you hit the track wrong going up it throws the vehicle off course. Keith got it right but, not enough power to get passed peg three. Great place to bring the children and the dog. Granny would enjoy it too, as there are lovely walks with stunning views. 

Harley Bank 2: For 7&8 only, we reached stick nine. Parking is OK at the foot of the section. 

Jenny Wind: Wish we had Jenny’s wind behind us as we stopped at the eight. 

Meadowley: I sat watching competitors approach the start line; I could see two potholes with exposed roots, which were now stripped of their skin by previous cars and were now polished to a glossy veneer. As usual, my mind is a blank and I never thought to tell Keith. Our back wheels slotted snugly and tightly in said holes and there we stopped for our second 12 points. 

Across the Long Mynd now. Last year was our first entry attempting the Clee and the whole day was blanketed in fog. As we crossed the cattle grid to climb the steep narrow road, the higher we got more of the dazzling sun came into view. With squinting eyes, we also saw another trials car who was also struggling with the bright sun. This is when I looked to my left and saw the magnificent scenery that stretches for miles. This made me feel quite lyrical. Words of Wordsworth and Rupert Brooke came to mind as I bathed in this glorious vista. 

It’s a fatal mistake to take your eye off the ball and I had no idea where we were when I looked back to the road. As I hadn’t said anything to Keith, he was now playing follow my leader, as was the car behind us. By now, we all knew that we were lost. The passenger in the first car kept on apologising (who shall be nameless, as they are a lovely person) and I couldn’t stop laughing. Galahads in a Nissan Micra came to our rescue. I take it all back what I have said about to day’s youth. They led us to Ratinghope special test plus, another driver out for a Sunday drive with his family who, was taken in what our sport involved followed as well!!!!! 

Phills Folly: Next I must remember to tell Keith to deflate the tyres be fore entering the farm. With all the wet weather, the field was sodden. Keith tried to stay close as he could to a parked trailer and we join everybody by slewing across the field. This and the next section, Gattens Gamble were none to challenging. 

Allez `Oop: Good climb to the summit. Felt sorry for the two marshals at the top, with being so high up and open, there was no protection from the wind and they looked frozen. Good place also for the kids for kite flying but, not the Granny as it is far too cold. As we passed through the exit gate, I needed a call of nature. Nipped into the edge of the forest and having to strip naked from waist to knees to do the necessary (the joys of being a woman) and in the squat position I thought I was going to die from hypothermia. The wind chill factor was like knives in my derrière. Resuscitation soon kicked when I saw three Beetles approaching the gate. No, I don’t mean the insect variety but the VW’s of Messer’s. Looker, Tooth & Sargeant. My strides were soon pulled up! 

Priors Holt 3: Michael Leete and Mike Hayward were marshalling here and they looked frozen too. As we flew passed the last post and took off over a hump, we landed into a hidden dip with such a thump. The recoil threw us both hard back in our seats. 

Priors Holt 2: Can’t remember how far we climbed. Keith said we cleared. 

Priors Holt 1: Charged up to peg six. 

Round Oak: A small notice behind the start line marshal stated “car-eating trench on the left”. Last year this section was not used due to a sick horse in the next field. We finished as dead as a donkey in the trench. Something else I must remember to tell Keith next year, not to deflate the tyres but, pump them up as high as a dumper truck. Marshals were kept busy here towing out cars from the car-eating trench. At the top we saw our friend Steve Heath who, travelled from Rugby with us to spectate. At signing on he was told they were short of marshals so, he volunteered to help out. He was covered from head to foot in mud and frozen too. The only down side was, there was no hot food at the start or finish. Thomas Aldrian, who dropped out from doing the trial due to flu, decided to recuperate by being control marshal at Meadowley. Told us there is a café next to the Craven Arms. This is more to remember to tell Keith next year. 

Big thanks to the organisers and marshals who made this trial run like clock work

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Exeter 2007

Mud and Gold

The forecast predicted a wet Exeter and the weather god did not disappoint. The rain started just before dawn and continued through the morning, making many of the sections pretty slippy. Simms wasn’t as challenging as it can be and there were more than sixty clean sheets between the bikes and cars.

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There were a few notable non-starters. Both Peter Manning and Keith Pettit had medical problems and in class 0 Kevin Barnes found his Singers fuel tank leaking just before the start. There were some problems on the way to the start too. Ed Nikel had cooling problems with his Dellow and decided to remove the thermostat. Meanwhile Keith Oakes was hearing horrible noises from his rear end and was worried about the diff. 

Meerhay was first on the agenda. It only stopped three cars, including Trevor Hardcastle and Nick Wollett in Marlin and Dellow respectively, both of whom were to retire later in the event. This is a long hill and its hard to recover any time lost through delays. Later numbers experienced up to an hours wait, just as the rain was starting! 

