Please check this page for further updates or use the 'Contact the RO' link if you'd like to be added to our mailing list.
Following the latest Government and Public Health England advice, region meetings and events have been suspended until further notice.
Please check this page for further updates or use the 'Contact the RO' link if you'd like to be added to our mailing list. We're incredibly lucky to live in our part of the world but we're also spread far and wide across a large region! Some of us are travelling over an hour each way to attend club meetings so after a number of discussions we've decided to change our longstanding arrangement that monthly club nights will be on the evening of the last Wednesday of the month. From January 2020 our region will meet on the last Sunday of the month. Venues will change over the year as we attempt to reduce the commute and anyone can volunteer to arrange a Sunday meeting and a run out - just drop me a note and the start point,route, duration and venue are all up to you! Version 1 of our 2020 calendar is below. Martin ![]()
North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report December 2019
Not a lot to report this month up here in Cumbria; the gritters are out, the days are short and after another MoT (with the usual ‘Noisy Exhaust’ advisory!) I’ve tucked the Griff away for winter. Our club meetings have now moved to the final Sunday each month – we’re trying out a few different venues to make sure as many members as possible have the chance to meet up without lots of travel to and from each gathering We returned to the Greenhill Hotel at Red Dial near Wigton this month, we had a great time, good food, great conversation with everyone looking forward to the festive season – full Christmas party report next month. I also discovered the answer to that perennial question – ‘what sort of car does a Tuscan owner take to the shops when they need a pint of milk?’ The answer came courtesy of Dave and Muriel who joined us for lunch, arriving in style in their beautiful Bentley Continental Flying Spur! The paintwork matches the Tuscan perfectly but the 6 litre W12 is a little quieter… Thanks to all at the Club and our amazing members up here in Cumbria and the Scottish Borders for all your support over the last twelve months, merry Christmas and Happy New Year one and all. Martin North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report November 2019
This month we have a report on the 2019 Rusty Nail Run, courtesy of our Deputy RO, the legendary Colin Muir; Neil and Tommy from Stranraer organised the RUSTY NAIL RUN X!. The main venue was the North West Castle Hotel, Stranraer. 30 cars took part, mainly TVRs, including the White Elephant, a Sagaris, lots of wedges, other models and makes, making up the Numbers. The weekend started on Friday afternoon with Neil and Tommy greeting all the guests handing them their innovative Welcome Pack which included cheese from a local producer, plus lots of other goodies. As we were dining in the hotel on Saturday a large group of us descended on a local restaurant where we dined rather well. Iona and I were then pleasantly surprised when Tommy presented us with a huge cake for our 50th wedding anniversary which was that day, half of which was served up to the 28 to all present and the rest taken home. Neil’s Saturday run was driven in perfect conditions for tops down. The route covered an area of about 100 miles of B roads with superb scenery and pretty fishing villages along the way. The hotel served a fantastic 4 course meal on Saturday evening and the batten was then passed to Garry who will organize next year’s run in Perthshire. The raffle raised over £600 for a cancer charity and the dancing went on until the wee small hours, hence the later Sunday start. Waking up to a showery morning some cars risked tops off but by late morning were forced to put them back on as the thunder roared in. This run took us through South Ayrshire, stopping at Girvan. Circling the Galloway forest lunch was served in Catstrand where those who were not staying further night said their goodbyes. All in all it was a fabulous weekend thanks to Neil and Tommy whose organization skills left nothing to chance. The weather, the scenery and the company made this one of the best RNR weekends on record. All the best Colin North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report October 2019
Well August didn’t quite turn out as planned - the Dumfries show was cancelled due to torrential rain and high winds - disappointing but the organisers had to put safety first. Unfortunately none of us could make the new date but hopefully we’ll have better luck next year. Our Summer barbeque plans also went a bit awry but came good in the end! Bronwen and I had planned to hold the barbeque at Seascale again but we’re doing some building work and for once things are ahead of schedule. Unfortunately our garden now looks like a ploughed field! Lucky for us that our esteemed Deputy RO stepped in at short notice. Colin and Iona very kindly hosted us at Eastriggs, we had a great time - as well as our usual team we were joined by visitors from Lancashire and the West of Scotland regions. Visiting the Muir clan is always a pleasure; Iona’s legendary hospitality, Colin’s wine cellar and a chance to see what projects Campbell has on the go in the best equipped garage in the region! We’re considering a change to our normal club meetings, moving to more weekend meets at different locations to make sure everyone in the region has a chance to get together without lots of travel. Keep an eye on the region website at .http://www.tvrcc-northcumbria.co.uk for details. We also post updates on Facebook - search ‘TVR Cumbria and Lancashire’ All the best Martin North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report September 2019
