Category: info

Running a Classic Car Run.

Sometimes when I talk to entrants they ask how much work goes into setting up an event. They seem surprised when I reply that our bigger events take roughly twelve months and the simpler events between se

ven and nine months.

Frankly I don’t think they really believe me and I don’t want to bore them too much by going into the details. So I hope the following will give a simple guide to running an event: –

• To begin with we need to determine where we want to go and roughly what mileage is involved. For events like the Manchester to Blackpool or Coast to Coast we have a fairly good idea of the place but not the actual venues.
• Next we need to find start and finish venues which can accommodate up to say 70 cars, meaning around 140+ entrants plus officials.
• Then we need to talk to these venues and establish that they are willing to accommodate us and set out our needs – many hotels are tied up with weddings over a year in advance so we need to get in early!
• Having established a start and finish there may be other bodies we need to get permissions from such as Lancaster City Council for use of the sea wall or Blackpool Corporation for the use of Stanley Park.
• Local authorities will need agreements signing and forms filling in including acceptable Risk Assessments for our activities.
• Other non-motoring activities can clash preventing use of venues or putting time constraints on our event. These can include things like a Park Run on the sea wall in Morecambe. We have to be clear by 9.00am to avoid 300+ runners coming down the prom or something as simple as the opening time for a restaurant or pub we are using.
• A weird one which can arise is consulting tide tables – yes tide tables! Roads along the coast can be inundated and closed at high spring tides. Classic owners don’t like driving through salt water.
• OK now we know where the start and finish are plus any time constraints now we can start on a route.
• Using good old fashioned maps, we try to give an enjoyable and scenic route avoiding mayor town centres and potential problem areas whilst staying within a reasonable mileage and assuming an average speed of below 30mph (a constraint necessary to get permission to hold the event from Motorsport UK and the police).
• This gives us an idea of where rest halts and lunch breaks need to be situated by calculating the time of the route and breaking it up into reasonable sections.
• This then leads us to locating suitable comfort and lunch stops along the proposed route. Then we try to find places in the general area of the ideal location which can accommodate us. Obviously there aren’t pubs located everywhere that are willing or able to accept us but by searching and ringing we do locate places that will work.
• Now we know the locations of theses stops we can modify the route to go to these places.
• All in all, this may take several months of phone calls and e mails but we now have a provisional route.
• We know the date and route so now we can look for other events which may clash along the way such as Appleby Horse Fair or a major event in Blackpool using the Promenade or other events potentially leading to road blocks or closures.
• This may lead to further modifications of the route.
• Once satisfied we have a viable route we must contact all the Motorsport UK Route Liaison Officers responsible for the areas we pass through and let them have copies of the route for their approval. For example, the Coast to Coast may pass through up to four RLO areas!
• The RLO are aware of ‘Black Spots’ where there are potential problems and agreements have been made that motoring events will not pass through. They are also aware of other events and there is a six weeks’ rule that we are not allowed to use a road which other clubs are using both 6 weeks before and 6 weeks after our event to prevent overuse and public complaints. That is why we need to get in early to be at the top of the list. Hopefully we can get the provisional route to the RLO and approved at least 6 months before the event.
• The RLO comments may lead to a need to revise the provisional route again and re submit. Hopefully this does not adversely affect the start, finish or other stopping points or we will have to go through that loop again.
• During this process we can start on the regulations, entry forms etc.
• We now need to determine the number of officials and marshals we need and can start talking to relevant volunteers to pre warn them of the event and give them an idea of potential locations dates, timings etc.
• With the provisional route agreed we can start to prepare the Route Book. In the ‘old days’ we drove the route noting every junction and condition of the road and potential issues. This may lead to a re-route which would have to go back to the RLO. Today we use Google Maps to do much the same but that doesn’t remove the need to drive the route at some point!
• Now we can apply to Motorsport UK for a permit – called a Certificate of Exemption. Such permits from a recognised organisation are required to comply with the Road Traffic Act for all events with more than 12 cars. Failing to do this could leave the club open to legal action and invalidate the insurance of the entrants.
• Having got the certificate, we can finalise the regulations entry forms and start on other paperwork such as the Final Instructions as well as organising Rally Plates.
• The Entries Secretary can now start sending out the Regulations and Entry forms as well as publicising the event.
• With the Route Book prepared we can do the first run through to check the route. This is more than checking the mileages we need to ensure that any road signs match those in the route book and are in place. Also the actual road is observed. Has the surface broken up and become too rough, is there an unsafe pull out onto a major road? Has there been a physical change a new roundabout for example or a change in priorities?
• This in turn may lead to a change in route which has to go back to the RLO for approval.
• At this point a quick check is needed to ensure all the locations on the event are still open and ready for our arrival. Pub managers seem to change regularly and often the new incumbent is unaware of our event and the arrangements we made with the previous manager.
• Work can now start on the Route Information Book which tells entrants about places of interest they pass through on their journey.
• By visiting the County Councils web sites we can determine any planned road closures affecting the route. You can’t do this to early as they often don’t get put on the web site until a month or so before the works! This again may lead to a re-route which has to go back to the RLO.
• When the route is finally ‘set in concrete’ we can write to all the police forces affected by the event with route maps timings etc.
• The final version of the Route Book with all mileages and any changes incorporated can now be produced.
• The type and amount of any equipment needed for the event can now be determined. Things like Control Boards, arrows banners etc.
• By now entries should be rolling in and we get an idea of numbers which need to be relayed to all the venues in particular those providing food and refreshments. We can also order the Rally Plates ensuring we have enough for both entrants and officials.
• With a couple of weeks to go to the event a final run through is required. It is surprising how often things change. We have had collapsed bridges, new traffic lights, new roundabouts and long term road closures all affecting the events
• Marshals now need to receive firm details of their locations and duties.
• With a week to go Final Instructions for entrants, marshals and officials need to be sent out.
• In the week up to the event a wary eye needs to be kept on weather reports and potential flooding on the route. Where necessary deviations to avoid flooding will need preparing to hand out at the start.
• On the day of the event the officials at the start need to be there early to sign on and prepare for the entrants to arrive. As a final check a Course Car leaves the start to run the route some 30 minutes before the first entrant leaves.
• The course car has ‘arrows’ to mark any last minute detours and ensures the marshals are in position and signs the marshals on.
• All that’s left is to welcome the entrants to the finish an oh and start on next years’ event.

