March 2006

Bletchley crowd

Members present

Martin & Sue Faulkner

Andy & Jennie Holyoak

Kathryn & Tim Sharpe

Paul Bowler

David Guzzetta

Dick Goodey

Martin & Jenny Ward (2000 Estate)

John & Chris Day

Barrie & Barbara Cooper

Phil, Rachael, Sam & Hannah

John & Helen Kirk

Terry & Sue Pruce

John & Margaret Martin

Tony & Ruth Richards

Andrew Burford

John Edwards

Steve Lambley

Alan Fuller

Andy & Claire Moltu

Allan Westbury

Reg & Irene Bowler, Roger & Gill Guy (virtually - via the phone from Tenerife!)

Let’s hope we see a better turnout of TRiumphs at the next meeting - we should all be taxed and MoT’d by then anyway!

New member!

Matthew Thomas Ward became a member on 5^th March 2006 at 7.31pm. He weighed 8lbs 2oz. Mum and baby are doing well and the photographs certainly show we have a handsome new member in our midst. Welcome little one.

Cake shop

If anyone has not paid their subs this month, please do so otherwise …. you won’t get your copy of TRipe! Scared? You should be … Rachael can be formidable!

£15 per couple, if you’re writing out a cheque, please will you make it payable to Leicestershire TR Group.

Meeting notes

The meal at Terracotta on 25^th April was a resounding success. As ever, the food was superb. At one point, some of us couldn’t hear ourselves think because of the noise on the table next door! Wonder who was sitting there?!

The first run out took place on Sunday, 2^nd April to Bletchley. Unfortunately, we had to cry off but we will be taking ourselves off there later this year along with Martin and Sue Faulkner who also couldn’t make the run. Martin Ward has done a report of this trip - see later on.

The TR Track Day was held at Mallory Park on Tuesday April 4^th which quite a number of people attended. See later for a write up.

The members who went to the TR Ball said they had a great time. The hotel and company were both good and the men dressed up in dickie bows (photographic evidence please chaps!). There was a free raffle with fantastic prizes. Wales also provided lots of snow during the run into the hills. There were 28 couples in all at the Ball.

Events coming up

23^rd April, Brooklands Triumph Day

26^th April, Restoration Show at Stoneleigh

17^th or 24^th June, Derbyshire Weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). Hotel and camping facilities available. Please get in touch with Tony & Ruth if you’re interested

1^st - 3^rd September, Goodwood Revival Weekend. Graham Ransome organising. Please email him if you want accommodation, please email Tim Sharpe also has some details on this weekend.

8^th - 10^th September, Lakes Weekend. Jennie & Andy organising. Members who’ve expressed an interest so far are Jennie & Andy, Phil & Rachael & kids, Helen & John Kirk, Sue & Martin Faulkner, Eddie & Trish Draycott, Andrew Deacon, Graham Ransome possibly. If anyone else is interested, please get in touch with us so that we can organise accommodation. We’re thinking of getting a cottage for the weekend - IF we can get one with a changeover day of Friday

13^th - 18^th September, European Meeting in Holland

19^th - 22^nd October, Rachael appearing in Joseph & His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Bletchley Park

by Martin Ward

It was decided by popular vote to visit Bletchley Park near Milton Keynes as our first run out this year.

The first gathering point was in Oadby and by 10.00am 8 cars set off to Lubenham, mainly hood down, where we collected 2 more cars for the run and also met up with Reg & Irene who weren’t able to make the whole day, but came to see us all off. We then set off totally topless for Badby near Daventry, the home of Ann & Colin Skinner who treated us to jam donuts, Danish pastries, croissants, shortbread and coffee – very good it was too, many thanks to them both. When we arrived, it was raining, so hoods back up – and there they stayed for the rest of the day as the weather fairy couldn’t make her mind up! But perhaps keeping up the tradition of April showers.

