Golden Jubilee Event Reports
Tyne-Tees Centre Golden Jubilee Weekend: 6th/7th August 2022
Report by Noel Lindford & Tony Wood
Photos by: Noel Lindford, David & Matthew Alexander, Lorraine Noble-Thompson, Peter Chalmers, Ray Abbott and Tony Wood.
Following several months of planning & organising, and routes recced, the most ambitious event Tyne-Tees Centre has put on in many a year was finally ready to go. Redworth Hall Hotel, a 17th century Jacobean Manor House located at Redworth was the base for our weekend, with so many entrants staying in reserved special rate rooms, that we had another group staying at the Hall Garth Hotel, just a short drive away.
Saturday 6th August dawned dry and bright, and the reserved spaces for 88 MGs quickly filled up in the carpark, with an amazing collection of MGs spanning nine decades from right across the UK, as people arrived for Event Reception in the Prince Bishops Suite. Event sign-on was expertly managed by Peter & Judith, Lyn & Charlotte, quickly handing out Event Packs and ensuring all drivers and navigators signed the Motorsport UK Entrants forms for our “Touring Assembly”.
The reward for all was tea, coffee and pre-ordered bacon rolls in the foyer, entrants having found the event packs contained a souvenir route book, rally plaque, and those bacon roll vouchers.
The driver and navigator briefings were given at 10:00am by Noel & Tony, respective organisers of the Northern and Southern Loops of the “Figure of Eight Tour”. We explained our cunning plan to avoid congesting the roads of County Durham with a convoy of 88 MG cars, by sending those with an odd numbered entry one way to start the Durham / Weardale Tour, and those with an even numbered entry the other way out of the hotel onto the Swaledale / Teesdale Tour. These circular tours would then bring the cars back to Redworth Hall from opposite directions, so the MSUK Route Liaison Officer was happy, as were the local Police. “On return, relax, have tea / coffee etc, and in your own time, do the other route… enjoy!”
Cars were flagged away at 30 second intervals, and allowing for the odds and evens, nearly all were on their way within 45 minutes. A TF with a failed starter motor prevented one couple doing the morning run, but not the afternoon one, having kindly been offered seats in an MG saloon car, one of 10 ZA & ZB Magnettes taking part, having adopted our event as their Register Gathering!
The Northern Loop (Durham / Weardale Tour)
This initially took the cars through Shildon, home of the railways, being the starting point for the world’s first passenger railway in 1825 and famed for building many railway engines. There were a number of clues to its railway heritage as you drove through Shildon. The route then took us to Bishop Auckland, so named when the Prince Bishop of Durham moved his residence there in the 13th century. Driving past the magnificent Castle gates, and through the Market Place, there was the contrast of the recently constructed Auckland Tower alongside the old Town Hall, now a multi-purpose arts and entertainment venue.
The route then turned north-west to the village of Hamsterley, gateway to Hamsterley Forest, home to the Forest Stages Rallies, but not our route! We went up alongside the forest, a much more pleasant drive, where you just keep climbing, and able to make good progress whilst taking in the scenery (at least the navigator could, if you were really making good progress!) before the summit where rounding the next bend afforded a stunning view down the Wear Valley, with Wolsingham in the distance.
Crossing the River Wear, the route turned west in Wolsingham, and on to the village of Frosterley, famed for quarrying Frosterley Marble, used in the columns of Durham Cathedral. The preferred stop on this tour was the Durham Dales Centre in Stanhope, where we had reserved parking for 30 cars, and a chance to take a refreshment break in the splendid Tearoom (which many enjoyed) visit the on-site specialty craft shops and walk around the gardens.
Leaving Stanhope, turning south to re-cross the River Wear, some twisty, steep climbs took the cars high up onto Bollihope Common and the stunning scenery of the sweeping moorland road down to Eggleston.
Here the route turned east to Cockfield, where coal mining began in medieval times and then returning to Redworth Hall via the fast A68 and through Heighington village.
The Southern Loop (Swaledale / Teesdale Tour)
This headed out through Heighington and south via Walworth Castle, with an interesting history, eventually becoming a hotel and the Natter venue for Tyne-Tees Centre in the 1990s. Close by we came to Piercebridge, Roman crossing point of the River Tees, before driving on towards the Georgian town of Richmond, taking the scenic route via Gilling West, having carefully crossed the fast A66. This drive in avoided the congested Market Place, taking the cars past Richmond Station and up past the Rugby Club to drop down into the town with the most amazing view of Richmond Castle to admire on the right.
A preferred comfort stop was the main public carpark in Richmond, ideal for a stroll into the Market Place and many opportunities for refreshments; the Green Howards Museum, the Georgian Theatre of 1788 (oldest working theatre in UK) and many shops and galleries to enjoy.
Heading north-west for 16 miles brough the cars to Barnard Castle, passing the imposing Bowes Museum, a French Chateau-like building housing a large collection of Spanish & French art, and an excellent café in the grounds, where some did stop for refreshment.
The town became famous recently for being visited by visually challenged government advisers. The clear view ahead took the cars eastwards through the large, pretty village of Staindrop, close to Raby Castle, before heading back to Redworth Hall.
