As we head into July and leave Midsummers Day behind, we are already begining to wonder will we ever see a summer at all this year, surely the english weather cannot get any worse?
Now that so much rain has fell during the last month, lets hope that we don't see anymore wet stuff until at least November!!

Members of The Cambridge & District MGOC visited the MGCC's International Event at Silverstone recently, and got very wet into the bargain.
(There is a brief report further down the page) Friday the 13th!

Saturday 28th June & the clubs annual 'Area Secretary's BBQ' was held at the home of Brian Fish. In the five days previous to the BBQ the UK was deluged with almost non-stop rain, with records showing it as being the wettest June for 200 years!!
But although the day started very grey, the sun came out and the BBQ went ahead with 50 people decending on Brian & Rita and of course their neighbours. There were no complaints from the neighbours, they too were invited to the BBQ (good thinking!).
Brian recently completed a large double or maybe a triple garage, to house his MG's, and this made the perfect facility for the evenings proceedings.
We had our very own version of the 'Spice Girls', as four of the clubs prettiest girls, wiggled their hips (and other parts) on the dance floor.
There was Linda Revell alias 'Welsh Spice', Arlene Jackson alias 'Honeymoon Spice', Nicola Payton alias 'Mommy Spice' ( Nicola is expecting her first child shortly) and finally Heather Fairchild alias 'Haven't Got A Clue Spice', which was clearly demonstrated on the dance floor, as Heather strugled to keep time with the dance routine!
It was a fantastic evening well done and thankyou to all those involved

The new governments first buget is due any day now, I wonder how much extra the 'motorist' will have to find? The last chancellor was very kind to the owners of classic cars, with the abolition of 'road tax' on vehicles over 25 years. There may well be an extension of this perhaps in the forthcoming budget, with the abolition of road tax altogether.
The treasury will still need to raise the revenue, so perhaps a higher rate of duty will, be paid on fuel at the pumps! (Pay As You Drive)?

MG'97 for the Cambridge & District MGOC was our busiest event to date. A hardy group of enthusiasts took on the task to get thousands of MG's parked quickly, safely and in straight lines! Many of the UK's enthusiast, and some from European continent, took advantage of the camping facilities which were available from Friday night. The majority of the campers though arriving throughout the day during saturday. Many of the trade stands were available on saturday, and there was plenty of opportunity for a good look around the Imperial War Museum. The museum is always updating and improving its collection, so it does not matter how many times you the museum before, there is always something new. This year sees the completion and official opening in a few weeks by the Queen of the new, and impressive building which houses the museums 'American Collection' The MG Owners club always provide entertainment for the 'Saturday Party Night' and this year was no exception. Hit pop group of the 70's 'SHOWADDYWADDY' were top of the bill. Hanger 2 was turned into an entertainment hall, with the mainstage flanked by a display of aircraft and cars. The party night also traditionally is fancy dress, and there were plenty original 70's costumes for which prizes were awarded to the best (champagne & travel vouchers to Europe). Showaddywaddy made a dramatic entrance on stage with air raid sirens, searchlights and the theme music from the film 'Battle of Britain'. It was a great show! (and loud!) After the late night party it was to be an early start once more for that hardy group of MGer's from Cambridge, reporting for duty at 8am sharp. The pre planing was coming together, as we assembled in our designated club area, we were given a final briefing from Brian. The gates were opened about nine, and the MG's started to roll in, and there was a steady of cars until well past one o'clock, when space to park any more cars ran out!

On Friday 13th of June, five MG cars left a pre-arranged meeting place just outside of Royston (The Little Chef), for a weekend of racing at the MGCC's annual event: The (47th) International MG Meeting at Silverstone.
It was a great start, the sun was shining, and for a Friday the traffic was not too bad, especially a Friday the 13th! Everything was fine until we got to just the other side of Milton Keynes, when we hit a jam (traffic not strawberry!). The jam was caused by minor accident, but it made a major difference to our journey time. That meaning the difference between getting the tents up in the dry or the wet, as about 15 minutes before we got to the camp site at Silverstone the heaven opened and we could do nothing except wait and hope for it to clear up. After about an hours persistent rain, it decided to ease enough to allow us to put the tents up, and get the cooker working (well you gotta eat!). Someone had the bright idea of chilli for supper and we were glad of something hot.

