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Northern Rock Crisis?
by
Myke Pocock
Now then trials nuts, no need to
get worried. Your favourite magazine has not decided to hand out
financial advice to the unfortunate. My Northern Rock crisis occurred
back in November of last year. I was section commander for the Broom
Hill section on the VSCC’s Lakeland Trial. The morning had gone
perfectly with some glorious vintage cars making some spirited and
spectacular assaults on the section. The afternoon was to be somewhat
different.
A delicious Vauxhall 30/98 set off
from the start line with enthusiasm dislodging a not unsubstantial rock
that I involuntarily nutted with dire consequences. Thirty seconds of
oblivion, ministrations by a variety of Fell Side’s resident experts
and a 45 minute journey to Carlisle A & E in Baldrick cunningly
disguised as an ambulance resulted. I was delivered into the tender
mercies of a tasty nurse, who subjected me to a variety of pokes, prods,
tests, inspections and x rays before the DIY medic applied super glue
and expertly fashioned sticky bits to reunite the opposing bits of my
forehead. Stories of bare-knuckle fisticuffs and swashbuckling sword
fights failed to impress at work. They know me too well!
It was therefore with a little
trepidation that I learned that I was to command two sections on Fell
Side’s Northern Classic Trial. Both had restarts and possible
projectiles. Ebay drew a blank for a full set of ex-army Kevlar body
armour.
Up at 5.30am on the 16th
for breakfast, load the day car (Baldrick is still sick after the Alan)
scrape ice from the glass and a leisurely drive to The Stocksman at
Wigton for 6.30. Time for a chin-wag to the assembling organising team
and a chat to some gathering competitors before setting off for Routen
Romp, our first hill and the competitors second. Both hills were a
family affair with two of my brothers, one sister, her better half and
son assisting. We (or rather me) hatched a plan to liven the proceedings
up by wearing silly hats. “Why?” some may ask as we are daft enough
already. We gathered at the top of the section for a briefing before
spreading out on the hill with me and younger brother on the Restart. I
know the section well, having not only set it out for our trial but also
marshalling it on previous Lakeland Trials were it is called Routen Beck
Rise. The radios were tested and terminology agreed for our
communications. Before long the first competitor appeared with the bikes
first on the road. Dave Cook, the well-known trials photographer had
graced us with his presence, spending some time at the restart.
First up were the bikes. There was
a complete cross-section of styles from all-out blast with what looked
like little actual control to the cool, calm and collected approach. Not
being a bike rider, I would fall off within two yards, I cannot comment
on the suitability of any approach. Our restart proved to be effectively
positioned with half the competitors failing it. Four bikes failed to
turn up in order and we later learned that one had sustained a bad
puncture (whatever is a good one?) and his mates had held back to
assist. I needed to abandon my position on the hill for a while to sort
out a minor problem with signing, some competitors missing a marker by
the roadside and taking the wrong turn.
Next up were the cars with class 7
and 8s accepting our invite to stop for some sightseeing at the Restart.
Some even liked it so much that they couldn’t resist a second attempt
by running back some yards and giving it another go, greedy or what? A
certain Marlin driver who shall be nameless made an absolute pickle of
stopping at the restart (OK, OK I know how his name is spelt but you
think up a corny link?) His novel and unique positioning proved
disastrous, even being outshone by his son who did at least try to get
off the line! Hearing on the radio that a certain gold Escort was due I
primed the awaiting congregation for fireworks. But what was this? Were
my eyes playing tricks? Did he have car problems? Would he bury the lead
into the Axminster? A leisurely tool up to the area of the restart line,
and then nothing. My prediction had failed. A quick and angry reverse
and a second manic run at it ended with success but you don’t get
prizes for a pair. Not in this game.
Fortunately for one member of the
marshalling team, car number 37 failed our restart. I suspect that they
had got prior notice of our silly hats plan as both Robert Hodgkinson
and Dave Chilton were sporting very snazzy looking Russian military
hats, the type that are shaped to make it look like you have a bump on
the top of your napper. When they spied (a good term for a bunch of
Ruskies eh?) my brother with an identical hat a quick snap was on the
cards before they were off to spy on someone else’s section.
