Round the Clubs., December 1925
THE A.C.E.M.C. (COVENTRY).
This club held a Half-Day Sporting Trial for the Elliott Cup.
The course was one of about 22miles, starting from Coventry and going via Kenilworth on to Princethorpe Woods and finishing at a village called Stretton. The route lay chiefly through woods, cart tracks, ploughed fields and water splashes. The accompanying photographs show the humorous side of a trial of this description (but not from the competitors’ point of view), as, at the foot of the telegraph post on the left-hand side of photo, reproduced on page 197, was a poster telling competitors that a speed of 40 miles per hour must not be exceeded on this portion of the course. Needless to say, not one competitor completed this section of the course without assistance.
BOURNEMOUTH GIPSY M.C.C.
On December 13th the above club will hold their Annual Speed Freak Hill Climb at Creech, near Wareham, starting at 11.0
Two climbs will be allowed for each class entered, fastest time to count. Ten yards start will be allowed.
CLASSES.
Machines up to 250 c.c. „ „ 350 c.c. over 350 c.c. Best average climb any c.c.
*Closed to Club Members.
Entry form and particulars can be obtained from the Hon. Secretary, Mr. A. G. Cullwick, 6, Belvedere Road, Bournemouth.
The Hill consists of clay and grass with an awkward hair-pin bend just after the start.
SOUTHPORT MOTOR CLUB.
The Southport Club’s Trial will be the first large official trial to be run at this time of the year. The other big run, the M.C.C. London—Exeter, being a private club’s concern, is not run under the jurisdiction of the R.A.C. and A.C.U. Special care has been taken to ensure efficient organisation, and, of course, suitable for the time of the year. There are no water splashes and only a matter of five miles of third-class road. The Ripon Corporation are very kindly taking considerable interest in the lunch control on the outward journey. Whilst, at Scarborough, the competitors will be staying at the Grand Hotel and the Salisbury Hotel, there will be several dances over Christmas which competitors will be able to attend. The Scarborough Corporation have promised to do everything in their power to ensure the trials success, and the comfort of all competitors.
Those who have previously competed in trials which have gone to Scarborough are well aware that the Corporation in that enterprising town does not do things by halves. Although the first batch of forms have only been out three days seventeen entries, were received by return.
NEWCASTLE AND NORTHERN MOTOR CLUB.
The first of a series of Social Functions held by the above Club during the Winter Season was held recently at the “Cottage,” Northumberland Road, when a large number of the Club members and their friends participated in a Whist Drive.
Amongst the guests, Mr. J. B. Bainbridge represented the Newcastle and District Club, and the prizes were presented • by the wife of the Sports Secretary.
The winners were :—
Ladies : MRS. T. G. ATKINSON, MRS. W. WRIGHT, MRS. COOK. Consolation : MRS. MCCULLAGH.
Gentlemen : MR. E. WARDROPER, MR. J. BAGNALL. Consolation : MR. W. ATKINSON.
SHEFFIELD AND HALLAMSHIRE MOTOR-CYCLE AND CAR CLUB.
A Revenge trial was held on October 25, being organised by the general members for the edification of the officials. The route was sealed and no speedometers were allowed, competitors wandering by devious routes by Bakewell, Chatsworth and Beeley Moor to
Ashover, where the lunch stop was held. An impromptu social event in the form of a Smoking Concert filled the interval between the morning and afternoon routes ; the latter being practically the reverse of the morning. The whole event was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone, although the system of marking was said to penalise some competitors somewhat heavily, marks being lost for grousing and the use of any forcible expressions regarding the trial. One car owner lost 100 marks for shaking his fist at the organiser on all observed hill. The final results were :—
1st. Honour : J. WILDBLOOD (Austin 7).
2nd. 2 Cigars : A. BOND (350 Ivy). .
3rd. Silver Medal : W. TURNER (Morris Oxford).
A small memento in the form of a Club cigarette case has been given to the winner.
SPEN VALLEY MOTOR-CYCLE & LIGHT CAR CLUB,
In order to keep the members together the Club are arranging for whist drives, dances, etc., to be held one per month in January, February and March. A ladies’ committee is being formed to undertake certain of the arrangements in connection therewith.
The Annual Dinner will be held on 9th December, whilst a ” Hide and Seek” Trial, which was so popular last year, will be held on 13th December.
SUTTON COLDFIELD & N. BIRMINGHAM A.C.
Starting from the Hagley Road, Birmingham, this Club’s autumn trial turned out to be rather more severe than the competitors expected it to be ; in fact, by the time the new hill, Cleeton Gulch, was reached, it had become a real sporting run and the rainy intervals served to make the course worse. Several water splashes severely tested the machines and the amount of boggy land to be traversed caused continual stoppages on the part of the combinations.
