KDMC Bulletin November 2017 Edition

Transcription

1 Welcome to the November edition of the KDMC Bulletin. Apologises for the delayed publication date but Lorna and I have been off on ERA s Classic Safari Rally. My thanks to: Don Barrow, James Duddell, Jeff Gray, Mike Lawson, Margaret Mullen, Alan Smith and Duncan Wild who have all contributed to this edition. The next Bulletin will be published on 3 December. Please your contributions for the December Bulletin to Bulletin@knutsfordmotorclub.co.uk by 30 November at the latest. If you have photos to go with the articles, that would be great. Mike Harrison *********************************************** FORTHCOMING EVENTS 13 November Duncan s Devious Quiz Kilton Inn 8.15pm Duncan Wild 19 November The Jubilee Autosolo Booths Hall, Knutsford Duncan Wild 11 December Christmas Party Toft Cricket Club 8pm Jeff Gray (Food, Drinks and Conversation!!) Event communications If you are arranging an activity or event and want it publicised to the Club, or put on the website, please send the relevant details about the event to comms-group@knutsfordmotorclub.co.uk and the details will be put on Facebook, Website and ed to members. Monday 13th November: Duncan s Devious Quiz Starting at 8.15pm at the Kilton Inn, come and have some fun with my annual quiz. Teams of two to tackle several different questions on cars, motorsport, highway code and general items. Free entry, just turn up. Sunday 19 th November: Knutsford Jubilee Autosolo Entries are filling up for our autumn Autosolo at Booth s Hall. An autosolo involves driving round a course as quick as possible. It s for road legal cars driven to the event. The courses have additional markers to help define the route so that it s less of a memory test than autotests. There are two events running in parallel, a National B event for championship competitors which requires a competition licence and a Clubmans event for which you only require a club membership of an invited club. Ideal for KDMC members. Regulations are on the ANWCC website or you can contact me duncan.wild@btinternet.com. If you can t compete, why not come and marshal. We need several timekeepers and it s a good opportunity to get experience.

2 The event is at Booth s Hall on the Macclesfield road out of Knutsford behind Toft Cricket Club, follow the arrows. Signing on from 8.30am with first test at 10.00am. We will finish about 3pm. As we don t have a butty waggon, please bring your own refreshments. Duncan Wild / Award Winners It is getting towards the time for the 2016 Award winners to find where they have hidden them (loft/ garage) give them a nice clean and think about returning them to me. I will be at the Xmas party and would be happy to take them off your hands, but if you cannot make the party them please contact me so we can arrange a mutual time and place. Jeff Gray SAVE THE DATE - Saturday 24th February 2018 This is the date for the Club s 60th Annual Awards Presentation Dinner. Tickets will be at the subsidised price of each, and the meal and speaker will be of the usual high standard. Further details will be announced throughout the year, so watch this space. Jeff Gray Tour of Cheshire 2018 Please put the date in the diary (Saturday 3 March 2018) as we ll need so many Club members as possible to help with marshalling on the day, or you want to get involved in helping with the event organisation please let me know. (mikeharrison1953@gmail.com) Mike Harrison

