January 2013

Happy New Year!

George Dalgarno gets into some fishy business with an old bus. See page 4!

www.mgnorthumbria.org

Chairmans Chat
Happy New Year but before I look forward there's just a few things to say to finish off 2013. The Xmas night out was certainly the best attended I can remember and thanks go to John Pearce for organising the night. Also I had the surprise of winning the first EMMA, thank you to all who voted for me and to Emma for running the competition and to Bob for running the Pride of Ownership competition. So what can we hope for in 2013, less rain and more sunshine perhaps, increased ethanol in petrol, oh and these celebrations! 115 years ago first pedestrian killed by an automobile and now we have plans for cars to be fitted with pedestrian air bags 110 years ago The Motor was launched 100 years ago first roadside pump installed at Shrewsbury 90 years ago more than 1million motor vehicles on the road, 40% are motor cycles 80 years ago ERF Trucks & SS Cars registered 70 years ago the government begins to plan post war production 60 years ago JET petrol launched, so called as the tanker registration contained JET 50 years ago Leyland Motor Corp formed & Hillman Imp produced 40 years ago your car is exempt, mine's not 30 years ago Thrust 2 takes world land speed record 20 years ago Goodwood Festivals started Best wishes

Tim Cook
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At the risk of starting the new year off in controversy, this is from Emma Allen.

An MG versus a man
The MG will happily stay outside your friends house while you have coffee and a chat and will never grumble about how long youve been. The MG will not disappear down the road on a Friday night and demand to be let in at stupid oclock in the morning. The MG will always be there when you need it. The MG LOVES shopping and will carry as many carrier bags as you want. The MG is happy to take children or grandchildren out for the whole day. The MG does not leave underwear on the bathroom floor, the milk out of the fridge or the top off the toothpaste. The MG will not answer you back or accuse you of nagging but will patiently listen to your grumbling. The MG will never ever go off with another woman. The MG will never insist on watching football when your favourite programme is on [but surely that is the football anyway? Ed.] Man v MG er, let me think for a while!

Emma

In a departure from past practice, instead of the secretary having their own column the committee members will be taking it in turns to do this. This month George Dalgarno is in the frame! How I passed my driving test
Life wasn't easy in1961, well not for us anyway. Eileen and I were courting and we had a mobile fish and chip business using a 1940's converted 33 seater Daimler bus. We travelled around the local countryside area, with Eileen trying her best to keep her feet very dangerously frying on the move, selling what we thought were " The Best Fish 'n' Chips this side of 3 Rivers". We also used an old Bedford Utilabrake to transport potatoes and fish from the wholesalers to a lock up shop where we prepared every thing for our nightly journeys. The van wasn't in the best of condition and typical of that model, the sliding doors were detached at the bottom, due to excessive corrosion, and would remain hanging perpendicular and flapping in the breeze when turning a corner. One day I was travelling down a main road in North Shields at a fair lick on my way to collect supplies, when a big fat brave or stupid policeman stepped out into the road and flagged me down, I'm sure the procedure for stopping motorist from that day on, was updated in the Police Training Manuals, as I just managed to stop Ohhh Geordie! His inspection of the vehicle was culminated with him climbing onto the drivers seat which was supported by a biscuit tin of sorts and certainly not built to carry his huge weight,. He got his eye on an empty fish box in the back of the van and informed me that I required a "C" License to carry goods and an argument ensued as I pointed out to him that the van had side windows therefore it was not a commercial vehicle and the fish box was empty anyway so I wasn't carrying goods, and therefore didn't require a C" license.

During this argument he was huffing and puffing on the drivers seat / biscuit tin when it started to buckle, he became rather lopsided and told me, in no uncertain but wobbly terms, that this vehicle should be off the road and he would put out an all points bulletin that if it was seen on the roads, I would find myself in very serious trouble I considered myself to have been very lucky on that occasion and with a terrifying (ALL POINTS BULLETIN!!!) out on me and my van, decided that I might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb and if this was to be the vans last journey that I might as well fill it up to the roof with as much potatoes and fish that it could carry without the front wheels leaving the ground. On the way back to our lock up, another thought came to mind, "Better get yourself a driving license George" The day of my Driving test came and I borrowed my fathers Vauxhall Cresta, and as I had to have a qualified driver to accompany me to the Test centre and no one else was available, I asked my mother to be that person. She was a little shocked at my request as she had never been behind a wheel in her life but I managed to convince her that no one would be any the wiser and as long as she didn't say anything there would not be any trouble. I stopped at a garage on the journey to buy a pair of "L" plates and tied them on to the car around the corner from the Test Centre. When we were inside waiting for the Examiners, a man remarked to my mother ," That's a big car for a learner isn't it? And she replied "no, not at all , he drives a bus at night times" !!! Luckily the examiners were not within earshot. Thirty minutes later I passed my driving test How things have changed! (Well Eileen insists that I haven't )

George Dalgarno

Clubnight, Backworth 8.00 pm. Subs now due! See below.

