Graeme and Sandra Henderson in
big Healey 3000 at Alford
John and Irene Roberts Gilbern
GT
Arrival at Panmure Arms Edzell
David Barnett and Hazel Scott's
winning Triumph TR3A
Deeside
Way - 31 July 2010 Report by Jim
Paterson Photos - Mark Hooghiemstra, David Ross, and Jim
Paterson
The
twentysix starters turned up at the Four Mile House at Kingswells
Aberdeen under a grey but dry sky, a change from the steady
rain
of last year. It was dry enough for most of the soft tops to
take
down their hoods. Ian and Hilary Smith were having trouble before we
started, with their 1965 Imp's engine spluttering. A new set of plugs
failed to provide a cure, and leads later on did not do much either.
The
staff of Four Miles once again flagged off the starters on the 67 mile
first leg of the tour to the lunchtime halt at the Grampian Transport
Museum in Alford.
The "tulip" route took us
west toward
Tarland by Westhills, and then south to Peterculter. Running
as
first car I should have been in the lead, but to take a bit of video
had sneaked back to the start to catch some of the others depart. On my
run over to Peterculter the Healey developed a nasty screech, a bit
like pads rubbing on the disks. Unfortunately it was from the back; and
I have drums there! For several miles this went on until a Citreon van
behind turned off just before Peterculter. Phew!
At
Kirkton of Maryculter I caught up with the first casualty. Steve
Wallace in his E Type Jaguar, which had spluttered to a halt. Steve
reckoned it was fuel problems, and David Barnett, a dab hand with
Jaguars, soon traced it back to the fuel pump. Unlikely to have
anything to do with Steve pouring Diesel in the tank recently (thanks
Shell for the new pump hose colours!). I provided the essential
screwdriver from my extensive "just about everything toolkit (but never
the right one when you need it!) " and Dave had the E Type on its way,
with no more dramas that day. By the way Dave, you still have my
screwdriver!
On route we had to write down the
answers to clues,
which turned up on signs at various points of interest, with a few
appearing before we reached Stonehaven, which kindly announced the
birthplace of R.W Thomson, the inventor of the pneumatic tyre,
answering one of the questions. And you thought it was Dunlop!!!
Having
reached Stonehaven we headed west, back inland toward Banchory, up the
unusually named "Slug Road". Now I did say that skies were grey, and
just as we approached one of the clues the heavens opened. Now that
isn't a problem if you keep moving with the hood down on the car, but
when you stop... The sign was in tiny print so I had to get out to read
it (old age, new specs needed). Slightly damp but not soaked I put the
foot down and all inside was dry again.
Reaching
Strachan we turned toward Aboyne, where the road book cautioned speed
bumps. This fiendish method of traffic control brings fear into the pit
of my stomach every time I see them. The Sprite has lost many an
exhaust on speed bumps and the like, and the caution was not wrong!
Fortunately they were the "pillow" variety across the road, and
steering between them keeps the exhaust out of harms way, but did cause
drivers coming the other way some concern!
On
the road to Tarland we turned off to Coull. Not suitable for long
vehicles the sign said, which meant watch for tight corners and don't
throw it about too much. Soon we were on the B9119, but only until
Tillybridge where we once again were on "whites" to Leochel Cushnie.
The
question was to not the name of the garage. What garage? Here we are
deep in the countryside, no houses let alone garage. Sure enough down
in a dip appeared the Brae Smith Garage in the middle of what appeared
nowhere! They were busy too, so must be good.
Soon we were at
Alford for the Tests and lunch. Douglas and June had put together a
fine set of tests round the circuit. Many of the crews gave it a spin
with a few puffs of tyre smoke from some. Phil and Anja Hogbens Triumph
TR4A was quickest at 69 seconds overall, but the Gilbern GT
of
John and Irene Roberts peeled of a second to pip them, only
to be
pushed into second place themselves by David Barnett and Hazel Scott in
the Triumph TR3A. The spectators commented on the roll you
can
induce in a TR3A if you push it round the cones. Over lunch I met Alan
Gibb, driving his 1959 Dorretti, which has just returned from
a
visit to the Le Mans Classic in July. Another member, Lee Robinson in
his TR3A also just back from Le Mans. Ian Smith had finally got the Imp
running. A change to standard points from the electronic ignition,
failed to raise a bang, so back to electronic and all was perfect.
Gremlins in there somewhere!
After
the refreshments the new challenge was to reach the finish in Edzell by
the shortest route. This gave me time to show my co-driver the Cairn O'
Mount, a first viewing for her. Whilst not too fussy about taking the
shortest route I kept running into classics popping out of B roads, and
whites, cutting corners all over the place. I chased Graham Dalzell in
his Triumph TR3A after catching him appearing from one of the "whites".
His TR was going well following a repair after he
argued with a wall on a Sunday morning drive near his Lake District
home, when he was heading east directly into the sun. Graham could never have been
a spitfire pilot; you never fly into the sun!
The
rain showers kept passing over us, and only at the Cairn O' Mount stop
to take in the view, and catch Graham up for a chat, did we
get a
little damp.
We
reached Edzell to find all the competitors had arrived safely, no one
lost on this trip. A hearty Scottish High Tea at the Panmure Arms Hotel
satisfied even the most ravenous of appetites before the prizegiving.
Well
done, and many thanks to June and Douglas for putting
together a superb day.
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The
staff of Four Miles once again flagged off the starters on the 67 mile
first leg of the tour to the lunchtime halt at the Grampian Transport
Museum in Alford. 
Reaching
Strachan we turned toward Aboyne, where the road book cautioned speed
bumps. This fiendish method of traffic control brings fear into the pit
of my stomach every time I see them. The Sprite has lost many an
exhaust on speed bumps and the like, and the caution was not wrong!
Fortunately they were the "pillow" variety across the road, and
steering between them keeps the exhaust out of harms way, but did cause
drivers coming the other way some concern!
Soon we were at
Alford for the Tests and lunch. Douglas and June had put together a
fine set of tests round the circuit. Many of the crews gave it a spin
with a few puffs of tyre smoke from some. Phil and Anja Hogbens Triumph
TR4A was quickest at 69 seconds overall, but the Gilbern GT
of
John and Irene Roberts peeled of a second to pip them, only
to be
pushed into second place themselves by David Barnett and Hazel Scott in
the Triumph TR3A. The spectators commented on the roll you
can
induce in a TR3A if you push it round the cones. Over lunch I met Alan
Gibb, driving his 1959 Dorretti, which has just returned from
a
visit to the Le Mans Classic in July. Another member, Lee Robinson in
his TR3A also just back from Le Mans. Ian Smith had finally got the Imp
running. A change to standard points from the electronic ignition,
failed to raise a bang, so back to electronic and all was perfect.
Gremlins in there somewhere! 
After
the refreshments the new challenge was to reach the finish in Edzell by
the shortest route. This gave me time to show my co-driver the Cairn O'
Mount, a first viewing for her. Whilst not too fussy about taking the
shortest route I kept running into classics popping out of B roads, and
whites, cutting corners all over the place. I chased Graham Dalzell in
his Triumph TR3A after catching him appearing from one of the "whites".
His TR was going well following a repair after he
argued with a wall on a Sunday morning drive near his Lake District
home, when he was heading east directly into the sun. Graham could never have been
a spitfire pilot; you never fly into the sun!
We
reached Edzell to find all the competitors had arrived safely, no one
lost on this trip. A hearty Scottish High Tea at the Panmure Arms Hotel
satisfied even the most ravenous of appetites before the prizegiving.