King's Lynn & District Motor Club Rally

The 33rd Annual Vintage & Classic Rally organized by the King's Lynn & District Motor Club took place on Sunday 11th July 2010.

This is the first chance I’ve had to take part in this event, which has been highly recommended to me in the past. Not really a rally, but a gentle amble through the picturesque lanes of Norfolk in the company of some of the finest classic cars in East Anglia.

An early start at the Sandringham Visitor Centre and the opportunity to cool down after my 90 mile drive for me and to take on coffee and pastries for Neil. A high quality entry of 95 cars gradually assembled with Bristol represented by 5 different models – 401 (Warwick Banks), 405 (Brian Kidd), 407 (Nick Challacombe), 410 (Neil), 411 S4 (Martin Bennett).

Armed with a tulip map and aided by direction arrows and marshalls we then enjoyed a 55 mile run to the lunch halt at Fincham. Carvery’s were taken in the Timbers Hotel and picnics fortified by real ale were enjoyed in the grounds while admiring the cars.

After lunch, the run continued for another 20 miles to the finish at the National Trust's magnificent Oxburgh Hall. An interesting queuing system at the café did nothing to dissuade those eager to partake of afternoon tea (Neil) before prizes were awarded to the cars. An inexplicable error with the scoring meant that none of the Bristols picked up any trophies, but the winners were nevertheless well deserved (1925 Morris Cowley, 1934 MG Magnette, 1951 Jaguar Mk V, 1964 Jaguar E-type, 1968 Triumph TR5).

A 65 mile trip home rounded off a very enjoyable day. Many thanks to the King's Lynn & District Motor Club, and the principal organisers Ivan and Adrian Cunnington, for putting on such an excellent event.

Cressing Temple

Yesterday I went to a vintage fayre held by the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity at Cressing Temple in Essex. Helen Rollason cancer support centres provide complementary therapies, counselling and support groups for cancer patients, their friends, families and carers. Helen Rollason was a much-loved BBC Sport presenter who fought her battle with colon cancer in the public eye.

Cressing Temple takes its unusual name from the medieval monks of the Knights Templar who founded the two vast wooden barns in the 13^th Century and which form the centrepiece of this delightful rural estate. Acquired by Essex County Council in 1987 to safeguard the future of the barns, buildings and garden, it is now part of their Country Parks portfolio. I hope that in the midst of the current financial crisis the Council are not tempted to sell these unique buildings off.

A previous (alleged) attempt to sell off the barns by the former leader of Essex County Council failed. Lord Hanningfield, aka bachelor pig farmer Paul White, won’t be able to try that again as it now looks likely that he will be spending time away from his pigs at Her Majesty’s pleasure after being investigated for falsely claiming expenses. His attempt to hide behind a 300-year-old law exempting MPs and Lords from prosecution over proceedings in parliament failed and did nothing to enhance his reputation and overturn the Essex stereotype of dodgy barrow-boys on the make.

Cressing Temple also hosts a highly successful biannual event in its own right and I will be back there next year for that. At a previous show I was honoured to represent the Sixties in a special grouping of cars celebrating motor cars of the last century. I think they have something equally special planned for next year but to be honest it will be enough just to be allowed to park in such magnificent surroundings.


And what of Lord Hanningfield when he's paid his debt to society? Well, he could always go back to farming pigs. What about the smell I hear you ask? Well, the pigs will just have to get used to it!

Flat Pack Fenders?

Layer Marney Tower on 30 May 2010 and I’m the only Bristol here but there are plenty of interested people speaking to Neil. As well as general car talk it's always nice to hear stories about Bristol Cars the company, and a former owner of a 403 told Neil a real gem today.

Having had the misfortune to be involved in an accident, he called Bristol Cars in search for a new front wing and spoke to Tony Crook who said he had them in stock and would send one out.

When the delivery arrived it consisted of a single flat sheet of metal - surely some mistake? When the surprised owner of the pristine sheet made enquiries, an equally surprised Tony Crook said there had been no mistake. All that was required was to form it into the correct shape – “they are all hand made you know”!