3 EXTRACTS FROM HIS LITTLE RED BOOK aka The thoughts of Chairman Mike I could not possibly start this article but to reflect on a sad celebration, this contradiction is of Nigel Raeburn s funeral at Bollington. Sad, clearly, through the loss of someone who has achieved and given so much in motor sport, rallying, and particularly his long involvement and support of KDMC and a genuinely decent bloke. The Church was literary packed full of people from all over the country which was no surprise to anyone. Graham, Nigel s son, gave the eulogy superbly which made us all reflect on Nigel s life and celebrate his many abilities, achievements and successes, and not just in rallying. I did not know Nigel at the height of his rallying career, and will leave to others better qualified than me to write on this. It has been during my years in KDMC that I came to know Nigel, from competing in grass autotests; to CoC of ToC; to part of the team running the Plains Rally. He really was a motorsport enthusiast in all disciplines and levels, but more than that he was one of those very very few people who would always achieve the very highest standards using his considerable knowledge, preparation, respect, humour and most importantly by getting the very best out of those around him while critically leaving you in a manner that you felt good, and would always come back and help him again. A celebration of a wonderful life, but sadly missed. I am sure Nigel would have been delighted and full of observations at Elfyn Evans overall win on Rally GB. It really was a superb drive and whatever advantage or otherwise of DMACK vs. Michelin nothing should detract from a brilliant drive where he totally dominated and controlled the event. I managed to get out to watch at Myherin and it was great viewing. Who should be there but Gwyndaf, and was able to reflect when Elfyn was just starting out in the BRC Pirelli Star Drive run by TEG. Discussing with Gwyndaf on the Bulldog rally on how far might Elfyn progress. At the time Gwyndaf explained a very low key approach, that they would see how well he did at each step, and if he did well, father would help him to the next, but it would be based entirely on Elfyn s ability. Great to see it resulting in such success. It brought out crowds I had not seen on WRGB for years. Every credit to the organisers, most certainly at Myherin they coped well in supplying excellent viewing and managing the restriction of forest car parking, despite the surge in numbers I am sure Elfyn brought. While mentioning the genuine quality of organisation of WRGB, I must highlight that the KDMC stage team received WRGB s award for the best stage in A case of The Best of the Best. Absolutely fantastic recognition of the commitment, expertise and hard work shown by all the members of that Band of Brothers (and sisters Amanda). WRGB settled the WRC championship with the drivers and manufacturers title going to M-Sport, a really fantastic effort considering their budget is considerably less than the full manufacturer s teams. I noticed in the Deeside service park that the Hyundai service centre has gained a 3 rd storey from last year. Gazebo it is not! Speaking of world championships; The F1 drivers and constructors has been won by Mercedes again, although I have to say Lewis has walked away with the races since the summer break. While over on business I visited the Japanese grand prix at Suzuka,(As a boss once told me; Sometimes Mike you have to learn to take the smooth with the rough ). Interestingly the Japanese colleague I went with latter told me it was the lowest attendance in over thirty years, (despite my 3 day uncovered grandstand seat ticket costing approx. 158 i.e. about a 1/3 of what it would cost at Silverstone). As a spectating sport F1 is in difficulty! Lewis was never challenged, and the cars sound awful, particularly detracting from the buzz of Qualifying

4 For me the highlight was Takuma Sato demonstrating the 1967 Honda RA300. This was the Hondola (Lola designed chassis, Honda V12 Engine) in which John Surtees won the memorable 1967 Italian GP (overtaking Jack Brabham on the last corner of the last lap after Jim Clark had dropped to third during the final lap as he ran out of petrol, having fought back to the lead after dropping a lap down with a puncture, which Jack Brabham had been prepared to compromise his race to warn Clark that he had ) I think I kinda get what is missing from current F1.. Closer to home there is still much to compete for in the KDMC championships with the scatter series on its autumn run in. Prior to TW 176 Mike Vokes was leading the drivers championship by just 1 point from Richard Duddell, by the time you read this the results of TW176 will be known. The next KDMC event is the Joint Clubmans and Nat B Auto solo at Booths Hall that Duncan Wild is running on the 19 th November. Either event can be nominated as part of the KDMC Challenge Championship. If you do not fancy competing, then do come along and help in any way. On the Social side we all know Christmas is on its way so please put Monday 11 th December in your diary / phone etc, it s the KDMC Xmas Party. This will be held at Toft Cricket Club, along with a buffet as usual. Normally this is well supported (must be the free food) and it is a great way to catch up and review the year with other KDMC members. Even if you have not been to many or any events in the past year it will be great to meet you and I am certain you will be made to feel at home and welcomed. The Big Social event is the Diamond Awards Dinner on 24 th February, as a final plea if anyone is able to forward any suggests and help then please contact me, as at present most of the work is falling to Jeff Gray. It is not far away and we are getting close to the cut-off date that we can get anything additional or different arranged. In the meantime; look forward to seeing you out about on KDMC events. Mike Lawson

