Friday
The power of Facebook is such that it is an easy way to get
an event advertised to like-minded people. I found Revs and Rhythms at Robert Bloomfield
Academy starting at 4pm. We weren’t sure how busy it would be as it was the
first one but thought if nothing else it would be a nice ride out through the
mid Beds countryside.
We were pleasantly surprised to find at least 50 other
cars there by the time we arrived and we got to park next to a beautiful
original Model T complete with picnic basket on the back. probably a couple of hundred more came after
us including Robin in his blue Model A Rod (which was Dave’s many years ago), Stuart
Flitton and Chris Newham in his lovely black and red Model B.
The Rhythm
part was a warm up act called Boo Sells (“if
everyone boos at me I’ll take it as a compliment”) who gave a good rendition of
many of the old favourites. His version of Hotel California was pretty good too
and I forgive him for not doing the instrumental bit at the end with only a
single acoustic guitar for company. The main band “Spacegoat” were a young
group of male and female singers who had some very good material of their own
as well as some excellent cover versions. One interesting feature was their
“drummer” who achieved the sound of drums through his mouth! A novel idea that
worked very well most of the time but the sound did have a tendency to
overpower the rest of the band so a little work on the sound system would
probably be a good idea. Nevertheless it made a nice change to hear some fresh
musicians. The drive home was typical of the weather we have had this year.
Most mornings have been sunny, then the clouds and wind come keeping the
temperature down, then at tea time the wind drops, the sun comes out and we get
to witness yet another beautiful sunset.
Saturday
Another day, another car show, this time in Stotfold once again in
Mid Beds at the green opposite the Coach and Horses. I decided to give it
a miss, preferring to go round some friends for a barbecue so Dave went on his
own. He arrived at the start time of 4 o’clock only to find the field was
almost full. Many of the cars from the previous evening were there too as was
Janet and Andy in the Noddy car. At the pub a French(!) Rockabilly band played
to lots of fans of that particular genre, not our cup of tea but if it gets a
crowd out I’m all for it.
Sunday
With the weather holding for the third day running, we set
off early to Long Itchington near Southam in Warwickshire, about an hour and 20
minute drive away for a breakfast meet better known as The Butty Run at the
Long Itch Diner. We got a cracking parking place right outside the café and ordered
a full English for Dave and a vegetarian breakfast for me (full English minus
the sausage and bacon plus an extra egg and mushrooms). By the time we’d eaten, it was mad out there and the queue for the food was long for the rest of the
morning too.
The car park was heaving, every spare piece of land was covered
and cars were parked on both sides of the carriageways. It was a good job we
weren’t in a hurry to leave as we were well and truly blocked in. This meet on the first Sunday of the month has
been going a few years but the consensus was that this was the busiest one
ever. It made a really nice change and after a wander around the cars and
bikes, we read the papers sitting in our lawn chairs and once the cars started
to move on, we enjoyed the drive home back through the lovely Northamptonshire
countryside to return home, then on to Lee and Dani’s surprise engagement party
at the Stapletons home (a family link from 7 generations ago but in fact long
standing friends and Hot Rod buddies.)
Tuesday
Tonight was a bonus. The weather forecast was fine so we were soon
on our way to a car show I hadn’t even heard of until 5 o’clock today, at The
Dovecote and Stables in Willington. We arrived to find at least another 100
cars plus others came and went during the evening. We were lucky to get a good
spot next to the Stables. Once again there was an eclectic display of vintage
and classic cars, a few Hot Rods and many cars that are now deemed classics
even though they were new out when we were first driving! On one side of us was
a nice maroon Triumph Herald (Dave’s first car was a Herald) and the other side
a very dirty and rugged looking Land Rover Defender. They seemed to be running
out of room and people were remarking on how well supported it was
this year. Judging by the number of American cars that are currently
coming into the country at the moment let alone what is going on in other areas of the car
scene, it is safe to say that enthusiasm for all things with a motor continues
to increase.
We bumped into Pete Hulatt in his Cobra AC and John Leydon
in his beach buggy. Dave has only recently met Pete for the first time in 40
years. They were apprentices together. John is a long term friend of ours from
my teenage years but he also worked at Cutler Hammer at the same time as Dave
and Pete, who even went out with John’s sister for a while. Bedford sometimes
feels like a very small place! John Huckle was there with his Woody Standard,
the third time Dave has seen him at a a show in 5 days and Kevin Jones turned
up in his Sunbeam. Looking around there were several cars that have popped up
at all the local shows, proving that car nuts don’t need much of an excuse to
get out and about, just a rain free weather forecast. We have also noticed that
the classic car people (as opposed to Hot Rodders) turn up early to events but
then most of them are retired.
The event was raising money for the National Trust, who are
the guardians of the 16th century, grade one listed Dovecote and
Stables. The stones for the buildings were believed to have been taken in part from
Newnham Priory following the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry V111. They were taking good money on the tea and
cakes but could have been a little more pro-active with the bucket on the gate.
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