Triumph Sports Six Club Northants Area

With spring just around the corner at long last we can think about getting our cars out and start enjoying some events. I have applied for tickets for the Kimbolton Charity Classic. This show has been very popular as we join up with Peterborough area and Herts & Beds to put on a large display of Triumphs. If you are interested in coming along then do let me know. The International Spares Day at Stoneleigh was a great success for our club. Martin and Ian had their Stags on display attracting many admirers. Norman and I along with Dave, Vivien, Victor, Claire, Nigel, Del and Nigel Clark spent all day recruiting new members. The stand was very busy and we had a record number of new members join our club. We also won second prize for our club display.

We had a very enjoyable evening Ten Pin Bowling with 22 of us. It made a change to do something a bit different and I am sure most had a great night. Dave has very kindly made us some lovely trophies and a shield for us to give out as prizes at our Rally at Wicksteed Park. Nigel has finished the wood to a very high standard and I will get the engraving done. Bookings have started to come in so I am sure we will have a great weekend.

Don’t forget to make use of the TSSC Northants web site. We have our own forum where you can exchange messages. There are lots of photos and videos, also you can catch up on our area news. If you would like to add some information or some photos then drop me an email at: tsscnorthants@aol.co.uk I will be happy to add them to our site

On 25th April we are doing a scenic drive to TSSC HQ for FBHVC Drive it day and I hope that we will have a good turnout and fine weather like last year. If you would like to join us then feel free to drop me an email or call me and I will give you all the information you need.

If you have recently joined our club then the best way to get involved is to come along to an area meeting. We are here to help, have fun and enjoy our cars. We don’t mind what type or its condition. The Elwes Arms is a lovely comfortable pub that serves good food and drink. We have a lively and friendly group and it is very much a family affair, so do make the time to join us.

Our next area meeting will be at the Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 14^th April.

Old and new members are always welcome.

To find out more about TSSC-Northants visit our web site at: www.tssc-northants.org

Adam

We really are in the depths of winter. With a snowy January it is hard to keep my golden rule of keeping my Triumph running all year round. Although our Herald didn’t make it to the New Years Day Run, (My fault for not keeping the battery fully charged). We enjoyed the meet at Brixworth. The car park displayed a respectable number of Triumphs and the view over the lake was beautiful. Despite the sub zero temperatures the sailing boats were out competing in a race and after a short walk we made our way to the Coach and Horses for lunch. A perfect way to start the New Year.

Although the Spring seems a long way of it is a very busy time for us planning the events for the spring and summer season. The events calendar is now starting to fill up. Take a look at the events page of our web site and I hope you will find some events you would like to join us on. If you prefer to have a paper copy just give me a ring on 01933 229992 and I will be more than happy to send you a copy. If you have a suggestion for a show or an event that we can attend do let me know and I will do my utmost to include it in our calendar of events.

TSSC Northants main event of the year our Standard & Triumph Rally at Wicksteed park will be on 4^th 5^th 6^th June. With the success of last year we are very happy to be back at Wicksteed Park. Jigsaw Triumph Specialists have kindly offered to sponsor the event which enables us to deliver a first class event. Many of the arrangements are in place but there will be some announcements regarding the event over the coming months. Do make a date to join us for the weekend or the Rally on the Sunday.

I was very sad to read the that Norfork Area has decided to draw the Mile of Triumphs to a close. The 2009 event was a vintage year and I am glad that so many of us from TSSC Northants were there last year. Having attending many over the years it has played a big part of my Triumph life. I for one will miss it this year.

Our 2010 area Calendar is now on sale for just £6.00. The beautifully presented limited addition Calendar with 12 Stunning photographs of cars and events form our area has plenty of room to plan the years events! Available at our area meeting. Don’t miss out.

I would love to see you at the Elwes Arms for our area meet. The Elwes Arms is a lovely comfortable pub that serves good food and drink. We have a lively and friendly group and it is very much a family affair, so if you have not been to an area meet before do make the time to join us.

To find out more about TSSC-Northants visit our web site at:www.tssc-northants.org

Happy New Year! I think it can be justly said that we had a very enjoyable Christmas meal at the Elwes Arms. Jonathan won the area prize draw of a £10.00 Regalia voucher, second prize was won by Nigel & Tracey and Dave & Angie won third prize. Our thanks to the Elwes Arms for making us welcome throughout the year and of course to you all for coming out to the area meetings and making Northants a fun and vibrant area.

2009 was a wonderful year for us with many shows, events, day trips and of course our own weekend at Wicksteed Park. The weekend was such a success that we will be making our plans for a return visit on the 4^th 5^th 6^th June. We hope that we can grow the event to include some new and exciting elements that we hope will capture the imagination of any Standard and Triumph enthusiast. Watch our Area News and the event web site www.standard-triumphrally.co.uk over the next couple of months for all the latest news. If you came last year do make a date to join us again this year and don’t forget to tell your friends!

We still have available our own TSSC-Northants regalia with our area logo beautifully embroidered on it. There are a range of polo shirts in all sizes in Navy and Sky Blue all for just £9.95 also our 2010 area Calendar is now on sale for just £6.00. All are available at our area meeting.

Next up: Friday 1^st January. 11.00am New years day run. We are meeting at Brixworth Country Park for a walk, short drive and lunch. Please call 01933 229992 or see our web site for more information.

To find out more about TSSC-Northants visit our web site at: www.tssc-northants.org

I would like to call out to all the TSSC members that are in and around the Northants area. Come over and join us at our area meeting we are here every second Wednesday of the month. The local meet is the life blood of our club. Make TSSC Northants your own. Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 13^th January.

Old and new members are always welcome.

Adam

Amazingly it’s the Christmas addition of the Courier again. Of course those of you who came to the International Weekend have already had one Christmas party this year but now we all can look forward to the festivities. We will be holding our Area Christmas meal at the Elwes Arms. It would be great to see you there, so for more information see our web site or call me on 01933 229992. If you would like to come along it is important that you pre book your meal. Join us for a great night. Also we will be making our way to Sunderland Court for the clubs Christmas Open weekend. It’s a great opportunity to wander around the clubs collection, exchange Christmas cards, have a mice pie and some mulled wine.