5 Nigel Raeburn 1943 to 2017 Eulogy Nigel was born in April 1943 and lived in Southgate, London. He went to Highgate School (same school that Murray Walker attended a few years earlier) and was active in the Scout movement where he grew up with lots of hiking and camping trips, including attending the World Scout Jamboree in From his map reading skills learned in the Scouts, Nigel was a natural Rally navigator and whilst at school took part in his first Rally navigating for his Father, which included some early wins. He went to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, to study mechanical engineering as part of a sandwich course working for the Westinghouse Railway Engineering Company, where he became actively involved in the Cambridge University Automobile Club and took part and attended many races, sprints and rallies. He also travelled to various major European races at Le Mans, Nürburgring etc where he was involved with pit signalling duties. From Westinghouse Nigel moved to Shell-Mex BP and in 1969 he moved to IBM where he stayed for 33 years until his early retirement. Mainly based in Manchester but with roles of national or even global scope. He was rather proud of once being introduced to a customer by the salesman as the person who has written more financial models than anyone else in the world - this was in the days before spreadsheets or PCs. His IBM career was able to encompass a wide range of topics - programming, project management, consultancy, training, quality management, etc. I met Nigel around the 1967 era where he and Will Sparrow were starting to creep up the finishing order on Motoring News (MN) events, we became fierce opponents and had many battles. Sometimes they would win and sometimes Jim Bullough and I would win. One memorable occasion was on a Selective Section on the 1970 Tour of Mull Rally, when Jim & I came across an upturned Mini blocking the road and spinning around on its roof. Will had clipped a bank while in the lead and I talked them into leaving the car where it was for 20 minutes, then the Selective would automatically be cancelled. The next six crews agreed to wait, then BIG Roy Mapple arrived and didn t want to know about waiting and promptly single-handedly flicked the Mini back on its wheels. Thus, causing us all to lose time. Nigel first met Margaret as she worked for the company Coburn Improvements, later to become DTV (Dealer Team Vauxhall), run by Chris Coburn and Rodney Spokes. Nigel and Margaret were married in 1973 and have enjoyed well over 40 years of a happy loving marriage. After an initial 5 years in Brooklands, Manchester they moved in 1978 to their current house in Bollington, Cheshire. Graham was born in 1975 and Sarah in Graham inherited Nigel s Rallying skills (and was also a keen Scout) and also becoming a top navigator and Rally organiser however, Sarah s trapeze and pilates skills certainly did not come from Nigel! Family holidays often involved camping or caravanning - and in recent years Margaret and Nigel have thoroughly enjoyed their narrowboat on the canals - Little did Nigel know that a few folk in Knutsford MC nicknamed him Tug Raeburn - Graham met partner Helen and Nigel was pleased to welcome Helen into the family and the arrival of grandson Dominic 3 years ago, adding a new and lively dimension to family life! Locally Nigel was the founding chairman of the Bollington, St Gregory s School Parents Association which is still going strong today. Nigel has always enjoyed the outdoor life - walking, cycling and running - doing charity events until relatively recently. He enjoyed walking with the IBM retiree Club - much appreciating the active group here in the North West. Much more walking was done with his friend Alan Hoe as they completed the Pennine Way, Coast to Coast and Offa s Dyke Path among others - also cycling the Trans-Pennine Trail.

