Latest News

A very Happy New Year to you all!
First of all a date for your diary, 14 to 16 September. This is when Roger and Janice Hall will be organising this year’s section weekend. They both realised that Paul and Sue Frankie would be a hard act to follow, as those who attended the last two weekends in the Lake District will testify. Please give Roger and Janice your support for this event, which will be based at Headlam Hall, near Darlington. For further details please contact 01845 522212 or you can ring me.
Of course, thanks to all the members of the committee, there will be lots of other interesting events to look forward to this year and I would urge you to support them. It is very frustrating to spend lots of time and effort arranging things and then find there is little interest.
I would like to welcome Jim Clark to the committee and I know that Jim (who attends just about every event) is very enthusiastic and wants the section to move forward and be successful.
As Jim joins then sadly Paul Frankie has decided to stand down after serving for fifteen years with a short break in between. I would like to pay a tribute to all he has done, ably assisted by his lovely wife, Sue. A small presentation was made at the Honest Lawyer on 21 December to say thank you.
We still have a vacancy, however, so if there is a willing volunteer out there please make yourself known! The only stipulation is that you will be asked to organise one event each year.
Keep those lovely cars polished and I hope to see you soon.
Peter

The AGM has been and gone and your new committee for 2012 has been elected. A warm welcome to Jim Clark, our newest committee member, who I am sure will have some new ideas to bring to the table. The McGarr trophy this year also went to Jim Clark and the Ray Hornsby trophy went to our section treasurer, Grahame McDonald, for his lovely Silver Cloud III, which is a credit to him.

The committee are now considering what events to organise for 2012. The section weekend this year is, by the request of members, at Headlam Hall. This will be our third visit to this first class hotel, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

The Auction Front for 2012 has an early start with Historics at Brooklands on 18 February. On offer are a 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, which is a delightful car finished in Silver with a Blue trim, with an estimate of £8,000-£10,000; these cars are becoming hard to find in this condition. Also an elegant and rare example of a 1969 Bentley T-Type Mulliner/Park Ward Convertible, with an estimate of £14,000-£19,000, a much better investment than the bank. You may have noted that some cars of the marque are rising steadily in price as more and more people are investing in cars, as interest on cash on deposit is so low at the present time; who knows where it will all end.

The annual club conference this year will soon be upon us. If any member has any issues they wish to raise would you please let your section secretary, Peter, know.
Drive Carefully
Derek

The McGarr trophy was won by Jim Clark and the Ray Hornsby trophy by Grahame McDonald for his beautiful Silver Cloud III, sadly not driven as much as Grahame would like these day. These trophies were both presented by our president, Gordon Blacklock.

Martin has been doing a bit or research regarding ethanol in petrol and has been recommended to the following websites, which make slightly happier reading than the information he had received so far.
Have a look and see what you think.

Jim receiving the McGarr Trophy

Grahame receiving the Ray Hornsby Trophy

We have organised a Sunday lunch for March 11 at Walworth Castle Hotel, Walworth, Darlington, Co. Durham DL2 2LY.
Time to arrive is 12o'clock for 12.30pm - 1.00pm lunch in the Ballroom. The cost will be £23pp, which includes a small gratuity and also a small amount for the section. We need to have at least 30 bookings in order to get the room free.