Chris Lee

Vice President

What a night!
Those of you who enjoyed Mike Wood’s Monte Memories last night certainley had a real treat. Mike was on form and the packed Whalley Golf Club, with around 100 in attendance, had a great evening.
We promised to make videos of the Monte Carlo Rallies we found of Mike on the rallies available so here we go.

Simply click on the link to seethe video.

1958

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY7r4mj3AOY&t=7s

1963

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qKfCjbQt5E

1968

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUJJPmd8dcE

1970

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjiQ8Zml5jQ

1972

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUzr-Nw7yaI

1972

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_aG9ObMWfQ

And finaly 1973

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njtkt8wCOXs

A guide to seat belt law for classic cars so you can understand exactly what your obligations are.

Since 1983 it has been a UK requirement to wear a seat belt. However, prior to 1966, it was commonplace for cars to be manufactured without seat belts, so there are some exemptions for classic car owners

Do classic cars need to have seat belts in the UK?

If a classic car was originally manufactured without seat belts, then it currently does not need to have seat belts fitted. Many cars were manufactured without them prior to new legislation introduced in 1983 that required passengers to wear seat belts.

However, according to guidance provided by the DVLA, without seat belts, drivers are limited to which passengers are able to travel in the vehicle. There are restrictions to transporting children, with no children under the age of three permitted to travel in a car without seat belts. Children over the age of three can travel in the car but are only allowed to sit in the back seats.

What year of car is exempt from seat belts?

If your car was made before 1965 and seat belts were not fitted at the point of manufacture, you are not required to fit them.

