::
[ New Year's Day Meeting - Fox-on-the-Hill, Lower Kingswood -
January 2003 ] ::
We have met for a noggin and a natter at Fox in Lower
Kingswood for quite a few years on each New Year's Day. The
following text is based on the SVVS Magazine report by Chris Cuss and
the photos by Bozi Mohacek. Please click on any thumbnail picture below to
see the full size picture and note that the photo may take some 15
seconds to load. To return to the thumbnails please click the Explorer
"Back" arrow (top left of screen). Pictures are sized to be
viewed at 800 x 600. 
Not one of the better months to report. As you will all be aware the
month of December suffered double the usual rainfall. As these notes are
being penned at the start of a new year, the rain continues and today’s
newspaper is full of maps showing areas likely to be flooded. All in all
it has not been the time to be able to enjoy our hobby. Even our now
traditional New Year’s Day celebration was something of a damp squib.
The day started with heavy rain which continued on and off for the rest
of the day. To the disappointment of some of those who journeyed to the
Fox at Lower Kingswood the management had decided not to provide any
food. To an extent we could see their point, as apart from our members
there were only two other customers in the pub. Doubtless the residents
of Lower Kingswood had celebrated long and hard the night before.
So who came? John
Manvers and Brian Lloyd Jacob were made of stern stuff and came in their
Riley Monacos.
Other classics noted were
one of Alan Benewith’s Jowetts and a cream MG TF. Bozi had brought his
semi classic Jaguar XJS (...semi classic ?? Cheek! Ed.).
Everyone else seemed to have opted for moderns.
Sitting in a corner of the bar it was difficult to see quite who was
around but we did note Bryan Goodman, Desmond Peacock, Derek and Jacqui
Wright, Julian and Thelma Alderton, Don Bingham, Will How, Mike Erroll, John Sheldrake
and some of the Triumph owners.
We had intended taking a Riley but the heavens opened minutes before
we left home so we opted for the modern. There was so much standing
water on the A217 that we felt that this was the right decision. The realisation that no food was forthcoming came as a
blow to those of us who had promised lunch to our other halves. Hence
this report is shorter than is should be. We and several others left the
Fox to seek food elsewhere. In the event it was back
to Cheam for a Chinese takeaway. (Picture above, right, shows Chris
with his tape-recorder penning this report just prior to his rapid exit
with hungry wife already in car.
Subsequent to his departure two further intrepid classic travellers
arrived those being Terry Mistry in his new Austin Healey 3000 and
Malcolm Bailey in his 1934 Morris Minor Tourer. Incidentally, Will How
came with a colleague with the white gofaster Lancia, and Messrs Julian
Alderton came in their blue Triumph Dolomite.)
Several of our members were subsequently seen at the VSCC driving tests at
Westcott near Aylesbury. This is a wide open airfield site and well
worth the drive. Doubtless a fair number will have attended the January
tests at Brooklands. Otherwise now is the time to tidy the motor house
and sort the niggles in the cars to be ready for the warmer weather.
Return to Recent Venues Page
|
