What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Malcolm Parker]

I heard there were Sevens on a run through Butter Tubs Pass today, from Masham, so we tried to go and watch them all drive through, but didn't see any.

After at 8am start I drove the Ruby to Butter Tubs and up through the pass, then turned around and came half-way back, so waited next to a cattle grid from about 10.30 till nearly one o'clock. Never mind, an excellent day with plenty of sunshine and super scenery. Some mist and rain on the tops but then sunshine to visit a cafe in Hawes.

122 miles today, the most I've ever done in one day in the seven. Another 'first' for me was changinging down to first gear while on the move in the seven, changing down second to first thus avoiding grinding to a halt. Easy when you get used to it. There are a few steep bits needing first.

I guess that you went to the Buttertubs to see the PWA7C Cumbria Run that started in Masham at 10.00am on Tuesday 11th.  Last year it did go over the Buttertubs but this year it went south from Masham to Pateley Bridge then up Greenhow Hill to Buckden, down to Hellifield then over the Trough of Bowland to the finish at Crooklands near Kendal.
I got back to Boltby  at 12.00 noon today after three days of great Austin 7 motoring, good company, a bit of Guinness consumption and some rather bawdy humour.
The RL saloon performed faultlessly and averaged 45 to the gallon on E5.  I put 10/40 oil in the engine before the run and was very pleased with the results.   Instead of the usual 30 minutes running before it loosens up, the engine was lively within a few minutes and sounded very happy.  I expected that there might be more oil leaks but was pleased to find no more than previously.
I am happy to do 150 miles a day in the saloon and did about 210 on the return from the Centenary Rally last year, setting off at 7.00am and getting home at 2.00pm.  This pales into insignificance compared to Bob Sterling's entry on the Coast to Coast Run back in 1997 (I think!)  Driving his Ulsteroid, he set off from Harrogate and had breakfast in Scarborough around 8.00am.  He then did the Coast to Coast Run of 192 miles over very minor roads finishing in St Bees in West Cumbria.  Finding that St Bees had little in the way of amenities, he headed back to Harrogate, an overall distance of about 400 miles in the day.
I must have engaged first gear on the move over a hundred times during the last three days but that is one of the joys of the 3-speed gearbox, the change from second into first is the easiest of the lot.   The change into top can take some time to accomplish.
Sorry that you didn't see the Austins but it sounds as if you had a good run out.  Next time keep going, tackle Silver Hill at West Stonesdale and head up to the Tan Hill Inn!