This years Classic Harvest Tour was a great success and although it was a bit chilly the rain did hold off.

A first for this year was our Saturday evening Scatter Rally for those who were staying overnight at the Comfort Inn Hotel, this, the evening meal and a chat at the bar later was a great start to the weekend and proved very popular.

Sunday was a great success with everyone enjoying a fabulous tour of the surrounding countryside
with a few surprises thrown in!

Once again we had professional photographer Tony Large with us,
please visit his website to view his superb selection of pictures.

Tony Large website link (click on the 'rallying' link)

The 2010 page is now complete with pictures of every car on the tour and reports from Terry and two crews, these make great reading and give a good feel to what the event offers. If you're thinking about an entry for 2011 hurry up as we already have 37 entries. 2011 webpage coming soon.

tony beale | webmaster | contact

In past years the night before the Harvest Tour has seen a few crews who had travelled down early, wondering around looking for somewhere to eat and/or something to do. So this year we made the decision to try to put together a full weekend of entertainment.

After an afternoon of preparation, we began welcoming people at about 5:00 before cars were scrutineered and everyone enjoyed an evening meal laid on by our HQ hotel. Then came the first real challenge; a competitive Navigational Scatter Rally run under an MSA Clubsport permit.

Scatter rallies require a very different approach to normal rallies. They are very much tactical events as it is important to balance the time spent plotting the various points to visit against the time required to drive around them.

Unfortunately most crews were over optimistic about how quickly they could drive the narrow Berkshire lanes in the dark and spent time plotting many more search points than they could possibly reach in the time allowed for the event.

Brian and Janette Dwelly won first prize after turning in the best performance, but everyone gained lots of experience and will be able to give a better account of themselves next year having learnt lots, both on the event and in the bar afterwards.

Sunday morning dawned dry but very cold, unusual for a Harvest Tour weekend, and more cars arrived to complete the field of 51 cars taking part in the main event.

After a bacon roll breakfast cars set out on the first section which went generally westwards via the valleys of the rivers Pang and Lambourn, with a couple of controls strategically placed to keep people on their toes. The first of which required crews to approach via a small gravel layby and this caught out many people.

The short first section finished with a coffee break at Littlecote House. Once used by Henry VIII to court Jane Seymour, Littlecote is a 15th century mansion that is now a Warner Leisure hotel. So the arrival of 51 classic cars in front of the imposing house attracted a good crowd of hotel guests.

Forty minutes later cars set out on the second section which circumnavigated Hungerford on its way to Newbury and as they left crews were confronted with the first of a series of optional navigational challenges that gave the correct route through complicated junctions. Unfortunately after only a few miles a deep puddle, on a sharp right hand bend, was the undoing of Jeremy and Robin Hunter who hit the water too hard with the off-side wheels of their Fiat 126 Arbath and snapped a halfshaft.

Also in trouble was Terry and Janet Powell’s E-Type which somehow managed to have both brake fluid reservoirs fracture with a resulting loss of fluid. Unable to correct the problem at Newbury the Powells nursed the car home and returned in a modern Jaguar to re-enter the event half way through the last section.

At Newbury the Town Council had again given us permission to park in the town square whilst everyone enjoyed lunch in one of the many pubs and restaurants available. Having all of the cars lined up in the square certainly gave the event a continental feel as well as attracting a large number of spectators, many of whom had made a special trip to Newbury to see us.

The third and final section was split into two with a short natural break at Tothill service station on the A34. The first part used the Jogularity navigation system, another new feature of the Harvest Tour, whilst the usual tulip section completed the event. The jogularity section consisted of a loop out to the west to take in a visit to Walbury Hill, the highest point in South East Englad, and included three sections of one hundredth of a mile, defining the way around a triangle. This confused many people but a marshal was on hand to point out the correct route.

The sting in the tail was a crossing of Bucklebury ford where, because of the depth of water, we gave everyone the option of taking an alternative route but, surprisingly, most people decided to go through using a variety of different techniques, some very successful and others less so, although those that stopped soon got going again with no serious damage done.

