By the time we got to Meon Hut most of the rest of the crew had already assembled in the dining room, and commenced feeding their faces. After we all got over the joke of nobody telling us we should have ordered on the way in, we finally received the best value breakfasts I have seen for a long time. Don’t know how they do it for the money!

When all were satisfactorily replete we adjourned to the car park(s) and managed to get all the cars together in one place. Obviously someone remembered the wonderful occasion when the late and much lamented Mike Norris-Hill started the New Years day from premises across the road. When we set off the traffic lights divided the convoy into several bits. As a result there were several different routes traversed during that morning, and it ended up with Mike, who was nominally heading the column, rattling past from the rear at tremendous speed to once more take the lead. Bit like being lapped in the Grand Prix I seem to remember. J

And on the subject of GPs I have just seen on the television news young Lewis’s latest over-excited exploits at Spa. What a pity the brat in the little L-plate-bearing red car who overtook us under double white lines just after the start did not receive similarly embarrassing punishment.

I digress. Today’s run commenced, and continued, without a ‘convoy’ hitch – which must be something of a first. Well nearly. We did come to one shuddering halt when, to save his blushes I will not name names, a member towards the front of the procession suddenly pulled in, alighted, and danced a jig in the road whilst rubbing his knees. Morris Dancers I thought; but no – the poor man had succumbed to an attack of the dreaded Austin Seven cramps! Anyway, after a couple of pas-de-chat, several pirouettes, and a few figures of Bonny Green Garters he felt well enough to preceed and we all continued on our happy jaunt.

The route was splendid, and was described by the Wild and Burrett Show organisers as an ‘Archimedean Screw’. Lets not go into that too deeply, but whatever it may mean we all enjoyed it immensely, and were very happy traversing a host of totally new (to most of us) good Austin Seven byways. We obviously gave a lot of amusement to the many walkers that we observed. Perhaps their number is a function of the fuel prices – who ‘nose’?

Due to the Noah-like downpours of the recent days we managed to get in a bit of fording and a good dose of mud-plugging during the circuit, and thus will have to waste yet more water with the hose. Having said this we were very fortunate with the weather on the day, with never a drop of rain all the way.

The run finished at the domain of Trevor Wild, who managed to get us all backed in up his drive in very slick fashion. I believe that he is applying for a position as parking attendant at a stately home sometime soon. I believe the Sevens were eleven in number. Having parked up we were allowed into Trevor’s workshop, where resides the Nippy which he has been restoring most beautifully. Getting well on now it was good to see.

In the house we were made most welcome, and the coffee pot was forced to work overtime, particularly as we stayed longer than was probably expected since our ultimate goal of the day – The Running Machine Show – had been cancelled due to a waterlogged site.

Whilst the forward journey had been made without a hitch, the same could not have been said of the return trip. We had only just got to the remotest bit of the Meon Valley when the engine cut suddenly and absolutely dead. Twenty minutes fault finding was necessary prior to spotting a tiny burn mark on one of the securing screws for the fixed point in the distributor. Yes the spring on the moving point was arcing to earth. Ten miles further towards home I had to stop again as obviously I had had not totally cured matters, as a shocking miss developed at anything over about half revs. Binding the spring with insulting tape effected a complete cure. Interesting to note that during the whole time that we were stopped with the bonnet up the only vehicle to offer help was a cyclist – what lovely people in the World today.

Our thanks to Trevor, Jane, David, and Annie for putting on such a super day. I suspect that a Breakfast Run might become part of the yearly agenda – indeed I am banking on it.

Oh! yes. Sadly I lost my oil filler cap during the day. So if anyone has a spare, for an early coil engine, which they might like to exchange for beer tokens I would be most pleased.

Spanner
Sunday 7 Sept 2008