The weather up North has been nice and kind; we enjoyed a good day out recently at the Rotating Wheels show in Gosforth. The event was organised by our local Rotary Club and it raised over three thousand pounds for good causes in the area. We fielded a Tamora, Tuscan and a Griff - a nice selection! John and Tricia led us out on a nice evening run prior to our latest club night. As the organisers they got to choose our start and finish points - we set off from Gretna Green through the lovely Annan countryside then onto Dornock and Kirkpatrick Fleming before heading up through Ecclefechan to Lockerbie for dinner at the Somerton House Hotel. We had a great turnout friends old and new - it was lovely to see Jonathan’s Taimar for the first time, complete with canine stowaway! Bronwen and I had a weekend at Cadwell Park, mainly to see our son racing his Renault Clio in the Tricolore Trophy series where he managed overall placings of 3rd and 2nd in races. Despite this impressive achievement the highlight of the weekend for me was seeing the two TVR Griffiths in the CMMC Series, fighting out with a variety of fast Fords and modified saloon cars! Members of the region will be up at the Dumfries Motor Show next, another small but select gathering is on the cards, full report next month. Take a look at our photo gallery on the region website at .http://www.tvrcc-northcumbria.co.uk We also post updates on Facebook - search ‘TVR Cumbria and Lancashire’ All the best Martin North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report August 2019
Wedding bells have been ringing out in Cumbria, one local couple displayed their excellent taste in cars by borrowing the Griff for a few photos - making a nice change from the usual horse drawn carriage. Best wishes to Steven and Kerryann, it was great to be part of your big day. Looks like you’ve started a trend as we’ve already had another TVR Wedding Car request through the region website! Dark clouds and risk of thunderstorms didn’t put us off the High Tea Run at the end of June - we had a great turnout with eight TVRs (plus a motley assortment of Mercedes) led off by James and Linda from the Craggs Cafe at Bothel. Their route took us through the wonderful countryside north of Keswick around the ‘back of Skiddaw’ before heading to the coast, stopping for a picnic lunch at Silloth, where the conditions could be described as ‘bracing’... The afternoon saw us going back inland through some lovely villages, past Bassenthwaite to pick up Whinlatter Pass and finish up at the Hunday Manor Hotel for an enormous High Tea. Huge thanks to all who joined the run and congratulations to James and Linda for their ‘Morecambe and Wise’ directions: all cars arrived at the right place, but not necessarily in the right order! We’ll have a report next time from the Rotating Wheels event at Gosforth in the Western Lakes - it's a small show organised by our local Rotary Club but it attracts some unusual vehicles that are normally kept stashed away by local farmers and other interesting characters who never stray far from home! Please visit the region website at www.tvrcc-northcumbria.co.uk for all our news and events and take a look at our photo gallery. All the best Martin North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report July 2019
Lots to report this month - Bronwen and I were the sole TVR on the Sporting Bears event over at Ravenstonedale (near Kirby Stephen). This is one of our favourites; a two day (non-competitive) road rally to raise money for charity. The beneficiary this year was Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice in Middlesbrough and the weekend raised over two thousand pounds for this very deserving cause. We had a fantastic time, the road book took us through some breathtaking Yorkshire countryside, following roads that are still beautifully smooth and free of potholes - apparently thanks to the work done ahead of the ‘Tour de Yorkshire’ cycle event! We circled back across to Lancashire, ending up at the Midland Hotel in Morecambe which has been expensively refurbished but retains its art deco style. As usual, the event attracted a variety of cars (and crews!) with Jaguar, Porsche, Austin Healey, Jaguar, MG, Triumph and Aston Martin all represented. A couple of weekends later I was delighted with the turnout at the ESPCC Cumbria International Motor Show at Crooklands near Kendal. We had twenty TVRs on our stand with another three or four on the showground as individual entries. It was a multi-region turnout as we were joined by friends new and old from the North East and Blackpool. Our esteemed Chairman was one of the unexpected stars of the show - invited to the main ring to show off his M, he got to treat the crowd to that lovely V8 sound! The ESPCC show goes from strength to strength with over seven hundred entries, live music, traders and various manufacturers/dealers attending too. We’re gearing up for the next ‘big’ event which will be the Dumfries Motor Show in August - get in touch if you want to join the fun. Club night this month was at Hundith Hill near Lorton, another good night, lovely food and good craic too. Please visit the region website at www.tvrcc-northcumbria.co.uk for all our news and events and take a look at our photo gallery. All the best Martin North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report June 2019