In the UK, it became compulsory for manufacturers to install anchorage points in vehicles in 1965, with the requirement for three-point belts in the front outboard positions following three years later. The 1968 legislation necessitated that all new vehicles be fitted with seat belts, and any vehicle dating back to 1965 must be re-equipped.

My classic car doesn’t have seat belts, will this affect my insurance?

Due to the lack of the additional safety feature, classic cars without seat belts are likely to be more difficult and expensive to insure. However, insurance companies that specialise in classic vehicles can ease the process of getting your classic car insured.

Who has to wear seat belts if they are fitted?

Legislation states that if seat belts are fitted in the seat you’re using, they must be worn when the car is being driven. The law also states that only one person can sit in a seat with a fitted belt at a time.

For children, the appropriate car seat for their height or weight must be used until they reach 135cm tall or reach the age of 12, whichever is first.

Are there exemptions to the seat belt law?

There are a few exemptions to the seat belt law. For example, drivers do not have to wear a seat belt when reversing, nor does a supervisor when a learner is reversing. You do not need to wear a seat belt if you’re in a vehicle being used for police, fire and rescue services, or are a passenger in a trade vehicle and are investigating a fault.

If you are driving a goods vehicle and there is less than 50 metres between stops then you are also exempt, as well as taxi drivers who are ‘plying for hire’ or carrying passengers. There are also medical exemptions, in which you much receive a Certificate of Exemption for Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing. This must be kept in the vehicle. You will also be required to inform your car insurer.

What’s the penalty for not wearing a seat belt?

Currently in the UK, if found not wearing a seat belt when required, you could be fined up to £500. However, a recent proposal could also see drivers face points on their licence for not wearing seat belts, although the Department for Transport has not said how many.

Who’s responsible for ensuring passengers wear their seat belts?

It is the passenger’s responsibility to ensure they are wearing their seat belt, and anyone not wearing one when required could be fined up to £500. However, if the passenger is under the age of 14 then the driver is responsible for ensuring they wear a seat belt or are suitably restrained. If they are caught not wearing one, the driver will face the penalty.

  Lancashire Automobile Club Clerk Hill Hillclimb.

For Christmas in 1958, when I was eight years old, I received a fantastic Christmas present ‘The Eagle Book of Cars and Motorsport’ in its 192 pages I learned about how cars work, are designed and built as well as much of the history of the motor car.
One particular section really fired my young imagination that was obviously the one concerning motor sport. In this section I learned that motorsport wasn’t just racing in some far off circuit but had local roots. One photo really hit a chord and that was of a car hurtling up a rough hillclimb course not far from home at an event organised by a local club.
That hillclimb was a Clerk Hill near Whalley and the club was, of course the Lancashire Automobile Club – I was truly hooked!

Sadly, I leant the book to a friend (you know who you are!) some years later and, as is the way with all things it got lost. Imagine my surprise when a copy of the very photograph was sent to me, via Mike Wood, from John Wadsworth.
Thanks to John and Mike I have managed to piece together some more details on this particular bit of club history.

The hillclimb was first held in 1951 and the picture is from the 1953 event. The competitive section of the hill itself was about 250yds with left and right hand bends with an average gradient of one in eight. Whilst the steepness of the hill presented little difficulties to the cars and motorbikes of the time the loose surface and tricky bends placed a premium on skilful driving and throttle control. Even then health and safety was a concern and the programme stated “spectators are strongly recommended to position themselves around the course in such a manner as to avoid stones flung up from the wheels of the ‘throttle happy’ types.”

It goes on to say “The danger points are indicated, and in any case should be obvious to you as an intelligent person; the not so intelligent people who get themselves hurt may have attention from the St John Ambulance men who will be present, but we don’t want to trouble these gentlemen if it can be avoided.”

As a final warning it states “The course must be kept clear whilst the competition is in progress, otherwise the Clerk of Course will suspend racing until the course is cleared; the co-operation of all spectators in this matter will be appreciated.”

There were joint Clerks of Course. Jack Taylor, for the motor cars and AB Gaskell, for the motorbikes. Secretary of the meeting was Jack Duckworth who was still active when I first joined the club.

