Severnside Area M.V.T. Newsletter – November 2008 to February 2009.
Sheet 1 of 2.
Yes! Here it is, at last, my Super Winter edition!
I don't know how many of you have booked on the MVT (or IMPS) 2009 Normandy Tour, which are all fully booked. If so, or if you're going independently, you should be aware of the following:- There are some new requirements for vehicles traveling to France , as of October last. You now must carry in your vehicle a fluorescent jacket, which can be orange, yellow, green red, or even pink, which must be worn on leaving the vehicle in the event of a breakdown. This is especially for when you set up your warning triangle, 30 metres behind. No jacket, then the police will fine you 130 Euros! The French Police are checking vehicles, at random. For many years now it has been compulsory to carry a warning triangle, a first aid kit and a set of spare bulbs, when touring on the continent. A fire extinguisher is an MVT show requirement, as everyone should know!
Forthcoming Events:-
Sunday, December 28 th , Gloucester Group's Road Run and Clay Pigeon Shoot . Meet behind Cirencester Hospital for tea and biscuits at the air raid shelter for 10.00, look round the recently renovated museum and be ready to leave by 11.45. Drive out to a farm next to Kemble Airfield, where a clay pigeon shoot is arranged. Unfortunately the number of shooters is limited to around twenty, so they can all fire off before the light fades. Thus, please contact chairman Harry Turbyfield on 01452 713704, to ensure your place. Cost is £7.00 for Gloucester meeting attendees, and £10.00 for all others, this includes 20 cartridges shotgun hire and clays. Bring your own gun if you prefer. (Try and bring the right money!)
AND, on the same day, the West Wiltshire Group are having their road run! Meet 10.00 at the Pig and Whistle, Forest Road , Melksham. Leave 10.30-ish on a mystery route to the Bustard Inn for lunch at the special low price of £8.95. Call John or Sylvia Wardle on 01373 300384 for more details.
Saturday, January 3 rd , Severnside‘s New Year road run to the Oakham Treasures Museum, Portbury. Meet on the Bristol Downs at the pull-in near the White Tree roundabout, same as for the Rag Procession. (Intersection of Westbury Road A.4018, and Saville Road .) 10.00 for 10.30 start. Down Bridge Valley Road , through the Cumberland Basin and onto the Clevedon Road . Just past the Failand Inn, turn right for Portbury. Oakham Treasures is on the right a mile or so before Portbury village. Alternatively, it can be approached from the M5 Gordano Services roundabout. Head for Leigh Woods, then turn almost immediately sharp right to Portbury. Follow the road keeping left, you pass a nursery on your left and Oakham Treasures is another 300 metres or so. They have a big sign, plenty of parking, café with reasonably priced light snacks and it takes approximately three hours to see everything. And, in case of inclement weather, it's all under cover! Admission, if enough of us turn up, is £4.00, normal admission is £6.40. Call me if you need any further info, 01454 774570.
Sunday January 4 th , yet another Dallas Digout, at Dallas Autoparts, Cold Ash Farm, Long Lane, Hermitage near Newbury, RG18 9LT. Bring stuff to sell for a fiver or look around for a pound..
Tuesday January 6 th – West Wiltshire Group Meeting, at the Pig and Whistle, Forest Road , Melksham from 20.00 sharp.
Sheet 2 of 2.
Tuesday January 13 th – Gloucester Group Meeting, from 20.00 at the RBL, Hardwicke, Glos.
Sunday January 18 th the IMPS Annual Old Christmas Dinner . Meet up at the “Hobo's Retreat” (Western IMPS Club House) Kenn, just outside Yatton. Call James Shopland on 07968 274480 for booking and times.
Thursday January 29 th – Severnside Group Meeting, from 20.00 at the RBL, Kingswood .
Sunday February 1 st – Stoneleigh Militaria 2009, Europe 's premier indoor Military Collectors Exhibition. Doors open 0900, admission £9. Over 350 stands, WW2 dioramas, modeling displays. Not to be missed, need I say more? At the Exhibition Centre, Stoneleigh Park , Coventry , Warwickshire. See ads in CMV, MM and Windscreen.
Events Review:-
West Wilts Bar-B-Q :- John and Sylvia made a huge effort, with a mailshot to area members, marquee in the pub garden, and loads of excellent grub. Perhaps the unrelenting heavy rain put people off, but attendance was disappointing with around 15 members and families.
Swindon & Cricklade Wartime W/End :- Owing to several days of heavy rain, permission was withdrawn to use the field shortly beforehand. Our ever resourceful chairman managed to save the show by moving it to the North end of Kemble Airfield, where a Battle of Britain Weekend was also to be held. The two events complemented each other superbly!
Prescott Hill Climb:- Not quite as billed, if you wanted to take your jeep on the hill climb it would have cost £120! I didn't receive any reports, if anyone went???
Glos & Warcs Steam Railway Rally:- Held on a field behind Cheltenham racecourse, was a good weekend weather-wise, and well attended. There were free train rides to Toddington and back for exhibitors. The show is at their usual venue of Toddington station next year.
George Inn , Frocester :- An excellent talk from the Gloucester Heritage Society on Wartime Pill Boxes. Some 1800 were very hastily built at the beginning of WW2, apparently there were two main types, shell proof and bullet proof. Cast in concrete with brick shuttering inside and out, the shell proof are 3 feet (0.914 metres) thick. Around old airfields you may still see blast shelters, which were brick walls built like a maze, but with no roof!
Dallas Digout:- I found a stash of Dodge brake wheel cylinder seals amongst other goodies, being sold from a Land Rover which had come over from France . Steve and Tina had their bargain store on display, Graham bought a good 12 x 12 tent.for a very low price, and Mike Cowles bought a bucket of fake blood! Weather was miserable, though.
It just remains for me to wish you all a Merry Xmas and all the best for 2009…