The autumn season seems to have flown by. One highlight was the joint get together with Peterborough Area. The day was first planned back when we displayed our cars at the Kimbolton Charity Classic. We thought that it would be nice if we could join together for a Sunday Lunch. We finally decided that the date would be the 8^th November. A group of us with ten Triumphs meat up in Rushden and followed a scenic drive to the Montagu Arms in Barnwell. There we were meat by the Peterborough area and amassed for a leisurely lunch. It was lovely to get the opportunity to have a chat with other members which we only get to see at events throughout the year. Our sincere thanks to Paul Lumsdon of Peterborough Area for making the arrangements for the day.

Its the time of the year that we need to register our area and its the ideal time to have our AGM. So at our January meeting we will give over a few minutes to appoint the area organizer for 2010. It is my intention to continue to represent our area for this year but if any body would like to run for the role of area organizer then let me know before our January meeting. As always I am keen to have your input. I am here to help you get the most from your membership of the TSSC so feel free to make our group your own, get stuck in and enjoy our group.

Next up: Our Christmas Meal at the Elwes Arms.

Club HQ Christmas open weekend 12-13^th December

To find out more about TSSC-Northants visit our web site at: www.tssc-northants.org

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 13^th January. Have a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to seeing you all in the new year for some Triumph fun.

Adam

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 14^th October Old and new members are always welcome.

Adam

Home

We are now heading into the autumn season and we are down to the last few outdoor events but these are among our very favourites, Lincolnshire area camping weekend is always a good weekend away with our cars, and of course the ever popular Mile of Triumphs and the All Triumph Day at Duxford. So there is still plenty to look forward to. I would like to find some fun and interesting thing to do through out the autumn/winter period so I would be very interested in your suggestions. Drop me an email at tsscnorthants@aol.co.uk ,or better still come along to our area meetings at the Elwes Arms and enjoy a pint and some good company.

Our day at the Kimbolton Charity Classic was, well, WET! But we had a good laugh as we sat under the gazebo with our umbrellas up and still managed to get soaked. However it was a great success in so many other ways. All three TSSC groups who attended this event were on the same stand for the first time. It was a personnel frustration that we was all from the same club yet up until this year was scattered all around the showground. Northants Club Triumph group joined us to make a wonderful display of Triumphs. This event just gets bigger and bigger and lets hope that the organises are not to disheartened by the weather and are back next year with this great event.

Our own event the Standard Triumph Rally at Wicksteed park was with out doubt a great success. It was quite a leap of faith for us. But a combination of the passion shown by us all and a real drive to make the event happen paid of. On viewing our guestbook page on our web site there was a post from a Jamie that read “I’m a Triumph virgin, looking to own my Triumph (GT6) and so decided to go to the Wicksteed Park day. I was so impressed with all the cars and it fuelled my interest more than ever. Thanks to the man with a brown GT6 from the Bedford area, he was very helpful and friendly and offered some great advice. All the best and hopefully I will be at next years meet with my own GT6!” So I think we can be very proud of what we achieved. A very big thank you to Jonathan our Naked Chef. Nigel and Tracey for being a wonderful support to me organizing the trophies, games and so much more. Ricky with helping hands for the whole weekend. Pat and John for keeping our finances in order and organising the trip to Jigsaw and Foxton Locks. And everybody who helped make it a great weekend. I hope in the near future there will be an article covering our event in the Courier with some of our photos.

We are looking for your photographs of your cars to be entered into our area calendar for 2010. It needs to be at least 2560 x 1920 in size and at least 96 dpi If in doubt the largest size and best quality that your camera will take. Ideally I need a photo of you with your car in an interesting or pleasant setting. Remember This is for our calendar and not a quick snap for auto trader! Have a go, take you car out to an interesting location and get snapping. email you photos to tsscnorthants@aol.co.uk

Next up:

 4^th 5^th & 6^th September The 7th Lincolnshire Camping Weekend.

12th 13th September Lubenham Scarecrow festival

26^th 27^th September TSSC Norfolk Area Mile of Triumphs.

To find out more about TSSC-Northants and events we support visit www.tssc-northants.org

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 9^th September Old and new members are always welcome.

Home

We started June with a trip up to the Peak District for Derwent Valleys Peak Run. We had been looking forward to a good run and Derwent Valley are always a great group to be with. Norman and Gaye headed up on Wednesday and were pitched up early ready for the weekend. Jonathan and family arrived Friday with Pat and John, Butch, Nigel and Tracey, with Karon and I arriving much latter. We seemed to have all pitched up in all four corners of the camp site, making it a bit difficult to create a happy camp. However we joined up for the welcome BBQ and some fun and games and before long we were in the party mood. Tired out from the journey and a jolly night at the party tent Karon and I headed back to the tent and were soon asleep. We had pitched our tent on quite a slope and in the morning I awoke to find I had slid out of the bottom of the bed and in a crumpled mess on the floor. Note to self: remember to bring a block of wood to level the bed. Saturday morning we set of for a short drive to Belper. We parked up in the market square and started the treasure hunt. On the way round we was asked to collect some Items one of which was a tea cake from a local café. Now, from time to time I enjoy a tea cake with a nice cup of tea and I couldn’t’t resist eating it. On return to the control I claimed that the bag had split and I had lost the tea cake. I got the impression that they did not believe me and I think I had a mark deducted. Jonathan headed for the evenings entertainment but Karon and I dozed of listening to the Radio. The next morning we awoke too late to join the run so we had a slow drive to a shopping outlet and had a cup of tea and a wander around the shops. We made a route to the finishing point for the Run and added our cars to the line up. We headed into Bakewell to by a tart (the type you eat) and some lunch. As always the Peak Run team entertained us with a great weekend. Our thanks to Roger Buck and rest of the Derwent Valley team.

Over the weekend of 3^rd 4^th & 5^th July TSSC-Northants held our Standard & Triumph Rally. The weekend was a great success and a lot of fun. Next month you can read a full report of the event here.

Next Up: 2^nd August TSSC Leicester & Rutland Sunshine Rally. All classic car and bikes welcome. Brooksby Hall Nr Melton Mowbray Leicestershire Admission £4.oo per person.

