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by John Ludford
Sue and I entered the Camel Classic trial several
times in the late 1980s and always enjoyed the event thoroughly. Since
then business commitments kept us away. This year we were able to
revisit the event, and we very quickly remembered what made it so great.
Cornwall abounds in trialling sections and Camel Vale
Motor Club, know how to use them. We were given fourteen sections, all
of Simms or Hoskins standard, plus two special tests as tie deciders,
all within the space of fifty road miles. No marginally competitive
hills were used to 'make up'. the number; few restarts were needed (two
for Classes 6, 7 and 8, plus another four for Class 8 only); and even
fewer tyre pressure restrictions were required (18 psi for Class 8 only
on just two hills). All of this was combined with a start at Safeways
car park, Bodmin, offering petrol, ample heated signing on space, food
and beverages, toilet facilities; and massive parking facilities;
together with a finish at the Crown Inn, Lanlivery, which again offered
ample car parking, and excellent food and beverages, which we had
sampled thoroughly in a practice run the night before, fortunately.
since we were not to make it quite this far on the day.
The weather had been very wet, of course, for two
months before the trial and conditions everywhere were slimy. The day
before the trial had been comparatively fine for a change, and the day
itself started sunny and mild, but with a very heavy dew.
From the start the route went about five miles South
to Churchtown Woods for the first two sections. The first was a series
of steep drags broken by sharp corners, and the second a single corner
leading to very steep climb. We then travelled about six miles East to
Dennicksball where the lowest score was 7; and three miles West to
Clinnick, which was in fine condition, and stopping nearly everyone on,
or just after the sharp right-hander.
Another four miles to the West took us to the
Cardinham Woods area, and to section 5, Kingswood, which unfortunately
had to be cancelled because the wet weather had caused deterioration of
the track, which became effectively impassable, I understand. Shortly
afterwards came Laneskin, and the first restart for classes 6, 7 &
8. Most cars scored 3 to 5 regardless of class, as the track swung
sharply left up a steep bank.
7 miles to the West. through Bodmin once more. lay
Bishopswood special test and Bishopswood Sections 1 and 2. The special
test was a straight drive from line A to stop astride line E, followed
by a straight drive to stop astride line B. Emma Flay/Kelly Thomas and
Paul Bartlemen/Terry Flay were the only crews to score sub 9 second
times. Bishopswood 1 had a fairly level start, with a sharp right hand
turn up a bank. Class 8 had to contend with a minimum tyre pressure of
10 psi and a restart. No one cleared the section, and several of us flew
off at the corner, into the undergrowth, having to be lifted back by the
ever keen and cheerful marshals, I must get It right, next year.
Bishopswood 2 was kinder, but I cannot recall it, probably because I
scored badly.
A short drive took us to section 9, Hustyn, where
class 8 suffered a higher start line, and a minimum tyre pressure of 18
psi again. Interestingly, this put their performance on a par with class
1. This Section was in fine form, despite the weather, and is always
great fun. To the North West , in two miles, lay Section 10, Polmorle,
in the grounds of a market garden and vineyard, not that any evidence of
either was apparent. The start was firm but greasy, and half way up a
sharp right hand turn, followed by a sharp left hand turn led to an
ominous section of untouched grass. Class 8 had to restart. The lowest
score of the day here was 5.
Five miles back to the East lay section 11 Helligan,
where only Dudley Sterry/Barry Clarke, and Adrian Marfell/June Paterson
went clear and one mile further East lay the Shell Wood Sections.
Section 11, Shell Wood 1 had a restart for class 8 only, and proved a
tough challenge with no one scoring less than 5. Shell Wood 2 was a
little kinder, being a more gentle climb to a left hand bend where the
gradient steepened. Again there were no clears, but several scores of 1.
This was followed by special test 2. Shell Wood Special Test which
replaced Helligan Special Test at a late stage. This test was a forward,
reverse, forward exercise, stopping astride three lines. Only Dudley
Sterry/Barry Clarke and Bill and Carole Foreshew bettered 16 seconds.
About seven miles South lay Lostwithiel and nearby
the final section, Section 14, Old Tanhouse, which, as cancelled towards
the end of the day, as late rain and a faulty public road drain damaged
the surface. The route to Lostwithiel involved an obscure right turn
from the A38 into a minor road, and this took us several attempts to
find, being in an open car, since it was now raining heavily.
In missing the turn the course closing car must have
passed us. When we arrived at Old Lanhouse we followed the blue marker
into the section, looking for the start. Finding the start unmanned we
guessed what had happened and began to reverse down, but horror of
horrors, a weld in the steering column cracked, leaving us without any
steering at all. We managed to reverse some way, rubbing the side of the
car against the soft bank, but eventually the ruts took us across the
track and we were stuck fast. As I climbed from the car I looked at the
towering banks above, and in the light of the torch, at the brown muddy
water swirling around my ankles, two inches above my feet, and tried to
recall that phrase about creeks and paddles. Perhaps someone could
refresh my memory. For an impish moment I thought of returning to the
car next day, with two skeletons, and leaving them in the seats to be
discovered next spring, However, good sense prevailed and I reached for
my trusty mobile and telephoned the finish venue,
Sometimes 1 think that trialling is the Cornish
National Sport, In the way that rallying is the Welsh National Sport.
for with that phone call it seemed that Cornish Trialling plc. swung
into action. Clerk of the Course, Pete Allen, accompanied by Dave Keats
with his Land Rover, and several other helpers were with us by the time
we had walked back to the start of the track. Dave Keats backed the Land
Rover up to our car and pulled us down the section, with the rear wheels
locked to stop the car from tracking into the bank. This was no mean
feat, particularly in the dark and the rain. The RAC were summoned, and
we were told that there would be a ninety minute delay, because the day
had been busy in that area, Ninety minutes later, exactly, a car
transporter arrived, crewed single handedly by a charming young lady
named Kathy, who winched the car onto the lorry, took us the few miles
back to Lanlivery where we were staying for the weekend, reversed the
lorry down a long twisting drive in the dark and dropped the car into a
designated parking space. The finish venue was closed by now, and an our
landlords kindly made us sandwiches. The next morning those same
landlords telephoned a local mobile welder, who arrived within a few
minutes and ground out the offending weld, re-welded it and did the same
to a second suspicious looking weld in the column, all for a most modest
fee. We were then directed to a local motor factor who made us a
replacement rear number plate, on the spot, as the original had been
lost in the excitement, for a fraction of the price I pay at home. We
were now fully operational again, and pausing only to repair once more
to the Crown Inn at Lanlivery, for a substantial lunch, to fortify us
against the elements, we made for home, where we arrived only a few
hours later than originally intended
We had been fortunate indeed. In both that the
steering column broke where our speed was low, and the banks of the
section contained us, and in that we received such tremendous and
knowledgeable help from both the organisers, and the local people. This
was certainly a fantastic weekend to savour and to remember.
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2000 Restart
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