MR2 Drivers Club North West Region

August 2001

Written by Karen Farrimond

TATTON PARK - 18^TH & 19^TH AUGUST 2001

 The MR2DC North West region attends Tatton Park Classic, Vintage and Sports Car show every year.  This year the event was a joint one between the MR2DC North West, IMOC-UK and the MK1 Register and, in anticipation of the much larger than usual turnout, we were given the largest plot on the showground.  All we needed were enough cars to fill it and with everyone pushing the event for all it was worth, hopes were high for a great event.

Tatton Park actually starts on the Friday evening when the first organisers arrive and the annual “who can mow the most grass” competition begins.  This year’s event was particularly difficult for competitors as the grass was about 3 feet long because the sheep that usually do most of the hard work during the year had been relegated to a lesser division due to the foot and mouth crisis.  After the result had been declared, a tie I think in the interests of diplomacy, tents were pitched.  At least, they were if you remembered to take your tent poles with you, weren’t they Michael?  As I wasn’t there on the Friday night I’m relying on what other people have told me, but I believe Johnny G’s jokes were as bad as ever, and beer was drunk in large quantities. 

Saturday morning dawned fairly dull.  Nevertheless, by the time Allan and I arrived at Tatton just after 8 a.m. the campers were up and the barbecue was sizzling.  Only Lauren was still asleep but this problem was solved by Johnny G backing his car to within 2 feet of her tent and revving his engine very loudly.  That worked.  After that, everyone worked.  Gazebos were put up, signage was displayed and bunting stretched from pillar to post, and back again.   By 9 a.m. we were ready – knackered, but ready – as the first cars started to arrive. 

Our display was in the form of a Formula 1 grid for the modified cars, with Allan’s car, complete with stripe and strobe lighting, acting as pace car.  The rest of the cars on the Saturday were arranged in a very fetching fan-like display.  As well as our own cars we had display cars from Oakmere, the local Toyota dealer.  They delivered a Mark II, Mark III and a brand new Celica, complete with new style registration plate, on the Friday night.  On the Saturday they delivered another brand new Mark III.  This one was so new it still had the cardboard packaging on the brake discs, and they delivered it on a trailer to stop it getting any miles on the clock (it had only done 4 miles!).  They also delivered a young lady to act as liaison, support and minder for the cars and also to hand out literature to the public.  She must have drawn the short straw at work on Friday.  Our thanks to Oakmere for supporting us, and we hope they found it a worthwhile experience.  Unfortunately, one of our other “trade” guests couldn’t make it.  Club MR2 had intended to visit from down south, but the owner’s father was taken seriously ill just before Tatton and, understandably, he had far more important things to do and places to be.  Our best wishes to Mick and we wish his father a speedy recovery.

 We were a little disappointed by the turnout on Saturday.  We’d been promised about 70 cars and we actually had about 38 on the stand.  Still, that was far in excess of what we would usually expect at Tatton and well worth the larger plot.  It could be that the weather also kept a few people away.  It started fairly ok, but then it rained.  It cleared up for a bit, and then it rained again.  After that it just rained.  Did you know that in the auto jumble section at Tatton there’s a bloke who has nothing whatsoever to do with cars.  All he sells are umbrellas, wellies, and those big cape-like raincoats.  Every year people come to Tatton expecting good weather, and every year he sells them an umbrella and a raincoat.  And the next year the same people do exactly the same thing.  He makes an absolute mint that bloke!  Still, rain at Tatton is nothing unusual for those in the know so it doesn’t exactly dampen the spirits, especially for those who are camping over because they drink beer in large quantities throughout the day.

 So, this camping lark then.  Not for me I’m afraid, so again I’m relying on what people have told me, and the video evidence.  Oh Yes! There is a video!  And very interesting viewing it makes too.  Things started to get a bit surreal when a couple who’d already pitched their tent decided they’d had a better offer in going out with some mates for a 21^st, but offered to leave their tent just in case anyone needed it.  At that point, Allan decided he wanted to stay.  Jon had the same idea.  No gear, no clean clothes, no bedding, no food, but what the hell, stay anyway.  So they did.  There was a remote possibility of them being able to share this so-called 3-man (person?) tent, until they discovered that whoever measured three people measured pygmies by mistake.   Even Jon, who’s not the tallest bloke in the world, had to sleep corner to corner to fit it, so Allan was relegated to sleeping in his car.  He wasn’t the only one.  Several people slept in their cars.  Michael, I think, was another one, and Fotoman Dave.  I haven’t quite worked that one out.  On Saturday night there was definitely a post on the IMOC group which said Dave was going back to Tatton, to camp, and he was taking his tent with him.  Perhaps everyone else was just too drunk to help him put the tent up because he certainly ended up sleeping in his MR2. 

