Welcome | TR Register Essex Group

June 2008

Bulletin 45

A warm welcome to more new members

I am very pleased to welcome to the Group, Eddie and Paula Levitt and Mark Lemaistre and his partner Julie. Eddie recently realised his ambition to again own a TR (having enjoyed the experience some years ago) and has acquired a very tidy red TR6. Mark and Julie have been very fortunate to bag an ex Dave Mountain TR4 (also red) which was rebuilt by Gordon Spooner of aircraft engine fame. I am looking forward to seeing both couples and their cars at the many events we have organised for this season.

Weather clears for the Air Show

Talking of events, as I drove down the A13 in sheeting rain on Sunday morning (25th May), I seriously wondered if our barge trip to the Southend Air Show would be a victim of the unbelievably un-seasonal weather. By the time we were ready to cast off from Tilbury Passenger Landing Stage, the rain had stopped, the wind had dropped to a whisper and the day was starting to warm up. The Thames was like a mill pond and as we slid past Canvey Island the sun came out and most of the sky was a brilliant blue. Anoraks and jumpers were stripped off and we settled back to watch the air show. The parachutists and the display by the Red Devils were breathtaking but there were untypically long pauses between the different displays. We later found out that, although we were enjoying splendid weather moored off Southend pier, Duxford and North Weald aerodromes were under water and 75% of the “acts” were unable to take off! The catering on the barge was excellent and although the air show only merits 2 out of 10 due to the problems with the weather, a really excellent day was enjoyed by all and no one was sea-sick!

Weekend on Mundesley

The following Friday saw 8 gleaming TRs assemble at the Boreham Services for the run through to Norfolk for a “Weekend Away” at The Manor Hotel, Mundesley. The first half of the run went very smoothly and we made excellent time to Ixworth where we had an enjoyable lunch in The Greyhound. Geoff and Hazel rendezvoused with us at the Greyhound and were joined (eventually!) by Gerald and Judith. G & J were still waiting for their lunch when the rest of the party set off on the second leg of the trip. Unfortunately, Mary had stayed at home to look after our old dog Tuki (who is on his “last legs”) so I was deprived of my usual first class navigator. Inevitably this led to me missing a junction somewhere around the Thetford area and we wound up heading for Swaffham instead of Dereham! A quick re-think of the route got us on the Cromer road and we rolled into the cliff top car park of the Manor Hotel just after four. Although a bit worn around the edges, the Manor was clean, the staff helpful and the food excellent. On Saturday we had a run up the coast to the Sealife Centre at Hunstanton. This is quite a small attraction and only takes about 2 hours to “do” so we had most of the afternoon to do our own things. The café at Holkham Hall attracted a fair number of us and a very pleasant al fresco lunch was consumed.

Nick Webster was the G.L. of the Essex Group back in the late seventies and he and his wife Glynis moved to Norfolk some years ago. I was very pleased that they were able to join us for dinner back at The Manor that evening. I feel a bit guilty that Barry, Dianne and I rather hogged our guests and neglected the rest of the Group. Our only excuse is that we had not seen our old friends for 25 years and we had a hell of a lot of catching up to do!

We had a short spell of drizzly rain on Sunday morning on our way to Caister Castle and Motor Museum – not enough to warrant hoods. The curator had set aside an area of the car park for us to display the TRs whilst we toured the car museum and the grounds of the Castle. The Group broke up into sub-groups for the journey back to Essex but seven of us wound up in a very pleasant pub in Filby and enjoyed a traditional English roast dinner at £5 per head!

Apart from the brief spell of light rain we enjoyed pretty good weather and were all sans hoods for the weekend. The roads in Norfolk are still very quiet and offer some very pleasant TR-type motoring with lots to see and do and, as Norfolk is virtually on our doorstep, I think we’ll be back!

Danbury Gardens

Good weather was also enjoyed on Sunday 8th June by the 12 Essex cars that attended the Danbury Open Gardens event organised by Peter Jones. All proceeds from the open day went to Farleigh Hospice and Peter (and his colleagues) are to be congratulated on the excellent organisation of what must be a logistically complicated event. At the close of business 10 of us whipped through the lanes to our favourite nosh house and enjoyed another of The Royal Tiger’s excellent meals!

Articles wanted for the next Essex Group news

The Spring/Summer issue of Essex Group News is currently with the printers and will be available shortly. That means that you will start being pestered for articles and photos for the next issue! Please ensure that you send/give copy to either myself or Mary for pre-editing preparation - don’t send copy direct to Carol in France as all articles etc have to be collated here before the Editor get her hands on them!

Send in your pictures for the 2009 Calendar

Please remember that we are anxious to have your digital pics for the 2009 calendar. These can be e-mailed to me or (preferably) put on disc and handed to any Committee Member.

Fancy a day at Brands Hatch?

Steve Tant would like to hear from you if you fancy a day at Brands Hatch watching some classic racing at the end of June. If there is sufficient demand he will organise a convoy and group parking etc. Steve can be reached on 07931 180188 or stephen.tant@kier.co.uk

...and finally, don't forget Essex Day

Finally (phew!!) don’t forget ESSEX DAY. Details of the event will be dropping through your letterbox in the next day or two but do please keep Sunday 6th July free.