After the very straightforward Gatcombe Lane, where even class 0 had a go, came the infamous woods at Bovey Downs. Unfortunately, Clerk of the Course Tim Whellock had to cancel Normans Hump on the eve of the trial as logging operations had made the section too much of a quagmire for the section to be used. 

Clinton waited just up the track. This is normally regarded as easier than Normans Hump, but a tricky restart for class eight caught out Ross Nuten and both the Reg Taylor and Geoff Jacksons Dellow re-creations of Ed Nikel and Mike Pearson. From the same stable Geoff Hodge got away cleanly in the RDT, after earlier dramas when the horn failed at scruitineering and the bouncer knocked off the cut-out switch on the approach to Gatcombe Lane. Clinton didn’t prove to much of a problem to the non-restarters but it stop some of the Lieges. Bill Rosten was given a fail but this was corrected later so he’s still on for a triple.

Coming out of Bovey Woods Waterloo waited just across the road, but not before Simon Groves had to fix his first puncture of the day. This is one of those hills that is easy to fail unless you get everything just right. Barrie Parker had problems getting the big Audi 80 around the tight right hander which was shame as it was his only fail of the day. John Sawle retired here with gearbox failure, the Achilles heel on a Liege. Perhaps it didn’t take to kindly to the extra power from the supercharger. 

Neither Plyford or Higher Rill claimed many scalps, but those damn Indians are cunning and laid in wait in Otterton Woods for Colin Sumner (VW) and Ross Nuten who were ambushed on the Bulverton restart. 

The breakfast stop at Exeter Services came next on the agenda. But not for Owen Ingram and Tim Williams who were still trying to extract their Class 0 V8 Marlin from the trees after the Stretes special test where it had slipped way off the road down a bank. 

Tillerton was to provide Ian Davis’s toughest moment on the trial when he had to work hard to get off the class 7 and 8 restart and the marshals gave Ross a fail here for allegedly over running the line. 

The speed Hill Climb at Fingle was enjoyed by all, but not so the battle ground that awaited for many at Wooston Steep. New charges for the traditional access track had forced Tim W to use a new approach, involving a steep and slippery descent. All competitors, including the class 0’s, even though they had a separate section, used this. It proved pretty hairy and finally Wendy Wood’s Class 0 Subaru Justy slipped over, fortunately without serious injury to the occupants. After this officials re-routed competitors down the normal exit road for blues and whites. There was two-way traffic until the approach went straight past the bank where the blues and whites emerged from their section, down the Class 0 section the wrong way to the normal starting area. 

Classes one to six had their normal deviation to the left before the steep bank. Their section wasn’t too challenging, provided you took the correct route! A number of competitors didn’t, including the experienced Michael Collins in his Golf, who tried to go straight on up the steep bit before realising his error, exactly the same mistake as two years before! Falcon’s Ross Nuten also went wrong here, turning left instead of going straight on up the bank. These two were some of several, and although the instructions in the route card were clear it wasn’t so obvious where to go when you got there, so perhaps there should be arrows in the future. 

The restart itself wasn’t difficult to get away from, the challenge was the steep bank after the deviation. The ruts were full of leaves and mud and the early numbers couldn’t find any grip. Each car went a bit further cleaning things out for those following, until finally Mike Pearson, a master at finding grip where there isn’t any, got through the difficult bit and reached the summit. It became easier and towards the end of the field, many in 7 and 8 cruised up like it was a motorway, although the Lieges with their comparatively low powered engines all failed. Had they not already retired it would have been interesting to see how John Sawle or Mark Worsfeld would have faired in their more powerful versions or Simon Robson if he had been running at the back of the field instead of towards the front. 

Simms has definitely become easier after the repair work by Roger Ugalde and his team and it didn’t claim its usual crop of failures. The biggest cheer of the day went to Steve Potter who coaxed his Trojan to the summit. It is absolutely amazing what Steve and John Wilton do in their fantastic cars. 

Only the rather rough sections at Tipley and Slippery Sam were left now. Both were easily on provided you had a suitable vehicle and took care but could still catch the unwary as Geoff Hodge discovered on Tipley when he misjudged the restart and wheel spin set in.

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Allen Trial

Adrian Marfell Wins Allen Trial

Adrian was one of six drivers with a clean sheet, pipping Andrew Martin by a second on the special tests to take overall victory. Andrew looks pretty unassailable in the Wheelspin. In the Crackington Dave Haizelden’s win puts him in front of Simon Groves who could only mange fourth in class after dropping eight on Big Uplands.

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Best OverallAdrian Marfell (VW Special)0
Class Winners
1David Haizelden (VW Golf GTi)0
2Bill Bennett (MG J2)0
3Sticker Martin (Ford Escort)0
4Emma Robilliard (VW Beetle)1
5Keith Sanders (Reliant Scimitar SS1)1
6Mike Hobbs (VW Beetle)17
7Andrew Martin (Dutton Melos)0
8Adrian Marfell (VW Special)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