MG Show & Spares Day - 21st February 2010

[Rich]

DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS
THE CONVOY IS CANCELLED...

As is the norm, the first national event of the new season is the MG Show & Spares Day, held at the National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.

Although the MGF Register are having a run on the Saturday and attendees staying over near to the venue, we will still have a few going up on the Sunday morning and so we can convoy up if you like.

Please post if you're attending and state if you would like to join the convoy (Details here).

Attendees:

• Rich & Graham - Convoy
  
• Dave D - Convoy
  
• Nick & Karen - Pick up on the way!
  
• Iain & George - Convoy
  
• Lee - Convoy
  
• Steve & Son - Convoy

[daved]

Me please.

[Nick]

Yup count me (and Karen subject to babysitters) in too, although I might meet up with the convoy en route as the NAC is only 15 miles from my house.

Sadly this'll be m12the visit in the last 13 years

[Captain Slow]

Count me (& probably George) in-can't think of anything at the moment which is planned for that weekend.

Do we have a stand at the event?

[Rich]

No, no stand. MGF and Zed Register will no doubt have one, as will the MGCC and MGOC. I did think about it before but it's far too late for that now. Perhaps next year?

Rich

[Captain Slow]

Yeah, that'd be good-I always think a club stand would be a great way of increasing awareness

Do you know how I'd get on one of the MGOC or MGCC register stands? I'm a member of both clubs (although only joined the MGCC very recently...) and I have no idea of the procedures they operate.

[Rich]

I doubt you would get onto the MGOC stand as it's staff only, but the MGCC and it's registers rely on volunteers so just contact them and ask if they would like some help. I've done the MGF Register stand a few times and many years ago did the FWD Register stand too!

Rich

[Captain Slow]

Count me in-looks as though the MGCC stand is sorted already (I did wonder). Will probably convoy up in the morning with everyone else.

[Lee121]

add me to the list too please Rich......

[Lee121]

Times....location etc ?????

[Rich]

Leaving the Sixfields cinema car park at 9am. Would have made it earlier but going on previous years' experience we would only be caught up in the massive queues to get in the building!

Rich

[StevePem]

Hi, I will try and join up with you all at sixfields, depends how early I can get my son out of bed in Rushden!

Cheers
Steve

[Captain Slow]

See you all bright & early on Sunday morning, good job I've planned not to have an evening on the lash on Saturday...

[Lee121]

Cant make tomorrow.....2 reasons, 1. got to pick Mike up from up north......and 2. HGF!!!!!!!!

[Rich]

Lee, what can I say except for 1. Bummer and 2. B****cks! That's a bit of bad luck but it was always a definite possibility after your recent water loss activities. I assume Russell will be coming up some time soon...

Anything you want picked up from Stoneleigh?

Rich

[Lee121]

Cheers Rich.....Nick hopefully is going to pick up SS pipes....there is a guy going who has got the Arctic Circle Run plaques....would be grateful if you could pick mine up for me

Russell is coming on Thursday ....was arranged for all round new discs and pads plus SS pipes and investigation of recent coolant loss....so now he's fitting MLS gasket as well!!!

[Rich]

DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS
THE CONVOY IS CANCELLED...

I've already received messages from several saying you don't want to risk the weather conditions so it made sense to cancel. It's very disappointing as this event is always the season opener and I know that quite a few of us haven't missed one for many years. But we don't want accidents and broken cars as that's more expensive and not a good start for the 2010 events calendar!

Don't forget that we've got our postponed 'local' Northants/MK meeting this coming Thursday (weather permitting) so if you can come along to that, we'll see you then!

Rich

[Captain Slow]

I got to Luton 15 minutes ago to pick George up-luckily we decided to check this post before leaving for Northampton...

Snow is pretty bad in Luton-I got stuck on the hill coming in so I'm glad a set of new boots is going on the car tomorrow (if I can get it to work!).

I won't be making the meet on Thursday chaps so I'll see you at the next event/meet (whenever that is).

[Rich]

Flippin' weather...

Now it looks like the snow is melting and the temperature is definitely up a little so my dad and I are deciding whether to give it a go after all. We're going to wait until just before lunch and see how it is then

Rich

[Tony]

It's still quite bad here with about an inch of snow laying on the road. Don't think I'll be venturing out unless I really have to today.

[StevePem]

Did anyone else make it to Stoneleigh? I made it at the second attempt.

I set of about 8am from my home just outside Olney to collect my son from Rushden. I got as far as the BP garage at Warrington (with several skids and slides on route, pulled over and phoned my son to say the roads were too bad to get over to him. At the same time got a text from Rich and sat and replied to that. All the time the snow was getting heavier.

I drove back into the centre of Olney but after 500 yards the snow stopped and in Olney High street it was raining. Drove back out to my house and straight back into the snow!

Anyway, had a coffee then set off again and got to Stoneleigh around 11am. Did not spot any cars in the car park with Southmids Sportster ensignia,
So, still did not get to meet any members, oh well, will do soon.

Cheers
Steve.

[Nick]

Yup I made it , got there just before 10, but I cheated and took the audi . I couldnt get out of my estate in the F as there is a very icy hill to negotiate. I managed to get some SS coolant pipes for me and Lee, and a new spare coolant cap (always worth having).
Caught up with Rich and his dad, apart from that didnt really see any other SMSers and sorry Steve we havent met so I could've walked right past you!
I picked up the ACR plaques as well, so a fairly successful day all in all except I didnt mooch around the Cow sheds and went without an MG

[Rich]

Yeah, my dad and I made it on a second attempt, leaving at about 10.30am. We just couldn't believe it. The roads were virtually clear all the way after leaving it for just a couple of hours. It actually made us feel guilty after calling off the convoy.

Anyhow, we were both rather disappointed with this year's event. The number of traders was way down on previous years and the attendance was definately down. It's the first time I've been able to walk freely between stands without being shoved about by eager punters. Mind you, we did see a few familiar faces both from the MGF Register and the mainstream MG world, and Nick of course! I spent quite a while chatting with my mate, Matt Parker and his dad Roger. I spoke to Keith Williams from the register who agreed with us about the notable decline of enthusiasm for the show. Meeting up with fellow enthusiasts is always great so this was the redeeming factor of the day...

And another thing... Matt Parker's ZS Turbo was featured in this month's MG Enthusiast magazine and as he had told me it was coming up I had bought a copy on it's release day... only to find that the magazine was sponsoring the show and giving everyone a copy for free... D'oh!

On the way home, it was hard to believe it had ever snowed at all. The sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. We had to look hard to find any snow, even in the shadowed verges. This is just typical of the British weather!!!!

In summary, it got us out of the house but unless things pick up we may leave this one out of next year's calendar. Whether it was because of the weather, the fact that we're still not out of the recession or that events like this are just loosing popularity I don't know, but we'll just have to see if things change.

There's a video on YouTube. You can view it here.

Rich

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