Chairman's Run - 2005 ........ Wyke Down for Lunch and a Visit to Derek Marder's Bit of Heaven Sunday 26th June 2005 Ray had threatened that if there were not a dozen entries for his run on 26th June then we would be looking for a new Chairman! Well the threat worked. With minutes to spare Mike Tye arrived to make a baker's dozen, and as we set off Colin Groves swept into sight to make fourteen entries - Sorry Ray, you don't get out of it as easily as that. So off we swept, in a Northerly direction, from Bishops Waltham car park. The route card which Ray had provided was first class, and with a little bit of local knowledge the convoy found it's way around a longish diversion, heading in the general direction of Beauworth. Ray had been up all night constructing a crop circle, so we stopped to admire it at Pershaw, just short of the splendid cricket ground. We paused at Beauworth for a five minute breather, and then then via Cheriton, Tichbourne, the Itchens and the Worthys, towards Sutton Scotney. Here we again took a short refuge, and where the only malfunction of the day occured. When we were about to continue Mike Mathews discovered that his engine was ingesting too much air, caused as it turned out by a detached wiper vacuum pipe, and it did not want to proceed further. Literally, a band aid job was done with a strip of insulting tape, and all was again well after a good push. Another twenty minutes drive through Barton Stacey, Longparish and Hurstbourne Priors brought the string to Wyck Down for a very welcome, and excellent lunch. We had a large area to ourselves, so that we could misbehave with impunity (and some did!). Around half-past-two Ray gave the order to 'mount up', and the group set out for a long half-mile drive to Derek Marder's establishment. Aladdin never had a cave so good! Derek had both a road roller and a traction engine in steam for us, the latter powering a saw bench. The writer suspects that there was not a real need for a bull dozer to be working on a Sunday and that this was for our benefit as well. The company spent a happy hour-and-a-half wandering around looking at all the treasures which Derek - the lucky soul - has around when he awakes every morning. Remark of the day occured probably when Phil Hatley was introduced to Derek. He responded with "Ah, so you must be Maurice's nipper". I shall never see Phil in the same light again! :) A little after four o'clock the convoy left for home, having expressed sincere thanks to Derek and his wife for our splendid reception. Convoy rules went a little astray at the start of the return trip. Mike Whittome led the majority the pretty way to the Stockbridge Road, but three members dropped of the back and went by the main road, thus getting ahead of the group. They were last seen joining the A303 heading towards Basingstoke. Your scribe hopes that they survived the experience without too much drama. Finally, the good news is; that Derek and his wife's final words were to invite any who wished to attend to their 'Open Day and Road Run'. This is to be held on the second Sunday in October which seems to be the nineth. A road run with real rollers and steam tractors sounds fun. I believe that lunch is being organised at the Wick Down once more. Full details to be put in the magazine and on the dates web page. Ray, thank you for organising it all. It was a super day all round, a good run, a good route, a good lunch, and a huge bonus at the end.
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