Issue 2 – April 2014
South West Midlands Area Newsletter
Area Website: Area Forum:
Area Coordinator:Mal Jones; 01684 560998;
Drives Coordinator & Webmaster: Chris Wood; 01386 554409; 07902 279395;
Meetings Coordinator: John White; 01989 218376;
Motorsports Coordinator: Nick Humphris; 07788 567901,
Newsletter Editor: Dave Scott; 01544248136, 07747129643,
Area Co-ordinators Column
By the time you read this we will have had our first drive of the year, and will be, hopefully looking forward to some better weather just around the corner. This year is a very special one for both the MX5 and of course for the MX5OC. Shortly we will have the OC Spring Rally, something I am looking forward to. As a group we have a very busy year coming up. It is nice to see new members joining us and I hope that their membership will be a happy one.
I can tell you that your Team are working very hard but will still welcome any suggestions that you feel will make the area better. Remember it is your club. It is up to you, the membership, to make it into the club you want.
Mal
From your Newsletter Editor
Your newsletter is only viable if you are willing to participate by submitting articles for the same. These could be anything MX5 related in terms of Drives, Events, Technical, Sales, Wants or just Club related chit chat.
Please forward any requirements to Dave Scott at the email address above. Drafts should be in Arial Font 10pt and double spaced so that I can play around with it if needed. Any photographs should be as an attachment and of a reasonably high quality to assist up/downloading from the www.
Dave
Drive – Sunday 23 February 2014 – ‘The Snowdrop Run’
The first run of the season saw 21 fives turn up at a grey and chilly Evesham Garden Centre.
After a nice get together for breakfast and coffee we were waiting on the RAC man to come and fix Chris’s car. At 11:30 it was still a no show so we gathered in the car park for the route. After a quick chat with Chris it was decided that instead of two groups, members would leave in groups of 3or 4 and this seemed to work very well. The first half of the drive took in some of the delightful villages around Evesham such as; Synehurst, Wickhamford and Murcot to name but a few.
The village of Sedgeberrow was next followed by a run around the B4078 around Winchcombe. We then made our way onto the B4632 to Toddington where we turned right onto the B4077 to climb from the Vale of Evesham up onto the Cotswolds. It was at this point where we were treated to masses of snowdrops every village seemed to want to outdo the others. There were snowdrops in little valleys, on the edges of the roads and even some on the top of the walls.
Once on the top we followed the road past the Cotswold Farm Park/Adams Farm where lambing was taking place. Next was Lower Swell, where again we were treated to the display of snowdrops with a few crocus thrown in for good measure. The final Cotswold villages were Longborough and Sezincote before we made our way to the Fosseway Garden Centre.
It was nice to see Sue out on her first run with us as well as Liz who joined us for the day from Bristol.
A smashing run to start the 2014 season of Sunday drives.
Thanks to Chris and Penny for this super day out.
Mal and Val
Using the website and forum
The website can be found by typing into your browser or searching forswm mx5oc.
The home page should look like this:
This is where you should go to find out what is going, where and when.
For example click onMeetings(as shown by the arrow) and you will be able to see where our monthly meetings are.
By clicking on the highlighted name of the pub you will be taken toVenueswhich has more details about how to find the pub. Also there will be a link to a map.
From the homepage you can also check out drives and other events.
The Discussion Forum is where you might find more information about drives and other events such as people arranging to meet up to go to an event. It is also a place where you can air your views or ask about maintenance.
The Discussion Forum can be accessed by clicking on the Discussion Forum tab on the homepage of the website or by typing into your browser.
Currently this is a closed forum and you need to be able to login. If this is your first time you will need to register then wait for reply as how to activate your login once the administrator has approved the registration (usually the same day).
When you are into the forum it should look like this:
By clicking on a folder you can you can then see sub-folders:
By clicking on a thread (sub- folder) you can then read people’s posts and add to them by clicking on reply:
To start a new thread, go into the folder you think most appropriate for your post, e.g. drives:
Click on create thread
Give your new thread a subject and then away you go!
A longer version of this has been sent to you all by email and there is a copy on the home page of the website. Click on the link website and forum guide.
Chris
Gravity Hill Racer
In January 2010 one of the South West Midlands Area's most ardent supporters, John White, proposed an idea at the January planning meeting, which was to blossom into a full blown project.
The idea was to put together a team of enthusiastic members, build a Gravity Racer in the barn of one of the team and enter it in the Mansel Lacy Soap Box Derby in June 2010. A Team was put together comprising of Andy, Graham, John, Paul, Mike, Keith, Nick, his 2 sons and later joined by Dave G and due to their magnificent efforts this happened. Mazdapiece, as the vehicle was named by a vote by the SWMOC members, competed in a variety of events from 2010 to 2013 with a range of drivers from the build team and the owners club.
Richards Castle became a popular venue with the Club membership and was always well supported, probably because members were encouraged to drive their MX5s up the hill in the break!