TSSC International Family Weekend 15^th 16^th August The International Family Weekend is the most important weekend in the Triumph Sports Six Clubs Calendar. Held at the County Show ground at Stafford, it covers 120 acres and is the biggest Triumph event of its kind. To find out more visit http://www.tssc-international.co.uk/

4^th 5^th &6^th September The 7th Lincolnshire Camping Weekend.

To find out more about TSSC-Northants and events we support visit www.tssc-northants.org

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 12^th August Old and new members are always wlcome

Adam

Home

I am pleased to report that my Herald has passed its MOT without incident. Again it is in on small part to Norman and John with some help from Ricky who spent a great deal of time preparing my beloved Herald for its big day with our friendly MOT man. As always I am truly grateful for all the help. Last month we enjoyed a number of events that we would like to tell you about, and I am pleased to say that I am meeting an ever increasing number of our members out enjoying their cars. Firstly I would like to hand over to John who has a account of The Isle of Wight Camping Weekend.

Home

We have had a busy couple of months and there is lots to review but first I would like to draw your attention to the comments page of last months Courier. Recruiting new members to our club is vital to our long term future. It is sometimes easy to think somebody is taking care of everything and we can sit back and just enjoy the benefits. I here time and again that the club should do this, or the club should do that. There is one thing we must remember. We are the club! If we don’t get out and tell people about what we do, no one else will. So find your leaflets that came with your Courier last month, pop them in your Triumph and when you are out and about or at a classic car show find a fellow Triumph owner and tell them about our club. I don’t think anybody has escaped the economic down turn and it is times like these we must take care that we don’t loose what we, and members before us have created.

The spring time events have taken of with a flurry of great days. We joined Herts and Beds for there Classic Car day at MK Museum. Our area had a great turn out with ten cars. The weather was kind and we had a good look around the museum. Although we visited last year it was good to go back and spend more time there. There is a video clip of the day on our web site. Our thanks to Herts & Beds for a very enjoyable day.

We visited Stewkley for their Village weekend. We were kindly invited to display our cars in the classic car display and we obliged with a good number of Triumphs, again we joined up with Northants Stag Owners Club for the day and it is great that we work so closely together.

The Spring open day at our clubs museum and HQ was a very special day. Once again we had good weather and we sat out in the sun and enjoyed the spectacle of the car park jammed full of Triumphs. The highlight was the official unveiling of the neon dealership sign which has undergone a year long restoration headed up by Bernard Robinson and now hangs in pride of place in our museum. Also it was the first opportunity we have had to view the Triumph Gloria Monte Carlo that is now on display. The Gloria is on loan to us for a year. So if you have not seen this stunning car take the time to visit Sunderland court. For the 50^th anniversary of the Herald one of the show rooms has been dedicated to this very special anniversary. As a Herald fan I am a bit bias but it is a wonderful tribute to the car.

We are getting very close to our Rally at Wicksteed Park. I am sure you are aware the dates are 3^rd 4^th 5^th July. Booking form are available at the web site www.standard-triumphrally.co.uk or you can call me on 01933 229992 and I will be happy to take your booking. If you intend to camp over and join us for the BBQ you must book in advance However the Rally on Sunday is open to all. I am very pleased that Jigsaw Triumph Specialists has kindly offered to sponsor the rally and will be bringing some cars to display.

Next up:Sunday 7^th June, Classic and Sports Car Show Northampton & Lamport Railway. 19th-21st June 21st TSSC Derwent Valley Peak Run. Please check our web site at www.tssc-northants.org for the latest event updates.

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 10^th June. Old and new members are always welcome.

Adam

It’s great to be out and about in our Triumphs. We have attended the Classic car day at MK Museum presented by Herts & Beds TSSC and we have also been to the Spring open day at the Club HQ to see the freshly refurbished Standard Triumph Dealership sign. The sign is a spectacular addition to the clubs collection and is an extraordinary spectacle. I will give a full account on our trips out next month.

We welcomed Gary to our Area Meeting in March. Gary is working on his Spitfire and was overhauling the front suspension. I very much hope to see you on the road soon.

I am pleased to say that our tool loan service is being put to good use with tools out on loan helping our members maintain their cars. There are two ways to get access to the service. First visit our website at www.tssc-northants.org and click on Tool loan Service or see the folder at our area meeting. We have a number of very useful tools that you can hire at a very reasonable rate to help you keep your Triumph in good shape.

We now have our own TSSC-Northants regalia. At the moment we have some polo shirt with our area logo beautifully embroidered. There are a range of sizes in Navy and Sky Blue. We will also be introducing further garments so you will have a nice range to choose from. I would like to thank Pat for working so hard to arrange our new regalia. You will find all the details at our area meeting.

The TSSC International weekend is on 14^th/16th August. It is a very special year as we will be celebrating two anniversary the Heralds 50^th and the TR6 40^th This year the show promises to be a fantastic event with a massive display of Heralds, the Christmas themed Party and so many things to see and do. It is well worth a visit. TSSC-Northants will be there with our area display and Johnathan will be doing his Stuart Hall impression and running the it’s a Knockout competition. We need to train up our team to ensure we are in good form. To find out about the International visit www.tssc-international.co.uk

You may have read in this months Courier that I have been appointed the PR Officer for the TSSC. This is a position that has been unfulfilled for some time. I am delighted to be working for our club in this post. The PR Officer is a voluntary role and the primary function is to work with the greater media to give an insight into our club. It is without doubt that we have a world class organization but we mustn’t keep it a secret. We have a great deal to offer and I hope I can play a part in our continued success and help our club grow for the future. Of course I will continue my role as AO and work hard for TSSC-Northants.

Next up: 1/2/3/4th May The Isle of Wight’s 25th Camping weekend. 9th/10th May South of England Meet. 24^th May Standard Triumph Marque Day at Duxford Imperial War Museum.

Our 2009 event, TSSC Northants Standard & Triumph Rally, which is on 3^rd 4^th & 5^th July will be at Wicksteed Park, Kettering. It is our first event of this kind and we would love to see as many of you there as possible so put it in your diary and we will guarantee you a great weekend. Visit www.standard-triumphrally.co.uk for all the information and a booking form.