Great News!
The cost of being a member of MGN is being held at last years price i.e. 8 plus 5 Backworh fee. George is waiting to take your renewal now so dont forget to cross his palm with folding stuff at clubnight. Alternatively you can send a cheque, payable to MG Northumbria to: George Dalgarno
Denecroft, Wallridge Drive Holywell, Seaton Delaval NE25 0NN

Pride of Ownership Award I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of our members to thank Bob Heslop for the work he has done on the pride of ownership award, He has introduced and organised the award over the last few seasons, Bob now feels that it is time pass the organising of the award to someone else, I have agreed to take on this task from the start of next season, at this point in time i intend run it in a similar way to Bob and hope it is given the same support as in past seasons, However i will consider any changes that members suggest that may improve or simplify the running of the award, so please contact me with any suggestions you may have, Once again thanks to Bob for doing a great job, Dave Stokoe.

Dutch Tour 2013 If you are intending to book but are leaving it until nearer the time could you please let me know, to give me an idea of the numbers. For more info go to http://bit.ly/UXNBrT
Thanks Tim

Christmas Night Out

Over forty of us were at the Badger, Ponteland, for the Christmas meal. Thanks to John Pearce for managing to get everyone into the same room!

Emma Allen presents Tim with the new prize given for the most regularly used classic. Tim takes his BGT to work every day!

Richard Hunter next to dad George.

Pride of Ownership prize for Abingdon cars went to Emma. Allen. Presented by organiser Bob Heslop.

The post Abingdon prize was won by Les Davison. Well done both of you.

The Ford Cortina, the stop gap that lived on.

Might this be the last of the 50 years ago memories for 2012? 2013 is the centenary of.but that might be the subject of a quiz question so I will leave it for now. If my memory serves me right the Consul Capri had been a disaster for Ford, being an American style car with long fins and lots of glass. British drivers werent quite ready for that. The Cortina was a stop gap, much smaller fins but a large family sized car with a decent boot and the immediately recognizable rear 'Y' light clusters. The Ford Consul Cortina was introduced in September 1962 in a standard & deluxe form. Originally to be called "The Archbishop", the lure of a Mediterranean resort called Cortina seemed a better bet until they discovered that BMC owned the name. No problem, they bought it for an undisclosed sum. Ford decided to stick to the tried and tested formula of the very popular Anglia 105E with an overhead valve 1200 (1198cc) engine, four speed gearbox, MacPherson strut front suspension and recirculating ball steering. Available in 2 or 4 door saloons the Consul Cortina was to be one of Ford's most successful models. (Ford was later to drop the 'Consul' nametag.) The range grew to include 1500 (1498cc 5 bearing engine) a GT, estate cars (with imitation wooden sides. Finally the race and rally winning Lotus Cortina arrived in July 1963.
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The model was phased out in 1966 after 1,010,000 were made. The MK 2 followed. The Cortina introduced sealed ball joints for steering and suspension (no more greasing), front disc brakes, self adjusting rear brakes and aeroflow through flow ventilation. Compared to previous family cars it was very roomy, 8 man tent and a Burco boiler to move? No problem. Oh! And the grey ones were fastest; I know mine (KJM916) was two tone grey. Bob Heslop

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As many of you will know, John Mitchell acquired an MGC that has since been in the hands of Sports Cars Unlimited at Jesmond. Clearly John is now getting rather excited about the work nearing completion, as this e mail from John shows.
Having gone through the rebuilding of my BGT engine com-

partment in 2011 and all that goes with the roller coaster of such events, taking on the 1969 MGC roadster in January the year was once again going to be a mixture of highs, lows and pain on the pocket. That said such a lovely man as Gordon is and great mechanic as Allan will eventually produce a most beautifully rebuilt MGC. It is probably never going to be quite as bad as moving house, but neverthe less, each time I came to meet Gordon at Sports Cars Unlimited was going to be interesting. Invariably I would come away saying ah great work but ouch to myself . Today, a big milestone, the engine has been re-fitted and really the purpose of this message to those I thought might be interested John supplied a photo of a beautiful looking engine being put into the car but due to technical difficulties it was not possible to show it here.

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