 The Saturday night MR2 party seems to have been a blast.  Beer was drunk in enormous quantities, and brandy.  Vodka also.  Did you know that with a little bit of technology, a few wires, and a lot of ingenuity and if all the car radios are tuned to the same frequency then it can be managed that they all play the same music.  “Radio” Johnny G came up with that one – he has to make up for his jokes somehow.   

 With three car radios turned up to full volume the MR2 party drowned out the officially organized Tatton Park disco, and with Allan’s car there they could have strobe lighting effects as well.  That effect was beaten however by Paul’s exotic “flare dance”.  (Don’t ask!).  

 Someone also had a lucky escape when, at about 2.30 a.m. Paula, and an unnamed third party, decided they were going to play some tricks on the sleeping campers.  Unfortunately, they couldn’t remember whose tent was whose and, not wanting to pick on an innocent visitor, they decided not to risk it.

Sunday started very hung over.  I made a mistake earlier when I said Fotoman Dave slept in his car.  He may have stayed in his car but from the sounds of things I don’t think he got much sleep.  Sounds like he was far too ill for that.  If any of the pictures he took on Sunday are in focus and develop properly it will be a miracle.

On Sunday we’d been promised about 90 cars.  Again we were a few short but we did manage 58, not counting the Oakmere ones, so it was still a very impressive turnout. 

The weather was as perverse as ever.  It started off ok, then it rained solidly for an hour and a half, and then ten minutes later it was so hot it would have cracked the paving flags, if there’d been any paving flags at Tatton.  Sunday is judgment day at Tatton.  Not for the sins of the previous night but for the best cars in their classes.  This year there were trophies for the top three in each class of MK1, MK2 and Roadster.  For the record the winners were:-

 MK1 

1^st.       B55 WNB          Chris Bennion

2^nd.       A7 MOE            Moe Edwards

3^rd.        C131 FMP         Tony Raymond

MK2

1^st.       FAZ 1962           Allan Farrimond

2^nd.       G4 REG            Carol Morrell & Graham Quinn

3^rd.        SJI 4209            Richard Ford & Tracy Rimmer

 Roadster

1^st.       W363 XAJ         Hazel Lingwood

2^nd.       W884 PNA        Elizabeth Lord

3^rd.        X128 NFR          Terry George

Also on Sunday is the competition for the Best Stand In Show.  We have won this in the past and this year we knew we stood a good chance simply from the sheer size of our stand and turnout.  In the end we came 3^rd out of 6.  We were beaten only by the Jaguars (2^nd place) who were having their 30^th anniversary, and the Rolls Royces (1^st place) and, let’s face it, they do have a head start with their cars.  The most important thing though is that we beat the Mercedes Benz owners’ club.  They only came 4^th.  We always beat them, it’s a point of honor, and then when we have our usual plot, next to theirs, we sit and pull faces at them because our trophy’s better than theirs.  Not that we’re being childish at all but…ner, ner, ne-ner, ner.  

Back to more serious matters and the very necessary list of “thank-you’s”.

Thanks to Stuart and the Tatton Park main organizers for being so obliging and helpful.

Thanks to Oakmere for the loan of the cars.

Thanks to the MR2DC main club for the support, the advertising, the gazebos and for the regalia which went down a bomb.

Thanks to everyone from other regions who traveled to support us.  It was great to meet you all.  Our aim was to have the largest turnout for this year’s show and we certainly achieved that.  We couldn’t have done it without you.  Special mentions for Zoe and Dave, Lauren, and Michael, who were brave enough to camp out.  

Thanks to our regulars for turning out in support as always.

Special thanks too, to Paul and Nikki, Allan, and Jon and Debbie for the organising, the grass mowing and loads of other stuff.

Extra special thanks to Bob Newton who did most of the organizing of this year’s event and who was tireless in his efforts to make it a success. 

Finally - if you’re coming to Tatton for a future event remember, pack clothing for everything from tropical heat to snow blizzard, plenty of food, plenty of drink (it doesn’t have to be alcoholic), and be prepared to have a great time.  You won’t be disappointed. 

By the way, next year is the 10^th Anniversary of the MR2DC North West region.  Could be there’ll be a massive party at Tatton Park to celebrate.  Could be you’re all invited.

 See you there!!!