'Triumph' - London to Brighton Run - Sat 8th August 2009

[Yellow Banana]

Good thing you're doing there Ken - seems to be gathering pace and getting some good responses - well done. Unfortunately - I can't make that one but hope all goes well with it.

YB

[Purplebargeken]

Cheers mate. Am hoping that it will all come together on the day. Hoping to hear more about routes and stickers, etc soon [-o< [-o<

[garyk]

This sounds like fun. We no longer have a Dolomite (having recently upgraded to nicely restored 2.5 PI) so it would be good to have the opportunity to mix in.

Do you have a proposed start time/location? I ask because we are only a month away now...

Cheers,

Gary.

[Purplebargeken]

Hi Gary, you'd be more than welcome. Indeed time is slipping by. Confidence is high that Martin B will hopefully let us have details of routes, etc as soon as he can. He has been a busy chap of late.

If not, it'll be: see you at such and such a chipshop on the day

[Purplebargeken]

Ok, am going to have to call in the help offered by various folk with regards to this event Time is a passing and before we know it the 8th August will be upon us.

So......... HELP! Please

[mbellinger]

Ken,

I have as you know been a bit snowed under in more ways than one.

I am going to be "proof driving" the route this weekend though, after which I will put up some proposals.

I have not yet run out of hope with the Council at Brighton regarding the ending but am pretty close. I will be examining an alternative finish Sunday. I still hope to run with two starts - one North, one South London with various accessible joining points on route.

The two starts will merge at a coffee stop late morning. I have two potential locations for this and will be examining both this weekend first hand. The objective is to arrive at Brighton middish afternoon giving people time to bugger off/walk on pier/buy fish and chipe/explore the Lanes/go round Royal Pavilion/delete as appropriate.

I am afraid the grand finish I was hoping for is more of a pipe dream now, but the event will still be a nice jaunt for most people I feel.

I am well aware of the interest and enthusiasm from other Triumph Clubs now.

As you say, help is appreciated, but the bare bones are very nearly there.

[Purplebargeken]

Hiya Martin, that's brilliant mate. Thanks ever so much for taking the time and making the effort. What was the issue with the council? Happy to print off and copy routes, whatever, etc. Just let me know.

Cheers

Ken

[1300dolly]

Its not looking good on the sticker front, people dont seem intrested in small runs anymore, i will go and kick a few people on tuesday.

[mbellinger]

Hi All,

Sorry its so late but I was exhausted after this weekend and just could not make it out of the chair for the last two hours!

I have proof driven the route today and as a result have made a number of significant changes from what was whizzing around in my head previously. I think the changes are for the better, and I am now broadly very happy with how things have turned out. I have had lots and lots of conflicting thoughts on how to do things, but think now I have a formula that will work, and work well. There are two or three critical bits that I have to tie up, not least with Brighton and Hove Council. I also have to speak to The Ace, but below are the bones of it.

The event divides neatly into three phases. I cannot really believe that I have made this rod for my own back, and by golly some help will be needed to marshall things on the day; but I have ended up with three starts - hear me out.

So, Phase 1 - The Start

Three points of starting:

North London, Bucks, Herts and further afield cars will start at The Ace Cafe on the A406 North Circular Road. I need to work on the timings but these cars, who have furthest to go, will need to be away by about 9.30am, so will be congregating from around 8.30am. I will need a volunteer to marshall this start (I had sort of written Ken's name against this rather presumptiously old friend ).

Kent, South London, & North Sussex cars will start from Greenwich Park in south London and will congregate from the General Wolfe Statue down the main drive. This start also has a fully operational cafe for those requiring sustenance. I will marshall this start though some help will be appreciated (see below under 'marshalls').

The third start depends on numbers and interest. But for our Surrey, A3/M3 corridor, and Berks friends, there can be a start at Box Hill cafe on the A25 near Leatherhead, which happily also (fairly obviously)has a good cafe. If this start becomes a goer, I will need a marshall or two.

The Box Hill and the Greenwich cars will leave at about 10.00, so as to not be miles ahead of the Ace cars.

The Ace cars will proceed clockwise around the North Circular, via the A13, and A102, through the Blackwall Tunnel, and via Kidbrooke to The A20. They will then follow exactly the same route as the Greenwich cars, albeit slightly behind them. This will take them via Brands Hatch race circuit through Wrotham and Borough Green where the route will turn south through the Weald of Kent and some of the nicest countryside the county has to offer. There the route turns south west and down skirting tothe north west of Tunbridge Wells.

