Social scene Report - TR Action 309
TR Action 309
Publication date: : 15thOctober 2018
Alan Ford reports:
Lots to report this month, so first we would like to welcome three new members to our Group. We would like to welcome Mike Hopkinson, the owner of a blue TR6. In truth, Mike is a member or the Red Rose Group, but they have more than enough members already and Mike is only just over the border which delineates the Derbyshire Dales Group's area, and we have never been too proud to resist snaffling another Group's members, so we are happy to poach him. Welcome also to Martin and Anne Taylor Wilde. They are Swallow Doretti and Stag owners, amongst many others classics, and both take on the role of driver when they are out and about.
The end of July saw Jim Tully's Sunday run take place. The theme of the run was that we were to take a route through Staffordshire Into Derbyshire following more-or-less the line of the River Dove into Dovedale in the southern Derbyshire Dales.
However, as we assembled at The Amber it seemed as if the rivers were rising to meet us; the wind-driven rain lashed down, soaking anyone who ventured from their cars, including Jim who bravely went from car to car handing out the instruction sheets. Not that we had many cars – not classics anyway. The run only boasted two TRs and two E-Types. Everyone else was in their daily driver, including us, our excuse being that the metering unit of our TR6 was away being serviced. The run went well, however, and the weather improved through the day. Our mid-run break was at the Salt Box café, Tutbury, a transport café that we had often driven past but never called on. The run finished in bright sunshine at the Isaac Walton Hotel, Ilam, although we has some fun along the way with a flock of sheep blocking the road. This proved a good gambit for getting a fleecy lower-car scrub provided you don't mind the smell of sheepy lanolin.
Lunch at the Isaac Walton was a delight, taking place in a private room around a large boardroom table that seated our 24 comfortably. During our lunch the Restaurant Manager conducted an impromptu beauty contest of the TRs outside. With only two cars to assess, he wasn't at risk of offending too many owners: Peter and Maggie Sloss took first with Dave Worne and Gwen Walvin coming a close second. Jim Tully, in the meantime, was voted the person most likely to succeed as the next Minister for Drought.
September saw our next Sunday run, organised by John Browett and Peter Callender, assemble once again at The Amber, to a magnificent turnout – some 28 cars, 24 of which were TRs, and this despite ominous dark clouds yet again. The run, in dry weather but still-wet roads, took us into the Nottinghamshire Dukeries area, calling at the magnificent Thoresby Hall for coffee, albeit Jim T's BMW Z4 disappeared in a cloud of steam at one point and Jim took the judicious option of returning homeward.
The remainder of us then passed through the lime-bordered straight roads of Clumber Park to finish at the very busy and popular Jug and Glass public house, Langwith, where we found Jim & Chris waiting patiently, courtesy of some Radweld and home diagnostics. All together again, we were accommodated in a separate room of the pub to enjoy a relaxed and well-provided lunch.
The September club night should be within the scope of this report; however, Liz and I will be en-route to Papenburg (all being well) and hoping to meet up with at least another 3 or 4 other Derbyshire Dales cars once there.
Future Events:
- Club Night & Quiz run by John & Lynne Biggin Wednesday 10th October
- Club Night and Pie & Pea Supper Wednesday 14th November
- Pre-Christmas lunch organised by Alan & Val Jones at the Devonshire Arms, Beeley. Sunday 16th December 2018
- Annual Dinner organised by Dave Burgess at the Peak Edge Hotel
- Early Notice: Next Year's Derbyshire Dales Peak Weekend will take place over the 7th to 9th June 2019 based at the Palace Hotel, Buxton. Plenty of rooms and plenty of spaces. Make a note for your diaries!
- As always, for a more comprehensive schedule of events please refer to the Derbyshire Dales Webpages