RUMCars Forum
General Category => Microcar Events => Topic started by: Chris Thomas on February 08, 2011, 09:01:52 AM
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Hi Guys
Drive it day this year will be Sunday 17 April and the Federation of British Histrical Vehicle Clubs is urging us all to show the world just how many working vehicles we have around the UK. It has been suggested that whilst we are not a club, that does not stop us getting together in groups and having a short ( or long) run to blow out the winter cobwebs.
It would be impractical to organise events for everybody, but it did occur to me that perhaps groups in the bigger cities could do a run through the main tourist areas on the sunday lunch time or afternoon, to let people see our pride and joys.
For example a London group could start in the Old Kent Road and go up over Tower Bridge and then work along the sides of the river crossing each bridge in turn. This would take in London bridge, St Pauls, Royal Festival halls, Trafalger square, Buck House, Parliament sq, Lambeth Palace, The Oval and back to the Old Kent Road.
I know that city driving is all stop start and traffic lights, which is not ideal as the team will get split up, but the important thing is have some fun driving, and being seen to drive our pieces of history.
I am quite prepared to organise a London run, for those that live in or near the capital (please form an orderly que) but is there anybody interested in doing the same through Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol or wherever?
Chris Thomas
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Sounds like a plan.
Count me in.
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hi chris . i am not in the london area so wont be going on that run.
intriguing though as several people had told told me , obviously incorrectly , that you a: didnt have a classic micro and b: were interested in writing about them not driving them.
do tell what have you hidden in your garage ;)
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count me in :)
would be nice to get a few bubbles together and have a blast around london ;D
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wish i could make it too. nothing on the road as usual :-[
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count me in :)
would be nice to get a few bubbles together and have a blast around london ;D
Great profile pic...
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Ah dont mock him Dickie, Chris has plans!
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dont get me wrong bob , didnt mean to infer anything after all i am all talk , but i fairly new to the forum and newly back to RUM and thats what i was told. i like to know what peoples interests are in particular . after all some of us are into little italian strokers ;)
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H Chris
What have you got hidden away in your garage then!! I assume you will be leading from the front in your new ( yet to be seen ) Micro or three wheeler.
Mike
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Dear Friends
Thank you for the interest in the contents of my garage, which at the moment is building materials. All my cars sit on the drive.
As is the way in life, What I want, what I deseve and what I end up with are three completely different things. Unlike most of you, my skills with mechanics and sheet metal have never been very good, so I seemed to have drifted into the seat of organiser rather than owner, and writer rather than builder. However it would be nice to own a suitable Microcar of my own.
I have no hidden Microcar that I wish to launch on the Streets of Londan and to Lead from the front. I am quite happy to work away in the background to make things happen, Act as passenger/navigator, Photograph the action and let you guys do what you do best. So far it sounds like we have some good interest I will email a few others and let's see if we can make up a squadron.
So are there any other Drive it day organisers in Birmingham or Liverpool?
Chris Thomas
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Being a rural type and local to Bishopstone I hope to go to the Feds own Drive It Day bash on the downs near Swindon and can possibly offer parc ferme for folks wanting to do the same from a distance. However do not let me distract those that wish to raid London or other citys as I am sure it would do the locals good to see some really interesting economy cars for a change! Just be carefull if they offer you a red flag Chris, the marathon is later in the year!
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Dear Friends in the London Area
Having finished the latest edition of RCN and set about planning the next edition, and looked at my work, community, family and social work load for March and the beginning of April. I can see that my plans of organising a Drive It Day trip through London are not going to happen with me at the helm.
By now I should have emailed all the possible people in the London area, I should have driven the route to ensure there was no changes to road layout or Roadworks, that could muck things up. I should have researched other events to make sure there were not going to be any road closures along the route, and none of this has happened.
Before It is too late for anybody else who may wish to take up the challenge, I have to inform you all I have run out of time.
So if you guys still want to do it a new captain will need to snatch the tiller and finish the planning.
I hope you all enjoy RCN 108 when it slips through your letter box next week.
Chris Thomas
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turns out the 17th april is not only drive it day but the date for WIRRAL EGG RUN 2011 . i have done this for many years on various vehicles , matchless 350 , ajs 650 , trojan 200 and recently my triumph hinkley bonneville . usually over 10,000 bikes and trikes collect cash and eggs for disadvantaged children . great fun google it and see coverage of last years event .