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 13^th May. Old and new members are always welcome.

Home

I have a confession ………………In six years of owning my Herald I haven’t done my IVR form. A terrible admission but it seems to be one of those jobs that I haven’t got around to. The IVR form is very important to our club, as one of its main purposes is to help preserve our cars and in doing that it helps to know where they are! Happily I was at a lose end this morning so I thought I would do a few long awaiting jobs on my car. Bonnet up I was happily tinkering away when the post man came trotting up the drive waving my copy of the Courier. Your magazines here, he declared. There I am bonnet up, Courier in hand, is there ever a better time to do my IVR. I am very pleased that it is all done and sent of to the Register secretary. So if you haven’t done you IVR don’t be like me and keep putting it off, use the form that’s in with this copy of your Courier and get it done. It really is a great help to our club. If you are unsure about the IVR scheme, how and why it works, then come along to our April area meeting and I will give a short presentation about how the scheme works.

Adam

Home

As I am writing our area news this month the snow is falling, my Herald has not put a tyre outside its garage for quite some time and quite frankly I have done very little over the last month. I am sure I am displaying symptoms of cabin fever, If I watch another episode of Top Gear on Dave I think I will explode.

Adam

Home

Our December meeting was given over to our Christmas party and it was lovely to see everybody enjoying a good Christmas meal. The room had been decorated for us and the table set with crackers and streamers. I hope you all enjoyed the evening. The collection for the staff of the Elwes Arms came to £25.00 and we also gave them a copy of our area calendar with the dates of our Area meetings. I am most grateful to the owners and staff of the Elwes Arms for all their help throug hout the year.

We met up at Brixworth Country park with Northants SOC for a new years day run . The weather was frosty with a light fog however it was perfectly seasonal. We had seven Triumphs there:- three stags, two 2000‘s, my Herald and Ricky’s 2500 Spitfire. Some of our Junior member, and lets say less junior had the opportunity to play on the swings and slides. By lunch time we were ready for a good lunch so it was off in convoy to The Windhover pub where we spent the afternoon eating and drinking. As if we had not had enough by then we stopped at Martin & Lynda’s for tea and Christmas cake. It was a perfect way to start the new year. Our thanks to Martin for making the arrangements for the day.

We still have the last few area calendars for sale. They are available at our area meeting for just £6.00 or email me at: tsscnorthants@aol.co.uk and I will be pleased to send you a copy.

Adam

Home

Happy New Year! I very much hope you had a good Christmas and you are looking forward to a great 2009.

Its the time of the year that we need to register our area and its the ideal time to have a mini AGM. So at our January meeting we will give over a few minutes to appoint the area organizer for 2009. I hope that I will continue to represent our area for this year but if any body would like to run for the role of area organizer then let me know before our next area meeting and we can have the excitement of an election. As always we are very much interested in your view on how our area is run. If there are things you are unhappy about or indeed things that we do well, then let us know. The more you tell us the more we can achieve. If you have not been to an area meeting before now is a good time to come along and find out about your area. Its in these dark cold winter nights that the cosy Elwes Arms is at its best. We can chat, have fun and plan our summer outings in our cars. BUT! I hear you say your Triumph is not on the road or you haven’t even got a Triumph at the moment, no matter we are here to inspire you. It doesn’t matter what badge is on your bonnet come along and find out what our area is about. Join in on a few trips out and before long you will be in the garage finishing that long running project or you will be scanning the classified ads for your dream Triumph. I know, it happened to me.

Our tool loan service is now up and running just in time for the winter maintenance jobs. There are two ways to get access to the service. First visit our website at www.tssc-northants.org and click on Tool loan Service or see the folder at our area meeting. We have a number of very useful tools that you can hire at a very reasonable rate to help you keep your Triumph on the road. In Decembers Courier I said that the service would be free however as we thrashed out the detail of the service it became clear that the project would grow much quicker and be able to offer a wider range of tools if we had a small charge.

Plans for our 2009 event TSSC Northants Standard & Triumph Rally, which is on 3^rd 4^th & 5^th July are well under way. We have a great venue at Wicksteed Park, Kettering. Lots of interest has been shown even at this early stage. Visit www.standard-triumphrally.co.uk for all the information as we finalise our plans for this exciting event.

We still have some area calendars for sale. This beautifully presented calendar that has twelve stunning photographs of our cars and plenty of space to plan next years events is available at our area meeting for just £6.00 or email me at: tsscnorthants@aol.co.uk and I will be pleased to send you a copy.

Finally Happy New Year to Vie and Paul. Despite living way down in deepest Kent. Both Vie and Paul have an ongoing interest in our area and are regularly in touch.

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 14^th January from 8.30. Old and new members are always welcome.

Home

Tssc-Northants are pleased to be offering a brand new service with the launching our Tool Loan Service, TSSC-Northants has colleted a number of specialist tool that can help you perform specific jobs on your car with out having to pay out on specialized tools that you are lightly to only use once. The service is open to any TSSC member that has a current membership number. The service has it own page on our web site at:

 www.tssc-northants.org/toolloanservice  or there is a file with all the details you need at our area meeting. John Frey has volunteered to be our tool manager and will arrange all the collection and return of the tools We very much hope you will find this service useful and we will welcome your suggestions for further useful tool.

TSSC-Northants area calendar is now on sale. The beautifully presented calendar that has been design and printed by Bernard Robinson at the club studio has twelve stunning photographs of our cars and plenty of space to plan next years events. The limited edition calendar will be available at our area meeting for just £6.00 don’t miss out!

Bernard has also design us a glorious new area logo that features on our calendar. It will be used on a new rang of special collectors merchandises that will be available over the new year.

The new web site for our 2009 event, TSSC-Northants Standard & Triumph Rally at Wicksteed Park is now on line at:

  www.standard-triumphrally.co.uk

Back in August Karon, myself, Pat and John mad the trip up to Lincolnshire Camping weekend. It has long been a firm favourite of mine since its very early days at Woodland Waters. A relaxed, friendly weekend with all the ingredients that make a great weekend away. The new site at The Dirty Duck is just right with enough room for us all to be in one place.

