That well known fellow Jack Frost was an early starter at Knighton, Shropshire and had the whole place decorated in his signature colour… and a bitter cold easterly wind all the way from the Urals kept the sections drier than normal.
The plotters John Jackson, Steve Whitehouse and Pete Reed had also worked their magic in presenting ten sections, using the Coppice for the first group, and then the long sweep down the white grass field to the river-side sections with good old rock and mud, and water. And then the Big Hill, a feature of this former scrambles track, and just the place for a big single to blast-up, and it offered more grip than sometimes in the past!
And big singles there were too! A brace of Royal Enfields, a B40 and a Matchless… but lets not forget the lonely Triumph Twin rasping and twisting up the rocky outcrops. A couple of Thundersley models, an Anglian and a Scottish, a Francis-Barnett, Hipkin Sprite , Tiger Cubs, Villiers, and the mighty Bantams were all to be seen circulating, too.
Experts Steven Hay (Cub) and Nathan Jones (BSA) went clean, a sublime performance indeed, with Laurence Alden (Ban) not that far behind. An uncharacteristic five in section eight, put Mick Parkes out of contention. Pete Kirby was the welcome observer here, and the experts were confronted with a tricky combination of rocks and roots, and a tight left turn around a tree. Any wide-running here would have you in the drink!
Christopher Dean (BSA) notched up another Inters victory by parting with just four. Dave Jones on the BSA lost ten, and Mike Butler (Ban) just toppled Merv Powell on the Matchless, by a single mark.
In the Clubmans, the Royal Enfield of Ian Brittain was on song, after teething problems in previous events, and carried Brittain to the class win, with four dabs. Steve Haines has been a non-starter since the new year, due to a bit of a frozen shoulder. But the physio has sorted things out and he is glad to be back in the fray on the Tiger Cub, and was second placeman on thirteen, with Stephen Leyshon (Ban) on fifteen.
For John McCabe, who travelled up from the Cotswolds, it was a welcomed debut ride with the BMCA. His BSA WD B40 engine, built by Rupert Ratio, is housed in a modified Bantam D14 frame, after a lot of head scratching! An interesting bicycle. John McCabe told me how much he enjoyed the trial, and of the welcome and enthusiasm of competitors, officials and observers.
Dave Alder on the Greeves Anglian retired. If you read this, Dave, let us know what happened and also keen to know the history of your machine…
And as folk said cheerio to Knighton, one rider told me that after standing for three hours in a biting wind, the observers, each and every one, deserved a medal… Few would argue with that!!!
Report: Hammertight assisted by Luke Stratton and Les Richardson. Photographs courtesy Eric Miles.
Footing Note: Leighton Trial this Sunday (4th March): Martin MacKenzie tells me he has added new sections in the top field. Good on himself, and just hope the friendly Red Dragon will be “on fire” patrolling the borders and scare off this Beast from the East on the loose…
Martin says he will put a message on the BMCA Guestbook if any problem.