spring pub meets

[Toby]

As is the tradition, I have organised a tri partisan spring meet for the new forest on drive it day, 21st April, at the new venue for the new forest centenary noggin. Not new to minorists, or many morris register members round here apparently, it is at the royal oak north gorley on 21st April.

[Ian Grace]

Thanks Toby. I'll also plan a home counties meet for Drive-It Day at the Phoenix - to replace the defunct Hatchgate meet - and Shoulder of Mutton before that.

[Ian Grace]

Belay that - we're going to meet at Cliveden near Marlow, joining with the Bean Car Club as we traditionally do. Details of the day will be available later this month. Watch this space.

[Ian Grace]

No details of the Cliveden visit yet, but it is definitely ON for the 21st of this month - so just wanted to keep this on the front burner. It would help if anyone intending to go could reply to this post.

[Toby]

have morrises coming to North Gorley but no minors confirmed yet!

[Ian Grace]

Hi Toby,

Sadly, this is becoming par for the course and I am at a complete loss to understand why! Five or ten years ago, we could regularly gather 8, 10 or 12 Minors at the Shoulder of Mutton, the Hatchgate and the Light Car rallies. There was not a single Minor entered for the Light Car Welsh last month (but 43 frail little Austin Sevens!) and I couldn't get a single SV Minor, and only one OHC Minor for the Morris Centenary celebrations last weekend. And they don't even need MoT's now! What on earth is going on?

We did get a record 16 Minors to last year's Summer Rally, which is all the more impressive looking at these current numbers attending other gatherings. It cannot be the cars - they are perfectly rugged and roadworthy - you only have to read the Gilg Diary to know that.

In fifteen years time, we'll be celebrating the Centenary of the Minor, and I'd like to think we could gather 100 examples at our Summer Rally. Imagine that!

[Ian Grace]

Cliveden details just in:

We have been told to arrive between 10am and noon, as the general public are allowed in from noon, and we must stay until 3 p.m. (seems reasonable). Not a good idea to bring dogs, as they are not allowed in the grand avenue (where we park) or the formal gardens. Everyone is welcome to explore the estate; refreshments can be purchased - we have taken picnics in the past, but with this year's weather so far..........?
Anyone wanting to attend needs to contact Howard Martin who is co-ordinating with Cliveden National Trust, at h_h_martin@hotmail.com or tel. 01628 522421

Anyone going???

[Toby]

good turnout and nice to see some morrisses about! Sadly a number of the centenary noggin people were unable to make it but it was still jolly good fun with a good old chinwag!

[Ian Grace]

I'm envious! Is that your two Minors there, or is that Mike Rose's 2-seater?

[Ian Grace]

Report just in from Cliveden. After all the planning, it was a beautiful day, there was a great turnout of vintage cars, everyone enjoyed their free day out in this spectacular setting, but there was not a single Minor present. I give up!

[Toby]

yes that's Mike. Re cliveden, too complicated for minor owners? I find that just a time and place with no itinerary of any kind seems to produce the best turnouts!

[Ian Grace]

Yeah, probably too complicated. Turn up, drive in, pay nothing, enjoy the day.

I put Cliveden on because we were getting terrible turnouts at the Hatchgate - which turned into the Phoenix when the Hatchgate closed. Prior to the Hatchgate, we used to meet at the Shoulder of Mutton and regulary got a good Minor turnout there, as we did at the Hatchgate a few years ago.

To be honest, part of the problem is people moving away from ther Thames Valley area or selling their cars. In recent times, we have lost John Nagle (to Dorset), the Cookseys (also to Dorset, and Wendy is not very well these days), Mike Jones is packed and ready to move Norfolk, James Wheeler sold his Minor, as did Paul Harris, and so on. So the area isn't the Minor hotbed it used to be!

All other attempts to gather more than three or four Minors together in the spring/autumn have failed in recent times, which is very sad, since the Register was founded primarily to promote and encourage the driving of our cars.

I did also appeal to other Minor owners up and down the country to take their cars out yesterday and to send in photos. Not a single one received so far.

But to end in a high note, we did get a record 16 Minors at our Summer Rally last year, so I'm HOPING we will do even better this year.

[Ian Grace]

And Clive Hamilton-Gould's son runs the London Marathon every Drive it Day, so that takes Clive out of the running every spring meet.

Open to suggestions for the autumn!

[WD1940]

West Midlands minor owners? WD 1430 was alone on drive it day at the Dodford - apart from a mid 60's mini of a friend. Did get a wave from a 50's Ford on the way there though - so others were using their cars.

[Trevor Wilkinson]

I went to the Green Man at Thriplow on Sunday but forgot to take my camera,there was one other Minor there. During the 50 miles There and back I saw an MGB , a Morgan and a Triumph Herald.