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turns out the 17th april is not only drive it day but the date for WIRRAL EGG RUN 2011 . i have done this for many years on various vehicles , matchless 350 , ajs 650 , trojan 200 and recently my triumph hinkley bonneville . usually over 10,000 bikes and trikes collect cash and eggs for disadvantaged children . great fun google it and see coverage of last years event .
It still counts as Drive It though. The idea is to get machines out doing something. The invitation is to create a venue if there is not one to suit locally. So you can do two events at once!
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17th April is the London Marathon, so not sure a trip around London will be on the cards!
You could always cheer me on though!
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So I was wrong. It is London Leggit Day then. The advantage then is all the joggers will not be lurking round the corners of country roads that day. All the more reason to nip off somewhere. MInd you there is scope to do the Marathon dressed as a Scootacar if you have a handy shell.
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I think Chrisses London jaunt was a nice idea but not very suited to vintage microcars, all that stopping and starting in traffic wouldnt be much fun. A breakdown and recovery would be even less fun. I'm going for this instead...
NACC East Coast Pedalers Drive it Day Runs. Start from either Waitrose Car Park, Saxmundham Map or Norwich Old Cattle Market Map and converge on the East Anglian Transport Museum at Carlton Colville.
For Norwich start, contact Dave Watson: 07766 780134; for Saxmundham start, e-mail: eastcoastpedalers@hotmail.com.
(Day Membership of the NACC Ltd for non-members is available at either starting point for £3.) This is the East Anglian Transport Museum's Classic and Vintage Weekend: you can download an entry form from the EATM website at www.eatm.org.uk.
17th April
For Norwich start, contact Dave Watson: 07766 780134; for Saxmundham start, e-mail: eastcoastpedalers@hotmail.com.
(Day Membership of the NACC Ltd for non-members is available at either starting point for £3.) This is the East Anglian Transport Museum's Classic and Vintage Weekend: you can download an entry form from the EATM website at www.eatm.org.uk.
Two things to point out, the Dave Watson mentioned is not the same Dave Watson of the Isetta owners club with blue Isetta, imaculate but never taken out of the box and driven but a nutty moped collector from Norfolk.
Secondly the transport museum that the runs converge on harbours some microcars.
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Dear Bob
Driving through London is a low speed event at the best of times, but doing it on what would possibly be the the most crowded Sunday of the year would be total hell. All those fun runners in Lycra towering above you as they run past may be some peoples idea of a fine day out, but as you say not much fun in a microcar.
My original idea was to go through the main tourist spots so as to get the most publicity, but with the London Fun run on it would be totally overshadowed. So your idea to stick to the flat lands of East Anglia sounds like a good plan.
Let's hope that spring has sprung by then (more snow forecast) and the sun is out, like today.
Good luck to all the fun runners and the Drive it drivers.
Chris Thomas
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I know its been done before but I quite fancy doing a microcar London to Brighton run some time taking in all the nice Sussex villages. Anyone else interested?
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Dear Bob
I know that London to Brighton has historical links, but should there not be an alternative like London to Clackton, Sheffield to Skegness, Bristol to Bridgewater, or Manchester to Colwyn Bay? Why should Brighton get all the tourists?
Chris Thomas
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I guess its because I'm being selfish. I live near London.
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I certainly feel that any London driving on Snickers Day is not a good idea. However, I have regularly driven my Trojan over Tower Bridge and along the Embankments and other bridges, around Halitosis Hall, the house with a flag on it at the end of the Mall and all points between and never once slowed down anyone. Except at South Kensington during London Fashion Week, when all the assembled media and cameras figured DUF must have been heralding a fine publicity stunt and focussed on us instead all the anorexics. In the packed Cromwell Road where no-one was going anywhere I eye-balled a copper on the central island to seek his permission to do a U turn, he said no because the road was too narrow there, so I told him I had a better lock than a London Taxi, and he let me do it, with all the cameras clicking away!
Driving a micro in London is fine, but perhaps not one as small as a Peel, Cursor etc..