We set out on Friday afternoon with all our kit in our trailer. John had just fitted the tow ball to our Herald and this weekend was our first outing with the trailer in tow. We had a good journey and very quickly forgot that we were towing at all. When we arrived at the site everybody was already there, pitched up and fully relaxed. We found a nice spot next to Pat and John, unpacked the trailer and had the tent up in no time at all. By the end of August the evening had started to draw in and the light started to fade. We decided that Pat and John and ourselves would cook dinner together and eat out side. The evening was warm and we sat out long after dark. We finished our meal with a glass of Baileys and John had a glass of that thick syrup he calls “beer“.

The next morning we were up and ready for our bacon rolls. Garth and Ellie kindly cooked breakfast having been let down by the Pub, who had promised to do it. After a cup of tea, back to the cars and ready for a drive out .We conveyed round to our first destination of the day, The Bubble car museum. We arrived in mass and swarmed in. The place was alive with people chatting and looking on in bewilderment at some of the exhibits, as they were all meant to be a serious means of transport. Suddenly my Herald look positively advanced and luxurious. Interestingly there was a display with all the prices of the Bubble cars and some normal day to day items. It lead to an interesting discussion on how our Triumphs were a major investment in their day. Next stop was to the pub. We sat outside and had a long lunch and enjoyed the sunshine. It was soon time to move on to our next stop which was Sibsey Windmill at Boston. The mill is unique as it is the only working example of a six sail mill. We all joined a guided tour up to the top of the mill. It was fascinating to get so close to a working mill and explore the primitive but ingenious engineering. We set of back to the campsite via the scenic route. The idea of a convoy that stops of at interesting paces on route was great and was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Back at the campsite the BBQ was on the go. We all gathered around and enjoyed the evening. Some decided to head to the pub but most, exhausted, hit the sack.

The next morning we spent a lazy day at the campsite. We picked our peoples choice and enjoyed looking at all the cars. A very good showing of Heralds and Vitesse’s this year, but the wining car was a stunning GT6. We drew the raffle, John got the set of spanners that I had my eye on. It started to rain, so we quickly packed the tents away and it was soon time to head home. We said our farewells and hit the road. All in all a very enjoyable weekend.

I will be attending the AO’s seminar on 13^th December so if you have any queries about the club you would like me to take up at the meeting please do not hesitate to contact me you can email me at tsscnorthants@aol.co.uk or telephone on 01933 229992.

Next up: Our Christmas Party on the 10^th December at the Elwes Arms Pre booking only. Club HQ open weekend 14^th December.

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 14^th January. Old and new members are always welcome.

Adam

Home

     The events season has very much drawn to a close, but It has certainly been a memorable year. Many of you, our members have been out enjoying your car visiting other TSSC areas and events. Events like the Standard Triumph Forum at the Prescott speed hill climb and The International weekend at Stafford, both a huge success attracting hundreds of enthusiasts. Also many regional events like Lincolnshire Camping weekend, the Mile of Triumphs, Sunshine Rally, Peaks run, SEM and so many more. Not forgetting our very own Camping weekend at Emberton Park . All with there individual style but all welcoming and friendly. A very big thank you to everybody involved in organizing these events, big and small.

       It has been another very good year for TSSC-Northants. We have welcomed many new members at our area meetings and it is good to see a full room and everybody enjoying each others company. This year we have seen the launch of our new website. This has become very popular and is a real window into our club. Thank you to everybody who has added to the site making it an interesting place to visit. We have some new and exciting ideas that will be developed over 2009. So keep logging on and most of all sending in photos, news and write ups.

           Christmas is just around the corner and we will be holding our Christmas party at our usual spot at the Elwes Arms on the 10^th December. We have a full four course meal for just £14.95, a very special Christmas raffle and lots of fun and games. So we will be in for a good night. Space is limited so please can I have a £5.00 deposit at our November meeting and your menu choice. That weekend we will be taking a run up to the club HQ, Sunderland Court for the Christmas Open weekend. It will be great if you come along in your Triumph but if your car is tucked away for the winter come along regardless of your mode of transport. The team at the HQ will be delighted to see you and it is a great opportunity to say thank you for their hard work over the year.

         Plans for our Camping weekend are now well under way. This year our plans are the most ambitious to date. We have secured the arena field at Wicksteed Park. As you are probably aware, Wicksteed is Northamptonshires premier entertainment and events park and is centrally located for our area. With this fantastic venue our plan is to put on a Triumph Event open to all Triumph owners. We will be inviting all Triumph based clubs from central England and beyond. It is hoped that this event will grow to become a land mark event. We have a dedicated team so all we need is you to come along and enjoy what will be a historic event for our area. Watch out for more information over the coming months.

For more info on our area log on to www.tssc-northants.org. There are two new reviews of Duxford by Martin Stevenson and The Mile of Triumphs by Jonathan Ingram, and yes I will have the review of Lincolnshire camping weekend on line for this month.

         Next up: Our Christmas Party on the 10^th December

                          Club HQ open weekend 14^th December.

         Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 10^th December. Old and new members are always welcome. I hope to see you there.

Adam

Home

        I am pretty sure that the pages of this months courier will be crammed full of story’s and anecdotes of this years International family weekend at Stafford. There was a real infectious buzz at this years event and I am sure that reading through these pages will bring back the memories of that weekend in August. As so many times before my own weekend started with me franticly running around trying to get everything together and this time was no exception. My plan to have a display board with all are areas photos and stories started of so well. I stayed up to the early hours printing, cutting and sticking and went to bed pleased that all I had to do was pack the car and set of for Stafford. The next morning I looked on in horror as all the photos that I had diligently stuck together only the night before, had curled up and fell to the ground. Instead of casually packing the car and having a leisurely drive to Stafford a frantic dash to redo all that I had done the night before. We set of late and flustered and by this time it was early evening. We turned of the motorway and my attention was drawn to a tinkling sound of a kind that you get when there is a stray wheel nut in your hub cap. Most well prepared Triumph owners would pluck his special hub cap removing tool from the special tool box in his boot. But I am a far from well prepared Triumph owner and had to call the RAC. We arrived at Stafford in what can only be called a desperate state.