Back at the hotel, everyone enjoyed afternoon tea whilst finisher’s awards were presented to everyone. The loudest cheer going to the marshals as they too received awards. They had spent the whole day outside on one of the coldest days of the year so far and still did a great job whilst remaining cheerful throughout. For this reason we would like to extend our particular thanks to them, but we would also like to thank the entrants who made this the most sociable Harvest Tour so far.

Our view is that the changes to the Harvest Tour have generally been successful so we hope to retain them, with refinements for next year and hopefully we will see all of our friends back again then.

Terry and Helen

The Sunbeam Rapier Owners Club annual end of summer Sunday event needs no publicity, attracting some 50 entries this year. They ranged from John Smith and Chris Campsell’s Suzuki Cappucino to Graham Hallett’s Ronart and Adrian and Andrea Tucker’s Range Rover. 

The event has developed a mystique all of its own – low key and friendly, non-competitive but challenging, accessible for locals and well worth reaching for more distant entrants.  Each year Terry and Helen Schraider find beautiful places to go and interesting places to stop – and each year they manage to find a new twist.  Each year, there are more beautifully prepared and very cherished cars to enjoy. The welcome is the same for all, and a wide range of cars participate.

The main event took its usual form. First we explored the little roads that lead up to Downs between the Pang and Lambourn Rivers, never far from the busy but other world of the M4, and on to coffee at imposing Littlecote House where Henry VIII courted Jane Seymour.

The second section took us close to the Crofton Beam engines near the Bedwyns and then through lovely Kintbury Park and into the town Square at Newbury for lunch. It is the second time the local Council has welcomed us to the cobbled centre of the town, a splendid array of cars drawing much attention while teams were welcomed in the various town centre pubs.

At this point Terry and Janet Powell disappeared in their E-type, only to reappear in a modern road car, both brake cylinders having failed on the Jaguar simultaneously. The afternoon session was more ambitious – 52 miles including spectacular Walbury Hill and then, skirting Greenham Common, back to Bucklebury Common and home via the aforesaid ford.   What is it about Fords and fords – the Escort Mexico Mk 1 of Ian Martingale liked it so much it wanted to stay.

Because Terry and Helen provide both distance and time at every point, and one can choose to adhere to the recommended schedule this makes  the event tight without encouraging excessive speeds.  They introduced a new trick this time –Jogularity, which everyone took in their stride. 

They also throw in optional plot and bash handouts to show the correct route through complicated junctions although I was embarrassed to miss two because we were too busy trying to keep to the recommended time schedule – such is the lot of a rally navigator.

This was the seventh year of a most enjoyable event, very well organized and marshalled.

Terry says it is his hobby – long may he give great enjoyment to rally enthusiasts with varying levels of experience. Next year, he promises that we’ll explore the Chilterns – and maybe I can get the trusty, but less rusty, Rover ready this time.

Ken Edwards & Paul Richardson

For several years now I have enjoyed owning my JBA Falcon Tourer kit car. For those that are not familiar with the car, the running gear is Ford Cortina, mounted on the JBA chassis. It is powered by a 2.0 litre Pinto engine, driving through a five speed box.

Throughout the year I enjoy several runs out to various car shows and rallies and get much pleasure from chatting to fellow enthusiasts. However what I really enjoy is to get out into the country and drive along the twisty back roads.

Last year I discovered the HRCR scenic Tours and thought they were just the sort of event I was looking for, not too taxing for the inexperienced crew, but still a challenge to get round the correct route without getting lost!

Having thoroughly enjoyed the 2009 Harvest Tour my brother Michael and I were keen to have another go at the 2010 event.

As I live in Bedford it was an early start on Sunday morning, as we wanted to be at the start venue for about 8 am. After an uneventful run down the M1, M25 and M4, (I hate motorways in the JBA) we arrived at the Comfort Hotel.

