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Welcome to the Official Website of the Northern Roadsters Club
Website was last modified on 03/01/2010
History
Formed initially from a group of like-minded people 15 years ago the informal club became official in October 2006.
Many members of the Club have a long history of competing in motor sport events, with members competing at a high level in Hillclimbs, Sprints, Autocross, Autotests, circuit racing, Rallies, and Navigational Runs. It aims to be encouraging to new members to start competing and then providing the stimulus for them to further develop their skills.
If you are interested in finding out more then come down to one of the
events in our calendar, or our monthly 'first Friday' meet at the Three
Nuns, just off the M62 at Junction 25 (where the A62 starts just
through the lights past Cooper Bridge scrapyard). You can then meet
the members of the friendliest motor club in the North, or apply for
membership by either downloading the membership form or by e-mailing membership@northernroadsters.co.uk
for details of how to join by snail mail.
Check our calendar page for details of our forthcoming activities.
Meeting History
January The ‘Hardy Eight’ made it to the first meeting of the year. Honda hasn’t
rejected our 1p takeover bid - yet !! Jon reckons that we will come up against
some stiff competition - and we
thought maybe Dave Richards or Eddie Jordan too. DW regaled us with how he led the
Burmese Liberation Front over the border into
The New Year brings new forthcoming
activities like a run out to Boggs Bros. was discussed for early next year &
a potential trip to
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yuletide scoff time otherwise known as the Christmas Party at the Stansfield Arms
provided lots of fun as usual. Lots of people trekked to the team ‘tent’ where
we were placed at a table by the wind machine – or was that the door !! This
was always left open by any passing people so a force 10 gale kept blowing Stuarts
wig off ! Choruses of “Dooorrrrr” “Dooorrrrrrrrrrrrr”
to all that left it open went unnoticed by most except one fair maiden lady
gave us “the look” - and we assumed she thought we were shouting
“whore”!
The menu of choice was the high rise pork
steaks but those without their doggy bags have increased weight by
about half a
stone! It is amazing how a Dioxin conrtamination can make meat treble
in size. Bill stoically managed to come almost straight
from the operating table (a true grit spirit) but looked & was vey
sore – never
mind we can wait until next year for the dance routine. Bracey enjoyed everything twice as much as
anyone else apart from OGL who helped a bit with some turkey. Jo led the girls
in a dance line locomotion showboat, Rick showed us he is a Disco Diva and Jon strutted his stuff in the designer wear.
Paul talked about his fantasy garage but then we realised he was discussing his
musical tastes.!
The Ginetta Trip to the impressive LNT
group building on Tuesday 9th was an eye opener. A joint meeting
with HMC, 27 turned up in all.
It was impressive informative, interesting
& impeccably clean. An insight was given about the whole LNT group structure &
function then onto the juicy bit – the cars!
We were shown cars from 1400 & 1800
G20’s to the all singing & dancing G50. Some bare chassis – some ‘clothed’.
The new road car was there as well as a few special prototypes including the
107mph electric car.
We sojourned to the local for a sarnie,
pint and some chatter. Plans were hatched that when we buy Honda F1 we will
rent out the wind tunnel for a few quid
to recoup our investment costs.
First
Friday December – a chap arrived in a Pilgrim
Bulldog and was promptly descended upon by four regulars only to find out he
was waiting for his blind date to arrive & nothing at all to do with the
club. Poor chap probably thought he was about to be mobbed! She arrived in a spotty yellow car & we
bid a hasty retreat.. the usual merry chit chat ensued and we decided we could
put in a bid for the Honda F1 team calling it T.N.R (Three Nuns Racing). We
will run on alternative fuel –chip fat collected from the locals, hydrogenated
& chemically enhanced by Dr. E Bygum run in an engine developed by Willy
Eckerslike. Pit stops could take a bit longer through the 4-Star nozzle but
heck, with the rotation of some of our talented willing drivers through the
season we’ll wing it OK.
