HAMELDON CCV TRIAL

Saturday morning we got to the gate at the bottom of Hameldon
Hill. I got out to open the gate tor Robert's motor then went back
for mine, when I got there I found the door locked, window shut,
engine running and radio on, "Oh Rats". I shouted to Robert "get
your lump hammer, I will break my door top sliding window"
Robert said "hang on" and managed to slide my window open -
we all learn by our mistakes!!!.

We got to the top of the hill and loaded Roberts motors up with
sticks. We drove down the left hand side of the land to where two
motors already were. I got out of Roberts motor and trapped my
finger in the door. it nearly brought tears to my eyes. Next. we set
off on the cross track with the long bog hole in the middle, I said
to Robert "stop before you get too near and turn left" here we
found some new tracks, I told Robert "third gear and if it feels like
it's sinking, give it some welly" we cleared it and got to the bottom
without sinking. We set out one section and Robert drove it in his
'90' but we thought the end was a bit tame. Robert got stuck
coming back round from the end of the section and had to be
towed out by young Johnny in his motor, thanks Johnny.

We then went for a run round and got stuck again, this time on a
broken down wall. David came to the rescue and pulled us off.
We decided to follow David but it got a bit soft and David got
stuck so we hooked him up and pulled him out. We drove round
in convoy then set off home.

Sunday morning came and we we got through scrutineering with
only having to straighten our bumper, Dave Rodgers had the
same problem. We paid our £15 and headed for the first of the
ten sections. No 1 section was at the bottom of the land so Penny
and I started on No2. We watched one or two V8's go round and
had a go but hit gate 6, I said to the marshal "I'm keeping going
to get my money's worth" and then nearly rolled the motor onto
the drivers side, I turned to Penny and said "what a tilt test". We
cleared the section and I said to Robert "did you get a photo?"
he said "no, I was stood at the wrong side".

The next section was No3. Robert set this one out but the socks
had been put out wrong which threw things into disarray -1 was
not amused. Penny and I got to gate six but were too far to the
left - it was like driving up a brick wall. Robert sprained his ankle
so we had an extra navigator between sections - no chance of

getting stuck now. We drove down to No1 and watched a few
go round, everyone had difficulty with gate six so we had a go
and thought we'd got a clear, but David said that we hit it and
gave us six points.

We drove back up the field and took a short cut, dodging bog
holes, we all ended up with mud on our faces. We were the first
on the next section but couldn't make it up the hill so got 11 points.
Dave Rodgers and his mate had the same trouble. One white '90'
backed into a wall and knocked it down. I don't think that anyone
got a clear.

Next section was just as bad for us, with a standard engine we
only got half way round. Next one was quite long and some
drivers got stuck on a load of stones. We had to criss-cross a
gully, Penny watched Duncan drive the section, then it was our
turn and we got a clear but it was hard work. Dave Rodgers friend
nearly lost his way but just managed to get back on track. The
next section was down a banking, right turn and up a gully, then
left up a peat step and down across a track, we got stuck at this
point and had to be pulled out. Everyone else seemed to get a
clear,

Next came a long section so Penny watched me walk it. There
was a black muddy hole to go through so I covered the front of
the motor to stop mud clogging the radiator, As we set off my
motor leaned a bit to the right, then slightly left, then right and
down into a long gully, I gave it some welly through the mud hole,
up a bank to the right, then down the bank to the left, it leaned a
bit and went to the right. I got stuck on some stones so I backed
off and we started to lean to the left, 45 degrees, 50 degrees,
ouch!!! we fell over in some mud. Penny shouted "ignition off"
and the recovery team rushed over and tried to lift us back upright
but we were too heavy so they dropped us back in the mud. We
had to be towed up straight but then my motor wouldn't start on
the key because of the oil from the filter going into the carb. It
soon fired with a tow, Thanks to all the recovery team.

Next to last section was quite muddy and we managed to get a
clear. Then onto the last section, this looked quite hard and as
we were walking it Penny said "don't fall down there" just as Dave
Pinner's motor fell into the gully onto it's side - ouch!! We set off
and I thought that we were going to fall over again but we
managed to keep going, then hit a wall by No 1 gate and
squashed my light guard - ouch!!!

Keith Normanton.

 Back to List