The Autumn edition of FasTForward magazine is out now and features a comprehensive review of MGF25.
Issue 63 out now….a month late!
Along with that there are articles from Helen Blake on a track day, Phil Rigby is also out on track, but in a more competitive way, as a rookie racer and we also find out that Richard Branson drove an MGF and sold them online plus Ian Pogson looks at one of the unsung heroes of the MGF production line and the Yorkshire Region celebrate a decade of the group with a weekend event.
For regular subscribers please note that the production of FasTForward will be “bumped” forward a month from the Winter issue. This is due to the fact that the Autumn edition was delayed by a month in order to produce the MGF25 and because of some printing issues. However, we were thinking of doing this in any case as it fits much better with our seasonal format and our regional activity.
So, this now means that you can expect to receive the magazine at the beginning of December, March, July and September.
John Prewer organised the third MGF & TF Go! (North) events returning to Eden Camp in Yorkshire. Here he tells us all about the day.
F and TF timeline at Eden Camp
For our third MGF&TF Go! (North) meeting we returned to our first venue of three years ago at Eden Camp Modern History Museum. Not only was this the best option in these Covid hit times, but Eden Camp needed our support after the long lockdowns.
The Museum is near Malton, not far from York, and occupies the buildings of an old World War Two prisoner of war camp. It documents history from before the First World War to post World War Two conflicts. Each hut deals with a certain aspect, and you will find everything from a mock-up tunnel from The Great Escape, to a house during the blitz, and even the inside of a U Boat. The whole place is a gem of a Museum that should be far better known than it is.
Well, we did them proud with just short of seventy MGFs & MGTFs arriving, and parking in a long line of TFs, a shorter line of MGFs, a group of Monogram TFs, and the timeline. The timeline itself was short of just three models (Abingdon, LE500 & 85th). The object was to show how our cars developed from an early MGF through the various special and limited editions and model changes, and it was a great opportunity to see where your car sits in the evolution of the F/TF.
Monograms on display
The day enjoyed glorious weather, with friends meeting all around, and some long-distance travellers from Norfolk, Staffordshire, and the other side of the Pennines also attending. On display were Monogram TF cars in Biomorphic, Mirage 2, Sunspot, and my one-off Turquoise/Blue car.
At the gate, everybody was given a sheet for noting their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd placed car of the day, and the organisers and trophy sponsors chose their favourites too. Out of these the best MGF, best MG TF, and Organisers best car won trophies. There were fairly decisive wins for the first three places in the MGF and TF classes, but notably, most cars present picked up points, showing that there was a really high standard of preparation and polishing across all of the cars that attended the meeting. The final places were as follows:
1st placed MGF, Adam Miles 2nd placed MGF, Derek Birch 3rd placed MGF, P11 MGF (arrived on the day, so name not known ☹) 1st placed MG TF, Steve Marshall 2nd placed MG TF, John Fishwick 3rd placed MG TF, Bob Winter Orgainsers best car, Jack Sigsworth (MG TF Sunstorm)
Thanks to everyone who attended, you made the event superb! MGF&TF Go!North will return in 2022, hopefully, bigger and better, and at a new venue as we read through the suggestions made by attendees on the day and get our thinking caps on.
That may be a slight misnomer but we were certainly blessed with some fine weather for the Register’s National Weekend in mid-September 2021.
It was only a year late in arriving having been postponed from 2020 as the rise in Covid cases was increasing towards record heights over Christmas. However, all the details remained the same and the club is indebted to Simon & Julie Davies who provided the routes over the days, and to Ian & Angie Wright who diligently put the whole thing together…and then waited patiently for a year to make it happen!
The Chain Bridge Hotel just outside of Llangollen was a superb location for a great weekend. It stands at the bottom of a gorge right on the banks of the River Dee and squeezed between that and the start of the Llangollen canal. The rushing waters were a magnet for rafters and canoeists and even some balancing in the middle of rubber rings! We could watch them hurtle downstream bouncing between the rocks from the comfort of our balcony rooms some 20 feet above the waves. Look up to the other bank and Brwyn railway station perched opposite, with steam pulled trains all weekend. The Chain Bridge itself linked the hotel to the station and many took advantage of its proximity for a gentle steam ride into Llangollen over the weekend.
Three nights at the hotel meant three three-course dinners expertly provided in our own dining room by the hotel followed by drinks in the bar – all part of a good social weekend.
Low clouds in Snowdiona
Saturday was the run into Snowdonia. Beginning in gentle hills the route soon became narrower and steeper as the cars ascended the mountainside. That also meant clouds which unhelpfully made us all damp and obscured the view of Snowdon itself.
We had seen the scenes of cars parked alongside these narrow roads as staycationers trekked into the mountains and now we saw the evidence for ourselves – every lay by and (in)convenient spot was filled with parked cars. There was no stopping until we reached the town car parks of Llanberis just below the low cloudline. It probably didn’t help that a huge articulated low-loader was trying to drive up the mountain as well, it must have been pretty difficult even with the rear-wheel steering and a man with a radio at the back plus a line of MGFs behind him!
The route then continued to loop around Conwy and some took the full tour to admire the rugged coastline and the castle. At 160 miles that was too much for some but luckily there was a shortcut back from Llanberis along the A5 to the Chain Bridge Hotel which several cars took, owners relaxing with a cool beer back at the hotel in time for dinner.
Sunday was a shorter suggested route out to World’s End and the Horsehoe Pass and back via the famous viaduct. The routes were not obligatory and several members made Sunday a more relaxing day with a steam train ride to Llangollen and walk past the hotel to the Horseshoe Falls catching up with the Pass on the Monday as they began the journey home.
On the road in the mountains of North Wales
It was a great weekend with no pressure and no convoy drives plus a gathering every evening to find out what everyone had been up to during the day. A different type of club driving event and a very welcome one.
Parking at the Chain Bridge between the canal and the river could be tricky!
The MGF Register will be exhibiting at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Car Show which is being held from the 12th to 14th November at the NEC in Birmingham.
You will find us in Hall 3, stand 3-255 so please come over and say hello if you are attending.
A discount code will be e-mailed to all MGF Register Members as part of the next newsletter which will be landing shortly.
No….not what you may be thinking! The Register is building up a head of steam for a multi-region meet at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre on Sunday 10th October from 10am.
Make your own way there or go in a group but head for the Quainton Road Station in Quainton HP22 4BY. Special onsite parking all day and a much-reduced entry price of £6 per person with unlimited train rides on the “train of the day”.
The annual Register festive get-together returns to the Cricklade House Hotel in Wiltshire on Saturday 4th December. A spa hotel on the edge of the Cotswolds, it is an ideal setting for our Christmas festivities.
It is a simple weekend. Arrive at your leisure on Saturday, have a drink in the bar with other members in the afternoon, enjoy the spa facilities or do as you will. Meet up in the bar for pre-dinner drinks and then move into the dining room for a three-course dinner and raffle in aid of Young Minds. This is followed by the MGF disco, but if you don’t fancy dancing then the bar is open away from the shouts of “Who the “F*** is Alice?”! Wear your festive jumpers to breakfast on Sunday morning and for the obligatory festive group photo on the steps at the back of the hotel. That’s it – you can then visit local attractions, lounge around the hotel or simply head for home.
MGs are optional and dress code is smart casual or festive or evening dress – depending on your particular fancy.
E Mail Ian & Angie if you would like to join us – there may be a small number of rooms left events@mgfregister.org