Saturday morning started still on a wet note, but it failed to spoil our breakfast. Kelvin who had arrived earlier in the morning (5.30am) and had been for a walk around the Silverstone circuit with Keith and Heather arrived back at base camp just as we were dishing up breakfast (good timing Kelv!) After breakfast all the 'girls' planned to go shopping, while the boys messed with their MG's. Brian bought a new windscreen for his MGB Roadster, he had removed the old one, only to find the new one did not fit. So he took it back to get another one, that didn't fit either!
Brian kept very calm!!! He took the screen assembly back to the stall where he had bought it and got a refund, so they had to put the old one back. Someone said are you sure its not the 13th today!
As the ladies went off shopping in Milton Keynes, the men watched some very good racing, & Kelvin got some good shots with his camera.

A selection of racing images from Silverstone 97

Later on Saturday afternoon the weather began to turn damp again, but we managed to have an excellent BBQ, with Brian getting in plenty of practice for his own BBQ to be held later in the month. Both Jeremy & Kelvin, who had come to Silverstone just for the day, stayed for the BBQ, but not being the hardy campers like the rest of the club members, they left for home and a warm dry bed at around 8 o'clock. It was at about this time the rain came down again. Imagine the fun 20 people can have huddled into what essentially is only a fourman tent! Sunday brought even more rain, so it was down with the tents and just quick look around the show and then home for that hot shower. In spite of the weather, and the weekend starting on Friday the 13th!, a good time was had by all.
Silverstone 98'.... put it in your diary!

Six MG's from Cambridge met up at Brooklands Museum on a sunny sunday morning. Four of them, had had an early start from Cambridgeshire (about 7.30) meeting up in a 'superstore' car park, no 'points' for guessing which one!

We had travelled down in the MGB, on saturday as had Derek & Lesley in the MGC. Early starts on a sunday and the M25 do not rate highly in our weekend priorities.

We, Sarah and myself, were the first to arrive at 'Brooklands' after a short drive from our B&B , and parked in our allocated space on the banking. This is more difficult than you think as you have to reverse up the steep slope which steadily gets steeper, nd unless you keep the revs up it is very easy to stall. Suddenly we became aware of of a red MG alongside, getting wheelspin in reverse up the rapidly increasing camber, accompanied by screeching tyres and clouds of blue smoke! Keith and Heather had arrived! They got out, put up the boot lid, then, out came the coffee!

The others appeared soon after, and following the ritual coffee break and chat and of course the ritual visit to the conveniences, the cars began to move off for the start. The weather was not too bad, quite a few clouds but plenty of blue bits too. of the roadsters, Keith and I had the hoods down, but we did here that our area secretary went down most of the way with his up! His hood that is!

The officials tried this year, to get the cars starting, in order of age, with the oldest first. As there were about 500 Mg's that did upset the Cambs & Districts plan to drive in convoy, as we all got split up. So we arranged to meet up at about half way at a pre-determined pub. Amazingly we all managed to arrive at the right pub, and in chronological order-even if most of us had finished lunch when the last one arrived.

The early part of the run took us through a lot of built-up areas and we did get delayed in heavy traffic - outside another one of those well known superstores, in Reigate (still no 'points' for guessing which one!). This was the only black mark for the organisers- it was not as smooth as last year!

Fortunately, the last two third of the run were really good - a gold star this time for the organisers! The bit after the lunch stop was particularly good, there was very little traffic, the roads were winding, yet easy, the weather was warm and sunny. The view of the South Downs, & and from the top of Ditchling Beacon, was stunning, and of course we were always travelling in company with MG's.

At Brighton, which was brightley kitted out for the occasion, we reached the Palace Pier and drove onto a crowded seafront and along to the finnish on Madeira Drive. As we pulled up we could hear a commentator interviewing MG drivers and to our surprise we heard our vey own 'club secretary' Brian Fish, fame at last!

We all enjoyed the run, its definately a must for next year.

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