Cleeton Gulch proved to be an ascent composed of projecting rocks covered with a thick coat of slime, which, combined with a stiff gradient, caused many failures, chiefly amongst the passenger machines. Soloists were able to pick their way and on the whole a good show was made by them. A horse and tackle took a hand in hauling the sidecar outfits to the top.
ROTHERHAM & DISTRICT M.C.
Not to be outdone by the exploits at Hepolite Scar, the Rotherham Club scoured the neighbourhood and discovered a terror with a i in ri section on the Listerdale private estate.
The portion at first selected was thought to be unclimbable, but at the meeting the majority of competitors proved their ability to make the ascent. Upon another part of the hill being tried it proved much more successful only three members actually reaching the summit. They were :—
E. H. Baker (Triumph), A. Hick (Triumph), E. Bunworth (Norton).
Both the spectators and the riders enjoyed the innovation immensely and a repetition of the event should be very popular. Meetings of this nature find much more favour than the old type of reliability run.
COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE M.C.
Coventry and Warwickshire M.C. were again victors, when, it met the Grimsby M.C. last month. With their usual tactics the former team again and again broke down Grimsby’s very strong defence line, the score being 6—o when the whistle blew. Grimsby played an excellent game but they must develop their attack before they can overcome a fast side like Coventry. The players were as follows :— GRIMSBY. COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE F. Plastow (Capt.) J. Montgomery (Capt.)
D. Geddie D. Brandish.
W. Spray. L. Crisp.
L. Reeves. S. Jackson.
W. Ian. G. Elliott.
R. Parrish. A. A. Sanders.
DOUGLAS M.C.C.
A semi-American hill climb promoted by this Club became in reality a toboganning ground by reason of the prevailing mud. Twelve competitors very sportingly put in an appearance and gambolled gaily up and down the hill in spite of its vile surface and after several attempts V. Tring was acclaimed the winner with P. Hooper second.
RUGGA RUGaA M.C.C.
On November the 28th the six entrants who secured full marks in the Bryan Cooper Trophy Trial will, it is hoped, re-compete for the Caddell Cup, as the former Trophy was not awarded owing to all the competitors leaving the course. The following obtained full marks : 0. C. Callaghan (Scott) F. Holmes (Triumph) F. Moore (Chater-Lea) J. Evans (New Hudson) J. F. B. (Norton) E. Stapleton (H.R.D.)
BIRMINGHAM M.C.C.
Including such hills as Hagley Wood, Beacon, Swan’s and Old Walton, and the famous Bromsgrove Watersplash, the course of the Open Centre Lamplight Trial took some negotiating, especially as half of it was covered in the dark. Braking and acceleration tests were held and the course finished with a fifteen mile an hour section, which indicates the nature of the going. The following checked in :
Solo—F. W. Tiles (Raleigh), B. H. Riley (New Hudson), E. F. Cope and S. H. Jones (New Imperials), J. Adcock and V. Jolliffe (P. and M.’s), E. Hurlston (Ariel), and J. Element (Enfield.).
Sidecars—E. Weston (Quadrant), C. H. Watson and F. Dixon (Noztons), B. Kershaw (New Hudson) and N. P. 0. Bradley, A. Watson and It. G. G. Beesley (Sunbeams).
M.C.C.
The London—Exeter run will be held this year on 28th and 29th December instead of on the 26th and 27th as in previous years. The start, as usual, will be from the Bridge House Hotel, Staines, the first man will be sent off at 8 p.m. Salcombe, Marlpits, Peak, and White Sheet will all be included and a special test will be held on Salcombe. Extra prizes will be awarded this year to the drivers of the most silent machines.
The closing date for entries is December 12th, and the Trial Secretary’s address is 84, North End Road, N.W.
MID-BEDFORDSHIRE MOTOR-CYCLE CLUB.
In spite of heavy rain, which made the already bad going villainous, only one competitor failed to check in at the lunch stop at Abbotsley on the occasion of this club’s invitation sporting trial.
Run over a fifty-three mile course some really rough sections were encountered, culminating in V,verton Hill. Only three riders succeeded in satisfactorily breasting the summit of this hill, the rest all failing to make clean ascents. Duffett rode well, and made easily the best climb. Out of the thirty-four starters, twenty-eight checked in at Goldington, but how many of these accurately followed the course it is hard to say. Silver Medal … T. B. Hene
Gold Medal … T. Allen …
Bronze Medal… W. Duffett Douglas.
Triumph. Triumph.
ROTHERHAM & DISTRICT MOTOR-CYCLE CLUB.
An unusually long course, which might have proved cheerless in wet weather, actually provided a very pleasant run, Chester being the lunch stop and turning point. Seventeen out of twenty-two completed the run. Silver Medal Gold Medal I
President Cup ) W. G. Sinclair 770 B.S.A.
G. Foster …
Bronze Medals A. Bingham … S. Rogers … R. Hegglewhite tO
980 Coventry Eagle. 499 Rudge. 358 Raleigh. 348 Raleigh.