What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Malcolm Parker]

Having not used the Pytchley much of late, this afternoon I did some routine maintenance and took it out for a run in the November sunshine.
I had adjusted the brakes and wanted to check them, in the hope that they would be better than before.   It has early brakes on the front and semi-Girlings at the rear.
First stop was at the top of Chapel Bank just outside the village, one of the best views in North Yorkshire.        Next I headed towards Sneck Yate, the fearsome 1 in 4 hill that leads to the top of the Cleveland Escarpment.  This is a great hill for testing Austin 7's.   I was confident that the car would climb the hill without any trouble with its 4 speed box and 5.25 axle but wasn't so confident about coming back down so I stopped at the Paradise Farm junction half way up the bank.        The brakes would probably hold the car on the steep gradient but Sneck Yate is not a hill to take chances with.    So it was back down through Boltby and out the other side to the gates of Ravensthorpe Manor.       Back home the brakes were found to be hot on the offside wheels and cool on the nearside.   Further adjustment is needed but they are better than before!