Engine Punk

  That's not just the early morning sunshine that's so dazzling - it's the level of preparation on some people's cars. The CMR Special of Jon and Calvin Moores could be too shiny to get muddy... (not) 2025 saw a great deal of activity on the Arkley-MG but not much actual action. After a Did Not Finish on the Exeter and the Edinburgh and a Did Not Start on the Land’s End, I thought I might try a little drive in the country with Sally. The 78 th Tamar Trial, run by the Launceston & North Cornwall Motor in memory of Peter Cooper, started from Maunders Yard in Launceston on a glorious autumn morning. In recognition of this Indian summer, the L&NCMC had raised everybody’s minimum tyre pressures on almost every hill. Frinstance, the first hill, Petherwin Old Hill had a minimum tyre pressure of 18psi for us in Class 7 and a restart on a sneaky deviation but, as the start line marshal said, we didn’t have any problem getting away. Only a couple of hills had no limit ...

Just a part of my trialling family. Look at our steely determined gazes! No rabbits in headlamps here. L to R Pat Shaw, Bob Blackman, Michael Brooks, Gillane Sanders, Adrian Booth and Ross Sanders After the debacle of last month’s Edinburgh Trial, in which I “lost” a triple award – although I never really had one – and then  the clutch cable snapping at the top of Corkscrew, I entered the 77 th 2024 Tamar Trial as a late entrant. A rare choice for trialling is Jon Cox's Lotus Elan It really was just a snapped cable and Uncle Adrian had an old school go at adjusting my tracking. The new front tyres had been scrubbing out atrociously on the inner edge. Despite trying various tyre fitting bays using laser equipment, the car was still scrubbing off brand new covers all over the Peak District. Age used a long, graduated pole with pointers at each end to set toe in at 1/8 th of an inch. What I needed next was a shake down run to check there no underlying probs to the cable snapping an...

As Nigel Cowling put it, "When was the last time you saw two Imps on a trial?" Left is the Singer Chamois of Nick Symons (once owned by Nigel) and right is the very historic trials Imp, nowadays campaigned by Paul Watson.  (Photo : Nigel Cowling) The 76 th Tamar Trial was the first event after our retirement on the Land’s End, completing half of the Launceston Trial and a Did Not Start on the Exeter.  With a new ECU and some new, higher quality rear axle bearings by SKF, a gentle afternoon Sunday drive with Graham Beddoe seemed in order. Under starters orders from Lisa Gregory. "And away they go! On the way out Wacky Races!" The first section was Petherwin Old Hill where Graham had marshalled once before on the Land’s End. We got away from the restart here alright but I still have yet to achieve a successful restart on Warleggan. The special test in between at Lewannick Down caught a few out with it’s A, B, C and D lines. Pete Adams at the start - he can still sh...

Early morning start at Proper Ansome Cafe, Launceston. the bikes have already gone and the Class 8s are assembling to start. Simon Oates' Liege is in the foreground. This was the first trail for me in ages. During a very busy summer, I hadn't competed since the 2022 Land's End. Bouncing Graham Beddoe was in the Balkans for two weeks immediate beforehand and I was away to my elderly mother's for a few days beforehand. I aimed to get all preparation complete the week before but a late route alteration came too late for me to print out the full route card and we went off piste a couple of times. Fortunately, we soon got back on track and didn't actually run over any marshals. Early morning sunshine warns the Rickman Ranger of Team Robson, Nigel and Nicola Martin-Oakley's Saab 96, Kent Crashby's Coates Orthoptera and Greg Warren in his Escort After signing on at the Proper Ansome Cafe in Launceston, we soon went of course with the first route amendment but had s...