On Saturday morning I got to the trial site and I was surprised we had a nice
field for caravans and tents. I just had enough time to cook dinner before scrutineering for R.T.V. Penny, Andy and I went for scrutineering and had problems with the gates and had to back through the main track gate. We then turned the motor round and raced up the track to Michael's motor. He said: "Waggle the steering wheel, Keith," and he found a bit of play in the drop arm joint and said if you are trialling tomorrow you will need another one. We borrowed Andy's phone and rang Russell for a joint (drugs not allowed in competitive events, ED.) We then raced back up the track to sign on.

There were three 90's in red, one rangy double entry, one 101, one grey
lightweight, 2 SIIA, 2 or 3 Sill. One new member had never driven off road before so Penny had a run round with them before the R.T.V. Raymond said he would put the Rangy with the 101" Landrover in the same class and put Penny's lightweight in Class 3 and three ninety's in their own class.

We were just about to set off when a friendly face at my window said; "Can I
go round with you Keith," I said: "Are you 14!". "Yes", said Johnny. I told him to
go and sign on. After walking the first section we could not find our Marshal. I walked across to Diesel Dave who came and set us off... Everyone got a clear, even the 101" driver.

One section when the 101" was first on the line in a long gully it could not get
to the 11 gate because of being cross axled and not reducing the tire pressure to
22 psi. When I got on the section I gave my motor a bit of clog and did not get past Gate 4. David said it was not a timed trial. All nine sections were set out very well.

One of the Rangy drivers got '9' clears. Dave Pinner's motor fell over on the
driver's side dinting his cab roof and driver's side wing and mirror. Steven and Dave got out quite quickly as they could smell petrol in the cab. It was soon back on its wheels with a good pull and lift from the recovery team. We had prize-giving and then we went back to our tents for tea. I was starving. I did all my cooked meals in the back of my motor to keep the wind out. I finished my tea and washed up. As I was not bothered about boozing, I took Nigel, Colin, Penny and Andy down to the pub in my motor where they could get something to eat. On the way to the pub we met Gareth driving up. At the bottom of Shaw Lane we turned left and stopped at the first pub. This did not open until 6.30 p.m. so for the next one. Everyone got a pint — I had an orange juice — and they all looked at the menu. Food was not available until 7.0 p.m. but 10 minutes later the landlord told us that the cook had broken down and that food was off. We drank up and drove off. We thought they just didn't like the look of us.

We decided to go into Burnley to look for a chippy or Chinese. We got a bit lost
between Bacup and Burnley but eventually found our way into Burnley where the
gang ordered their food. I locked my motor and we went round the corner for a pint.
I had an orange juice, Colin and Penny went to the Spar shop for some sausages
for the barbecue. After which we all piled back into the motor and back to the site with tyres howling on the smooth tarmac and the stereo on. When we got back Colin and Nigel made a tent between both their motors to keep the wind off the fire. Colin had brought a sack of wood with him and he and Penny managed to get a fire going and soon had tea/supper ready. We had Nigel's radio on and plenty of French lager. Ivor Hill came for a good talk.

Colin gave me a tin of beer and I got a box of apple pies out. I got one and passed
the box round. It's a good job there were six pies. Later on Steven and Johnny came for a sit by the fire. They had been setting out sections for Saturday night. Colin then put the grill on the fire to cook the sausages. We had no tongues to turn the food but Penny managed with her fingers. They also cooked corned beef burgers and it all looked like charcoal in bread. Steven and Johnny had pot noodle and I thought that's a good idea and had one myself!

In the morning I got up with a bad headache, had something for it and then had
breakfast. Michael went past up the main track, so I set off to get scrutineered.

Michael said my joint needed changing and that he had brought me some rods
and two new joints from Russell's. I went back down the track to fit a new one and
then raced back up the track (you can't race in an old Landrover in low box, but it
sounds good). It passed this time.

The sections all went anti-clockwise around the quarry. All the sections were
well set out.

Thank you for a good weekend trialling.

Keith Normanton

Haggate RTV and CCV

I don't know why it should be so, but the RTV on Saturday only attracted a
sprinkling of entrants. Is it too tame for those with street legal CCV motors, or too rough for those with nice shiny motors, or what?

Well, if you think it's too tame, I managed to roll on the last section (mind you,
I went at it like a bull at a gate) and if you think it's too rough, the guy with a new
Defender 300 TDi didn't collect any dents, so it can't have been that bad.

There were 9 sections in all with nice wide sticks, which meant that you had
a reasonable chance of getting a fair way round the course. There was a 101 entered which was interesting to watch. From what I could see, lack of axle articulation seemed to be its main problem although it made it to the end of several of the sections even so.

I was doing OK until I collected a 9 stick on one section and that put me out
of the running. The only other points I got were when I rolled and got a 2. As it turned out, only two people beat me. One was Phil Read who has a motor which is the identical twin to mine (home-made 90 on a cut down Range Rover chassis). I haven't beaten him since he got rid of his Series III and so far he hasn't even scratched his front bumper, whereas my motor looks a bit of a wreck!

Sunday was interesting. Fifteen sections had been laid out. For some reason
the last eight seemed easier than the first seven. I got 40 points on the 7 and 11
on the 8. At least 23 of these were due to a failure of my motor to go up hills, whereas Phil's identical motor made it. But then I made up a couple of hills where he didn't. Some day I'll have a volunteer to set out a course so that I can practise enough to find out why that should be!

As the day wore on the wind seemed to get sharper round my right leg. The
reason soon became apparent. I was wearing the same jeans as I had on the day
before when I'd rolled. We'd scrambled out sharpish because there was a horrible
smell of petrol and lots of liquid about. Raymond tested it when were were back on
our wheels and proclaimed that it was water, not petrol. He was wrong — it was battery acid and he'd burnt his mouth testing it! My jeans had rotted away sitting in it as it had soaked into the driver's seat. It was touch a go whether I'd make it home before my trousers dissolved! I did make it though and my jeans are earmarked to become a pair of shorts for the summer.

So, all in all a very enjoyable weekend. Phil got trophies both days. I won nothing,
destroyed a front wing and cab roof, ruined a pair of jeans and dissolved the driver's seat. Still, you have to laugh!

David Pinner

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