With over 70 starters leaving The Bull at Hinton the Allen continues to be one of the most popular one day trials on the calendar.
After last year’s constant rain, Pete Hart had arranged for a nice day for this year’s event. However, wet weather leading up to the event ensured the sections were in prime condition, and together with strategically placed restarts, this turned out to be quite a tough day.
Tog Hill & Tog Hill Challenge
There was a time when The Allen was totally on tracks. However, many of the old hills have been lost and it has become necessary to resort to running sections on private land. Tog Hill Challenge is on farmland at the top of the traditional Tog Hill, a nice track to start the event which didn’t trouble anyone this year.
The new section began with a steep bank cutting through a hedge and leading into a grassy field. The route then ran alongside a hedge with a gradually increasing gradient. While tyre pressure restrictions applied to other sections, they were waived here. Many regretted not taking advantage of the opportunity to run near flat tyres once they encountered the slippery wet grass. However, low pressures can be problematic and Kevin Sharp had a tyre slip of its rim.
The steep bank at the start of the section claimed a lot of victims in the lower classes, and only David Hazelden in his familiar Golf and David Goilfington in his Model T Special went clear among the Blue sticker cars in classes 1 and 2. There was at least one failure in all the other classes, and Pete Hart’s new find can definitely go into the stopper category.
Bitton Lane
Like Guys Hill the Bitton Lane section is all about a restart on slippery stones. Normally a little easier than Guys, Bitton Lane was really on form this year, even stopping a couple of Class Eights. In a well supported Class Seven only John Wheeler ( Dellow Mk2), Phil Aubrey (Dutton Melos) and Tom Hunt (Leige) managed to pull away without penalty. Maybe lower power was the answer as most in Class 2, and everyone in Class 4, went without penalty.
Little Uplands
The easier of two adjacent hills, with Exeter Clerk of the Course Peter Batty in charge, the little Uplands restart didn’t have a great deal of bite this year.
Guys Hill
Looking so innocuous the Guys Hill restarts are always a big challenge and many a clean sheet has been lost here. It was no different this time and the two restarts, one for 6, 7 & 8, the other for 3, 4 & 5.
Classes 1,2 and 90 were the lucky ones to have a straight run over the slippery polished stones and tree roots.
There was a time when successful competitors could go straight on at the top but these days you have to turn round and come back down.
The re-starters had varying degrees of success, and it seemed a gentle pull away was required, as once wheels started spinning there was little chance of recovery.
Travers
Although a rocky section, the gradient on Travers isn’t too severe, and it’s possible to go at a speed where you can pick a good line. It’s rough though, and drivers need to keep their wits about them. There were separate restarts for 7 and 8 on the roughest bit, where the other classes had a straight run through.
The experienced Dean Vowden failed here in his Lonsee Special as did Peter Ashford in his smart “new” Troll with Ford Twin Cam power and builder Tom Jones in the hot seat. All the more unfortunate as it was under the watchful eye of long time Troll competitor Stuart Harrold on the restart flag.
Burledge
With early numbers arriving at the Chew Valley Picnic area lunch halt well before time there was ample opportunity to enjoy the cuisine on offer, including the popular fish and chips.
The two Burledge sections were a few miles up the road.
The lower classes had a restart on a step, visible from the start line. There were only four failures, including all three of the MX5’s, including Mike Jones, entered in his Ford Pop but running an MX5 in Class 6 because of its LSD.
The top part of the section used to be very rutted but was resurfaced a number of years ago. However, water erosion has taken its toll and it’s well on the way to being a competitive section.
The second Burledge section was short and sweet with a Class 7 and 8 restart on a rocky step. This was all about positioning and one or two got it wrong. These included David Price, enjoying a run in Dudley Sterry’s marvellous J2. Dave Middeditch was another failure but had the consolation of not having to lift the bonnet of his Dutton Phaeton all day, such was the reliability of the new engine fitted after the cars Edinburgh disaster.
Class 4 were not supposed to restart here.
But Dave Sargeant did. Seeing he had been recorded clean on the provisional results Dave informed the organisers picking up a penalty and loosing the class win.
Michael Leete was happy to get his Dellow away from the restart but felt the handling go funny on the exit track. He soon found a flat front tyre, the offending screw very evident. With no spare for the front, Michael would have had to change the tube, so he had a go at putting some air in it and seeing how long it would last. It wasn’t very long, so John Wheeler came to the rescue, lending one of his rear spares, which fitted Michael’s front axle. John was having a good run having cleaned Bitton Lane and Guys and was to win Class 7 with the only clean sheet.
Nanny Hurns and the Special Tests
The Nanny Hurns Special Test was a long time feature of The Allen Trial, the muddy dip and bump is sadly long lost. However, the name lives on with a simple but enjoyable observed section.
The two special tests were on private land in the Fry’s Bottom area.
With nine clean sheets, these were to decide the results. Paul Merson was the fastest, narrowly pipping Jack Selwood. Third was Richard Hayward in his Class Three Escort. Fellow Class Three driver Tris White retired here with engine trouble on his Escort.
John Walker and the Finish
The last section on The Allen was the traditional John Walker, named after the gentleman who travelled all over the country marshalling on trials. It’s a glorious muddy thrash up a hedge-lined lane. A fitting end to The Allen Trial.
There were a lot of smiling faces at the finish. The Allen may not have a lot of sections, or be a mega tough trial, but it is a well-organised, well-marshalled event that competitors enjoy and return to year after year, as demonstrated by regularly having a full entry. Long may it continue.
Results:-
| O/A | Paul Merson | Shopland | 0 |
| 1 | David Haizelden | VW Golf | 0 |
| 2 | David Golightly | Ford T Special | 6 |
| 3 | Richard Hayward | Ford Escort | 0 |
| 4 | Norton Selwood | VW Beetle | 0 |
| 5 | Carl Talbot | Buckler Mk5 | 0 |
| 6 | Nicola Butcher | VW Beetle | 12 |
| 7 | John Wheeler | Dellow Mk2 | 0 |
| 8 | Jack Selwood | DP Ford | 0 |
| 90 | Brian Hampson | Suzuki X90 | 3 |
Links:-
- The Allen Trial on the Classic Trials Facebook Group
- More Allen Trial on Facebook
- 2025 Allen on the Bristol Motor Club Site
- Read about the trial in the Bristol MC magazine
- The history of The Allen Trial
- Full Results
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