It's

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Reports on Drive It Day Events involving Standard Members

1. DID West Midlands

Pause at the Standard-Triumph Monument, Herald Way, Coventry

First of the reports on Drive It Day comes from the West Midlands. Just 4 cars gathered at  Fort Dunlop, previously the centre of the "Dunlop" tyre empire and now an upmarket office block. The roadrun route took the cars to Coventry were there was a photo opportunity at the Standard-Triumph Monument on the site of the Canley Factory.

The lower photo shows the gathering in Birmingham.

My thanks to Steve O'Hara for the splendid photos

If you used your Standard on a DID event, please tell the members about it through this website. Send a report and or a photo to webmaster@standardmotorclub.org.uk

D I D North West

Bryan Jones's Interview

Drive It Day on the 26^th April, 2009 was a great success for the Manchester and North West Group and resulted in considerable publicity for the Standard and Triumph marques in the North West.

The Manchester Group invited several other Clubs to join them for the day including the Stag Owners Club in the North West, the Rochdale Vintage Car Club and the North West Branch of the Riley RM Club. Thirty two vehicles took part with two starting points, one near Warrington and the other near Rochdale. Bacon butties and coffee was served at each of the two departure points with each group proceeding through nearby towns and countryside for a distance of about thirty five miles meeting up on the periphery of Manchester to form a procession of Classic vehicles through the city centre to the Museum of Science and Industry. The display at the museum was impressive and the interest from the public was very encouraging. On both routes into the City spectators appeared extremely interested with some cheering and waving as the processions of Classic cars passed by.

Several Classic Car publications have showed interest in the event and the North West Group’s Organiser was interviewed by Channel M Television with a clip being shown on Channel M News on the 27^th April. The Museum has since asked if we will participate in a transport event they are organizing later in the year.

Click on the thumbprints to see the enlargements:

Several new members were recruited during the day and altogether the day was deemed a great success in promoting the aims of the Classic car movement generally and in particular the activities of the Standard Motor Club both in the North West and Nationally.

Great credit must go to Graham Hart our Show Manager and Alex Robertson, our Assistant Show Manager together with a valuable input from John Clarke, Deputy Group Organiser who all worked so hard to make the day a great success.

Click on the thumbprints to see the enlargements:

NEXT EVENT: The Group are participating in the Cars in the Park Show in Victoria Park in Heywood on the 10^th May and of course have their own Stand at the prestigious Tatton Park Show on the 30^th and 31^st May. All Standard Motor Club members welcome. Contact Bryan on 0161 483 7121 or Bedabrammerjones@aol.com

Report by Bryan Jones, Organiser, Manchester & North West Group, SMC

Photos by Bryan Jones, Andrew Davies and John Clarke

3. D I D Devon

Drive it day for the Devon and Cornwall group, comprised of two events this year. Brian Murrish attended an event in Cornwall, see separate write up.

Some of the Devon members attended an event organized by our local Devon Vintage Car Club. This was in the form of a treasure hunt/quiz around a 40mile route organized by the "un"lucky winner of the previous years event.

Around twenty cars were present including Austin sevens, Ruby, Opel and Square Rad two seat tourer, a Gilburn, Morris Minors, Lotus and most importantly three Standards. Representing the club were John and Julia Pine in their 1932 Little Nine, Steve and Karen Lovegrove with their daughter Kayleigh and Cassie the spaniel in their 1934 Standard 10 and us in our 1947 Standard 4/8a.

4. DID Dublin

The Ging Flying 8 Tourer hiding behind a couple of other marques.

Our family of cars attended the IVVCC Spring Rally on Sunday 26 April. As you can see from the photo (when we stopped for tea and cakes) we have recently acquired an Alfa Romeo 1600 Junior (my younger brothers pick). This was the first time all our cars appeared together.

The rally began in Merion Square in Dublin’s elegant Georgian district. Check in was in the ESB’s Georgian House Museum. We then travelled out through the old Dublin suburbs of Harold’s Cross, Kenilworth, Terenure, Templeogue and Tallaght. We were assisted through the city by a large Garda (police) escort who stopped traffic at the major junctions to give us priority. Once out of the city we travelled through Brittas, Blessington, Baltinglass and ended up in Tullow, Co Carlow, at the Mount Wolseley Hotel (has associations with the car marque) where a fine lunch was enjoyed by all in the Austin suite.    

There were 78 cars on the run (50 miles) but ours was the only Standard again. However as a special treat our Standard was given the number 8 on the rally plate. Weather was as per last two years .... raining.

Report by Pat Ging

DID Cotswolds - St Rose's School Stroud

Nine Standards Line-up at St. Roses School

Richard Bradley had arranged this Drive It Day Event at St. Roses School in Stroud. Thiis an anual charity event that attracts a couple of hundred classics to raise funds for disabled children. Last year's event raised £9000 and the target this year was £12,000.

Richard had arranged an area in the school grounds big enough for 10 Standards  and 9 of them managed the drive, from all over the south of England and South Wales. The Webmaster brought the Flying 12 from Hertfordshire, including a very agreeable stay in a local hotel. Furthest travelled though was Steve Smeltzer who journeyed from Bristol to an event at Silverstone Circuit on the day before, then calling in at Stroud on his return trip. Several local cars added to the impressive on-make line-up you see above.

Some more of the cars are photographed below, click on any of the thumbprints to see an enlargement:

Report and Photos by Phil Homer

If you used your Standard on a DID event, please tell the members about it through this website. Send a report and or a photo to webmaster@standardmotorclub.org.uk

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