The Box Hill cars will meander via the A25, etc down the Horsham Road to Crawley, and then via Copthorne and Felbridge to East Grinstead, and thus across country towards Tunbridge Wells.

Which brings us neatly to:

Phase 2 - The Merge

All three routes will proceed down to an area just north west of Tunbridge Wells. They should, if it all comes together by lumpy custard, arrive in this area by late morning/lunchtime. The routes will then join at Groombridge Place(http://www.groombridge.co.uk/) and Enchanted Forest. We will spend some time here and becasue of this I am negotiating a concession on the entry price for cars as it is worth it tenfold, and there is an excellent cafe. This will be a chance to get out of the cars and chat and wander around this wonderful venue. Which brings us to:

Phase 3 - The Push For Glory

Cars will now, altogether leave Groombridge and proceed over the rugged beauty of the Ashdown Forest through some of the best scenery in the south of England via Uckfield and Maresfield to Lewes in Sussex, where we will turn through (yes through, as in under) the south downs via the Cuilfail Tunnel, and will emerge on to the A27 just outside Newhaven. From there its down the A27, left via the University campus, and into Brighton Town Centre, by St Peters Church and The Royal Pavillion, and thence the seafront, and the FINISH. Arrival eta mid-afternoon. If it is like today was weather-wise, you will want to stay a while. Cars then are free to do as they wish and can leave at will. If the Portsmouth, Hants posse wish to trundle along the A27, to join us they will be warmly welcomed.

Marshalls

I need a couple of Marshalls at each start to corral people and generally get them away on time, also to monitor pace etc. en route. I say two because if for any reason one marshall has a problem (car or otherwise), someone can step up to the plate. The two can then go front and rear when driving so as to keep a steady pace. I will be provioding two way radios for the marshall cars to speak to each other.

So there it is. I will find a way with Ken of distributing detailed route information (which I have yet to write up, of course). I will also be setting out a few ground rules.

Now, all we need to know is:

Who can help out?
Who fancies coming?

[Reg]

Fantastic job Martin.. I met up with Lee (dallliiisss) yesterday, and he mentioned that Box hill would be a great place to start for the A3,M3 and southern area..so to read of your fab plan he must of read your mind!.. The location and time sounds perfect to me..

[Purplebargeken]

Martin, you are a star. That sounds brilliant to me, even if I don't know any of the area (apart from the Ace that is).

Righto then. A definitive list of who is joining us please. The North/South divide will need to be identified as well if you may.

Martin, I'll pm you with my email addy and we can discuss distribution, etc in more depth. I also have a set of walkie talkies

I will email the other folk who are interested in coming as well.

Brill stuff!

Thanks again. Now all we need are some stickers, or maybe a dash plaque? Anyone know any trophy shops?

Ta

Ken

[mbellinger]

To underscore what Ken has said, please, please let us know who is coming and which start you want to go to. You can do so by posting on this thread or by PM.

We will need someone to liaise with the other Triumph Clubs who have been invited as well.

This is hugely important as a lot of work is going on and if it just Reg, Ken and me; I know a lovely place in town we can go and get plastered without the aggravation of dealing with four police forces, two town councils, English Heritage and numerous other bodies riddled with bureaucracy, which is the world I am currently occupying.

So come on - the more the merrier. If DM is imminent could we please get a mention in there for non forum members(?)

All offers of help appreciated as well.

This will be a good day, and whatever happens we will travel through some wonderful places, with no pressure at all, and plenty of time to wander around talking Dolomites etc. It would be fantastic to try and get at least 10 Dolomites at each start, never mind what other Triumphs appear.

So come join us, and let us know that you are coming please. This is OUR event, not MINE.

[Purplebargeken]

Ok. Just a bit of an update. I have liaised with the Kent TR Register folk who would be most happy to join us. I should have an idea of numbers fairly soon.

I am going to have a cut off point of Friday 31st July 2009 for people letting us know if they are coming.

Please pm me the details of your full name, car and reg number for a certificate though.

Don't forget to let me know which starting point you will be using. This is very important.

Cheers

Ken

[Johnny D]

okie cokie then i've now posted around all the forums that i'm allowed to be a member of the TSSC are the only one i can't get through to however Stags, Register, TR drivers and club triumph are all well aware of this event...


so good luck, i come of Holiday the day before this run and probably won't make it, but never say never eh!

[Howard81]

Excellent work Martin!

I would be starting from Greenwich Park as it's quite close to me, and I'm more than happy to lend a hand on the day.