        The next morning after breakfast we set up our area stand and marvelled in full at busy Bingley Hall. A fantastic display of the highest quality cars and plenty of stalls to rummage around and find all the little bits and pieces that are essential in keeping your Triumph running just right. Like, lets say a special tool to remove your hub cap. We had an excellent turn out from our area with no less than four car on display in the main hall including our area display on the balcony. Jonathan, Pat and John worked all weekend to ensure that the children had a fantastic time on the Bouncy castle. Chris and Jane came along with their new Herald and I am reliably informed that it made it there and back with out incident. A very well done to everybody from our area who attended.

          The perfect antidote to Stafford was The Lincolnshire Camping weekend and is one of my favourite weekends away. To find out about the best run out and the friendliest event you are likely to go to. Log on to our web site www.tssc-northants.org to find out more.

          I would love to hear about what you have been doing with you Triumph during the summer whether it be restoration work, events or even your holiday in your car. Feel free to contact me at tsscnorthants@aol.co.uk and let me know.

        For more info on our area log on to www.tssc-northants.org.

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 8^th October. Old and new members are always welcome. I hope to see you there.

Adam

Home

As I sit down to write our area news we are a week away from Stafford. As usual I have managed to leave everything to the last minute. I will be franticly running around getting everything ready. My trusty Herald has developed a mysterious problem and flatly refused to run. Our planed trip to Leeds castle classic car show had to be made with out it however there was a good number of Triumphs to be seen. I met up with John Hill from Essex area and admired his lovely 13/60 convertible. It made me jealous that my own Herald was not there, maybe next year. Our thanks to Paul and Vie for there kind invite to this event.

It has been a busy couple of months. We had our area stand at Kimbloton Charity Classic unfortunately it clashed with the Stag National Day and Holiday time and we were down on numbers however we did have five cars from our area. As always it was an excellent show with lots of interesting cars and much more besides . There was a craft fair that I managed to look at for about twenty seconds. Yes that long! The fly past of the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster bomber was fantastic. A good number of us met up for the fireworks at Stanford Hall It was a terrific night and It was especially nice to see Nigel and Trudi who joined us for the evening. The next morning we were up early for the Sunshine rally. We had a great run up on some wonderful B roads. We parked up and had a very relaxing day around the cars and a picnic lunch. Norman came away with a highly commended award for his Triumph 2000. Congratulations to Leicester and Rutland Area on there 25^th Anniversary event.

Email me your Triumph Photos as soon as you can because over the next couple of months I will be placing our order for 2009 calendars, who knows you may be January, February or March.

If you would like me to include your account of your favourite event over the coming months feel free to contact me at tsscnorthants@aol.co.uk and I will include it in our area news.

Next up: Sunday 14^th September Duxford All Triumph Day. Or Scarecrow Weekend Classic Car Display at Lubenham. 19^th-20^th September The Mile of Triumphs. Yes it’s that time of year again!

For more info on our area log on to www.tssc-northants.org.

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 10^th September. Old and new members are always welcome. I hope to see you there.

Adam

Home

 I hope you have been out and about enjoying your car at some of the events that are available to us Triumph owners. Over the last couple of months there have been some great events and there is so much more to come.

June was a big month for our area with our 4^th camping weekend. On Friday morning we arrived at Emberton Park to set the site up in preparation for the weekend. After last year we were hoping for good weather. The forecast didn’t look good but the ground was dry and the sun was out so we set up the marquee and crossed our fingers The field looked very large and empty as we sat down for a cup of tea and a sandwich. Before long people started to arrive and I started to wonder whether the field was too small and if there would be enough room. In the evening we had a welcome get together and it was clear that we were in for a good weekend. Saturday morning I tentatively peered out of our tent to see blue sky and sunshine, a real relief. After breakfast all the Triumphs lined up for a convoy to Milton Keynes Museum. John lead a scenic route into the museum grounds and to our designated parking area just outside the manor house. The museum had an amazing and eclectic display of exhibits gathered from all around the area, from farming equipment to a telephone exchange room. We all delighted in calling each other up with telephones from the very earliest models to the most advanced. Our thanks to the staff of the MK museum for a good afternoon.

Saturday night was BBQ night. Everybody was up for a good night and Nigel and I slaved over the BBQs (Thanks Nigel) even a small shower didn’t dampen our spirits. We drew the raffle. As everybody was so generous in donating great prizes it seemed to go on forever but it meant that almost everybody had a prize. Good times. Except me. Bad times.

Sunday was a chill out day or more commonly known as hangover day. We spent the morning voting on the Peoples Choice. We were delighted to see Jonathan, Elaine, Grace and there new daughter/sister Olivia who made a special trip to see us all. It was soon time for the presentations. Garth and Ellie won the quiz, Tony won the Peoples choice with his Spitfire 1500 and the children did so well with their matchbox challenge that they all won a prize. Before long the field was empty again and it was all over. The sun kept shining and everybody seemed to have enjoyed themselves. Our sincere thanks to everybody who came along and also all those that helped to make the weekend a great success. To see the photos of our camping weekend log on to our area website.

I did promised to tell you about our weekend at the Laon Historic but time and space has beaten me this month so I hope you will allow me to leave it for another time.

Next Up: Stanford Hall Firework Display 2^nd August. The Sunshine Rally’s 25^th Anniversary at Brooksby Hall, Nr. Melton Mowbray on 3^rd August, followed by the TSSC International weekend at Stafford on 16/17^th August. Please come along and say hello at the Northants area display in the main hall. We will be delighted to see you. Lincolnshire 6^th Camping Weekend is on the 29/30/31^st August.

For more info on our area log on to www.tssc-northants.org.

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 13^th August. Old and new members are always welcome. I hope to see you there.

