|
Woolbridge Motor Club
Promote your Page too
|
All event regulations and entry forms are on the club Calendar page under the date of the event.
|
4x4 Trial Holywell
25-July-10
After cancelling the event at this new venue twice alreadydue to bad weather, it was good to actually use the venue. We couldn't have got
better weather, rain the night before made the wet grass very slippery on the
first four sections. We set out seven sections on the site and we didn't even
use the wooded area, which we left that for another day.
 
We had a good turn out of drivers, half road taxed and the
rest trailered. It was good to see Dave out again with his newly built Land Rover
hybrid, Homer brought out his new hybrid, and half way through the mornings
sections some one put him out of his missery and told him to engage his center
diff lock, (Suzuki drivers are not educated in these things). With the diff engaged
there was no stopping it. Denis was the first casulty of the day as his
powerful Nissan single seater, who bust the cv on the third section; soon
followed by Chris Tite who lost drive to there hybrid Range Rover. Next diff to
blow was Andy in his Range Rover, but luckly Dave let him drive his Range Rover
for the rest of the day.
  
Next diff went to Simon Crook: well I say diff, the diff
actually decided to leave the casing through the side! He was brave enough to
finish the day in his tow car ,a very tidy Mitsubishi crew cab and I am pleased
to say it went home very tidy.
  
Russ in his SJ was having a good day, and seams to have got
over a lot of the reliability problems he was having. I was driving my shiny
road going Shogun, so was taking it slightly easier this month. Simon and Wendy
were out with there hybrid Land Rover and drove all day with no major dramas.
  
After lunch John and Chris returned with another vehicle and at
the same spot as last time, blew a diff,
not one of there better days.
The sections were driven twice during the day, the four on
the grass hill side were altered to try and make them harder as they dried out,
and the three sections at the bottom of the hill that were set out in the boggy
part of the land and were changed after one run, as they were impassable; but
they were good fun driving, through bogs absolutely flat out following other
people tracks. It always puts a smile on the drivers face, not so much the last
few who just sunk, followed by the tow of shame out backwards.
  
Two of the sections at the bottom, had steep rutted climbs to
finish and the dry conditions saw a few vehicles get a clear as they not only
climbed the hills they emerged from the top. Even Simon in the crew cab cleared
the section, its amazing how capable standard trucks are with just a set of mud
terrain tyres.
  
At the end of the day Russ in the Suzuki SJ won first overall
with 13 pts, congratulations to him
Joint first in class
b John Tite and Simon Crook 26 pts
2nd class b
Simon Bassett 28 pts
first class c Dave Hanky
35 pts
Well done to all of them and before any one asks there was no
class a entrants
K Legg class b 31 pts
W Bassett class
b 58 pts
C Tite
class b 38 pts
A Merry class
b 58 pts
R O'donnavan class
b 82 pts
T Buttle
class b 65 pts
D Butterfield class
c 35 pts
J Kirby
class c 33 pts
D Falls retired
I think every one agreed the new venue was very good with a
lot more areas available. To set out different sections and the different types
of terrain does make an interesting days driving, and hopefully not too
damaging, although Chris might not agree!
No doubt we will revisit the site again.
Thanks to John and Chris for finding the site and every one
who help set out and clear up at the end of the day.
John Kirby
Acknowledgment - Thanks to: John
Kirby for the photographs
|
|
4x4 Trial - Ladies Day
4-July-10
Every year we do an event for the ladies to have ago, this
year we thought we would have an orienteering event, easy ones in the morning
for the ladies and more dificult ones in the afternoon for anyone to try. Yet
again the turnout was low, even though the sun was shining; low enough to
cancel the burger van. Many thanks for Mike’s patience in offering to bring it.
With only four ladies taking up the challenge, it would be an easy day.
     
The ten orienteering punches were set out around the quarry,
and soon there were vehicles flying round the quarry in all directions. Sam seemed
to like the deep water, but Mikes Vitara didn’t and she was pushed out of the
water several times. Sharon was under strict orders to drive my Shogun slowly
and carefully, as I have over the few months I have had it. Of course she
totally ignored me! and shot off in several directions. I’m not even sure there was a punch in the
direction she took.
  
