Somerset
Section Veteran & Vintage
run, including the Anniversary run 3rd July 2011
(Click the
photo to see a larger picture - then just click your back button
to come back to this article.)
Having recently made a new front hub for my 1908 Triumph and laced it
back into the wheel I had a need to give the hub a good try out as we
were due to take the outfit to Holland for the week long Anglo-Dutch
trial at the end of July. To that end the Somerset Section were holding
a Veteran and Vintage run on the 3rd July. During my visit to the
Somerset section and the slide show that I gave them earlier in the
year, I was given an
entry form for the 3rd July event. It seemed ideal and I asked about
hills, only to be told that it was over the Somerset levels and that
there would be no hills. Just what I needed to give the '08 outfit a
ride
out.
When I mentioned it to a few other section members there
seemed to be some interest so I copied the entry form to those that I
thought might be interested.
Came the day, and the weather was
glorious. Jean and I left home at 8.15 and we were at the start by 9.45
and it was nice to find another six South Wales members
present. Terry with his Beardmore, Ray - New Hudson, Glyn - Bown, Barry
- James, Terry P - BSA, and Jack - Honda. There was a good turnout of
bikes, including four other Veterans. I didn't count them all but there
must
have been around 50 or more bikes in total.
There
were a number of interesting machines all ready to take part
and one
that I found very interesting was the red framed veteran
Kerry-Abingdon. Have a good look at it. It has a direct drive from the
engine to the rear wheel by belt, on the far side in the photograph,
then in the rear hub there is a two-speed sliding dog which can be used
to operate a reduction gear in the form of a primary chain to a
countershaft which transmits power
across the frame and then by chain to the rear wheel. This arrangement
gives a low ratio. There is one snag, of course - if the dog in the
rear
hub is left in the neutral position then the rear wheel will rotate and
the one and only brake on the belt rim will not have any effect. Could
be exciting, I suspect. Kerry was a motorcycle trade name used by the
East London Rubber Company from 1902 to 1914 and who are still in
existence and more well
known for producing totally different items nowadays. It was in 1907
that they started to use the Abingdon King Dick(AKD) engines of around
350cc. I guessed that this machine was around 1912/13. The bike sported
a rather lovely period accessory in the form of a circular leather box
on the rear end that contained a spare belt.
Jean
and I had
selected the 40 mile route and that was more than enough to give the
front hub a good road test, whilst the remaining six other South Wales
members all opted for the 60 mile route. Soon we were off out of the
car park and on our way. I'm not sure about the 60 mile route but ours
soon brought up a hill that we had to push the outfit up and I thought
that there was supposed not to be any!! We wended our way through
Somerton and dropped down out of the town and onto the B3151
which was a very busy road indeed with all the traffic volumes
of
an A road. We were tailgated by a rather large commercial for some way
which I found rather disconcerting, I must say. Anyway, after covering
a few miles I
could see another hill in the distance and soon judged that we were
looking at another push so didn't even bother to try and climb it.
'We'll go back and find a side road to see if
we can find a way around' I thought . The first turning took us off
into the country and away from the main road, which was a relief. After
a few
miles up came another hill that stopped the Triumph and on talking to
one of the locals I found that we were just going around in circles and
that we were basically 'stuck in a bowl'. Back to the main road and
wait for the recovery seemed the best idea.
In
no time at all Brian Pope on his Ariel outfit came along and he offered
to tow us up the final hill, assuring me that after that
we'd have
no more trouble. The Ariel struggled to get going on the hill, but soon
we were over the top and back on route. We passed through Street and
out into the country whilst Brian followed us the rest of the way to
the lunch stop at the Watchfield Inn on the B3139 to Highbridge. It was
a real pleasure to ride across the levels on dead straight roads amidst
glorious sunshine. I was wondering how the rest of the South
Wales
contingent was getting on and they duly arived about 20 minutes after
us. "Gee, we've been up the Eiger" was one comment - seemed that the 60
mile route was just as hilly as the 40 mile one. Glyn had had
a
few problems with his Bown engine nipping up a couple of times, no
doubt due to running in problems. Some photos from the lunch stop: -
The
return for those on the 40 mile route was a mere 8 miles across Mark
Moor and the levels to the finish at Edington. The rest of our section,
not to be put off, took the longer route. The uphill run up into
Edington
would not have been a problem for the Triumph but for the 90 degree
corners at the bottom which slowed us down too much and soon brought us
to a complete stop. We got the
Triumph going without Jean in the sidecar and Brian Pope kindly
returned back down the hill to collect her. Back at the finish it was
tea and cakes and wait for the others to arrive. They soon turned in
with Ray's New Hudson sounding a bit 'throaty' due to the exhaust
nut coming undone. Terry and the Beardmore brought up
the
rear.
After
a photo call it was all into the village hall for the
announcements on the awards. Terry had two, Best Vintage and,
gosh, I can't remember, was it the youngest rider - ho, ho? Our Triumph
had Best Veteran and Most Meritorious whilst Glyn's Bown had the Post
war trophy. All the awards are to be given out at the Somerset Section
dinner during February 2012, so several of us now have a need to go.
Wasn't
long before we were all loaded up and on our way home. Glorious
weather, nice flat route (in parts) and good company - what could be
better. And the front hub!! - perfect and ready for Holland and the
Anglo-Dutch.
BP
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After
a photo call it was all into the village hall for the
announcements on the awards. Terry had two, Best Vintage and,
gosh, I can't remember, was it the youngest rider - ho, ho? Our Triumph
had Best Veteran and Most Meritorious whilst Glyn's Bown had the Post
war trophy. All the awards are to be given out at the Somerset Section
dinner during February 2012, so several of us now have a need to go.