Jon gave us a fashion parade with the new
designer Packamac, Stuart gave us an excellent class on Dam construction. Mikey tops the road kill league table (so far) with a kangaroo, OGL coming
second with a dairy cow. Oh, and there was a bit of discussion about oily bits
and carbs as well as the costs of repairing “The Ring” after some Volvo drivers
demolished a Porsche, Transit and a corner, too !!
A ride out to Boggs Bros. was discussed for
early next year & a potential trip to
November First Friday - Twelve people and three cars attended even though it was about minus 5 degrees !. Stoic some of our members you know ! Frivolity was, as usual high with indoor helicopter battles taking priority over the evening. Christmas Dinner was finalised as were numbers and confirmations for the Ginnetta trip in early December. OGL was off ill in his death bed with ‘Man Flu’ – but was heard to have commented that at least it isn’t Bird Flu…..
First Friday October - 12 cars again came for the outing.. Stuart led Bracey all the way to the venues he needed to visit!. A few attempts at overtaking were expertly blocked by Stuart but it just seemed the new engine just couldn’t keep up !! Someone commented it wasn't as quick as the old engine but Bracey countered saying in it's current state it is just as slow! Never mind – it was only a burst water pipe and nothing too serious ! Hopefully the pipe will be mended and it will be back on the road soon.First Friday September - For the first time EVER no cars turned up – the weather was soooo bad,.if any cars had tried they would have floated to the meeting Bracey’s car is still off the road but getting close to being finished. We heard tales of him sitting in the ‘office’ chair in the garage late at night making ‘brum brum’ noises. Much discussion took place about what would go into everybody’s fantasy garage and car wish lists generally. Dave P told us of his video again but I doubt it will be released in time to hit the box office… A couple of members are on holiday - how dare they be away on a club night !! Mikey’s Mini is just about done so look out . Usual merry banter and lots of discussion about bike carbs as a few are going /have gone down this route. We have turned the corner towards Christmas
First Friday August - Eight cars and fifteen members turned up – but a lot of different ones to last month. A nice Striker with a Vauxhall XE that got Bracey’s juices flowing when it set off back home. Mikey‘s Mini finally made it !! It’s on the road. The underlying trend of membership is up as 8 cars and 15 people came which to say that one car is being rebuilt, one is having an engine change, two were on Holiday, one was at a leaving party, two didn't come because they were working, and two usual attendees weren’t there which would have made 15 cars - a club record.
July First Friday - Fifteen bods and eight cars braved the elements – not bad to
say Bracey’s car is off the road and a few are on
The show outside was quiet - understanderbly! Bruce sorted the suspension out (his car now has some !!). Stuart made a beeline for the PG`s Nuts stand only to find they were the edible sort. They didn't sell M10 Nylocs ready salted so we moved on !! The exhibition halls were quite busy (rain shelter). Two new cars on display were the Great British Sports Cars trike, the Bullet and the Mills Extreme Vehicles Trike. There was a nice looking GT 40 replica from Speedwell Replicas . Michalak Design (German) were there with their very stylish Michalak C7 based on a Smart. Quantum Sportscars were celebrating 21 years of their cars and there was more talk of diesel options (BMW doner) for the Extreme. Alloy Racing Fabrication had some very good value fuel & oil tanks. Just outside the hall enterance was a very clever Toyota Prius converted by a genius & powered by a set of batteries producing 240V DC with over 3000 charge cycles available - that's about an 8.5-9 year life and enough umph in the 'tank' to commute properly and quickly. That sums up what's good about Newark - outstanding individual innovative engineering all on display.
Sunday saw the rain disappear but the winds come. Two cars made it. The marquee on the JPSC stand was last seen flying to Lincoln for its own adventure and Bill nearly lost his wig, which shows how windy it was because he doesn't wear one !
So to the annual pilgrimage in May to the National Kit Car Show at Stoneleigh.
