(26-07-2020, 09:34 PM)Malcolm Parker Wrote: When we were trying to organise a VSCC Yorkshire Trial a few years ago Steve brought his trials Chummy up to Thirsk and we found a road up to the Observatory at Oldstead that made the White Horse White look like a motorway. A rock step about 18" high finally stopped us!
After we tried and failed at the rock step we turned round and headed back down. On the way we passed a group of walkers who assumed we'd driven down the full length of the track and couldn't believe that such a little car could have done it. We didn't make them any wiser
27-07-2020, 10:08 AM (This post was last modified: 27-07-2020, 10:10 AM by Mike Costigan.)
(27-07-2020, 09:38 AM)Dave Mann Wrote: Both CN and NAS are facing north Mike with NAS between the fourth and fifth green dots counting from the south, with the trees being those at 306.
I'm still not convinced, Dave! The trees are almost directly ahead of the cars in the two photos, and appear to be the triangular group to the south-south-east of spot-height 359 on the A5004. The trees at spot-height 306 are way over to the left beyond the bounds of the photos. The continuation of the track up to where it joins the main road at Rake End can be seen in front of the trees in the photos.
Oh, and whilst I am stirring things up, I should add that the track we are discussing isn't the roman road, either! That runs to the east of Long Hill, eventually becoming Old Road, off Elnor Lane, in Whaley Bridge:
27-07-2020, 09:23 PM (This post was last modified: 27-07-2020, 09:31 PM by Dave Mann.)
The road was built by one of the early English road builders, at this moment I can't remember which. The trees just in the right of the photo are those at north lodge. Here's some more off roading Sevens at the PWA7 Middleton trial 1985 and demonstrates the advantage of SWB cars.
Middleton trial 85.jpeg (Size: 30.75 KB / Downloads: 519)
This is July 1995 and most will know the driver.
29 july 1995.jpeg (Size: 44.22 KB / Downloads: 520)
The team has been down the Roman road as well Mike, Here they are near Beely moor Me in KF, John and Robert in PJ and George Pratt in AXE.
2 Scan.jpeg (Size: 33.57 KB / Downloads: 506)
1 Scan.jpeg (Size: 48.57 KB / Downloads: 504)
Dave, I remember that steep section on the Middleton in '85. I was in my AD tourer and going well up the section. Approaching the top the engine stopped - scuttle tank, low fuel, no go. Damn!
The rain stopped this evening, so I took Lulu (my '34 RP) for a run through deserted lanes to Polzeath and just managed to find somewhere on the beach which was packed even at 8.30pm)! Didn't stay long and returned by more deserted lanes. Duty done- Lulu was named in memory of my late mother,who passed her driving test on an RP in 1937. We would take her to Polzeath beach on her birthday in her '90s and make her walk round the car to prove she had been there. She died aged 96 and today would have been her 106th birthday.
Finally finished one half of a tonneau cover for my Ulster Rep after starting it at the beginning of lockdown. Several broken needles and a lot of muttered curses. And creeping closer to fitting my Eltos remote change. When I bought it earlier in the year I naively thought it would be a straight fit to my four speed gearbox! Apart from having to drill and tap two new bolt holes in the box which I’ve just marked out, surgery required to the transmission cover as well. A mix of Dremel, drill and well aimed hammer blows ?. Then I realised that once everything was in place I had no easy access to the prop shaft grease nipple or the handbrake quadrant fir greasing etc....so more cutting for access panels. Hopefully then I can get it back on the road!
Been for a run around the block this morning, via St Ambroix, Bessèges, Robiac Rochessadoule and home via the Col de Trélis. Rochessadoule is a former coal mining village, and needless to say since the mines shut in the 1980s has remained a source of unemployment and industrial decay. The only redeeming feature these days is the weather, but even the camping municipal with its two swimming pools has closed.
I stopped off to take a few snaps on the way. The first one is the village school, whose building is dated to 1931 (I suspect that is when it was restored), a shot of some of the stone built industrial buildings opposite, and the biggest miner's lamp in the area with the former miner's terraced housing, now almost empty...
Having done our garden opening under the National Gardens Scheme this year, 'she who must be obeyed' has now let me back into the barn to do some real work. First on the agenda has been to release the Pearl from a 4 year neglected hibernation. After disposing of the old yellow petrol she started first time and after a wash has been treated to a short run out in our beautiful South Shropshire hills. Does absence make the heart grow fonder? I don't know, but I think I've fallen in love again.