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I certainly feel that any London driving on Snickers Day is not a good idea. However, I have regularly driven my Trojan over Tower Bridge and along the Embankments and other bridges, around Halitosis Hall, the house with a flag on it at the end of the Mall and all points between and never once slowed down anyone. Except at South Kensington during London Fashion Week, when all the assembled media and cameras figured DUF must have been heralding a fine publicity stunt and focussed on us instead all the anorexics. In the packed Cromwell Road where no-one was going anywhere I eye-balled a copper on the central island to seek his permission to do a U turn, he said no because the road was too narrow there, so I told him I had a better lock than a London Taxi, and he let me do it, with all the cameras clicking away!
Driving a micro in London is fine, but perhaps not one as small as a Peel, Cursor etc..
I may bring my Scootacar on drive it day. Lets hope for a dry day..
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I guess its because I'm being selfish. I live near London.
But not near Brighton which is over a chargeable crossing. Being a Tightwad I would plump for that old Essex saying, 'To Clackton and beyond' made famous by Buzz Bluewater.
It is strange that Brighton has assumed itself as a favoured destination for car runs. The power of the old crocks run. Yet there are other valid seaside destinations with auto heritage. Essex has Bexhill I think. I would also consider Canvey Island, the home of Essex Delta Music and a formative influence for me in the '70's starting with MIck Green, not sure where he was from, through Wilko Johnson and the rest. Hot Rods, Ian Dury, even The Hamsters in a way. So many interesting places to visit for so many reasons.
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Dr Feelgood, Hampsters, now your talking! You see, somthing good did come out of Essex. "Bexhill Essex"?? I dont think so, try Sussex.
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Bexhill trials? Is that Sussex or have I the wrong town. Basically they had cars blatting up the sea front to see who can do it fastest.
Aye, the Essex music and club/pub scene saw the start of New Wave and Punk, just as Birmingham fostered Heavy Metal which become something rather nasty. Sadly Oxfordshire has offered very little to rock music other than some individual talents. Still go to see Wilko when he is near enough, brilliant, and Norman Watt-Roy is probobly the class bassist in Britain. Stuff most 'super groups' these guys will play them off the stage.
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Have you noticed that bands with only one guitarist in them develop great styles and become great players, they tend to try and cover rhythm and lead parts at the same time, Wilko, Townsend, Hampsterguy [name escapes me] , Hendrix etc. I'm still struggling with just the rhythem!
How did we get from drive it day to this?
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Ah, Norman W-R brill, especially when teamed with the stunningly crisp and funky drumming of Charlie Charles. New Boots and Panties, with its mix of rock, new wave punk and music hall is an all time classic.
As for my area, it is home to possibly one of the biggest and best drum companies in the whole of South Bermondsey, but is also the childhood home of two of UK's most celebrated drummers, Steve White (Session legend, Paul Weller/Style Council) and Peter "Ginger" Baker (Cream, Blind Faith, Air Force, Masters of Reality and lots more).
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Would Canvey Island have less traffic? I've never been it just seemed a little desolate in 'Oil City Confidential' great documentary for Feelgood fans. Brighton's good, though I've only ever only ever cycled it! ;D
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I did drive the schmitt to the Essex Riviera [Canvey] once and it was about 20 miles of very boring motoring, when I got there for a trike show I got given the cold shoulder by a load of filthy grungy trikers, the schmitt had abuse hurled at it but it all went quite later in the day when the show winner cup was presented to yours truly!! I had to leave by the back door mind!!
I thought Brighton, not just because of my fondness for the film Genvieve but a picturesque route could be chosen to do the 60 miles.
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And there is, perhaps, the issue. Brighton offers a pretty route and a highly deverse destination. Canvey is about roots and contrasts and I would go once but I am not sure it offers much to the casual visitor. A bit red neck compared to Brighton. That might be one reason it was a hot bed for music as it offered little sophistication to those of artistic ability. Add the slight anger of the times and you got this 'in your face' style of rock. I bet it used to have a few MIcrocars back in the day though. Brighton, Thumper might like to go back to where he was made.
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Dear Friends
Drive It day is this weekend and I hope those of you who do manage to get out for a drive enjoy the warm sunny weather.
It would be very useful if those of you that do succeed, and get some good images of the day/event could let me have them along with as many words about your trip, as you feel capable of, so I can put together an article in the next edition of Rumcar News.
You can email them to me at chris@rumcars.org
Many thanks and have a good day
Chris Thomas
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Hi All,
Terry Parkin and the Micromaniacs See Website are having a Driving Do, Ending at York All are Welcome. http://www.micromaniacsclub.co.uk/what%27s%20on.htm
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http://s581.photobucket.com/albums/ss260/Captain_Bubble/Drive%20it%20Day%20for%20classic%20cars%201742011/
I am frantically busy on a big commission but another RUMmer was keen that I accompany him on a run today. Last night I told him there was no chance, but this morning I worked like a maniac and by lunch-time was able to change my mind.
