Club News, November 1959

A group of Riley enthusiasts in the Nottingham and Derbyshire area are trying to form a local group of the Riley Register. The Register caters for the owners of pre-1938 Rileys and offers many benefits as well as social activities. Anyone interested in the idea should write to Dr. Peter Hackett, Flat 1, 32, Waterloo Road, Nottingham.

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The R.A.C. International Rally will be held this year from November 16th/21st, starting at Blackpool and finishing in London. Much of the 2,000 miles will be covered in Scotland and Wales with special tests being staged at Aintree, Brands Hatch, Charterhall, Harleyford, Oulton Park, Prescott and Rest-and-be-Thankful. At the finish at Crystal Palace on the final Saturday a series of races will be staged for those who have finished the road section. In addition to these a manoeuvring test will be held at Blackpool and a regularity test held in Wales.

Entries will be restricted to 150, the entry fee being £36 15s. Points which are emphasised by the R.A.C. are that they will welcome team entries by Clubs and that the rally can be won on the road section. The test will only decide ties. We have heard that somewhere before.

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The M.C.C. National Rally, which was due to have taken place on November 5/7th, has been cancelled because of the close proximity to the R.A.C. International Rally.

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On November 1st the Shenstone and District C.C. hold their Chase Trophy Trial, which is a B.T. & R.D.A. Star Trial and a qualifying event for the R.A.C. Trials Championship. The start will be from Draycott-in-the-Clay at 10 a.m. and the finish will be at the same place.

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The Anglia & Prefect O.C. have announced that owners of the new Ford Anglia, Popular and Prefect are eligible for membership of the Club. The next rally will be the “Three Ns” Night Rally, which is a restricted event open to a large number of Clubs, including the following: B.A.R.C., East Surrey M.C., Mid-Surrey M.C., West Hants & Dorset M.C., Advertising M.C., Forces’ M.C., VW O.C., Oxford M.C., Brighton & Hove M.C., and Blackfriars M.C.

The route will be approximately 250 miles and the event will be a straightforward “won-on-the-road” rally. Timing will be by sealed watches, and the accent will be on the ability to plot references accurately and follow uncomplicated route cards. Entries close November 11th and should be sent to G. R. Lucas, Cranmore, Ouseley Road, Wraysbury, Bucks.

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The Annual R.A.C. London to Brighton run takes place on Sunday, November 1st. The start will once again be at the eastern end of the Serpentine Road, in Hyde Park. Cars will be numbered according to age, with the No. 1 being the oldest, and will start in groups, the first one leaving at 8 a.m. A maximum average speed of 20 m.p.h. is set for the whole distance. The finish will once again be at the Aquarium, Brighton.

The Sporting Owner Drivers’ Club will hold a driving test meeting at Heston Aerodrome on Sunday, November 8th. Entries are open to members of Clubs belonging to the London Counties Association of Motor Clubs. Entries are open until November 2nd and should be sent to W. P. H. Lockhart, Hinxworth, Cross Oak Road, Berkhamsted. The event will commence at 10.30 a.m.

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The Sevenoaks & District M.C. are one of the first to commence the “Film Show season,” and will be holding a midnight matinee at the Gaumont Theatre, Bromley, Kent, commencing at 11.30 p.m. on October 30th. The two-hour show will include “Coupe des  Alpes” and “Tribute to Fangio,” together with a number of other motor-racing films. Space is limited and tickets, price 5s. each, should be obtained before the show from S. Clipston, Plant, Clifford & Co., 28, Widmore Road, Bromley, Kent.

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The Sutton & Cheam M.C., which was formed in March, has received R.A.C. affiliation and already has 93 members. Anyone living in the district who is interested in joining a Motor Club should contact I. G. Forrest, Fordwater, Cuddington Way, Cheam, Surrey.