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This tribute to a remarkable lady gives a fascinating insight into motorsport after WW2
Mabel Edith Delf has died at the age of 105. She was born in Norwich, one of six siblings (three boys and three girls), but never liked her name, so from a very young age Mabel was known as Mibs and she became very secretive about her real name.
Mibs alongside Ted Cleghorn, her first husband, on the 1952 Exeter Trial 1
Her first husband was Ted Cleghorn and she and Ted were active members of the Sporting Car Club of Norfolk from the earliest days of the club. In the 1950s they were both committee members and their enthusiasm was undiminished through the 1960s and 70s until Ted died in 1974. Ted lost his right arm before the war in a lorry accident, but that didn’t stop him from competing in many trials and rallies, always in cars with manual gearboxes.
For their 120th anniversary the MCC laid on a three day summer trial, named after Dick Peachey, the clubs late long term chair.
There were 95 entrries starting at The Egypt Mill in Nailsworth. 86 attempting the off road sections and nine competing in the Classic Road Trial. Day 1 encompat sections familiar to Cotswold Clouds and Allen Trial competitors before reaching Exeter University for the first nights stop.
Day 2 sections were mainly in Devon with a brief venture into Cornwall before returning to Exeter University for the second night.
Day 3 returned to Nailsworth via more sections known to Cotswold Clouds and Allen Trial.
Clerk of the Course Dave Middeditch had arranged for drivers and passengers to swap roles at Launceston half way through the event.
Windwhistle Motor Clubs single venue event took place in the sunshine with plenty of grip available in the dry conditions.
The whole event took place within the confines of Bovey Down Woods, very familiar to Exeter Trial competitors who were able to see what Clinton and Normans Hump look like in daylight!
Clerk of the Course Nick Farmer provided 24 sections for the days sport, including two attempts at the familiar Exeter sections.
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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
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Last Years ACTC Pouncey Champion Richard Maddern was Best Solo in Class A
Andrew and Lorraine Rippon in their big engined Beetle were best car on the Flora Trial. Photo by Arthur James.
Previous Flora car winner Keith Sanders crossed the Tamar to compete but had to give best to Andrew Rippon. Video by Mark James
Organised by The Pendennis Motorcycle and Light Car Club the Flora Trial is held in deepest Cornwall. Starting and finishing at The Star Inn, Vogue. near Redruth there were 26 sections for bikes over the 7o mile route.
Wins for Gary Browning, Steve Urell and Andrew Kearns
Steve Urell and Julie Williams were best outfit. Seen here on Birchanger Bank in this VidCap from a Norton Selwood Video
Organisers Dave Haizelden and Keith Sanders believe in tough trials, who will forget 2018 in the snow! This year they were thwarted by the dry conditions but still put on a challenging event.
Last year Covid constraints necessitated started and finishing in Ashcombe Woods, with a simple route, as car drivers were not allowed passengers and had to navigate themselves.
This year the start and finish in the woods was retained, together with the opening and closing sections.
Norton Selwood’s Videos from Dire Straits, the first section for Outfits and Cars. Solos tackled Sultans of Swing as their first section.
After Ashcombe Woods the Kingswell sections for cars were bone dry, quite a contrast to usual, and there were only a handful of penalties.
It was the MCC’s Beggars Roost Centenary and the Barbrook Garage Crew made sure it was celebrated in fine style.Under Construction Logo
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After a couple of years off due to Covid the Lands End Trial resumed with multiple starts and a bumper entry dominated by the 173 motorcycles at the front of the field. These were followed by 132 cars. The entry was supplemented by 39 in Class 0 which missed out a couple of the most damaging sections and 17 in the all tarmac Classic Road Trial.
The Cornish C90’s were the Stars of the Show (video by Emma Groves)
The entry included a number of the new Class S for Step-though motorcycles and scooters including a large Cornish group on C90’s whose enthusiasm and commitment were infectious.
Coming on 9pm when the last finisher signed off.
The entry converged on Bridgwater Rugby Club a little later than usual and later numbers found it locked and dark so not only did they miss refreshments but also the all important toilets.
Felons Oak was the appetiser with its rocky restart difficulties enough to shatter a few Gold Medal aspirants dreams while Class 0 tackled the milder Catsash.
100 Years of Beggars Roost
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Crackington
Video by Alan Davis
Demanding Restart on Blue Hills 1
What many called “that silly little horseshoe” caused its usual problems this year with a tricky restart for the more competitive classes on the cobbled rise back to the road, followed by a very tight turn. Using the bank to get round this corner proved an issue for some and Lee Peck and Arnold Lane ripped their cars over. Lee had expected to debut his latest Kraken but changed to his Class 4 beetle after some last minute teething issues.
Even without a restart the cobbles and tight turn can catch the unwary as shown in the excellent InCar Video by Simon Lewis.
Into the Sun on Blue Hills 2
Smiles all round the route with the Cornish Step-Through Crew as Dale Tonkin is feet up on Blue Hills 2 (Photo by Sue Stokes)
he sun was very low in the sky for later numbers and anyone without sunglasses was in real trouble to see where to go as they approached the left hander.
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Exmoor Motorcycle Winner Ryan Eamer tells us about his bike and his trial
Ryan concentrates as he sets up the B40 to round a tight bend on Riverton on his way to winning this years Exmoor Trial. Photo by Paul Morris Motorsport Photography. Click Here for more of Pauls work
Ryan Eamer has achieved a unique feat, winning an ACTC round on both four and two wheels. Having won the Cotswold Clouds in his Cannon Ryan has followed this with wins on the last years Tarka and now the Exmoor Trial on his 350cc BSA B40.
More on the bike in a minute. Meanwhile Ryan tells us about his Exmoor.
Trial was really good, first group of 3 sections at Porte farm were a nice start to the trial, nice little Bike deviation on the 2nd one and a tricky little restart and the 3rd which caught a few out. I understand these got a little difficult once the cars arrived!
Simon Jones captures Ryan Eamer working hard to get away from the Bulls Bank restart on his way to winning the 2018 Cotswold CloudsContinue reading “Ryan’s Exmoor Trial”
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This years Exmoor was a challenging event with Class Eight filling the first five places amongst the cars.
Norton Selwood was at High Bray to capture the action.
High Bray was particularly challenging. The right hand side of the track was significantly eroded so there was a considerable camber tending to pull those on three or four wheels towards the bank.
Amongst the restarters all the Class Eight cars were successful but none of the Class Sevens went clean.
Norton Selwood got to Floyds Bank in time to see the lower classes attempt the section. 6, 7 and 8 attempted the deviation to the right just after the start.
Floyds Bank was another tough section. Clerk of the Course Chris Barham found the old section with the ruts had gone so had to mark out a new track. Josh Moss and Paul Merson were the only cleans amongst the 6, 7 and 8’s after which the difficult bit at the bottom was bypassed which allowed the lower classes to at least see section ends even though none of them got there!
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
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Classical Gas 