6 Knutsford & DMC was his main Motor Club where he became the Chairman for 4 years between and then became a Vice President for 29 years between He was also the Navigator of the Year 5 times between , and was instrumental in introducing many new ideas within the Club. In his favourite pastime of Rallying, Nigel was the runner-up 3 times in the Motoring News Championship in 1970, 1971 & 1976, winning in total 15 MN rallies, also winning the BTRDA Championship in 1970, 1971 & 1972, the RAC Rally Championship in Where he was chauffeured by some of the finest drivers in the country, namely. Will Sparrow, Cyril Bolton, Bob Bean, John Edwards-Parton, Andy Dawson, Richard Hudson-Evans, Ian Harwood, Geoff Grundy and many more. Nigel and Will were part of the DTV team between After Nigel s derring do years he settled into Classic Rallying, where here again, he excelled himself with some brilliant results. These types of events called for a different type of driver and Nigel navigated a whole list of names to victory over the following years, to include, Geoff Breakall, Mike Tomlin, Colin Evans, Paul Wignall, Ian Crammond, Andy Nash & Phil Surtees. With results that included 10 podium medals of gold, silver and bronze on several of John Brown s masterpieces, namely Le Jog. Nigel also won 2 HRCR Historic Road Rally Championships and won the VSCC Measham Rally 4 times. A fair set of results you must all agree with. He was a very versatile competitor having competed in just about every form of motor sport, he raced a Mini-Cooper, drove on road and stage rallies, tours, autocross, hillclimbs, sprints, autotests, PCTs. For years Nigel and I have attended ECF (Ecurie Cod Fillet) functions together and we were both part of the Knutsford DMC Plains Rally team where we enjoyed dining out on Friday nights in Welshpool. In 2004 we were also involved with the inaugural Tour of Cheshire Rally, Nigel was in fact the Clerk of the Course for a fair few years. Where between 2004 and 2015 we both spent many hours meticulously measuring the regularity sections. These had to be spot-on, otherwise we both would have received a lot of flack from the top crews. Nigel was also a very active member of the HRCR NW region and organised many competitive runs and quizzes, a great guy to have as a team member on the annual Ian Harwood inter-club quiz. I visited Nigel with Alan Jolley within his last ten days where he was very pleased to see us and likewise we were very pleased to have seen him too. Typically, being Nigel, he put on a very brave face and talked very openly about his arrangements of his funeral. Including how Will Sparrow had arranged with the owner of their famous Motoring News conquering Mini, WNX 700H, to bring the car up from South Wales to the Wake at the Cock & Pheasant in Bollington, Cheshire. Nigel was a very private person and a true gentleman to the very end, who will be sadly missed in his many now-vacant circles. All our thoughts are with Margaret, Sarah, Graham and family with all our best wishes. Nigel Raeburn R.I.P. Don Barrow.

7 Happy Days ECF - RAC Rally Championship Historic gathering Chatsworth Hall 2008 RAC Rally Champions - Chatsworth Rally Show 2008

8 Scatter 174 Report The scatter organised by Andy Williams and Lauren Crook started at the Ryles Arms pub near Macclesfield on the 4th of September was very well organised. The competitors were me (James Duddell) / my Dad (Richard Duddell), Alan Smith / Matt Scott, Dale Cox / John Hughes and Tim Burge / Steven Boyde. Me and my dad were car number 2. We started by heading towards Sparrow Greave Farm to get clue 4. Next, we headed towards Broomhill farm and picked up clue 2. After clue 2 we headed West on the A54 and turned off just before Bosley Reservoir to pick up clue 15 on a bridge over the River Dane. Then we went South towards Biddulph Moor to pick up clue 1 while also picking up 6 and 12 and forgetting to get clue 14. Clues 1 and 6 where easy to get, but clue 12 took about 5 minutes to get because it was a hydrant that was stuck onto the back of a sign. After getting clue 1 we headed towards clue 18 via the south of Congleton, which involved a bit of running for Dad as he had to go and get a canal bridge number. Next, we went to clue 10 to get a gate sign which we couldn t find, but as we were turning down a track to turn around we saw the answer while by accident blocking Dale and John from seeing it. Next, we went up towards Newsbank (north west of Congleton) to get clue 17and then we went up to Gleadsmoss to get clue 19. We then started to head towards the finish picking up clues 11 and 16 while missing clue 21. Clue 11 was near Rodeheath and we spent about 3 minutes looking for a sign that was in the middle of the junction. We didn t go to clue 21 as we were running out of time and clue 16 was next to Sutton Reservoir. Me and Richard came 1 st while Dale / John came 2 nd (and lost their novice status); Tim Burge / Steven Boyde came a good 3 rd and Alan Smith / Matt Scott came 4 th. Overall the event was very enjoyable with some great clues and good tie break questions and I got my fist win. James Duddell navigator for car 2 Membership There are a large number of new members to welcome to KDMC this month: Stephen Boyde of Kingsley, Frodsham, who states that he may be interested in marshalling; Matthew Burge, also of Kingsley, Frodsham, a Junior member who is interested in motorsport and who also may be interested in marshalling; Dave Jackson of Skelton North Yorkshire, who is involved in road rallying and is a stage rally navigator; and the 96 people, too many to mention individually, who joined to compete on the Targa Rally. A warm welcome to KDMC is extended to all. Margaret Mullen