Hanna was soon back with her card full and her Vitara was
still runing, not like last vear where she broke most of the vehicles she
drove. Lynnette had a professional with her, so she soon got all the punches.
After the ladies, a few of the men had a go at the punches so
they didn’t feel left out! Homer was trying out his new hybrid trailer, all
went well apart from the rear springs relocating, with a noise that sounded like
the whole axle had fallen off, and scared him to death the first time it
happened!
     
In the afternoon ten punches were set up in the top quarry which
were slightly harder. I think Hanna was the only lady to get them all, well
done to her. All the men soon tryied there luck and were soon well stuck in! The
first vehicles in usualy get the punch and get out, after the mud is churned,
it takes a lot of skill or bravery to get in and out from the punches. Mike
nearly drowned his Discovery as every attempt to get out saw him sink deeper
into the water and mud, in the end he took the brave route and headed straight
through the hole and climbed out the other side, although the numbers were low
every one had a good day and got a lot of driving in
Don’t forget the next event at a new venue Holywell on 25 July,
we need a good turnout.
John Kirby
Acknowledgment - Thanks to: John
Kirby for the photographs
|
|
4x4 Trial - Hogcliffe
18-April-10
  
After re arranging the venue three times, because of the wet
weather the weeks leading up to the event, the week before was dry. So the
field at Hogcliff was very dry and first time this year. We were kicking up
clouds of dust from the nine drivers who turned out. I thought I would try out my new toy, another
V6 Shogun.
     
Denis brought out his new toy, a rather nice single seater,
first time we have seen such a specialist vehicle at our trials: might take
some stopping this one, ill see what I can do! John Tite was back from
Australia, although he didn't have the obligatory hat with corks, only the
Range Rover hybrid. Barry had come out again with another hybrid Range Rover. Simon
and Wendy were in their hybrid Land Rover. Andy was out in his Isuzu / Lego
hybrid and Homer was out for the last time in his Vitara, it’s been retired for
a Land Rover hybrid, so well be expecting great things from him in the future!
     
We set out six sections around the hill side with the dry
conditions stopping the vehicles would be hard, so some of the turns on side
slopes were a lot steeper than normal, which did the trick for most of the
sections. The drivers managed to stop themselves pretty much by breaking their
vehicles!
     
By the end of the day there was only three vehicles left
running, it was almost two, but Simon and Wendy managed to nurse there's to the
end of the day. John and Denis bust there vehicles on the penultimate section,
Wendy asked why I was taking it so easy in the Shogun, I said to her I can
still remember writing the cheque for the vehicle! Give me a few months it will
be a different story.
     
After two runs of the sections in the morning, the sections
were altered and run again,we thought we shouldn't have four runs as we would
probably have no vehicles left running by the end. Even though John bust his
vehicle at the end of the day, he still managed a first overall, well done to
him.
        
