The Flat
Tank Section weekend, Tewkesbury
- 2011
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photo to see a larger picture - then just click your back button
to come back to this article.)
Those going to this event were Terry and Dilys, plus Jean and
I. Terry was to ride his Barr & Stroud engined Beardmore
Precision and I'd entered the 1923 P&M outfit. However, Jean
had decided that she didn't want to ride in the P&M sidecar as
it
moved around too much due to it's rather soft suspension - so the week
before, I rang the organiser and substituted the Indian.
We arrived at the Haw Bridge Inn, near Tewkesbury, around mid afternoon
on the Friday to find quite a
number of caravans and motor homes all set up.
The
idea was to leave
the bike and trailer with Terry, as Jean and I were booked into a hotel
in Tewkesbury for the following two days and they didn't have the car
parking available for our trailer as well as the car. After dropping
off the Indian etc, Jean and I set off to Tewkesbury and to book into
our hotel. We were soon back at the Haw Bridge and ordered one of their
usually good pub meals. We sat outside afterwards and enjoyed a very
pleasant
and balmy evening. The weather forecast was good for the weekend, which
was quite pleasing to know. Anyhow, the evening eventually finished off
with a quiz in the skittle alley - we didn't win, of course.
Saturday morning and the weather looked very good, although there was
rain forecast for the evening.
Having
said that the sun was out and Terry, as number 48 was soon away. We
were
number 50 but I was a
bit late getting away due to the need to adjust the throttle cable on
the Indian -
that done we headed off out into the lanes. No rush at all as there was
no time element involved and it was pleasant on a lovely summers day to
just bowl slowly along whilst looking at the scenery. We were passed by
a few of the later runners, but what was the rush? One of them
on
a Veteran Triumph had a death wish from the way that he rode, but I was
told that he was always like that and had two speeds - flat out or stop.
The route
took
us towards Newent and then into the Forest of Dean where we came to the
first of the checkpoints. They weren't time checks as such and all we
had to do
was answer a few questions, for example - Who's the current President?
Who's the
President elect? What has been your average speed to here? How far have
you travelled up to now? All questions to determine who gets
the
trophies when there is no time element involved.
We soon
arrived at the lunch stop in Lower Lydbrook and wondered where Terry
was, as he should have been there before us - anyway, he soon arrived
and admitted that he'd been on a short excursion after missing a
turning. Fed and watered alfresco, we were busy talking as it
came
over all dark. "It won't rain", says I, "my wife said so". How wrong I
was and it was lucky that we were still at the pub as the whole
entourage piled indoors to watch the rain through the pub windows.
After
a while the rain stopped and a number of us decided to get on with the
ride. In no time at all it began to rain again and neither Jean, Terry
or I had over trousers with us. All part of motorcycling really - we
just got wet. Some distance further on, the rain stopped and that was
it for the rest of the day. At one point we were overtaken by two
riders who after a short distance turned left into a lane. A quick look
at the signpost and Terry and I followed - that was a mistake.
The
lane was certainly single track and the farther along it we went the
worse the surface became, potholes, sand, and grass up the middle -
towards the end there wasn't even any tarmac. We arrived, after a mile
or so at the tee junction that we were looking for, except that there
was no road sign and it was obvious that we'd gone wrong. Right we went
and after a few miles found the correct road. Another stop for
questions
- "who is the clubs CEO?" etc. "Why not ask me who is the
Immediate Past President?", I said. Rob Rendell replied that I might
just know the answer to that one.
On we went towards Newent
before turning east towards Tewkesbury and the finish. The sun was out
again, our trousers had blown dry by this time and it was time to enjoy
the ride
again.
Back at the finish we
decided that we'd all pile into our
car and head into Tewkesbury to pay a visit to our favourite Chinese
restaurant. Fed and watered we arrived back at the Haw Bridge
Inn
for an evening of skittles. I can't remember who won, but it wasn't one
of us.
Sunday dawned and again the weathermen were wrong. It was grey and
dismal, but this time we were able to wear our over trousers from the
start. Terry had discovered that one of the front fork leaf
springs on the Beardmore was broken so decided that it would be best
not to risk something more severe by riding with a much weakened front
suspension spring. He and Dilys would meet us at the lunch stop and
have a sunday lunch with us. Jean and I, aboard the Indian set off into
the countryside and soon there was a welcome coffee stop at Taynton,
wherever that is. Somewhere south of Newent, I was told.
Lunch was to be taken at the Royal Oak in Much Marcle and by the time
we arrived, Terry and Dilys were already there. Our group was allocated
a
room all to ourselves and the lunch - a choice of beef, beef or beef,
was fine, although the horseradish sauce was a touch on the powerful
side.
After lunch, it was still raining as we set off on our return to the
Haw Bridge. On the way we stopped to view a collection of micro cars
and to partake in some tea and cake.
The
collection of Microcars numbered something like 20 odd. There were
examples of Messerschmitt, Gogomobile, Peel, Lloyd, BSA, Berkeley,
Rollera, Kleinschnittger, Zundapp, Heinkel and more.
And now for some of the micro cars: -
inside and undercover were a number of project cars: -
Finally, something that is very
unusual a 1959 Zundapp Janus. It's the same from both ends and it's
only the
end with the steering wheel that tells you which is the front, apart
from
the lights, of course. It has a 14bhp 250cc two-stroke motor and a top
speed of 52mph. The seats fold down to form a double bed. It was only
made for one year and is huge fun to drive, so the owner says.
All in all
another interesting weekend, despite the rain.
BP
Top of page
The
idea was to leave
the bike and trailer with Terry, as Jean and I were booked into a hotel
in Tewkesbury for the following two days and they didn't have the car
parking available for our trailer as well as the car. After dropping
off the Indian etc, Jean and I set off to Tewkesbury and to book into
our hotel. We were soon back at the Haw Bridge and ordered one of their
usually good pub meals. We sat outside afterwards and enjoyed a very
pleasant
and balmy evening. The weather forecast was good for the weekend, which
was quite pleasing to know. Anyhow, the evening eventually finished off
with a quiz in the skittle alley - we didn't win, of course.
Having
said that the sun was out and Terry, as number 48 was soon away. We
were
number 50 but I was a
bit late getting away due to the need to adjust the throttle cable on
the Indian -
that done we headed off out into the lanes. No rush at all as there was
no time element involved and it was pleasant on a lovely summers day to
just bowl slowly along whilst looking at the scenery. We were passed by
a few of the later runners, but what was the rush? One of them
on
a Veteran Triumph had a death wish from the way that he rode, but I was
told that he was always like that and had two speeds - flat out or stop.
Back at the finish we
decided that we'd all pile into our
car and head into Tewkesbury to pay a visit to our favourite Chinese
restaurant. Fed and watered we arrived back at the Haw Bridge
Inn
for an evening of skittles. I can't remember who won, but it wasn't one
of us.
The
collection of Microcars numbered something like 20 odd. There were
examples of Messerschmitt, Gogomobile, Peel, Lloyd, BSA, Berkeley,
Rollera, Kleinschnittger, Zundapp, Heinkel and more.
Finally, something that is very
unusual a 1959 Zundapp Janus. It's the same from both ends and it's
only the
end with the steering wheel that tells you which is the front, apart
from
the lights, of course. It has a 14bhp 250cc two-stroke motor and a top
speed of 52mph. The seats fold down to form a double bed. It was only
made for one year and is huge fun to drive, so the owner says.