We were notified at the last minute that our pre-booked pitch had become a paddy field due to the persistent precipitation (I like alliteration) so we were moved indoors to the shed furthest away from any action or activity. In fact the last in line of about twelve! There were some good points and some bad points;
It made it good in case the weather was inclement and we would be dry in the forecast rain (which never seemed to materialise, difficult to have a barbecue without gassing everyone else in the shed out. It was a tad difficult to push the new (and impressive) flags (size does matter) into the concrete when we only brought spikes for soft ground so, Bill magnanimously found a convenient hole to stick them in. That turned out to be connected directly to the sewage system, which proved interesting at packing up time. Nice perfume on the journey home !! At least we didn’t need the binoculars to see them this time!!
Several cars were drooled over and coveted. Good to see that the roots of the club are still being upheld - Jonathan fell in love with a MBE Sylva Rio with an R1 engine to take him back to his yoof but in comfort. Dave P wants a GKD G27 Evolution and would have probably bought the one on the stand had we not dragged him away. Nice car & silver in colour so keeping up the ‘Sylva’ theme.
OGL fancies a Quantum with a BMW Turbo diesel engine for touring in comfort and economy. It has a nice lockable boot with enough space to keep a squashy bay or three and the dog too ! But then he tried a Liege and fits in it so, wants one of those, but then again he wants a Marlin or a Troll T6 for possible off road production sports car trials, oh and an SSC as well - choices, choices…..
Bracey took to cleaning his car on the stand (about time) with a very nice aluminium polish – should be finished in time for
No one camped over this time – difficult pitching a tent in a shed or floating it in a paddy field so the convoy set off at 6 pm to wang their way home. A nice day had by all.
May 'First Friday. Seventeen members and seven cars braved the
slightly cold evening of the yellow car club meeting (80% yellow turnout, is that
a record !??). There was a particularly nice red & white Evo attending and thanks
to Chris and his family for coming along – we hope to see you again soon.
The chairman left his yellow car at home
a/. because it was out of MOT and b/. “The eyes have it” at the moment. One car is off the road in bits (a blue one !) and another (yellow) was
also awaiting the DVLA’s “suitability for use” inspectors.
Usual banter ensued, a few ideas for some
trips out proposed and Bracey may have found a source of sticker manufacturers that
are cheap enough to finally allow us to supply club logos for the cars. Plans for
Stoneleigh were finalised.
Off we go to Donington Three cars made Saturday, with ten in all attending, - some without cars -- OGL thought it would be prudent to check his sight with a gentle first Motorway trip in a tintop before committing to the harsh ride of the racer, Fencewrecker also (for obvious reasons) came in other transport but spent the day buying bits for the new project. In all 9 made it in three cars for the pilgrimage south on Saturday & 5 turned up in two cars on Sunday. Was the show good? In a word - no. The event in my opinion has gone seriously downhill, the 'club' area has now been colonised by the airport as an overspill car park so all the cars on show were strung along what seemed like a hastily erected fenced in compound right next to the dusty entrance road so everyone (& their cars) got filthy. The show was lack lustre with fewer manufacturer stands than last year. The track was booked by an historic race meet (some fabulous cars) so there wasn't even the usual opportunity to watch some of the kits blasting out on the track giving scare rides to the brave hopeful buyers. There wasn't even a small viewing platform to see the old cars racing round the track either. For any non kit car public bringing their family along for a day out - there was nothing to entertain them - even Newark manages a funfair, fun rides and displays from police/fire, etc. . However, we met with the Chairman of the recently formed Jeremy Philips Sportscar Club and a useful partnership may ensue here.