Adam

Home

England 1174, Germany 0. Well, at least that’s what my milometer tells me. Playing for England we have my trusty Herald covering a staggering 1174 miles in May and what a phenomenal month it was. The Standard marque day at Prescott was without doubt a huge success. Karon and I set out on the Friday, so we had the full weekend to enjoy the event. The journey was a real joy and took us through some beautiful villages and over rolling hills and only improved as we got closer to the Cotswolds. We arrived in the mid afternoon and had the pick of the campsite. By 4.00 we were pitched up in our new tent with a cup of tea. Saturday morning and in true British camping style we had a full English breakfast and watched the rain clouds gather in the distance. We set out for the start point of the Cotswold run and to our delight bumped into Colin and Jane. The route was well planed and easy to follow and gave a real flavour of the area. The next morning the event really came alive with the arrival of a massive number of Standard and Triumph cars. The paddock area had a real sense of anticipation as the first cars lined up for the famous Prescott Hill Climb. As my Herald is not exactly hill Climb material with a 0 to 60 time of, well, about a week. I felt it was best just to enter our car in the cavalcade. The parade was postponed for a while and it was just as well as with Health and Safety formalities taking longer then the drive up the hill in itself. We almost missed our turn as I was filling in the name of my next of kin and to be told when you get to the top, Stop! Just in case you couldn’t work that out for your self! We were joined on the Sunday by Norman ,Gaye, Jenny, Tony, Martin & Linda also I was told that Marin Littlejohn was in the crowds however I was unable to spot him to say hello. The Standard Triumph Forum event certainly delivered a thrilling event that captured the imagination.

Just a week later we were preparing to meet Paul and Vie for the Laon Historic but the knocking that was resonating from the back end of our car was causing me much concern so much so that replacing the UJ’s before the trip was my only option. Removing the half shafts with the help of Norman was relatively simple however on fitting the new UJ, I managed to break it and caused a slight panic. Despite the fact that John had only just returned from holiday we decided that he was our only hope. When he arrived the Monaco grand prix had just started and I suspect our incompetence was not appreciated. By the end of the day the Herald was back on four wheels and was knock free. For the second month running, thank you John very much.

I will give you a full report on our adventures in France next month. As for our German Car, it has been nowhere. The marshal at the SEM would be proud.

At the May area meeting we welcomed Steve Dix with his TR7 Drop top. It’s good to see you and all our recently joined members.

If you would like me to include your account of your favourite event over the coming mouths feel free to contact me at tsscnorthants@aol.co.uk and I will include it in our area news.

Next up: Kimbolton Country Fayre & Charity Classic Show 20th July. Classics on the Common 30^th July. Robin Hood Run 1st/3rd August.

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 9^th July. Old and new members are always welcome. I hope to see you there.

Adam

Home

The events season is now in full swing and many of us from our area are out at shows and events enjoying our cars. Karon and I payed a visit to Vie and Pauls on the 20^th April for the West Kent Drive It Day. The day kicked of at a meeting point at Mardon for a drive though the Weald of Kent picking up more Triumphs drivers on the way until we reached the Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum at Manston. There we lined up to join over 30 Triumphs for an excellent display of cars. Our Herald performed very well and I was very pleased to accept the greatest distance travelled award. A bottle of Spitfire Beer.  Our thanks to Steve and Del for putting on a very well run event and also special thanks to Vie and Paul our landlords for the weekend. April 28^th myself, John and Jonathon made an impromptu run up to Nott’s area meeting. We was made most welcome and enjoyed a good chat with some of the local members.

 This year the SEM was Hot Hot Hot. John, Jonathon, Karon and I, made the run to Leatherhead, however I confess that we travelled down in the B*W as the marshal on the gate sneered and remarked upon. In my defence we was on a whirl wind visit and negotiating the M1 and M25 twice in one day without air con and 170bhp filled me with dread. That and the following weekend we was of to Standard Triumph Marque day at Prescott and the end of May we will drive the Herald to Leon, France, I felt I was justified. Yes a lame excuse. However SEM offered a good selection of cars despite being short of one Herald (can you tell I feel guilty) however Jonathon displayed his stunning Stag. As Northants Area AO I suspect that I may be making some apologies as Jonathon was left unsupervised for the whole weekend. I shudder to think!

This month is a big month for the Northants Area. Our 4th Camping weekend Is just around the corner and all the final preparations have been made. It is always a fun packed weekend and hope you will enjoy this year as much as previous years. I very much look forward to greeting our guests on the 13^th 14^th & 15th at Emberton Park.

On a personal note I would like thank John Fairey for his invaluable help in fixing my garage roof. At long last my Herald has a very dry and comfortable aboad.

Next Up: June 7^th Triumph Car Day at the Ace Café. June13^th 14^th 15^th TSSC-Northants Camping Weekend!!! June 20^th-22nd Peak Run

Our next meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 11th. June Old and new member are always welcome.

Adam

Home

It seems an awful lot has happened since I last sat down to write this column. The Area organisers meeting was very well attended. Many people travelled very long distances to be there. It was very interesting and the meeting displayed a real passion for our club. The main thing that I feel came from the meeting was there was new ideas in the way the club communicates with its members. The clubs main website is now fully back on line and the growing number of area website are playing an important role in this. However it was very much agreed The Courier would remain the primary source of information. I brought back a number of ideas that I will be planning to roll out over the coming months.

Our first event of the season was our treasure hunt on the 30^th March. After checking the weather forecast we set of with some trepidation. When we reached the starting point the sun was shining and continued throughout the day. The route and clues took us around some areas many of us very rarely see and was great fun driving though some of Northamptonshire’s prettiest villages. The finishing point was at Fermyn Woods near Oundle. Colin & Jane came first, Karon & I came second. 8 cars participated 5 of which where Triumphs with a total of 18 people. Our sincere thanks to Pat and John for putting on this event.

The following weekend was the Abbey Pump House in Leicester. This event has become very popular and is fast gaining a reputation for the day that you are almost guaranteed to see snow, this year it didn’t disappoint. Despite being cold the sun shone all day and was an enjoyable afternoon. There was a very impressive display of Triumphs including a very nice Herald coupe. Thanks to Leicester area for letting us join them.

Our area website Is doing very well. We are getting over 40 hit’s a week and some good feedback. The forum has some interesting, fun and quite frankly bizarre posts. Also there have been some entries on the Our Members page. If you would like to add your photo and descriptions email me your entry to tsscnorthants@aol.co.uk or log on to www.tssc-northants.org to view our site. If there is something you would like to see on our pages let me know and I will do my utmost to make it appear.