9 ERA s Classic Safari Challenge KDMC Bulletin November 2017 Edition Unfortunately, a second DNF for us this year, but a great adventure never the less. Here is part one of the story of our African adventure and boy what an adventure it was. Ahead of us, and the other crews, was 28 days of adventure through four countries in southern Africa. Starting in Cape Town on 9 October and returning there on 6 November having been into Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, back to Botswana and then back into South Africa. A total distance of nearly 9,000 kms. Having broken the PV on the ERA Classic Baltic earlier in the year we took the opportunity to buy another PV one we had seen on the TransAm in 2015 and the Baltic, which unlike ours ran without any issues. Whilst both cars were at Amazon Cars and the new (old) PV was being prep d for the event we found the rear axle was not in good order and was illegal for HRCR events. So, the rear axle was robbed from the old PV along with the drive train and gearbox. We also didn t find the seats in the new car comfortable so there was a seat swap as well. We flew to Cape Town and had a few days R & R before the event started with the usual scrutineering, signing on, drivers briefing and welcome dinner. Day 1 Cape Town to Clanwilliam (333 kms) Left Cape Town in brilliant sunshine on traffic free roads - which is more than can be said for the inbound roads - solid with commuters, for miles. Overhead road signs warning of water restrictions - they have had drought conditions for a very long time. 17 kms later we were into the first circuit test of the event, Killarney Raceway. A good fast flowing circuit great fun, but with Porsches in our class needless to say we were not the fastest!

10 This was followed by a coffee halt and then the first gravel section which offered great views of the mountains once we were over the highest point where there was a time control. The climb was pretty washboardy and on our arrival at lunch at Lamberts Bay we found one of the spot lights had fallen off its bracket and was only connected to the car (thank goodness) by the wire. One of the 911s lost a headlight assembly, but eagle-eyed Skippy sweeping through the route after us all found it. After a great fish barbecue in what looked like a fisherman s beach side shack we had a pleasant relatively short drive to our overnight halt in Clanwilliam. Before supper we were treated a performance of a revived local regional courtship dance by a youth team who had had considerable success winning various national and international competitions- much kicking up of dust during an exhausting display.

11 Great use of an old GTX oil can Day 2 Clanwilliam to Fish River Canyon (620 kms) The first test of the day was on a back road not far outside Clanwilliam- a bit narrow in places for a speed test so we were not flat out - there is a long way to go yet and we didn t need an unnecessary off! Most of the day was on the N7 a tarmac A type road which took us into Namibia. After a painful entry into the country involving three windows - immigration, customs and road fund tax taking about an hour and half we were in Namibia.

12 Queuing for immigration at Namibian border post Once into Namibia we were soon off nice smooth tarmac and onto gravel which towards the end of the day was getting a bid washboardy in places and quite dusty - nothing a cold beer didn t cure. Fabulous game reserve type accommodation with Oryx wandering through the grounds in a stunning canyon location; supper of barbecued springbok, zebra and alike. Day 3 Fish River Canyon Sossusviei (550 kms) We decided to drive to the Canyon viewpoint in the National Park before the Main Control start. Spectacular view in the early morning light of the Canyon walls - followed by a bit of a spirited drive to get to the start for our due time.

13 The start was the local fuel station and with no fuel marked for 170 kms we took the opportunity to top up the tanks. Our route was now away from any civilisation and getting into a true desert wilderness. Little or no other traffic and long sections of straight gravel road, which was becoming rougher and rougher (we found out later the road graders had been on strike for four months). About 4.30 our worst fear happened; the front offside suspension collapsed memories of the other PV on the Baltic. On investigation it appeared the control arm pin had snapped resulting in the upper wishbone twisting. Messaged the sweeps and waited. They were 100+ miles behind us. Fortunately, Jamie Turner, who was driving Fred, came along not long after we had stopped and affected a temporary repair which enabled us to limp to the overnight lodge about 35kms away, but as we could only drive at about 15kph or so the last hour was in the dark - quite a challenge to find what was road and what wasn t in the dark. Day 4 Rest Day Fortunately, no driving today which allowed time for repairs to the wishbone. After a chance meeting with the maintenance man from the neighbouring lodge at the petrol station I followed him to his garage after stopping at his shed on the way to collect a toolbox, welder, big hammer and few other useful bits.