With a great deal of ingenuity a pattern was taken from a straight car and a carpenter enlisted to make a buck. The panel was beaten and the shape of a wing duly emerged which was then fitted to the damaged car. 

If you still have your original bucks and the skills required to wrap metal around them, as Bristol do, why expect your customers to try and emulate the factory’s craftsmanship and risk substandard repairs to the cars that bear your name?

Hopefully attitudes at the factory have changed and anyone ordering a wing for a 403 today would receive something that held more than a passing resemblance to something you would actually find on a car.

Wings & Wheels

Last weekend I went to Henham, near Southwold in Suffolk to Wings & Wheels 2010. Lots of interesting cars (although there were no other Bristols) and some spectacular flying. For much of the day a succession of light aircraft used the airfield, but the highlight of the day were the Breitling Wingwalkers - the world's only aerobatic formation wingwalking team.


They performed a breathtaking sequence of acrobatic manoeuvres and handstands whilst strapped to the top wings of Boeing Stearman biplanes. These manoeuvres included, loops, rolls, stall turns and even inverted flight! During all of this, the wingwalkers experience speeds of up to 150 mph and 'G' forces of up to 4G!

Oh I don't like to be beside the Seaside ...

Sunday was the 40th anniversary of the Ipswich to Felixstowe run. However true to form for an English Bank Holiday Weekend the weather was atrocious. Heavy rain and strong winds lashed the park in Ipswich while we waited to set off, and although the drive to Felixstowe wasn't too bad, once at Felixstowe the rain started again and the wind whipped up the sea. 2 other Bristols accompanied me (another 410 and a 411 S4) but we didn't stay long. Neil didn't even get his ice-cream.

Dodgy Dip Switch in Ipswich

Driving through Ipswich at night the urgent flashing of other drivers alerted me to a problem. When Neil pulled up behind another car he realised that my headlights were not on, only my sidelights. He checked the headlight switch and found it to be on then flashed the lights using the column stalk – only to find all 4 headlights coming on as they should and startling the driver in front. He pulled off into a retail park where a furniture store had thoughtfully built a glass-walled showroom ideal for testing one’s lights. Various switches were tried again until a press of the floor mounted dip switch restored normal functioning. 

This was of course forgotten about until he needed to use the headlights again and found the same problem. Last weekend he decided to investigate further and after studying my wiring diagram concluded that it must indeed be the floor mounted dip switch that was playing up. Armed with a screwdriver and multimeter he contorted enough to remove the switch, pressed it by hand and observed sparks emanating from the underside behind the connections. A check with the multimeter confirmed current was at least flowing to the switch, so Neil put everything back to make sure it did not get lost and went inside to look for a new one. A quick search online found a remanufactured switch on the original Lucas part number on the Holden’s site and this was ordered. 

He replaced the switch today, reconnecting the 3 wires in the correct order, and straight away normal functioning was restored. We went out for a celebratory drive, and just to make sure checked the switch on our return home.

The floor mounted dipswitch is such a useful device, freeing up the hands and giving the left foot something to do, that it's surprising that it no longer appears on new cars. Perhaps the desire to provide a proper place to rest the left foot took precedence, or perhaps the Blenheim still has one?

Bristol Owners’ Club Christmas Lunch

Neil was going to wash me on Sunday before we left for the Bristol Owners’ Club Christmas lunch near Bury St. Edmunds. However, as it was still raining he decided against this using the excuse that I would only get dirty again. By the time we got there it had stopped raining and the sun was out. We parked up next to a 404 in front of the hotel and Neil quickly disappeared inside.

Neil had told me this was going to be Nick Challacombe’s last official event as Regional Secretary but when Neil eventually came out I was surprised to learn that he had become the new Secretary. Not as surprised as Neil apparently who had been asked and had accepted before he had a chance to get to the bar.

By all accounts everyone inside enjoyed the lunch and I was happy to be in the company of 5 other Bristols in front of the Hall; a 404, a 407, another 410 and 2 603s.