The picture from the Eagle Book (right) is of Mike Wilson in his ‘special’ car number 27. Mike was entered under BARC and as you can see driver protection, although normal at the time, was pretty non-existent. According to Mike Wood’s records Mike Wilson managed the 250 yard course in 34.3 seconds which was amongst the quickest times on the day.
According to Mike’s records the fastest of the car entry was J. Clegg entered under Lancs and Cheshire Car Club also in a special with a time of 32.4secs closely followed by LAC member Charlie Hardman in his Dellow with a time of 32.8secs. Charlie was a very good rally driver in those day’s.

Mike Wilson is best remembered as Clerk of Course for the Yorkshire Rally and stage commander for many years on some of the Yorkshire Stages on the RAC Rally. Again another in another interesting twist Mike Wilson masterminded the Harewood Hillclimb which opened in 1962 and is still in use to this day. Perhaps Clerk Hill played no little part in Mike’s thoughts.

As for Clerk Hill itself with its limited length it’s time in the limelight was short lived.
By the way if you wonder where it is Whalley Golf Club where many of you have attended LAC events is situated on Clerk Hill Road so the links continue to this day.

Chris Lee

The seed was sown after the 2018 LAC Coast to Coast run. We had taken part in our Triumph TR4, our son Mark with his wife Katy in their Morris Minor 1000 (nicknamed Cherry) and our Grandson Kyle with his Dad Paul as navigator in his Morris Minor 1000. Mark and Kyle said they wanted to do the Highland 3 Day and I got roped in. Unfortunately, due to work commitments, Kyle wasn’t able to enter and Katy had to be home with the children. We roped in my brother, Michael, as navigator for Mark and Linda would navigate for me assuming she could stay awake! For backup, I would follow Mark and we fitted CB radios.

Team’s Lewin                        Team Livesey and Brown on top of the world

Linda and I were already in Scotland having been to the Bo’ness Revival and Hillclimb and then on to a TR Register Highland Tour so we arranged to meet at the Rosslea Hall Hotel. Fortunately, the weather had changed for the better as it had been a miserable couple of weeks weather wise.

Day 1

Saw us leave the Rosslea Hall Hotel in thick mist, equipped with our tulip diagram Route Book, an alternative route for later in the day and a diagram of the Glen Coe Auto Test. At this point, it is probably important to say it is advisable if you or your navigator can have a quick read through these documents to save, in my case, embarrassment later. We soon left the main road, joining the Glen Fruin road where, as we descended to the main A82, the sun started to burn through and we had glorious sunny weather for the rest of the day. At the top of the Rest and Be Thankful Pass, we took the single-track road heading for Loch Goilhead followed by Inveraray, Glen Orchy, Rannoch Moor and the head of Glen Coe. The Glencoe Mountain Resort was the venue for lunch and the first part of the “Gymkhana”.

The rest and be thankful    Glen Coe test         Malaig Ferry

The test consisted of two runs through a course of cones, the object being to achieve the same time on both runs. Having watched a couple of cars do their first run, Linda remarked that “they didn’t go very fast, we can beat them”. Never having had the green light before, the blood rushed, I missed a cone and then found out what the rules were. Ah well, there would be another chance on the final day.

Balmacara Hotel

After lunch we took the Corran Ferry before passing along the shores of Loch Sunart through the ancient oak forest on single track roads heading for the 3pm ferry at Mallaig. At this stage, we realised time was tight if we were going to make it and a particularly slow driver who antagonised even the locals didn’t help. Once clear, Mark unleashed all 48 horses (well, some may have escaped over the years) under the hood of Cherry and we managed to catch the ferry over to Skye by the skin of our teeth with Stuart and Linda Mason who had been following us. Some drivers were already on board and some had to catch the later 4pm ferry.