14 After 6 hours in the workshop (an open shed with a four-post ramp) he and his two assistants had completed a repair. All was looking good for the following day. Day 5 Sossusvlei Swakopmund (345 kms) A day to forget. The day got off to a bad start with a flat tyre before we started - great! Round to the petrol station to get it repaired before we started. Left about 20 minutes late and due to the appalling road surface, we were travelling quite slowly- sometime only in first or second gear. After about 30 kms the repaired control arm pin failed again, and we were back to square one - this time in the heating day of the desert. Fortunately, Tony and Skippy were not far behind. They dismantled the wishbone and left us with the car to return to my man to have another go at the required repair. We constructed a crude shelter to hide from the sun as we expected temperatures to be again in the low 40s which they were. As they left Tony said we might be a couple of hours. After an hour and a half Tony returned to say they had not found my man and they had been dealing, by satellite phone, with a

15 serious road traffic accident involving one of the other crews. Tragically the driver, Jan Hradecky, lost his life due to the severity of his injuries. Lock up the car and come back to the hotel - was Tony s instruction we don t know how long this is going to take. After arriving at the hotel, I left Lorna in the relative comfort of the air-conditioned reception and Tony and I went to track down my man. Once found he was back on the job under Tony s expert supervision. An hour and a half later we were on our way back to the car. By about 3.30 we were mobile again - but had 370 kms to complete the day on a road that we could barely drive at 40 kph - it was going to be a very late one. After 100kms it was dark, so we were back to night driving on a gravel road (I use this term lightly) with little or no clues where the edges were. The only saving was that the final 50 kms were on tarmac. After an exhausting six and half hours we finally made the hotel at 11pm and fell straight into bed. Day 6 Swakopmund - Etosha National Park (680 kms) There was naturally a very gloomy mood at breakfast this morning made worst for Lorna and me by receiving the sad news of Nigel Raeburn s passing. Due to the events of the previous day the organisers changed the day s route to avoid any gravel sections. It would add 150 kms to the route- now 680 kms a long way, but thank goodness, no gravel. Car wise thankfully an uneventful day apart from the visit to the lodge workshop to see if the repaired tyre could be repaired as the first repair had failed. In short no. Have you a new tyre. No. But the chap disappeared with a jack and wheel brace to return with a tyre off the old workshop pick up - there was less tread on this that a used slick, so we opted for get a new tyre in two days time. Nearly bumped into a pair of giraffes as they were crossing the roadway on the way back to the lodge - so the wildlife experiences, like the weather (another day on the 40 s) were hotting up. Evening drinks on the terrace overlooking Etosha National Park. Day 7 Drive through Etosha National Park (170 kms) Transit day only 170 kms through the national park. Up early to be at the gates shortly after they opened at First couple of miles nice tarmac then awful gravel for the remainder of the day. We did numerous detours onto the minor roads, especially to find wildlife at the waterholes. Got off to a great start with a rhino and then a pair of male lions - from the wildlife point of view the day got better and better. That could certainly not be said of the road - and having

16 to travel so slowly the temperature in the car was overwhelming. The engine, however, kept its cool - thankfully. Ten hours motoring in the park concluded with a group of eight giraffes taking an evening drink at a waterhole. What a day! Day 8 Etosha National Park to Popa Falls (656 kms) The gravel sections were cancelled today to save the strain on the cars and the sweep crews. Over 650 kms of tarmac - long straight roads, little traffic. Little to report. For once an uneventful (car) day. Stopped in Tsumeb to get a new spare to replace the one we left at Etosha Safari Lodge. Interesting directions to get to the tyre shop. Turn left at the robots traffic lights to you and me! Long distances with no houses kms between settlements - just African forest. From lunchtime onwards, the places we passed through seemed to have crowds of people milling around - most looks as if they were likely to help themselves to anything left lying around. Security guards in pairs on the shop doors and your shopping searched when leavingchecking you only had the items paid for in the bag. We were now very close to the Angolan boundary and we warned to be especially vigilant.