Well, the year is going well - we were joined on the Rooster Run by new (to me) members Dave and Denise in their recently purchased S3 and Steve in his Tuscan. Our motley crew met up at the Rooster Bar and Grill, Penrith for a hearty breakfast before Carolyn and her driver Gordon led us off down the old A6 on a scenic route ending up at the Lakes Motor Museum near Backbarrow. After a good look around (including a quick inspection of the Lotus Owners Club turnout - as you see, they are almost as photogenic as TVRs) I made my way back to home to West Cumbria via Birker and Ulpha fells while the rest of the group enjoyed another scenic run back via the Lakes to Threlkeld. We fielded nine TVRs and just about managed to stay in convoy! Huge thanks to Gordon and Carolyn for leading the run - great fun was had by all. We now have a full stand (twenty cars) for this year’s Elite Sports and Performance Car Show at the Westmorland County Showground near Kendal. Full report and photos next month. Club night this month was at Hundith Hill near Lorton, we were a small but noisy group so it was a good night, great company and a nice meal too. We’ve booked the Hundith Hill for our Christmas party (never too soon!) and we’ll have a private dining room just off the main function room this year - giving us the best of both worlds.Contact me if you’d like to join the fun on 7th December. Please visit the region website at www.tvrcc-northcumbria.co.uk for all our news and events and take a look at our photo gallery. All the best Martin A great day - thanks to Colin & Iona for hosting! Pics on the gallery page.
Great run, huge thanks to James and Linda for all their hard work!
Photos on the Gallery Page. North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report May 2019
Most of us are back on the road again after blasting off the cobwebs, testing out new brakes, suspension, wheels, tyres or whatever we’ve spent our cash on over the winter. My new clutch went into the Griff fairly easily, it is uprated but unfortunately my left leg is still standard so it’s taking a bit of getting used to! I’ve also been having a garage clear out - a well known internet auction site has no fewer than 3 sets of my wheels and tyres up for sale (only two sets are TVR related though!) Club night this month was back at our usual haunt - the Hundith Hill, Lorton vale, near Cockermouth. I’m writing this just a bit too soon to report on the Rooster Run, will tell you all about it next month. We’re also getting ready for Elite Sports and Performance Car Show on the 19th of May, down at the Westmorland County Showground near Kendal. Entries need to be in soon so to join the fun please email me. Our 2019 Event Calendar is now up to date, unfortunately I couldn’t get enough people together to do our planned trip to the Isle of Man - maybe next year? Quick reminder - our regular club nights are on the last Wednesday of the month, check our website and the main TVRCC events calendar though - starting in April we have a short run out prior to the meeting and we give the organiser the choice of where to start and finish. Check out the region website at www.tvrcc-northcumbria.co.uk for details of all our events and take a look at our wonderful photo gallery. All the best Martin North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report April 2019
Another nice Sunday lunch event in February (we’re getting used to this!) We were all comparing notes on winter fettling - my Griff is being treated to a new clutch but most are fortunate enough to be getting away with routine maintenance and a good polish. Colin has invested in a new set of split rims for the SEAC - can’t wait to see them. (EDIT - you can see them on the Gallery Page - ESPCC Show 2019) Our first big car show of the year will be the Elite Sports and Performance Car Show on the 19th of May. This excellent event is held at the Westmorland County Showground near Kendal. Last year we fielded ten TVRs - this year our friends from the North East are joining the fun so the organisers have allocated us twenty spaces, making us one of the largest single marque stands at the show. I have one or two spaces left so if anyone from further afield wants to join the fun please email me. Ahead of the ESPCC show, Bronwen and I will be taking the Griff out for a weekend run with the Sporting Bears Motor Club. Their annual Spring Gambol is a two day non-competitive road event, based at the Fat Lamb Inn, Ravenstonedale, Kirby Stephen. All the money raised over the weekend goes to the Rainbow Trust and it will be our 5th year at the Gambol, if you’re out and about in Westmoreland or North Yorkshire between 10th and 12th of May keep an eye out for us! Please visit the region website at www.tvrcc-northcumbria.co.uk for details of our events (past, present and future) and to see photos of some very handsome TVRs and their owners... All the best Martin North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report March 2019
We forsook a dark damp club night for a much more civilised Sunday Lunch meeting in January. Great turn out; twenty of us enjoyed good food and great craic at the Greenhill Hotel at Red Dial. After lunch we sorted the 2019 Event Calendar (which is now up on the region website) We have a couple of car shows planned for 2019, one down in the South of the county at Crooklands and the other north of the border at Dumfries. We’re also planning a trip to the Isle of Man later in the year but at the time of writing I don’t have enough takers to make it work so feel free to contact me if you’d like to join the happy band from our region who are keen to make the journey. All the best Martin Huge thanks to all who came along and supported the club stand, click on the 'Gallery' tab above to see all my pics from the day!