On arrival the car was quickly through scrutineering. Then it was into the hotel for signing on where we were given our Tour plate, Road Book and Route Cards. We were then able to sit down for a much needed bacon roll and a cup of tea. Breakfast was a good time to have a look through the route instructions. These were by Tulip diagram together with accumulative and incremental mileage between the tulips, and perhaps a route description such as a sign post detail or road name. New for this year was a Jogularity section which is similar to the Tulip without the junction diagram. The event was to be split into three sections, two before lunch, and one after.

Suitably refreshed it was back outside to put on the Tour plate. Unfortunately it was still quite overcast with quite a chill in the air, so we decided to leave the hood up.

We then had the chance to look around the wonderful mix of fifty or so classic cars taking part. Austin Healeys, Porsches, Volvo Amazons, to name but a few.

After a short briefing by Terry Schraider the Clerk of the course, the first car was away at 9:15. Twenty one minutes later we were on the start line. Remembering to zero the tripmeter, and we were off.

Having got round the route last year without any major problems, this year we thought we would set ourselves a further challenge and try to keep to the suggested time schedule when booking into controls. We also wanted to complete the optional handouts that are passed to the crews from the marshals along the route.

 We quickly settled into the instructions.
Section A of the route took us west passing along winding lanes, weaving over and under the M4, passing through many picturesque villages. With all good intentions of keeping to the suggested time, we still arrived early at one control.

The first section was 31 miles long and finished at the palatial Littlecote House set in wonderful grounds, just to the west of Hungerford. The cars set the house off to perfection, parked on the curved drive in front of the house. Visitors to the house enjoyed looking at the cars and asking questions and reminiscing “I had a car like that back in……” 

The next section took us first south of Hungerford and then back east along more great roads. One of the optional handouts on this section had us scratching our heads and again we found ourselves arriving at two controls early. Ironically we then finished late at Newbury market square. The control was conveniently situated in one of the towns hostelries.

For the lunch break we were allowed to park the cars on the attractive town square normally closed to traffic. This location giving crews several options on places to eat, or visit the canal wharf for a picnic lunch.

The final section was self start just over 1.5 miles out of Newbury.

The section was split into two halves. The first 28 miles was a Jogularity section as described earlier. Towards the start of this section the route took us to Walbury Hill. Here we smiled for our photo to be taken as we drove past the events photographer. The hill is just under 1000 feet above sea level, and it afforded some great views as we drove along. We then continued east passing through Eastwoodhay then almost back to Newbury for a five minute rest halt.

We then set off on the second half of this section where the navigation was back to the familiar Tulip instructions.

For the adventurous this section had a ford to pass through, or could be bi-passed is so wished. We decided on the latter as the exhaust is fairy low on the JBA and I didn’t want to end the day pulling that off. On taking a look when we went by, I think we made the right choice for us. It looked quite deep (rumours of 10”), I saw an Escort with the bonnet up being dried out and another couple of cars coughing and spluttering as they went on there way. After the ford it was a short run back to the finish at the Comfort Hotel where for good measure we were late again.

All we had to do now was enjoy a well earned cup of tea, and a sandwich and compare notes with some of the other entrants.

All crews that made it back received a finisher’s plaque. This year we were pleased with how well we had managed in our attempt to keep to time, as it was a good improvement on our previous year’s effort. With finishers awards presented and farewells made, we paid our deposit for next years event and set off for home. This time missing the busy motorways on Sunday evening! By the time we got home, we had completed around three hundred trouble free miles.

The event turned out to be all that we had hoped. Unfortunately the weather was not so good, but at least the rain held off!

To sum up we had a great days motoring on some great twisty country roads, passing through some very attractive places along the way.

A big thanks to Terry and Helen and all the marshals, without whom this event would not be possible.

We look forward to next year. Who knows, perhaps we might improve on this year’s effort?

 Nigel & Michael Bartram