Classical Gas
www.classictrials.co.uk
For me the Guy Fawkes is my favourite event, for four years I was Secretary of the Meeting and on my first run as a competitor in 1958 I was the lucky man with the only clean sheet and the President's Cup.
Going back to early 1954 for a moment, and before the change in style in the Guy Fawkes, David Chiles had had the idea of a long event as far back as 1950, but the Committee wanted to wait a year or two before undertaking a full scale trial, so it was early in 1954 when a small party went exploring in the Cotswolds. Maps were carefully checked, and anyone who we knew who could possibly help was contacted, and so gradually a route was found, then letters were sent out to various clubs asking if they would like an invitation to such a trial. This idea appealed to other clubs, and the Guy Fawkes as we now know it was started. To be able to say that the Guy Fawkes is a " Classic " gives me a lot of pleasure, as it does to record that our Club although started after the War, has in the Guy Fawkes one of the only remaining links with pre. war trials.
The only other “Classics" are of course the “Exeter" and the “Lands End." In these latter two events it must be remembered that the competitors compete against the Club, whereas in the Guy Fawkes competitors compete with one another, and we have an outright winner.
For the club the Guy Fawkes has brought us many friends. and many new members. It has also made the club known amongst motoring circles over a wide part of the country.
Trials of this nature have an atmosphere which is quite different from the average rally, time is the deciding factor in a rally. and competitors have not the time to stop for one another, but in a trial the time schedule is easier, because the observed sections decide the winner. So, the atmosphere during the event is , much more friendly, and the newcomer can be sure of some friendly advice when tackling his first observed section. A lot of firm friendships have developed from trials, and many of the regulars run together as a team. Three of us (H. Tucker-Peake, D. Fleming, and myself). who run together on M.C.C. events formed a team, and “The Falconers” are well known amongst trials folk, and when- ever we are out, the talk always turns to Falcon events. “The Falconers" are also the spearhead of the sub-committee which organises the Guy Fawkes. One of the tasks we have to do is a trip right round the route. On these occasions, Peter Allison usually joins us, not that the trip is any joyride though. The big problem is to find a new hill, and our searching has taken us many hours, when we are lucky enough, then we reckon to walk it first, to look for any snags, then if the hill is alright we have the route card to change, and a route card must be accurate, otherwise the whole entry can take the wrong road.