There was no one left running in class a
Thanks to everyone who helped during the day and cleared
canes at the end of the day
John Kirby
Acknowledgment - Thanks to: Andy Merry & John
Kirby for the photographs
|
|
Green lane weekend mid Wales
February-10
Three Woolbridge members and
their better half's, or should I say two Discovery's and a P38 Range Rover
decided to spend the weekend green laning, around mid Wales, so we booked into
Llanerchindda farm, for the duration of the stay. They have excellent food, and
the help and knowledge of the areas green lanes is very helpful especially when
you are exploring a new area. Being told of a damaging or unpassable track
before you are stuck or stranded with a bust vehicle, makes for a lot more
relaxing weekend.
 .jpg) .jpg)
The trip up on Friday was an
experience, getting stuck in a twelve mile queue around Bristol , was not the
start we wanted. We got across the bridge and were soon heading across Wales
towards our destination, we soon had the other drivers panicing as they thought
we were going the wrong way. Little did they know I was getting there via a
green lane, the lane from Sonny bridge took us across the army training ground,
a hard gravel track with a few deep ruts halfway along to make it interesting.
Nina started to panic when Daves Range Rover back fired, she thought the army
was using them as a target! We arrived at our destination as it got dark with a
hot meal waiting for us.
On Saturday we filled up with a cooked
breakfast and decided to do a few lanes we haven't done before. As we left the
sun was out and the clear sky's gave us ideal weather, and to our surprise as
we got near to the first lane there was about four inches of snow! So the road
leading to the lane at New Bridge on Wye was a challenge in its self, especially
for Dave as he slid straight past the turning! With Homer sliding behind him! Luckyly
contact was averted and we followed the very pppicaresque lane as it followed
the river.
  .jpg)
The second lane was a short drive
up near Rhayader, easy to find with all the new signs showing the correct
route. The lane climbed sharply up the hill side with some awkward stone lips,
the climb was made harder by the snow. The track levelled out and the views
across the surrounding mountains was spectacular and of course Homer decided
now would be a good time to fit a snow man to the top of his Discovery as it
was the only strap on extra he didn't have. We finished the lane and drove on
to the next lane though the snow covered roads. This made it feel like the
lanes were connected.
.jpg) .jpg) 
The next lane around Claerwen
reservoir is a long lane that follows close around the edge of the reservoir. Most
the way round is a track with hills one side and a sheer drop into water the
other. Where the ground was covered in snow it was hard distinguishish the
track edge and grassy slide into water. Nina decided the best option was to
have the window open with a hand on the seat ready to bail out! It doesn't say
much for her faith in Homers driving. The water on the reservoir was like a
sheet of glass the reflection on it was a perfect mirror image of the
surrounding hills. The track may be quite tame, but the scenery was unbelievable.
We got about half way round and the wind picked up enough to ripple the water
and the mirror image was gone.
.jpg) .jpg)
From the end of this lane it was a short drive across mountain road to
FloridaiIaiIa. I have driven this lane a few times before, seven miles of hard
rocky track. One thing the snow does do is cover the boulders, so as the lead
vehicle seamed to hit everyone. All I could do is aim the Discovery along the
track and hope I missed the larger rocks. I was expecting to see the rivers a
lot deeper than last time we drove the lane, so we fitted a rope to Daves 4.8
Range Rover thinking if it was deep, and with his electrics potentially being drowned
with no one volunteering to wade in to put a rope on! As it happened the river
was relay quite low, at no point was it deeper than a wheel. Last time we drove
it the water lapped the bonnet on the Land Cruiser!
  .jpg)
When we got to the end of the
lane I thought one more lane will finish the day off nicely. I should have
known better! We were warned about the track at Soary Mynydd being washed out, I
had driven it before with no trouble. As I started the climb there was quite a
heap of stone at the bottom, as it turned out it was one side of the track. The
gully was washed out one side about three foot deep, but as there was still
lots of stone I kept going. The fun started when the gully ran from one side to
the other, after five attempts I managed to get the Discovery over the extreme
cross axle part. Daves traction control was working over time, but he managed
it after a couple of attemps. Homer saw us struggle and hung back till we were
out of the way and flew up the hill flat out and climbed straight to the top.
When we got to the top with a sigh relief as it was getting dark now and saw
the drop down the other side as just as bad! Atleast it was down hill which made
it a bit easer, as we got near to the end of the lane Homer was on the radio as
his rear springs had decided to escape! So we ended up trying to re fit his springs
in the middle of nowhere, lucky they fitted back in and we could return to the
farm for the evening meal.
.jpg) .jpg)
We left the farm Sunday morning
and decided to drive a few mountain roads on the way home, over the Brecon Beacons
and as it had snowed the night before it seemed deeper than Saturdays snow
drive. So it was a nice drive back to the motorway where the snow vanished and
the rest of the trip home was the usual mundane motorway drive. Many thanks to
everyone at Llanerchindda farm for a great weekend ,we will definitely be back
soon
John
Kirby
Acknowledgment - Thanks to: John
Kirby for the photographs
|
|
4x4 Trial - Loscombe Farm
14-February-10
  
We dont usually use this site so
early in the year, luckily the rain stayed away and the trial could be run
without damage to the farm land. Eighteen drivers turned up to run the sections
set out along the side of the hill, where the site is used for motocross races.
This site changes quite a bit from year to year with quite a few ruts are
formed by the bikes, so some interesting sections could be set out.
The ground was just wet enough to
make things tricky. The first section over the deep bomb hole, had vehicles
climbing back and forth over the high banks with turns on the side slopes. We
ran this section three times and each time a Suzuki Vitara broke a shaft or cv
joint, it was just the start of things to come.
  
