TSSC Fish and Chip Run to Dunwich, 18th July 2021

Another weekend, another run for the Triumph Herald. This one Mike’s TSSC Norfolk run to Dunwich for fish n chips.

9am saw us arrive at a Sainsbury’s on the east side of Norwich wondering how the 50 mile run was going to take until the 1.30pm meet time. 

Our first stop off was for a cuppa and a wander around the Sparrows Nest gardens in Lowestoft. Whilst not our first time here it is well worth the stop. It also managed to use up 45 minutes of our run time. Our next stop was at Ness Point, the Eastern most point of the United Kingdom. While there wasn’t much there we did meet up with the owners of a Herald estate for chat. Another 30 minus off our run time.

Next up was Henstead Art and Craft Centre and another 30 minutes down but we still had time to spare. It was starting to look like our next stop was Dunwich and we were looking like we were going to be early.

But, on one of the back roads, we spotted an open garden, Henstead Exotic Garden, well worth a visit incidentally, and another 45 minutes was spent.

We finally reached a very packed beech car park at Dunwich, we were the last Triumph to turn up, bang on 1.30pm. With some skilful manoeuvring we managed to get most of the Triumphs parked together in-between the rows of moderns. After 4 1/2 hours of driving the fish n chips were well worth it. The best we’ve had in a long time.

Charles Clark Classic Car Rally, Sunday 11th July 2021

This was the first run we’d been on in ages that we hadn’t organised. Starting at the Skeyton Goat with a bacon roll and a cuppa sharing a table with stalwarts of the run Kevin and Lou.

With our route map duly picked up and the official photo taken with the starting banner we were off.

Slightly different to the usual tulip route that we do in so much as there wasn’t any mileages given, just directions. Which, according to my navigator, actually made it easier.

The atmosphere was very friendly if a tad old. We spent the first part of the drive stuck behind an MX5 being driven very sedately.

Incidentally the MX5 seemed to be one of the more popular cars on the run, not what you’d call Classic but it does seem to be the car classic owners resort to when they’ve had enough of old cars. No surprise really because the are good cars that still has the old sports car feel.

We took a break at the Langham Dome (a restored anti-aircraft training facility) where, possibly not be chance, the East Coast Retros had arranged a meet up. Now on our own and Mazda free we could set our own pace.

Next stop off we took was the ruins of Binham Priory with a coffee sign. This turned out to be machine coffee so was declined by the navigator in favour of a plant.

Driving along the north Norfolk coast the clouds turned very dark and five minutes later the rain started. Thankfully we didn’t need to stop and the speed we we’re going g meant the rain went over the car keeping us dry.

We arrived at Creake Abbey just in time for lunch. 70 odd miles without a mistake, my uncertainty of using a route map without miles between junctions specified was totally unfounded. A great day to take the Herald out. It was about time she had a really good run.

For more information on the rally: www.charlesclarkrally.co.uk

Creake Abbey
The ruins of Creake Abbey

TSSC Run out to Peter Beales Roses, 27th June 2021

This repeat of our 2020 New Year run replaced our planned End of Lockdown which we had to cancel due to the lockdown being postphoned. With Christina giving out route maps in Swaffham and me doing the same at the Easton layby. Nick came along and hitched a lift in a very nice looking Spitfire mk2. Seven Triumphs and an Aston Martin attended. It was great to see some new faces and some youngsters joining in with the co-piloting.

The Stody Gardens Classic Vehicle Day, Sunday 30th May 2021

A bit of a last minute decision after seeing it advertised on Facebook the night before. We were already going to an open garden, with free entry for classic car drivers we thought we’d tag this one on too.

Our first car show in I don’t know how long. We arrived later than most and was suitably impressed with the number and selection of classic cars parked up. The gardens were well worth the trip too.

I’ll hopefully remember this one for next year and see if we can sort out a club convoy to it.

Gardens

TSSC Norfolk Drive It Day Scatter Treasure Hunt, Sunday 25th April 2021

Things finally seem to be happening! For our first run out for 2021 we organised a Scatter Treasure Hunt for Drive It Day similar to last years. To help comply with the Covid restrictions we had a selection of six possible start points that, which combined with a variable start time, reduced the risk of any “bunching” up at the start. The rest of the venues could be done in any order chosen.