Martin Not strictly TVR but Bronwen and I had a great weekend on the Sporting Bears weekend event in may, photos here - photos.app.goo.gl/jbRovVyNJaVm8nAQ7
The 'Bears' weekend raised over £2000 for Zoe's Place Baby Hospice, and great fun was had by all. We were the only TVR on the event so if anyone would like to join us next year please get in touch. All the best Martin North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report February 2019
We had a great time at our 2018 Christmas Party - all the regulars from across the Cumbria and the Borders (and a few from further afield) met up at for the final region event of the year. We enjoyed good food, good music and good company. I’m told that several of our number also enjoyed a drink or two, but all made it unscathed to breakfast the next morning, clear eyed and full of the joys of Christmas! Huge thanks to Linda for all her hard work organising things and to the staff at the Hundith Hill Hotel for an excellent event. Just a short report this month but I’ve spent a bit of time updating the region website with my last few Sprint reports, photos from our final runs of 2018 and the first draft of the 2019 event calendar. Please pay us a visit at www.tvrcc-northcumbria.co.uk for the latest news from the region. Go-Karting at West Cumbria Indoor Karting in Maryport will be coming up this month - get in touch if you want to join us as there are a few spaces left. Last year’s event was great fun, Neil and his boys are venturing down again from north of the border - they’ll take some beating! All the best Martin North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report January 2019
The new year is starting to shape up well with potential for a couple of road trips as well as our regular selection of weekend runs and car shows making an appearance on the event calendar. A few of our number are interested in a trip to the Isle of Man in September - the more the merrier as far as I’m concerned so if anyone would like to join in, drop me an email. It's a little quieter on the roads at this time of year as a few cars are hibernating or receiving some TLC but many of our members enjoy year-round TVR motoring (take a bow Gordon and Piers - to name but two!) I enjoyed a great weekend down at the NEC Classic Motor Show at the end of the year. As usual I was supporting the Sporting Bears, raising money for several children’s charities by offering Dream Rides - TVRs are always a popular choice but the Cobra was doing well! The TVRCC stand was excellent as always, great to see some familiar faces and beautiful cars. We had an interesting visitor to the Dream Rides garage - he didn’t say much but I could tell he is a big TVR fan! . A couple of very nice historic TVRs went to auction up here at Penrith recently; a red Tuscan registration HLU71K a yellow Taimar registration BVY 2R. If anyone knows the cars (pictured below) and is able to cast some light on their history please get in touch. Finally - please check out the region website for details of our regular club nights at the Hundith Hill Hotel near Cockermouth. New members, visitors and the simply curious are all welcome. We’re still putting the finishing touches to the 2019 calendar so any ideas for club events will be gratefully received. All the best Martin North Cumbria & the Borders Region Report December 2018
Well, it's time to look back on my first full year as Regional Organiser and I have to say it has been lots of fun! We had a pretty full calendar and managed to get a good balance between regular club nights, evening runs, car shows and full-on road trips. We also welcomed several new members to the region and it was great to see a few old friends returning to the Club. The weather was (mostly) kind this year and the Gods of motoring were good to us - no bumps or scrapes (and only a few minor reliability issues to deal with…) North Cumbria and the Borders has always had a reputation as a ‘social’ region and I’m proud to say that we’re continuing the tradition; Club nights are a great mix of car talk and general catch up on each others latest news - finding out what we’ve all been up to at work and at play. Our TVR ‘family’ extends to our members’ partners, friends and relations; if you haven’t been to a club meeting or out on a run with us yet, please come along to any of our events - you’re guaranteed a warm welcome. 2018’s events ranged from indoor karting to a wonderful weekend up in Scotland that took in the Kintyre Peninsula amongst other delights. We also fielded ten cars at each of the two largest car shows in our area. The Mad Hatters and Cream Tea runs were huge fun, as were our other social runs that take place on club nights during the lighter months. On behalf of all of the region’s members I’d like to thank everyone who got involved in organising an event this year. We all lead very busy lives so taking time out to set up something for others to enjoy is greatly appreciated. Finally - We’re all looking forward to our Christmas Party at the Hundith Hill Hotel, it promises to be our biggest turnout for many years so Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from everyone up here in Cumbria and the Borders - the best place in the UK to own a TVR! Martin |
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March 2020
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