Glen Elg Kyle Rhea Ferry                 Dinner at the Balmacara Hotel

From the Isle of Skye, we elected to take the alternative route over the last remaining manually operated turntable ferry in Scotland. The main route was over the Skye Bridge. The Glenelg ferry runs from Kyle Rhea to Glenelg and generally takes six cars. Loading was tricky as, being the last car to load, my exhaust locked onto the quay and didn’t want to board. The crew’s experience showed and by getting the two cars in front to reverse and then coordinating a simultaneous move forward, we were on. Final destination of the day was at the Balmacara Hotel where we arrived soon after. A Navigation Exercise was available which many completed but we opted for a much-needed drink in the bar. With, hindsight, we should have done it.

Loch Carron                                                              Bealach na Ba

Inner sound of Harris

Day 2

Was another glorious sunny day with not a cloud in the beautiful blue sky. Again, the day’s route book was handed out after breakfast along with an alternative route taking in the Applecross Loop over the classic Bealach na Ba pass (Pass of the Cattle). In addition, there was a navigation test for the morning and afternoon sections. These would be the first we had ever done but, being fairly competent with maps, we were confident we wouldn’t make total idiots of ourselves. As with the Glenelg Ferry, we were determined to do the Applecross alternative and were confident that both cars were up to it. The reasoning was if we’ve come this far, we’re going to see the highlights. And what highlights they were. The climb up the pass was exhilarating with hairpin after hairpin up to the summit at 2000 feet. Both cars performed admirably with Cherry leading the way showing you don’t need big powerful cars to take part. As Mark said, back in the sixties, these were the everyday cars making the climb. The views over to the isles of Raasay and Rona, set in beautiful dark blue to shimmering emerald seas were magnificent. I accept that we had the perfect day but, on a day like that, I challenge anyone to find better, more majestic and magnificent scenery anywhere on earth.

Navigation test

Just before the lunch stop at the Loch Ness Hotel, we undertook our very first Navigation Exercise. Fortunately, Mark and Michael studied the map before leaving the Balmacara hotel in the morning and all we had to do was take the correct turns on the road and spot the relevant marker boards to prove we had gone the right way. Great fun with added confusion and self-doubt when cars were passed going the opposite way.

An excellent buffet lunch was served at the hotel following which we set off for the run to the afternoon Navigation Exercise and Nethybridge. It turned out, Linda and I were still looking for marker boards several miles after the exercise had finished and the route re-joined. If only Linda could manage to stay awake!

Netheybridge Hotel

Day 3

Overcast and a little gloomy, we checked the cars and were surprised to see two Trabants in the car park. Their rally boards stating “Bugger Bognor. 50^th Anniversary Road Run Sussex to Cape Wrath”. All credit to them!

Soon after the start, there was a scheduled round of the gymkhana arranged and a chance to redeem myself. Unfortunately, there were two Motorhomes parked up on the car park and it appeared they were still asleep. It was deemed prudent, to save the good name of the Club, to abandon the test rather than wake them up to the screeching of tyres and revving engines. The morning route took us through Dalwhinnie and over the Drumochter Summit on the A9. On the way to the lunch stop, we passed somewhere in the region of 30 – 40 Maserati cars travelling in the opposite direction, their number plates showing they were from all over Europe.

After another excellent lunch in Kenmore we left and were soon into another Navigation Exercise. By now, the rain was continuous staying with us as we passed through Crianlarich and along the shores of Loch Lomond till we were arriving back at the Rosslea Hall Hotel where it had virtually stopped.

Overall, the cars performed perfectly, only needing a little oil top up. The scenery was breath-taking, the roads challenging and remarkably well surfaced in the main ranging from single track roads to fast A roads. The hotels and meals were first class and welcoming. The weather was fantastic up to the last day so yes, the sun does shine in Scotland and when it does, you are in for a real treat. The company was warm and friendly and the organisation was outstanding. It is difficult to express our thanks to Mike Raven and his team adequately. It is obviously a well organised team that he has and it must take an enormous amount of time to organise. Thanks again to everyone involved.

Would we do it again?

Definitely. Hopefully next time with three generations in two Morris Minor 1000s and a TR4.

Regrets?

Only the one.

Mike is taking a well-earned rest in 2020 after 21 years organising the tour. Hopefully, he will return fully reenergised in 2021 and we will definitely put our names down.

Thanks again for a great weekend.

Keith and Linda Lewin.