The venues included a ruined castle and church, craft centres and a country park. Three points were given for correct answers but most of the points were given for spotting other cars on the run – three points for spotting one at a location and five points if the navigator managed to snap one on the move. There were also two double pointer bonus cars this year just to add a bit of excitement.

We had 14 classics turn up including a hat-trick of big Triumphs, making them the most popular model on the run. Other Triumphs were two Spitfires, two Vitesses, two TR7s, and a TR4A. Non Triumphs attending were two MGBs, a Trans Am (the double pointers) and a VW camper.

The winner, with a total of 74 points, was the Rutter clan from the TSSC Cambridge area. Runners up were Andy and Gill followed closely by Steve and Delia.

It was great to be able to take part in this one and it was great to see so many Triumphs darting about Norfolk!

TSSC Scatter Treasure Hunt

TSSC Norfolk area Scatter Treasure Hunt, Sunday 9th August 2020

Another car run that we couldn’t go on because we were organising it. For this run we tried something a bit different to lessen the numbers at any one location due to Covid.
We arranged the run to start at 2pm from a choice of any of seven locations completing the rest in any order. There was three points to be had for getting each question correct. But the real points were in photographing other classics. Three points for catching one at a location. Five points if you got more than one at a location and five points if the navigator managed to snap one while on the move.
Eleven classics turned up including three TR7s, three Spitties, a Herald, T2K along with a MG and a couple of big Yanks.
Judging by the photos that we had sent in a lot of fun was had. We just wish we could have been joining in instead of waiting with tea and cake at the refreshment stop.
TSSC Norfolk Area Scatter Treaure Hunt

TSSC Norfolk Run, 12th July 2020

Having only done 400 miles in the Herald since I replaced the head back in March due to the lockdown. A car run with route map that we weren’t organising seemed like the perfect opportunity to get the magic 500 miles done so I could re-torque the head.

Meeting up at the Easton lay-by for 10. With a route map in our grubby mitts we set off. We had a TR7 and Vitesse neither of which had a co-pilot following us. We soon caught up with another convoy of three Vitesse. Again with only the lead car with co-pilot who unfortunately took a wrong turning. The other two got it right and at the first “clue stop” dropped in behind us. So we now had a TR7 and three Vitesses behind us. Pressure was on the map reader!

At some of the “clue stops” there wasn’t room for our convoy to stop so we trundled past with eyes peeled.

Final stop was Gorleston seafront for a spot of lunch and a natter. Great first outing after lockdown.

 

Drive it Day 2020 – on your drive, 26th April 2020

It took a while to decide wether to do this one or not. But the TSSC were incouraging it so a post on the local facebook page saying we were doing it cemented the idea and gave us no going back. On the day we also had two other cars participating (MG and M Minor) in the village. The TSSC Norfolk post pushing it made it the busiest run the Norfolk area had had for a few years with 16 cars participating. We had quite a few passersby that seemed to appreciate something else to look at on their allocated one walk a day.

Now just waiting for the Coronavirus lock down to end.

TSSC members out in their driveways

Fish and Chip run to Dunwich, Sunday 15th March 2020

With my ‘new’ hardened head replaced on the Wednesday and my refurbished carbs put back on on the Friday. What the car really needed was a good run. A phone call on the Thursday afternoon to say the organiser wouldn’t be able to attend due to work and Coronavirus. It meant that I only had a few days to sort out a route.

The lack of time meant it was going to have to be sorted with Google maps without the chance to do a pre-run to check it out. So a postcode route was devised starting at the Gull Inn, south of Norwich. First stop was the Urban Jungle garden centre for a mid morning coffee break.

At this point we left the route to the others and went straight to Dunwich to put up signs and for me to get ready with my camera.

The others followed the route map which took them through Lowestoft (which included a flooded road by all accounts) a further stop off at Southwold harbour for thoise that hadn’t spent too long at the garden centre and on to Dunwich for a fish and chip meal.

Seven Triumphs started off from the Gull Inn including three TRs from the TR Register, who will hopefully ttend further runs. We were then joined by two further Triumphs from TSSC Cambridge at Dunwich. Not a bad turn out for the last gathering of Triumphs before Coronavirus put the country into lockdown.

We even made it on to the cover of the TSSC club magazine