Testing Trial Charnage Down September 1989 reported by Greg Warren


MCC TESTING TRIAL – 10 SEPTEMBER 1989 CHARNAGE DOWN, MERE, WILTSHIRE report by Greg Warren

This years event at Charnage Down (or was it Carnage Down?!) was the third MCC Testing Trial. This annual day out consists of seven Classic Trial type tests each timed, with marks being awarded for completion of each section correctly and the time taken to do so. The object being to have a clean sheet and a quick time. There were three runs at each section. With the Classic Trial season fast approaching this was a good day for some gentle practice. The site at Charnage Down is a large -grassy field on the chalk downs right alongside the A303 with several steep, adverse cambers which made for a good days entertainment.
There were five Torbay Motor Club crews taking part; Arthur/Jenny Vowden – V.W. Buggy, Dean Vowden/me V.W. Notchback, Phil Tucker/Michael Tucker – Escort 1600, Graham Greenwell/Carol Jones – 2 litre Triumph Vitesse powered Marlin and Keith Lee/ 1600 Marlin. So a good representation from T.M.C. travelled up to Wiltshire with Arthur and Jenny in the Rover 300 SDi (very comfy) with the Buggy on the A bar behind, met Dean and had a good look over his new trials machine a black V.W. Notchback which is in very good condition and has a real old Devon regisistration number – 65 POD. “I scrapped an Anglia with – registration 62 PDV some years ago” bxxxxx fool!   Dean had fitted a new clutch and stiffened up the suspension. We signed on and then had quite a long wait before proceeding to the first section this gave me time to chat to the Trials crowd, some whom I had not seen for quite a while, and find out what sort of oposition would be about for the coming season.
SECTION 1 was a blast around three cones with a yump in the middle had a good run got the front wheels well in the air and a couple of nice handbrake turns.

SECTION 2 very short right hander around cone and stop astride
line on ridge this was very tight and impossible to get straight on line, we got faster on each run but hit a marker on the third and final run this incurred a 25 second penalty added onto our time.

SECTION 3 a nice long uphill climb with a stop astride line on ridge then roll back and blast to the finish.

SECTION 4 down hill to astride line then reverse uphill to astride line and down around right hander to finish. I managed to break the hand strap in the Notchback through over enthusiastic bouncing when we were reversing uphill.

SECTION 5 was on the steeper and rougher part of the course faster more hair-raising and more enjoyable with a very steep downhill finish. Jenny was looking a little perplexed after the first run at this section and suggested to Arthur that he slow down just a little as she would prefer to hang onto the Buggy rather than be launched into mid air. Notice I said hang onto the Buggy because to stay in the seat was pretty impossible!

SECTION 6 The wall of death, speaks for itself, this must have been the most entertaining section for the spectators because after the very steep camber bit, came a sharp yump on which all the faster drivers virtually left the ground and landed practically across the finish line. On the first run Dean took the ‘wall of death’ idea to the extreme and I hung out the passengers window – I was glad he did not slow down – as we may have gone over!

SECTION 7 caused a number of cars some unnecessary damage when reversing down hill across a track and could have been sited a lot better.

As I have said before there were three runs at seven sections all timed and we managed to get faster on each run. Phil Tucker looked to be putting in some fast times really throwing the Escort around. Gay Greenwell produced some very clean and controlled driving in the Marlin which resulted in him winning his class (open cars) and beating some out and out trials specials which cost far more than his Marlin to build.
The closed car class was won by a Beetle driven by one of the Jose brothers who had travelled all the way from the other side of Truro in Cornwall to compete, second in this class was an Escort 1600 Mk 2 driven by Andy Webb from Weymouth
The trophy for the fastest overall competitor was won by a motor cycle and side-car. These trials outfits must surely be the most spectacular to watch getting up to such antics as the passenger falling off, pulling two wheel wheelies and completely turning over.

There were a great selection of cars taking part including a 5.5 litre Allard a chain driven 1920’s Trojan, a Renault 18 and a 1300 Fiesta to name a few. I think everyone had an enjoyable time despite a cold wind blowing most of the day.  Greg

NB: Yes Greg, the Wall of Death did frighten the pants off me! and apparently its on record on Phil’s video? with the Buggy launched into full flight and me shouting “Oh No Arthur slow down”     Jenny