TR Action London Group report for issue 338

David Boucher writes; Well what a time the London Group has had in this last period - I could almost fill this article by just listing what we’ve got up to since the last report without even mentioning the twice monthly group meetings but here goes with a synopsis of it all!

We start with April’s pub-run to the Shurlock Inn when a sunny day enticed 6 cars and 7 members out for a lovely morning’s drive-out. This was closely followed by the Brooklands Easter Classic Gathering where we had what may be a record turn-out. It was a sunny day again and 23 TR’s from the London Group ‘fleet’ (plus another 5 cars) arrived very early at our meeting place in Cobham for a short drive-out to Brooklands. Upon arrival Mark, our Group Leader, had secured the prime slot to the left of the main straight where our display was understandably very impressive complete with TS2, gazebo and two flags - what a showing, team! But April was still not over, and Drive-It Day appeared almost immediately on the horizon. For this event, Steve Bamforth and yours truly had prepared a Road Book with two starting points - firstly the M25 Cobham Services where 13 TRs pitched up, and then on to a country park just off the M26 where I believe a further 6 TRs were waiting. The route then followed scenic roads up to Chatham Docks where all arrived still in convoy amazingly. The London Group had been at the forefront again in organising this event with Mark Bulford and members covering the collection of gazebo and display material from Didcot and transporting it to Chatham on the Thursday, setting up the gazebo and dining rooms, and then dismantling it all before returning home on the Sunday, and returning all the equipment back to Didcot on the Monday - a trojan service, I’m sure you’ll agree, but well worth it for the great day out. But still April was not over as we had the TS2 Brooklands photo-shoot with Thames Valley Group, with some amazing photos on the banking and around the Concord. A total of 34 TRs were available for the photo-shoot and it was well worth the effort, with many members taking the opportunity to have a drive of TS2. The following day, Mark & I drove TS2 to Godalming for the handover to Goodwood and Windsor Forest Groups - a splendid lunch was only marred by the rain arriving for the Windsor Forest boys return trip!

So finally, we get into May and start with the Group AGM at the Star in Leatherhead. As always it was a convivial affair with a good turnout. The committee ran through their reports and despite this, they all managed to get re-elected! Once you put your head over the parapet ……! Apart from a drive-out on 22nd May to Newlands Corner for an excellent Breakfast at the Plucky Pheasant attended by 7 TRs, the last event of this report was the London Group’s visit to the track day at Castle Combe, and what an event that turned out to be! 5 TRs met up at lunchtime on the Monday before for a glorious drive through Surrey & Wiltshire on a route prepared by Steve Bamforth which included a ‘tea-and-cake’ stop at former member Peter Crook’s beautiful thatched cottage. We arrived at our hotel in Chippenham in time for a spruce-up before dinner locally where one more member joined us for a great social evening with much banter, particularly aimed at yours truly when I owned up to having a race-suit to wear! After a crack-of-dawn start the next day we were off to the circuit to breakfast and a briefing. All 6 of us were running in the same group so there was much entertainment belting round the track improving all the time, until disaster struck. My 3A developed an engine fire whilst on the track with serious consequences for the car as you can imagine - the other drivers and the marshalls raced to my assistance and we put the fire-out relatively quickly, but nevertheless, the damage was done (was I jinxed by that race-suit?). I can’t thank my team-mates and the marshalls enough for all their help (and commiserations!), and all the London Group have been so supportive of me. The afternoon’s running carried on although the guys began to think we were spooked as first Steve Bamforth’s TR6 developed an exhaust leak, Rob Lord’s TR6 developed a head gasket leak and Mark Bulford’s TR4A a sticking caliper!

So the London Group is as healthy as ever and back with a bang post-Covid. So come and join us for a noggin and a natter over a beer - you are most welcome. You can find us on the third Thursday of every month at the Star Inn Malden Rushett or on the 1st Thursday of the month at The Rose of York Richmond please keep an eye on your emails or on the web site http://www.tr-register.co.uk/g... - both now start from about 7.15pm