Club News, October 1954

M.G. C.C. Weston Rally 1954
The fourth annual Weston Rally of the M.G. C.C. will take place on October 8th/9th, 1954. The rally is open to members of the B.A.R.C., London M.C., Cheltenham M.C., Exmoor M.C., S.U.N.B.A.C., West Hants & Dorset M.C., Riley M.C. and the M.G. C.C., who may drive any type and make of car, and will be run over a route of some 450 miles through Wiltshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Somerset. Starting points will be in Birmingham, London and Bristol. The first competitor will leave at 8.30 p.m. on Friday, October 8th, and will reach Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, at about 1.30 p.m. the following day. The route, which will be secret, will only be disclosed to competitors as they progress along the route.

The main award for the rally is the Nuffield Rally Cup and this will be presented to the competitor who achieves the best performance in the rally. Regulations of the rally are now available and applications should be made to Dr. M. King, Fosse Way, Stow-on-the-Wold, or to invited club secretaries.

Per Ardua M.C.
In conjunction with the Forces’ M.C. the Per Ardua M.C. will be holding a rally, which will include driving tests, at Tidworth on October 16th. The rally will be followed by supper and films.

Regulations are available from the competitions secretary of the Forces’ M.C., Major H. G. M. Williams, 15, Lambdown Terrace, Perham Down, Tidworth, Hants.

Herefordshire M.C.
The Herefordshire Motor Club’s “Little Rally” was held on August 29th, covering a route of about 130 miles, mainly in Radnorshire and Breconshire. This was a closed event, and 16 entries were received. The only non-starter had succumbed to a tempting offer for his car and sold it the previous day.

From the start at the “Red Lion,” Pembridge, a run via New Radnor and Discoed brought the site of the first special test, at Lower Harpton. Here, on a steep gradient, a form of stop-and-restart test was held against the watch.

The first control was situated at Knucklas and to reach this a number of intermediate check points had to be visited and various information collected from each, and after traversing Whitton, Monaughty, Llangunllo and Dolau the control was reached.

It must be stated that penalties were liable to be imposed for exceeding an average speed of 40 m.p.h. over any five-mile stretch of route. So difficult was the going, all competitors were late at the lunch stop at the Norton Arms Hotel, Knighton.

Following lunch the competitors proceeded via Beguildy, Knucklas, Llanthywyd and Bettwys-y-Cwyn to another control at Cefn-Goloch, where all cars were still arriving late.

In the next section, some delay was caused in having to extricate the Sunbeam-Talbot of a lady competitor which became bogged and had to be lifted out by many willing hands. This section took in Kerry, Newtown, Llandyssyl and Sarn and led to a further control at Whitton. From here it was a more or less main-road route to the scene of the final tests, near the finish.

The first of these consisted of a regularity section, which was covered with an observer who obscured the speedometer for the test, thus making it more difficult.

Following this was a complex test of driving in and out of bays in both forward and reverse directions, while in the final test the minimum gap through which the car could pass had to be judged and the car driven through it and over a timed section at speed.

From here it was a short run to the finish at the “Red Lion,” Pembridge, where the organisers, Messrs. H. E. Rumsey and J. P. Taylor, announced the following provisional results.

The outright winner was Mr. Morgan, of Ludlow (Triumph TR2), navigated by Mr. Hobby.

On the road section, best performance was achieved by J. J. Bott and J. R. W. Thomas (Riley), but the winner’s better times in the special tests decided the event in his favour.

Open Cars up to 1,300 c.c.: 1st, R. M. Jones, navigator, and Mrs. Jones (M.G. TC).

Closed Cars up to 1.300 c.c. : 1st. R. A. G. Foster, navigator, and D. Mullott M.G. 1 1/4-litre).

Open Cars over 1,300 c.c.: 1st. — Paul, navigator, and A. N. Other (Triumph Tft2).

Closed Cars over 1,300 c.c. : 1st. J. J. Bott, navigator, and J. R. W. Thomas (2 1/2-litre Riley).

Bolton-Le-Moors C.C. Concours D’Elegance (August 29th)
Owing to rain the Concours was held, not in the civic centre as planned, but in an alternative venue, the Drill Hall of the Royal Artillery T.A. The very varied entry included a traction engine.

King’s Lynn & Dist. M.C.
The results of the Pirate Rally held on August 29th were :—

This rally was rather unusual as it was organised by a few members who had been successful in events during the last two years for the benefit of our committee and members who had been unsuccessful. The route covered about 15 miles of Norfolk by-roads and lanes and consisted mainly of navigation, with one special test.