September ‘First Friday’ 13 members & 8 cars met at the Manor Golf Club. James brought his car along having finally got it registered after a frustrating wait. One attendee came with a repmobile due to an earlier appointment with a hedge in his kit car (good luck with the new build). A motion was proposed to get the cars actually in motion so a blast commenced back to the old venue. Hence, 8 + 1 cars (not as many yellow ones now though) high-tailed it in convoy. This was led for a short time by Stuart (handicapped by carrying the extra bulk of a nearly recovered OGL) until bravado surfaced and a few others took over. A few tours of the J25 roundabout proved entertaining for some. Banter then continued in the usual manner and the evening drifted away in conversation with the usual variation in various topics. Christmas dinner was discussed – same venue as last year proposed, probably early December (time TBA). Next meeting Oct 5th at the MGC with a likely blast onto another watering hole (in cars for those bold enough to brave the cold). Donington Kit Car Show next weekend, see you all there. Anyone going contact Dave P regarding meeting and possible convoy down.
June 'First Friday' The meeting was held on a lovely balmy night - though many were on holiday or otherwise detained. You will notice the new photo lower down on this homepage to prove what a great venue we have.
June 'Cadwell Park' The inaugural 'Northern roadsters Trackday' was not so well attended. Many many bonus club cudos points to Nik, Rob and Mick for actually bringing a car out to play. Excuses were varied from those who had threatened to come: 'Too poor', 'Too scared' and 'Trackday, oh, err, yes...'. Well, you all missed a great day and some of the greatest driving seen since Fangio, Clarke and Hill passed on... (I'm talking about Nik, Rob and Mick OK!). See the gallery page: CLICK!
So to Stoneleigh. We had a great stand which was until midday on Sunday populated by one caravan-cum-truck (OK so my camper is ugly - but it was popular - see later...). Eventually after various adventures members gathered and by mid afternoon we were nine! Bruce's excuse was his wing fell off and the farmer it landed near wouldn't get his brother to weld it back on until they had discussed milk pricing and Tesco's part in it's downfall. That'd be why you were 5 hours late then Bruce!
The feather flags looked quite corporate, and since a man had some huge roach poles for sale - and someone handed over some membership money - the secretary was able to fly them at a cruising altitude of 6 meters. Great weather on Sunday saw members sat under the club e-z-up and roasting over the club bar-b-que in the sun. Perfect.
By evening only Stuart and Bruce had pitched tents to camp overnight. Rob was sharing Nik's camper - we don't do basics! A quick tally-up revealed we only had breakfast things - enough between the 4 of us for a feast. It was decided this was best left for breakfast - so we adjourned to the only open on-site pub. This had all the ambience of a Kwit-fit - with slightly worse food. The 3 Guiness were poured in less time than it takes Bruce to say 'who's round is it?', but Nik's Jack and Coke had practically a full bottle of Jack in it - result! A further bottle of coke was purchased and I had a pint of Jack and Coke! After a quick drink and to save Bruce asking who's round it was again we decided to search for real food.
A quick saunter around the show revealed some nice cars but no-where open. Nik saw an ice-cream stand being packed up and suggested Bruce ask for directions to somehwere to eat. 'Are you local?' asked our glorious leader (OGL)'Where can we eat?' Now I'm sure the girl said 'byaet bawnm kpyrom noka*' but we were all pretty sure she wasn't in fact local! When we'd got up off the floor and stitched Stuarts sides up from the effects of our leaders glasnost we set about ringing for Taxis to the local indian. The first was busy. The third said 'He's out at the moment' (Well duh!), the fifth had 'stopped doing taxis about a year ago' (Well stop advertising yourself as Kenilworth cars then!), the seventh could come about 10:30 to collect us (OGL looked worried at this - surely he'd have to buy a round before then!) but on I kid you not call number 9 (all numbers supplied via sattelite link back to her indoors on Google - technologhy eh!) we got a taxi. Unbelievably he was at the main gate before we were despite the fact we were on main street heading for the gate when we called him! What a nice young man. He dropped us at a better indian than the one we'd googled and gave us his card so we could get back just as quickly as we came.