Everyone had been given a map showing the final destination – just in case – a convoy of 11 cars is hard to keep together and we all arrived with only one of the Milton Keynes traffic islands being circumnavigated by some more than once.

Bletchley Park itself was originally purchased quietly on behalf of the British Government by a Mr Sinclair (actually Admiral Sinclair) to house a new Department for ‘listening in’ on our neighbours – the original GCHQ. We had a fascinating guided tour by a retired code breaker or spy, not quite sure which! We finished up in the well stocked café and ate our fill before returning to the car park only to find Roger (Tenerife Tan) Guy waiting to join us for the drive back home!

Great day out, thanks to Andy M for the venue idea and everyone for turning up.

We had aTR4, 4A & 5, 7x 6’s a 7 and a Porsche drophead all day plus two visiting 6’s for part of the day – what about that for a first run turnout!

See you at Tilton.

Mallory Track Day

For a change, the weather was kind to us this year, albeit bitterly cold out of the sunshine.

Unfortunately, numbers were down which is a concern for the Register. However, they think they will try the event again next year.

The reason the numbers were down was because the race boys started their race season slightly early so all their pre-season warm-ups and tunings had already been done. Shame.

But the day was still good fun and the Leicester Group members rallied round and particularly enjoyed the last session of the day when they took their own cars on to the track J

Leicester Group members took it in turns throughout the day to use their own cars as the Pace Car - fantastic fun.

Our thanks must go to Chris Cunnington for organising it.

By the way … we did wonder if David Guzzetta was trying to tell us something? ……..

New idea - spares list

Maybe Andy Moltu and Dave Guzzetta could give us some feedback on the level of interest (if any) at the April meeting?

While I was tidying up!...

Part three:

How to Drive a Motorcar, Temple Press, 1914. “One must remember that even a small car of, say, 10 hp, and weighing about 15cwt, has in it, when running at even the legal limit of 20mph, a stored-up energy (which we term momentum) capable of inflicting serious bodily harm and causing considerable damage. Far be it from us to raise any undue ideas of danger!”

And …

For those of us with “old eyes”, the text says:

“The Extreme Value of a Second

In this illustration, the trained eye picks out the horse’s head the moment it appears from the side turning - plenty of time is left to slow down or stop, if need be.”

“Trained eye”? Amazing!!!!

Barrie Cooper gave me a photo recently of a vehicle and suggested I put a copy of it in TRipe with the question “what is this vehicle?” The only information he is prepared to give us is that it was made by Standard Triumph. Answers on a postcard!! Seriously, answers at the April meeting please J

Andy H

Restoration corner

Tim Sharp - TR6 Anti-rollbar replaced. Full Stage II rebuild. His engine bay looks electrically stunning!	Barrie Cooper “I am doing silly things like new speedo cable, failed on first run (choke cable failed too). Wipers now working. WE CAN SEE. Washers now work too. SEE AND BE SEEN. Don’t laugh, but the demisters work. In a sidescreen TR - you must be joking. Barbara now has a re-upholstered seat by Auto Trim for £68 +VAT. Next up is front hubs for a clean and re-grease. Also when funds allow repair boot lid ex-Stoneleigh. A million thanks to Andy H for sorting out electrics.”
Trish Draycott - TR6 Car has now been collected from the garage. She is very pleased with it and even promises to USE it (but NOT in the rain!). Come on Trish … be a brave girl J	Steve Lambley His TR4/5/6 bitzer is just about up and running. It has modified seats, I believe out of a Toyota MR2. He has even fitted a central locking kit. Paint job done, electrics nearly completed. Several modifications and updates have been done which will be interesting to see.
Martin Faulkner Green TR3 started. Changing pulleys on the front of the engine and sorting out bits to complete engine bay.	Paul Bowler Tyre problems!
Phil Gunn - “The fleet” Estate car has been sorted. Two diaphragms have been changed on the carburettor, one of which was torn giving him the problem. The Stag still needs a new roof. TR7 running fine. Alvis is OK.