They say, ‘all good things must come to an end’ and it was with mixed feelings that with diminishing numbers of both cars and drivers the organisers of the Kimber Classic Trial decided to call it a day with the MG Centenary Kimber Touring Assembly on April 29th. The KCT had been run almost annually since the 50th revival in 1987, using many of the pre-war sections still available. Ongoing conditions imposed by MSUK, government and local authorities with restricted access to green roads and has made the organising of a classic trial very difficult without a large manual input which has faded away in recent years.
With MG celebrating its 100th birthday it was decided to do a tour on tarmac taking in many parts of the routes used over the years to link competitive sections without going off road. The current state of the lanes used were, in places as potholed as some of the competitive sections previously used by the KCT but this didn’t put off 52 entries who signed on at Lanes Hotel West Coker on a misty morning. The car park was filled to overflowing with 33 pre-war entrants including our Dutch friends who have been great supporters of the event over the years.
By 10.00 cars were on their way and the sun appeared to allow spectacular views of the Dorset countryside as entrants followed the route book to the lunch stop at Haynes Museum. After Lunch the cars were again to the northern part of the route calling first at the famous cake stall under the Pitcombe railway arches where villagers annually raise money for charity and this year made a special effort for our event where we helped raise £315.65. The route then wound its way back to Lanes Hotel. The evening dinner was fully booked, and many familiar faces were there to reminisce. Sunday dawned with drizzle but then stayed dry long enough for the gymkhana to take place at the homes of Barry Foster and Hamish McNinch before adjourning to the pub for lunch and then departure for home.
Bruce Weston
Videos from the event are available on Youtube or can be view below