The next section was set out above
the bomb hole, it looked real easy, but I set it out over some small banks that
we just the right size to cross axle most of the drivers on the first run, as
the banks wore down to dryer mud. On the second run they had more ruts to cross
and then dropped over the side of the bomb hole to the finish, only problem was
the farmer had placed two large tree trunks on the brow of the hill. It took
some nerve to bump the vehicles up onto the trees and then drop over the edge!
The third section climbed a grassy
slope up the hillside and dropped into some ruts on the higher track, the turn
onto the track caught out quite a few drivers who didnt look close enough at
the course before driving. It then dropped down over the hill to a turn on the
wet grass at the bottom and was a lot harder than it looked as there was enough
side slope to slide the vehicles of the course, even the long wheel base vehicles
with their shunt could not get moving again once they stopped. The cross axled
climb after the turn soon stopped the rest, until the ground dried out on the
next runs.
  
The fourth section was a very hard
climb over some soft rutted ground and it caught out the heavier vehicles. The
lighter Vitaras seemed to manage to get over them along with John in the power
full Overflinch Hybrid Range Rover. It
then dropped to the bottom of the hill and climbed the same ruts again, from a
different angle and that stopped all of the drivers apart from John.
The fifth section ran along a bank
that had a climb at the end. If you got the aproach right it was easy, those
that got it wrong just slid off the course. The climb over the next bank was
very tricky, take the lower side you hit the canes, the higher side was a sheer
three foot bank. By the third run the edge was taken off the bank and a lot
more drivers got to the end of the course, but not many got to clear the course
as the last gate set on a dusty side slope soon had drivers losing traction and
not quite getting a hub through the gate for a clear.
  
The last section in another deep
hole with a steep chalky climb to finish, stopped a lot of drivers on the
twisted climb on grass before they even got to the steep climb. Only as the
ground dried a few managed to clear the course.
It was definitely not a good day
for the Vitara’s, as out of six, only one of them did'nt brake a shaft or cv
joint. John Tite managed to brake another diff, so did Paul in his Land Rover. We
also had new members out driving: Luke and Andy in a lwb Shogun, first time we
have seen a lwb Shogun out trialing, and it performed very well considering it
was running on road tyres. Also another new driver Paul in a Vitara who was one
of the unluky ones to brake down after three runs of the courses.
  
The winning driver was John Tite
with 40 pts
first in class a Denis
48pts
second class a Homer
89 pts
Dacre 125 pts
Gavin 145 pts
first class b Chris
Tite
56 pts
second class b Simon 62pts
third class b Wendy
64 pts
Stephen 101 pts
John 105 pts
Mike 116pts
Thanks for Ian and Sharon for
score keeping and every one who helped during the day.
John Kirby
Acknowledgment - Thanks to: John
Kirby for the photographs
|
|
Punch Challenge Rules - Update
After the first punch
challenge event, a few changes were nessasary for the next event. After a lot
of concideration about penalty points time limits etc, it has been decided to
keep things simple, so there will be two classes:
class 1 standard
no winches, no diff locks, no fiddle brakes, body work may be
altered from original vehicle, max 2” suspension lift, waffle boards may be
used, original fitment center diff lock allowed.
class 2 modified
winches, diff locks, fiddle brakes allowed, any suspension lift, waffle
boards may be used.
At the end of the day there will be two winners, on, but from
each class no overall winner.
The punches will be set out slightly differently with some of
the punches accessible from one direction only, marked with tapes to follow. This
is to make the final scores different for everyone. Hopefully, there will be at
least two sections, where they will be classed as very hard, if necessary a
trials type section will be laid out at the end of the day to find overall
winners. We are still open to any ideas you may have. If you don’t tell us they
wont happen, tel John 01305-871578
The next event is provisionally booked for 28th march 2010
hope to see you there.
John Kirby
|
|