Nigel Clark and Trudi Prettyjohns from the Club HQ attended our area meeting on the 9^th April also we welcomed James Aldridge (Red spit MK IV) and Gareth Mason (Green Spit MK III) It was a good meeting and the room had a real buzz. The area meeting is the life blood of our club and it was good to see you all there.

 Next up: HQ Open weekend 19^th 20^th April. IOW camping weekend 2^nd May. South of England Meet 10^th 11^th May.Standard Triumph Marque Day Prescott hill climb 18^th May. For more information see our web site

.

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 14^th May. Old and new members are always welcome. I hope to see you there.

Adam

Home

Last month was very busy for us working behind the scenes putting together all the arrangements for our camping weekend to be held on 13th/15th June. Pat and John have booked our site at Emberton Park and made sure that it has everything in place that we will need. The booking forms are now available. I am looking into the venue for the day trip on the Saturday. If you would like to book your pitch for the weekend then feel free to contact me for a booking form. Please book as early as possible as it very much helps us with the arrangements.

I have managed to set up our area website. This I hope will be of great use to us all. The purpose of the site is for everybody to use as a point of reference and to keep up to date with the latest news and events. The home page will have the most up to date information. The calendar of events page will give you a more long term view of what’s on. This will also have links to the events website, where available. The Our Members Page is for you to add your bit. You can add pictures of you and your car. You can tell us about the work you have done, events you have attended. Give us your view, tell us your story. This is a great opportunity for new and old members to get to know each other and share our passion for our cars. Email your entry to tsscnorthants@aol.co.uk At the end of the year there will be a prize for the best entry. Also there is a photo archive to store photos you have taken. Let me have a copy of your pictures to add to the this. The Forum is an area for you to communicate with other members, ask questions and leave your comments. This I hope will be a great asset to you as a member and will enable new members to feel more involved. Log on at: www.tssc-northants.org I will very much welcome your comments and suggestions for the site

If you intend to camp over the weekend at the Triumph Marque Day, Prescott Hill Climb on 18th May, don’t forget to book in plenty on time. There is a booking form in your copy of The Courier.

Our next area meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 9^th April. Old and new members are always welcome. I hope to see you there.

Adam

Home

Firstly my apologies, our February meeting had to be hastily moved to a new venue. I tried to contact as many people as possible. I hope no one arrived at the Elwes Arms to find nobody there.

The new season is nearly here and the days are defiantly getting longer. Karon and I are looking forward to a good year getting out and about and meeting as many of you as possible. If you are new to the TSSC and haven’t attended an area meeting before, now’s the time. Your local area meeting is the heart and soul of our club. We are here so we all get the best from our club and most of all, our Triumphs.

The dates for our 4^th camping weekend to be held at Emberton Country Park have now been set for 13^th 14^th & !5^th June. As before the aim of the weekend is a family friendly and relaxing holiday arriving on Friday afternoon, pitching up and an informal get together. Saturday, A day trip followed by an evening BBQ. Sunday, members choice concours, quiz’s and games throughout the weekend and plenty of time to relax and just have fun. I have also booked the good weather for the weekend. Last year the sun couldn’t make it but the rain kindly stepped in at the last minute and I am sure you will all agree did a very good job.

Some of our members made the trip to Stoneleigh for the spares day. I hope to have a full report of the event for you next month.

If you would like me to include your account of your favourite event over this next year feel free to contact me and I will include it in our area news.

Our next meeting will be at Elwes Arms, Great Billing on Wednesday 12^th March. Old and new member are always welcome.

Adam

Home

It was good to see so many of you at our January meeting. A warm welcome to Butch , a new member to our area who has a Spitfire that he is repairing after being laid up for some time. I hope to see you on the road soon. As always a lively discussion over our plans for this year. Suggestions from Glinys for us to attend the Pump house in Leicester and the firework display at Stamford Hall which promises to be a good evening. Plans for the Northants Camping weekend are now under way. Also there is interest in a driving weekend in Snowdonia, Wales. I hope we can arrange a treasure hunt for later in the summer and also attend the Standard Triumph Marque Day at Prescott. Over February I will compile a calendar of events and set some dates.

The International Triumph Show and spares day is at Stoneleigh on Sunday 10^th February. An ideal event to collect your parts to service your car for the new season. If you have not been before there are plenty of stands with new and used parts, tools, demonstrations and exhibits to explore. Admission £10.00 per adult. OAP's £8.00 On the day. Accompanied children under 16 Free.

Jonathan has announced that he and Elaine are expecting a new baby in June. Congratulations on behalf of us all.

Our next meeting will be at Elwis Arms Great Billing on Wednesday 13^th February. Old and new member are always welcome.

Adam

Home

Happy New Year to you all!. I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and are now looking forward to a new season of Triumph fun. It was great to see so many of you at our Christmas party night. Overstone Golf Club did us proud with an excellent meal. I am sorry that Karon and I had to leave early but I hope you all enjoyed the rest of the night. Many thanks to Pat, John and Jonathan for making all the arrangements for the evening.

Jonathan has now stood down as our Area Organizer to concentrate on the restoration of his Stag. I am sure that you will all join me in thanking him for his effort over the last two years.

Much has been achieved over the last couple of years with the continuation of the Northants Camping Weekend. Despite last years poor weather it pulled the local members and guests together for a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. The Coast to Coast Run arranged by Colin was another huge success, with a more demanding day of driving attracting a great attendance. The Joint area stand with Peterborough at the Kimbolton Country Fair goes from strength to strength with a record number of club cars on display. Our annual treasure hunt arranged by John is always a highlight. Also our local members have been supporters of TSSC organised events including IOW camping weekend, The Sunshine Rally where my very own Herald won best in class, Duxford, Standard Triumph Marque Day at Brooklands, MOT the list goes on. Sorry if I missed your favourite event. Well done to everybody for your support over the last couple of years

We will be back at the Elwis Arms, Great Billing on the 2^nd Wednesday of every month where we can start to plan the 2008 season . We can look forward to The 4^th Northants Camping Weekend and I will be interested in your suggestions for future events.

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 9^th January at 8.30. Old and new member are always welcome.

Adam

Home