17 The final control of the Day was at a Petrol station in Divundu. This was full of people, trucks, cars the odd cow wandering around and a herd of goats etc - all very colourful in an African sort of way! Our billet for the night was at a small lodge on the riverside. Basic, but great location and nice food. We were told there were no locks on the lodge doors and to put valuables in our room safe. We feel confident we would be ok as the staff on the main gate were carrying - machine guns that is. Day 9 Popa Falls to Chode National Park (450 kms) Our final day in Namibia. Leading up to the Group lunch stop, about 25 kms from the border at Katima Mulilo, we passed numerous roadside settlements and schools, so our arms had nearly dropped off with all the waving by the time we got to lunch. Lovely riverside setting for lunch with a pair of hippos in the river to keep us entertained. The afternoon s entertainment was to be the border crossing into Botswana. The staff in the border control office were overwhelmed by us and were not amused when we tried to speed up the process by visiting the three windows not in the prescribed order. Once processed we had to drive a hundred yards to a Stop sign. Here we had to get out of the car and put our shoes in an anti-infection bath. Then walk back to the car over the ground we had previously walked on. All very strange. All in all, about 2 hours to cross countries.

18 Next stop was the police control about 10 kms into Botswana. Waved through the first, but had to stop at the next and go into the office - to fill our details in the record book - a process we would repeat several more times that day. Tonight, was very different to the previous night -- big country hotel with its own golf course situated by the river. With the temperature still in the 40s the air con it the bedrooms was most welcome. A very pleasant evening cruise along the river viewing all sorts of wildlife including hippos, crocs, elephants and cape buffalos. Days 10, 11, and 12 Game safari days No driving; just a brief 50-minute flight, as we were going on safari into the Okavango Delta.

19 We had an amazing time with fabulous wildlife experiences including leopard, lion, rhino, elephant, hippo - the list just goes on. This elephant clearly had something other than tourists on his mind! Day 13 Chode National Paarl to Victoria Falls Hotel (90 kms) A short mileage day today as we had the border crossing into Zimbabwe to deal with which we had been warned would take time.

20 In the end despite the queues it was not too bad - a little over an hour and a bit. The whole control area was chaotic- think of a dodgy truck stop with vehicles and people everywhere and you are getting the picture. Our accommodation for the next two nights is the Victoria Falls Hotel - it s been here for 113 years and oozes old colonial British empire- just off for afternoon high tea now having walking down to the falls this morning after some car fettling straight after breakfast. The story will continue next month.

21 Rally of the Tests - 9 & 10 November Three not out! Knutsford & DMC were entrusted with running three of the first five tests on this year s event. Mike Harrison was running the two Bolesworth tests on Friday morning while I oversaw the prologue evening test at Demon Tweeks. Mike and Lorna arrived back from their African adventure on Tuesday before the RoTT so I had a trailer full of cones and signs ready for Thursday set up. New roads for Carfest at Bolesworth provided new test routes which Hero made good use of. Mike and I spent Thursday morning distributing cones and sticking on the letters ready for a speedy start on Friday. We then moved to Demon Tweeks. While Cherrie signed on marshals in the warmth of the showroom the rest of us awaited the departure of the employees. When the flag dropped at 5.30pm it was a massed start and the car parks emptied rapidly. We then laid out the tests, put up tape to keep spectators safe and prepared for the clock car which was with us within an hour. The test ran smoothly, but some competitors got lost and caused the start crew (Mike and Lorna) to hold the next car to avoid the risk of collisions. We had on breakage; there was a stop box just before a speed hump located between the car parks. A Swiss Porsche broke a drive shaft as they hit the hump. The backup crew towed them back to the night halt at Carden Park and I understand that they got the required spares from Demon Tweeks (they were back in the rally on Friday morning). It didn t take long to clear up, a good job as Mike, Lorna and I assembled at Bolesworth at 6am on Friday morning. Mike set about removing electric fences and opening up gates while Jeff Buchanan helped me position the cones and set up the starts and finishes. Lorna signed on the marshals, about 30, while Mike allocated jobs. One worry was the lack of a finish crew, but they had been sent straight to their location by the Chief Marshal and had by-passed Mike. No problem in the end. Everything was set up in time for the clock car. Apologies to the marshals for the early start, but we had to use two-way traffic on the tests to get marshals to their positions before the clock car arrived. You co-operated very well thanks. The cars arrived on time and from what I saw I think every marshal had some action cars off track or cones hit. Thank you marshals for tidying up and removing the letters, it was a big help and allowed me to pick everything up before the guns appeared for the shoot which started in the morning as we left. Unfortunately, there was one less pheasant to be shot as it had obviously had a coming together with one of the rally cars! A big thank you from Mike and myself to all the marshals. KDMC can be proud of our contribution to the Rally of the Tests Duncan Wild PS Update Sunday morning 12 November. Unfortunately, the competing KDMC members have not fared so well with first Rich and Peter retiring with a failed clutch; then Mike and Philip with a drive shaft failure and finally Shon (cause unknown at the time of writing). Matthew Vokes and Dan Harrison are still in the chase with Matthew lying 3 rd overall.

