Magazine Article 003          Rally of the Tests   -   1st-4th November 2007          by          Ron Palmer

My seventh and Charles’ fifth attempt at the Rally of the Tests was a mixed bag to say the least.  Our fortunes swung one way and the other until eventually, rather relieved, we finished 9th overall and 1st in class seven.  The full entry of 85 started in Scarborough on Thursday 1st Nov where the prologue was held on Oliver’s Mount race circuit and then a test along the superb promenade before the welcome dinner at rally HQ at Crown Spa Hotel.

We restarted in 14th position on Friday morning from the most impressive Sledmere House 20 miles or so to the south of Scarborough where the first test and regularity of the day took place.  We then meandered through the Yorkshire Wolds taking in Elvington Airfield, Rufforth and Tockwirth before heading north to Lightwater Valley and the Croft circuit for the 7th and 8th tests of the day.  Virtually every venue we visited welcomed us with open arms and went out of their way to accommodate us, that is until we called at the Time Control at Hartforth Hall Hotel near Scotch Corner.  Here the owner, after permitting the use of his splendid premises for the TC refused anyone the use of his ‘washroom’ unless they spent £2.50 on a coffee.  A significant loo charge, and its only 20p at Euston!  Now the net worth of the average ‘Tests’ entrant could have bought this business and the visit could have offered the owner a great opportunity to promote his business.  Instead I’d be surprised if anyone returned here in the future.

A late afternoon test followed by a demanding regularity in Arkengarthdale saw us arrive at Tan Hill for the supper control halt.  We were welcomed by Alex Boswell, who organised a parking place and then ushered us into the warmth of the Inn.  Tan Hill is in a veritable time warp although it is no longer haunted by Ted Moult advertising his double-glazing.  The Yorkshire pudding and gravy portions were humungous and the competitors consumed many of these vast portions.  A resident duck squatted by the roaring fire and fed on the scraps from the generous diners.  A row of fat hens perched on the outside windowsill looking in to the cosy room at the warm fire and obviously longed to be the other side of the glass.  If you haven’t been to Tan Hill you must pay it a visit on a cold winters evening.

Dragging ourselves away we completed a self-start regularity round the Stainmore yellows before heading for a superb section on the Warcop Ranges.  This consisted of 11 time controls and 8 passage checks in half an hour and was guaranteed to get an adrenalin rush going.  We lost only one minute on this section when we were faced with two oncoming cars going WD – a small pause being enough to allow the minute to tick over.  A run in to the overnight control at Penrith allowed us the comfort of a small libation followed by a most comfortable night at the George Hotel.

On Saturday the restart was from the Carlisle Airport courtesy of owner Andrew Tinkler where there were two wake up tests before the field headed off for a day in southwest Scotland via a further test in Longtown Auction mart.  Our route through Galloway took in a regularity in Annandale, a test at Heathhall followed by three great tests and a regularity on Dundrennan army ranges before turning east for Time Controls at Drumlangrig Castle nr Thornhill.  A further three regularities and four tests brought us to The Grapes Hotel at Newcastleton for the evening control.  En route we had a problem with a cell going down on the battery, which mean push starts.  To avoid starting trouble we left the engine ticking over and experienced engine overheating, which dumped the coolant onto the main street in Moffat.  We managed to struggle on to Newcastleton where we had a battery boost charge from the official backup crews, which lasted to the overnight halt back at Penrith.  After Newcastleton there was a great evening section run using a combination of forestry sections in Ash Park and Kershope and the maze of yellows around Bewcastle and Roadhead.  This was cleaned by the top 10 crews who were kept on their toes to do so before heading back to Penrith for a second overnight halt. The support from local clubs including the usual strong presence by Wigton Motor Club members contributed greatly to the success of the event, which goes from strength to strength each year.

Those who expected an easy Sunday run to the finish at Blackpool were woken up with a demanding series of early tests, the first an old favourite in Lowther Deer Park courtesy of Lowther Estates and the ever supportive David Taylor.  Then onwards through tests at Shap and Crosby Ravensworth to a rapid regularity run in daylight through Warcop ranges where accuracy and pace were essential.  Some of us didn’t rise to the challenge and we dropped a place to 9th.  Ten further tests kept up the pace through the day, which ended with the last on the promenade at Blackpool.

This year there was another XK150 Coupe in the entry list, which was ‘fresh out of the box’ for this event. The owner had been interested in buying an XK150 drop head coupe for a spot of touring with his wife and paid a visit to JD Classics for a viewing.  Whilst there he spotted a coupe, which he thought looked very smart.  So being a man of action he bought both cars and then instructed that the coupe be prepared for rallying.  This involved the fitting of roll cage special seats, harnesses etc.  Now wouldn’t we all like to shop for our Jaguars at JD classics….

The usual awards black tie dinner provided a fitting end to a splendid event.  Two interesting additional awards were presented this year; the first was in memory of our old friend Julian Lucking and was awarded for the best performance on the Saturday evening section where there were 10 clean sheets. In the event it went to the smallest engine car with a clean that of Frank Lenahan in a 997 Mini Cooper.  The other special award was from the cabinet of the late great Sheka Meta whose widow Yvonne has decided to share his trophies out to worthy events and this superbly mounted ‘big cat’ went to octogenarian Willie Cave an ex WW11 Spitfire pilot and ‘Tests’ regular who won it as a life time award.  A fitting end to a most enjoyable event.  Roll on number eight.

Ron.

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