The Jubilee Dinner
The social highlight of the weekend was the Jubilee Dinner held in the Prince Bishops Suite, resplendent with silver candelabra and lit candles on all the tables, and with a rolling slide show of Tyne Tees history playing on the big screen. It was a deliberate policy to avoid the notion of a “Top Table” the aim of the evening being simply to meet old friends and to make new ones. As part of the organisation, we had asked people who wanted to be together to let us know, and we were able to accommodate all requests, otherwise members of the Tyne Tees committee were spread around as table hosts, a precaution that was obviously not required as the happy buzz of conversation rang round the room. 140 people enjoyed the excellent meal produced by Redworth Hall, with very efficient service and all the right choices going to all the right people and in the right order! (Apologies to Morecambe and Wise)
Whilst we were aiming for an informal evening it was a celebration of our Golden Jubilee, so it fell to Centre Chairman to propose the health of the MG Car Club. Tony opened his remarks by paying tribute to Alan Dakeyne, ninety years young and at the time of our independence, Secretary of our mother group, North-East Centre now known as Yorkshire Centre.
He followed that by admitting it was 54 years ago that week since he attended his first MGCC Tyne Tees Sub-group meeting as we were then known, with some brief remarks on his time within the club and what it had meant to him. The toast being made it fell to the Club President, John Day to propose the health of Tyne Tees Centre. John’s theme was the Marque of Friendship, stressing the point that we all joined for the cars but stayed for the people and looking round the room there was total agreement, a room full of happy folk all united by MG.
He also graciously paid tribute to the organising team and made the Committee stand up and take a bow, much to the chagrin of our more publicity shy members, some of whom were slightly backward at coming forward! Final toast being drunk there was a surprise for our Secretary and organising genius Noel.
The Marque of Friendship award is given by the board of the Club to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the MGCC within a Centre and on a National scale. They were delighted to honour Noel for his outstanding work, much of which goes unreported and unrecognised by the wider membership, and in announcing the award Tony coupled Noel’s tireless work with that of Kay who provides essential backup when the going gets tough. It was to universal applause that John presented Noel with his award to round off a memorable evening.
Just in case this all sounds too good to be true one gentleman found the cooking of the vegetables too hard for his taste. On being advised by the waiter that they were cooked to what is known as “al dente” he put on a broad North-East accent and replied “Why thanks son, I presume that’s the I-talian for rock hard !!” Chef’s response is not recorded.
Visit to Beamish Museum
The sun shone again on the Sunday morning as 100 MGs made their way to Beamish Museum some 25 miles north of Redworth. Cars from Saturda
y were joined by others who could only make the Sunday. We had reserved parking at Beamish in the upper carpark, which made for quite a sight, before at around 10:30am, the convoy of cars made their way down the back road into the showfield, where they were parked up to create a good display for the public, and not too remote for the car owners to be able to mingle….an “MG village” atmosphere was the plan, and once parked up, folk were free to explore the delights of Beamish, stepping back in time to 1825, 1913 and the 1950s within the huge complex.
Trams, a working railway, 1800s farm, colliery, Edwardian Town and funfair, Beamish has a magical atmosphere that everyone enjoyed, and the public enjoyed our cars, lots of them!
The latest addition, the 1950’s town is still a work in progress, however having a coffee in a 1950s café with period jukebox playing “78” records was quite surreal! One of our members got to conduct the brass band at one point on the town bandstand, impressing our Club President! The finale to the day was a cavalcade of MGs into the 1913 Town, with cars carefully parked up to make a display that was quite something; even the employees at Beamish were impressed.
From there we said our goodbyes on what was the end of a rather special weekend, which many of us will long remember. The many kind emails received afterwards were much appreciated by all involved in making this all happen. Noel & Tony would like to express thanks to all of our hard-working Tyne-Tees marshals and Committee, they are just the best! Most of all a big thank you to everyone who took part in our celebration, from Tyne-Tees and right across the UK…just brilliant!
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Beating the Bounds Tour: 16th/17th May 2022
report by Ian Graham
Three years ago, we started talking about how to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Tyne-Tees Centre. My idea of a route travelling around the boundary of the Tyne-Tees Centre went down well, and I started to plan it. Due to lockdown and restrictions on hotels, this wasn’t an easy task.
However, once organized, we had entries from twenty-two cars, dating from the mid/late 1940’s up to the present day. They were taking on the challenge of 378 miles over two days. We had entries from both north and south of the Centre, and they drove a route as close as possible to the Tyne-Tees Centre boundary.
On a damp Monday morning we were flagged off from the Little Haven Hotel, South Shields, by Mayor of South Tyneside Pat Hay. We headed down the Durham/Cleveland coastline, turning inland towards Richmond and the North Yorkshire border of the Centre. Lunch for some at the Tan Hill Inn, before heading northwest towards Alston where the sun appeared, and soft-tops came down.
We ended day one with an overnight stop at the Crown Hotel, Wetheral, where we had a lovely evening meal, sharing the day’s events and then presentation of two awards.
Barrie & Sheila Hope were awarded the “Spirit of the Event” engraved whisky glass in recognition of the distance they had travelled to take part in their 1958 MG Magnette ZB Varitone. Steve Lidgate’s superb MG TC was chosen by the Mayor that morning, as her favourite car, and Tony Wood presented him his engraved Jubilee glass.
Following a hearty breakfast, our second day began sunny and dry, and we were flagged off by the staff of the Crown Hotel. We headed northeast along the Scottish Border passing Jedburgh Abbey, to Berwick-on-Tweed, then down the Northumberland coast to the Newcastle Quayside, crossing over the Swing Bridge and finally we returned to the Little Haven Hotel in South Shields.
The run was a challenge but worth the effort! Thank you to all who took part. Ian Graham
Photos by: Ray Abbott, David Coulthard, Dennis Hope,
Kay Leighton & Noel Lindford