Today is the day when each year a load of TV helicopters fly over E and SE London, and each time they do so, thousands of people panic try to run away from them down the roads. Each year they fail to get away from the helis and eventually give up exhausted, but never seem to learn that if they just stayed at home the helis would not bother to chase them.
Anyway, my plan was to get some photos of our cars at Canada Water, but each route I tried was blocked off because of the London Helicopter Panic. Traffic was moving pretty well though. We pulled into a side road to make new plans and immediately a BMW pulled up and Mum and glamorous daughter asked if they could get some photos. Of course! Well Daughter, in rather fetching cut-off jeans and T shirt opened their boot and brought out a SERIOUS camera, with a VERY SERIOUSLY BIG piece of glass on its front. We told them that they are NOT BMWs and had a nice little chat, and I enjoyed seeing Daughter's face as I did a U turn in a small side road.
Eventually I realised we could not get to Canada Water, so I said we should go to Surrey Quays to get some nice photos. There are car park bollards there to stop normal cars getting close to the water, but for Cabin scooters these are no problem to get through: Bubbles pas where normals fear to go!
We wanted to get our own photos, but by the time we were out of our cars a crowd was there in the way. Well we had a nice chat and let people get all the photos they wanted, and we let those that wanted to get into our cars for photos. Then we headed for home, but at one point we went over the brow of a hill and spotted a Policeman on road closure duty. He approached with a huge grin across his face, and as he got up to the car I joked about it, and he asked jokingly if we were competing in the London Helicopter Flee.
We were out for about an hour and got plenty of waves, smiles, photos taken etc, in other words a perfectly normal drive in 2 bubble cars!
As we approached my place we had to stop at traffic lights. Suddenly a big black Audi hatch-back fully loaded with dark windows, alloys, big exhaust and the regulation content of boy racers types pulled up beside me on the wrong side of the road. I instantly thought this could be bad, but they were really enthusiastic, and were so keen on finding out what the cars were that they blocked a bus going the other way.
Brilliant fun, lots of friendly banter and interest in our funny vehicles, a lovely break from a gruelling work-load, so big thanks to Goggo for persuading me to down tools, get out for a drive, and do our little bit for classic cars.
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Great photos!
I was one of those running around the streets of London instead of driving!!! A great day for a drive...not so great for a run!
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Up here in the far north we were out doing our bit for Drive it day too. Two Messerschmitts, one Isetta, one Heinkel, one Trojan and two NSUs had a leisurely trip of 50 miles as part of the final day of the Scottish MicroCar Club spring rally. Numbers sadly reduce on the final day as everyone heads home. Prior to that we also had Two Fiats, one Zetta, and a Bond
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z184/rumcars/100_2479.jpg)
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z184/rumcars/100_2493.jpg)
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Nice photos, is that Grant's green 200?
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Is the other one my old car ETM? Bought from Jeremy Walker's and sold into Scotland and not seen since. The roof looks familiar but that means nothing as I have seen a lot of roofs! I like Grants colour choice and it is not one traditionally seen on a 'schmitt. My own Drive It traditional foundered to illness, this time gout.
However time was not wasted as I could sit and restore two new front suspension units with rebuilt hubs to go on NAF. Engine next with Church head, larger diameter tuned downpipe and exhaust with a dellorto carb conversion along with a modified Sachs generator cylinder which has improved porting. This might achieve acceptable performance with my bulk in the car! No visitors over the next three BH so cabbage diet.
I hope to drive NAF to Popham Classic Car and fly in day on May BH Monday, near Basingstoke. Good autojumble too. One of the best events in the south in the year. MIght still be some passes available but you have to drive your classic in the gate unless by arrangement via MEC! This is why it is good as some 1000 driven classics mean an interesting group of people who know what they are talking about rather then picnic hampers at 10 paces! It is worth attending as a pedestrian as lots to look at if you have any interest in aeroplanes/flying, which weather permitting goes on all day. You can even blag a flight if your are a good talker!
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Yup. I like that metallic green colour, it suits a 'schmitt. The blue Heinkel looks good too.