After a really good meal OGL called the cab. I saw him looking a bit perplexed and said 'will he be long?' OGL replied that 'He wasn't in but I left a message'. 'A message!... for a taxi?' I replied. A quick squint at his phone revealed OGL had left a message to some guy in Watford to pick us up asap from the indian edge (5*'s btw!) in Kenilworth! The right number got our man in 2 ticks and we back by 11 drinking OGL's red wine under the club shelter. Fortunately we all fell asleep before Stuart could find his 96 page photographic history of everything he has ever done with his Striker starting with the visit to the factory for a test drive. Ask yourself this: Who takes a picture of their road car in an industrial estate just in case they order a kit and decide to record the build and every hillclimb etc, and need a good 'starting' photo? You are a sad man Stuart!
Overnight rain saw Stuart 'up at 6 as always' and very keen to join us in the camper when Nik surfaced at 8ish. That kind of drizzle that wets you to the bone didn't dampen spirits though - a monster fry up by Bob set us all up for the day ahead. CLICK! By packing up time the weather was glorious and the trip back was a pretty happy affair for all! Roll on the next overnighter. I wouldn't miss it!(*prize for translation)
May meeting had yet another new member - welcome Howard! Now i'm not saying his exhaust is noisy, but having just explained to Stuart that Howard lives only a couple of miles away, I was then able to say "Oh, that sounds like him setting off, turning out of his drive, heading up the road... Drigh' traffic lights, didn't heel and toe... oh here he is look!" Actually it's one of the quieter bike cars I've heard - and now Rob has set it up it's one of the best handling! Howard just has what we call in the trade a 'lead foot'! Howards yellow (!) car was followed by 4 more! In a tragic turn of events the 6th car was blue so no record there then. Who says car clubs are dull! Plans were made for the Stoneleigh show and then - er... bar!
Early April was duly the inaugural Manor meeting. Arriving first Nik was greeted soon by a Yellow kitcar. Then another yellow car arrived - and another, and a 4th, 5th and sixth. My Red Mk1 MR2 was looking like it was only red at the embarrasment of not being yellow! The turn out peaked at 12 cars - and we adjourned eventually to the bar where we could talk rubbish at one another in peace. Great idea 'The Manor'... who suggested that? ;-)!
The March meeting saw hardy souls standing round 4 cars in the carpark wondering 2 things...'Why is my car at home in bed?' and 'Why am I chatting in the cold and smelling someones petrol leak when I could be in a warm pub? In the warm pub the momentous decision was taken to relocate from April onwards to The Manor Golf club at Drighlington on the A650. A private room and quiet car park in lovely surroundings are the reason!
The Old Corn mill was alive with merriment on February 2nd when The Quiz exercised member’s minds. There were six rounds of 10 questions – Supercars, F1 cars, Rallying, Classic Cars, Films & Cars, and Cars & Stars. Eight 2 person teams (three of which had 3 members!!?) puzzled away. First with quiet concentration, more latterly with jovial banter turning to open warfare when discussions over schemes of marking caused a deal of confusion. There were six rounds and a good night was had by all.5th January: regular meeting saw over 20 members attend. Everyone had a copy of the Club championship entry form and calendar. Entries would be lovely at this point - make your organisers think you are looking forward to some fun!
20th December: Christmas dinner was attended by 26 members and friends. Dave cleverly managed to blag an upgrade. Good time had by all!
25th October: The 2007 event calendar was added to the site.
6th October: Meeting at the Old Corn Mill decided on Club name, elected a committee, and drank some beer. Someone wore a flat cap and came in a car older than most members (but not the driver).We are a ‘Broad Church’ car club for all types of hand-built cars. Our car membership currently includes the following makes; Striker, Fury, SSC, MK, SSC, Westfield, Vindicator, Dax, Locost. Mini, Mk2 Escort, Austin A40, etc. Whilst most cars are purely for the road some are specialist competition cars such as hill climbing or auto-testing.
The Northern Roadsters
Club,
simply first for Roadsters.
Leeds Road, Mirfield, West Yorkshire WF14 0BY
Tel. 01924 494233
This document was designed by
Nik Aveyard & is maintained on
behalf of Northern Roadsters Club by the Chairman
Material Copyright © 2006 Northern Roadsters Club.