Hearing that Mark Powley in his
glorious Fraser Nash SS was on the way I had to warn all present. Mark
has an almost unique way of gaining grip and whilst his passenger is
bouncing up and down he rocks maniacally side to side. He came into
view, seemingly out of control and faster than anyone else with little
attempt to back of on the left-hand bend where the restart line was. I
was sure he would sail straight on but what do I know? Mind you, he was
sitting as solid as a rock making my advice to the crowd
meaningless.
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Myke in marsahlling action on
Darling Howe
(Photo by Pat
Toulmin) |
Despite our section running
smoothly with few hold-ups we were getting dangerously late for our next
marshalling duties. Eventually the four bikes turned up and we were able
to collect all our section gear up in double quick time, hand over the
score sheet to the course closing team and set off for Darling Howe. We
arrived after the first competitor was due to find a collection of happy
bikers and car competitors ready for the fray. There was no time for our
lunchtime butty then. I sweet-talked the assembled throng into waiting a
further 10 minutes whilst we divvied up the section responsibilities and
tested our methods of communication. Younger brother was, once again, on
the restart with me on the startline. The start is flat but steepens
immediately with deep ruts and loose rocks. Mindful of my performance on
the Lakeland I decided that discretion was the order of the day and
stepped well out of line as every competitor started. I had the chance
to try the section a few years ago and like it enormously, needing good
speed and traction off the line. The ruts do the Escort boys no favours
with their diff units making a very effective way of taking the top off
the middle hump. Despite this they managed to clear the section with one
notable exception, Harvey Waters. Not to be out done by Simon’s
previous performance he unexpectedly bogged down just before the
9-marker. Tony Young had forsaken his class 8 special this year to lock
horns with the class 4 chargers in his Beetle. He wasn’t happy to take
the more conventional route off the start line and nearly caused me to
invoke the four wheels out rule before shooting back across the section
at speed, bouncing off the opposite bank and regaining something like
the correct route. Novel but effective although I suspect that Tony had
little control of the situation!
We were able to view the last part
of Widow Hause from our start line and there were one or two hairy
moments when vehicles were reversing back down and got well out of
shape. I was convinced that the little Austin box saloon would tip over
but some nifty bouncing of the back end by the marshals got it back in
line.
There were 10 cars and 4 bikes
entered under the Fell Side banner. Mick Stead in his gloriously
eccentric Buckler Mk6 has entered some other club competitions and
despite not troubling the front runners on the Northern in class OA was
wearing a permanent cheesy smile making me suspect that he was enjoying
the experience. As a member of the Buckler Register, all owners
competing on any event score points throughout the year and, if memory
serves me well, Mick won First Prize last year having competed in PCTs,
PCAs, Hillclimbs and Tours to name but a few. Surely the essence of
motor sporting? Alan Smith, who can usually be seen reading the maps for
Mike Telford in his lovely Tucker Nipper Special on MCC events, was
entered in his ex Bert Lowry 1300 X flow engined Marlin and was
conducting it very effectively. In fact he was so effective that he
gained third over all in Class OA.
Sandale, from the results, looked
to have been on good form. I was sure, on set-up day, that it would be
cleaned by quite a number of cars and bikes due to the change in nature
over the years. There is now quite a bit of exposed stone surface in
places. In reality only 11 cars and 1 bike made it to the top
successfully. A notable 4-wheeled success was car number 80, which is
Joint Clerk of the Course Chris Veevers class 4 Beetle. He had lent it
to daughter Joanne to passenger for her partner Simon McCubbin. This was
his first classic trial and a clean on Sandale is something to be proud
of. The icing on the cake was first in class OB.
All in all a thoroughly enjoyable
day out and if you cannot compete what better than to marshal a section
or two. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the success from all
the marshals through to the competitors some travelling considerable
distances to compete.
Return to
2008 Restart
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