22 It was good to see the KDMC members still running they should be so soon in the rally. Matthew Vokes, navigating the past RAC winning navigator, Neil Wilson. Dad Mike with other son Philip in the Ginetta, Rich Harrison and Peter Boyce in the MGB and finally Shon Gosling in the Volvo. Gareth Hockridge / Shon Gosling Photo: Phil Bateman Rich Harrison / Peter Boyce Photo: Phil Bateman Mike and Philip Vokes Photo: Phil Bateman

23 Two drivers out for a run At the recent Executive meeting I was greeted by Graham Raeburn discussing Scatter 176 which he was organising. I commented that I would be entering if I can sort out a navigator when Mike Vokes said he was in the same boat so we agreed to enter together. After a bit of banter about which seat we would occupy Mike very kindly offered to navigate providing I was not too fussed about possible problems he felt might prevent him guiding us around. The night of 6 November arrived bright and dry if a little cold and 6 crews met at the Egerton Arms near Chelford. With Mike being a novice navigator (honest!) we were given our clues 15 minutes earlier and by our due start time we were all plotted, had a plan and ready for the off. The plan was to set off back to Ollerton and then travel in an anti-clockwise direction around the south of the pub on map 118 eventually returning from the east side of Chelford. Off down the lanes and across the A50 towards Smithy Green and Plumley. It was here we had our only issue when Mike said turn right along a road he thought went under the M6. It was great road but when I turned a 90 left and saw grass up the middle and mud tracks I did ask are you sure? Yes, was the reply and after a very slippery 100 metres it was obvious this was not right so we turned and headed back once my wheels found some grip. On returning to the pub later and seeing the map in better light there was a gap at the end showing the road no longer goes through. We soon sorted matters out to find the first clue and we were back on it albeit with a pretty muddy car now. After that we travelled via Withington Green, Siddington, Henbury and up into Alderley Edge. We seemed to be doing alright and thanks to spot on clues we did not struggle much to find answers. We only saw 2 other cars searching for clues and afterwards found that all 24 clues were visited by at least one car, so different routes were chosen by the crews which is as it should be. As we felt we had time on our side (a luxury for me!) we nipped across on to map 109 to pick up a clue there and then headed back to the pub to arrive with a few minutes to spare. After a while Graham read the results out and to our surprise we found we were first by one point. Thanks to Graham for a great event, to the other crews for the competition and to Mike for his last event as a novice navigator as he has now been upgraded. That is it now for 2017 and so to Come on budding navigators give these events a try. I am happy to sit with novices next year and pass on some experience of how to approach Scatters. 1 st Alan Smith/Mike Vokes 2 nd Tim Burge/Stephan Boyde 3 rd Richard Duddell/Jamie Duddell 4 th Andy Williams/Lauren Crook 5 th Dale Cox/John Hughes 6 th Maurice Ellison/Matthew Hewlett Alan Smith

24 KDMC Members are invited to join in the IMI events contact Phil Bateman for details

25 2017/18 Committee PRESIDENT Alan Smith VICE PRESIDENTS Mike Harrison Roger Hopkins Norman Robertson CHAIRMAN Mike Lawson VICE-CHAIRMAN Steve Henstock SECRETARY Jeff Gray / TREASURER Lorna Harrison treasurer@knutsfordmotorclub.co.uk COMPETITION SECRETARY Mike Vokes vokes@hotmail.co.uk CHIEF MARSHAL Mike Timmins mikeytimmins@btinternet.com MEMBERSHIP Margaret Mullen margaret.mullen66@btinternet.com SECRETARY CLUB DEVELOPMENT Lee Skilling lee@plainsrally.co.uk OFFICER EQUIPMENT Dan Timmins dantimmins6@gmail.com OFFICER BULLETIN EDITOR Mike Harrison bulletin@knutsfordmotorclub.co.uk GENERAL COMMITTEE Mark Adams Simon Barnett