The Racer participated for four seasons in total, visiting Herefordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Devon and a long haul to North Yorkshire on a 1 mile track through the Dalby Forest. Many supporters from the Club attended these events to encourage the team. A few trophies were won and plenty of laughs were had by all especially when in Yorkshire when the Racer went missing overnight at the Hotel!!!!!
Mazdapiece was also exhibited at the National Rally at Billing in 2011 & Prescott in 2012.
The time has now come for the existing team to stand down and offer this exciting experience to other members of the club. Majority of the events are coordinated and regulated by the Scottish Karting Association. You can attend as many events as you wish but there is an attendance fee to pay on registration of each race usually about £30 per driver. The Racer is ready to roll all you require is a small trailer (2.1m x 1.2 load area) or a pickup truck which is what Nick has provided in the past and a few able bodies to assist at each event. Also a garage or shed to store the racer would be ideal.
If there is no interest by the SWMOC the Kart will be offered to other areas for sale with a view to raising a small amount of money for charity.
I would like to thank everyone from the build team & the club who have supported the team over the past 4 years it has been a lot of fun.
Nick
Additional Events
Prescott will be starting their first breakfast club meeting in April. Further details can be found in the Discussion Forum of the Club website. Unfortunately the dates advertised clash with several of our events, but it does offer an alternative for a couple of hours on a Sunday morning.
Nick
Gloucestershire Motor Show
This will take place Sat/Sun 7/8 June 2014 at Highnam Court Gardens, GL2 8DP. Anyone interested should have application forms submitted by the end of April. See
Nick
Calendar of Events 2014
An “at a glance” guide to the year ahead
March 2014Monthly Meeting / Thursday 6th / SWM / The Yorkshire Grey, Worcester Rd, Earles Croome,
Worcester WR8 9DA (01684 592155)
Monthly Drive / Sunday 23rd / Henry and Mal / Broadland Court and Vineyard. Meet for B’fast at Old Hobnails, Little Washbourne GL20 8NQ
April 2014
Monthly Meeting / Thursday 3rd / SWM / The Royal Oak, Much Marcle, Ledbury HR8 2ND
(01531 660300)
Fish and Chip Run / Sunday 6th / Ken Stanbury / Southwold
Monthly Drive / Sunday 13th / Trevor and Victoria
Coleford Carnival / Sunday 21st / Transport Carnival in Coleford. GL16 8AN
Wheel Nuts Show / Sunday 27th / St. Roses School, Stroud GL5 4AP
Spring Rally / Sat/Sun 26th/27th / OC / Brooklands– accommodation to be organised by Mal
May 2014
Monthly Meeting / Thursday 1st / SWM / Gupshill Manor, Tewkesbury, GL20 5SY
Stratford Show / Sun/Mon 4th/5th / Terry Manders / Bank Holiday weekend. Stratford town centre
Japfest / Saturday 10th / Castle Coombe Circuit, Wiltshire
Prescott Hill Event / Sat/Sun 10th/11th / Drive your MX-5 up the famous hill!
Monthly Drive / Sunday 18th / Henry and Mal
June 2014
Monthly Meeting / Thursday 5th / SWM / The Berkley Arms, Evesham Road, Worcester WR7 4QL
(01905 345269) (NEW VENUE)
Glos Motor Show / Sat/Sun 7th/8th / Highnam Court Gardens, Glos GL2 8DP,
Wings and Wheels / Sunday 15th / Dave Grove / Wellesbourne
Blyton 2014 / Sat/Sun 21st/22nd / OC / Track Day
Monthly Drive / Sunday 22nd / Dave Scott / Tyntesfield
Hampton Ferry / Sunday 29th / Boat Lane, Evesham WR11 4BP
July 2014
Monthly Meeting / Thursday 3rd / SWM / The Royal Oak, Much Marcle
Bruges trip / 11th – 14th / Lesley & David
Monthly Drive / Sunday 20th / Chris and Penny
Silverstone Classic / 25th – 27th / OC
August 2014
Monthly Meeting / Thursday 7th / SWM / Bengry Motors, Leominster – Dealership BBQ
Tewkesbury Car Show / Sunday 17th / Tewkesbury School (off Junction 9 of M5) 0930hrs start
Monthly Drive / Sunday 24th / Bob and Clare
Pershore Plum / Monday 25th
September 2014
Monthly Meeting / Thursday 4th / SWM / Gupshill Manor, Tewkesbury
Monthly Drive / Sunday 21st / TBA / Volunteers required! Contact Chris Wood if interested
National Rally / 27th/28th / OC / 20/25 Celebrations – Gaydon Motor Museum
October 2014
Monthly Meeting / Thursday 2nd / SWM / The Berkeley Arms, Spechley
Monthly Drive / Sunday 19th / John and Evie
November 2014
Monthly Meeting / Thursday 6th / SWM / The Royal Oak, Much Marcle
Monthly Drive / Sunday 23rd / TBA / Volunteers required! Contact Chris Wood if interested
December 2014
MXmas Lunch / Sunday 7th / No Monthly Meeting in December