Sorry guys...I had all the best intentions for Saturday, but a spanner was thrown in the works. I'll spare you the excuses...except one, which is that mine was the only 300 which went up the hill at RRG on Sunday...
Where were you SteveP?!
I am now firmly getting on with this, after various pieces of unexpected and significant time-thievery. I am going to make a few calls tomorrow, then I should have a post together tomorrow evening.
Outline plan, as it stands...
1.) Saturday midday -
Meet at Wetherby Services (southerners) and Scotch Corner (northerners). Grab lunch if you want it. Don't be late
2.) Depart roughly 12:20 (southerners) and 12:10 (northerners) for 1pm arrival and re-group at Sutton Bank National Park Centre (
http://goo.gl/maps/2op2q).
3.) Depart once we've got everyone, and head for
Whitby, where we'll have dinner (venue TBC...tomorrow, all being well). Two routes - one direct, via the A170 and A169. The other will involve some sort of cross-country detour. I'm waiting on local knowledge for a good route, but have one in mind.
This won't be a convoy - I think it causes too much of a nuisance. I'll issue "checkpoints", and everyone will be in charge of making their own way, at their own pace...whether via satnav or maps. I'll be bringing some printed route maps, and I'll hand out my phone number in case anyone gets lost...or in the highly unlikely event of a mechanical failure (yes, that is an in-joke for attendees of last year's event...)!
4.) After dinner, we'll probably enjoy drinks, "banter & BS" (Chris and Rupert respectively, I suspect...), then retire to campsite (venue TBC) and hotels (find your own!) for the evening.
5.) Sunday we muster at
Goathland Station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway at between 10:30 and 11:30 (allowing for a leisurely breakfast for those who prefer that idea!). We have been allocated parking at the station, but it's not going to be an "attraction" like the past two years. You can either enjoy a train ride (with discount provided by the VOC), or go for a look around Goathland (aka Aidensfield, from Heartbeat)...or both.
6.) Further notes on train times. Goathland is towards the middle of the line, and is one of the crossing points, so there are trains running in both directions, departing at the same time. Suitable services leave at 10:50 and 11:50. The full round trip takes 3 hours (taking you to 13:50 or 14:50), but heading south to Pickering and skipping the (relatively short) trip north to Grosmont cuts an hour off the round trip (so 12:50 or 13:50, respectively). The south-bound train at 10:50 is steam-hauled, while the opposite is true at 11:50. I'll probably get the 10:50 south, and do the whole trip, but feel free to change your plans to match how much time you want to spend on the train. You can read more about the train times here (after selecting the 2nd Sept):
http://www.nymr.co.uk/timetables-and-fares/timetable/ Tickets for the train are £17, and there is no saving if you miss out Grosmont. This cost is likely to be subsidised by the VOC. How much subsidy can be provided depends on how many attend (budget is fixed), but it may be total.
7.) After lunch, say 2:30pm, we'll make a move to the
North Yorkshire Motor Museum at Thornton-le-Dale, arriving around 3pm.
8.) It's not that large, so I'm guessing around an hour later, we'll make another move to a pub for some grub (for anyone interested).
That is pretty much the plan as it stands.
Things to be resolved ASAP (as much for my benefit as yours...
)
1.) Dinner venue for Saturday evening
2.) Campsite for Saturday night
3.) Dinner venue for Sunday evening
And yes, I need to do better next year
That means I'll be asking for more help
Having said that, I know it will be great, despite my bumbling incompetence. That's because many of you will come, and you'll make it great. You always do! That is all for tonight...
...except that we need to get that list going - it currently looks pitiful. I want to see names, and what you're bringing. I'm also putting down a few tentative names, as I'm expecting a few individuals to attend (or else!), and I'll be calling them soon...
Foggy - 343 R-Sport
Mac & Deb - XC70, ready to pull drifters out of ditches with diesel torque!
VND - No idea! Hopefully attending...?
Nimminz - 360 GLT - get it fixed!
Chris_C - 340 16v
MCHUDD - 360 GLS
Mattywatsit - Mystery 360 GLT
SteveP - 360 GLT
Rupert - Panzerwagen, I assume
Sion - Some sort of awesome mk1 pimpness, I hope!
Filthyjohn - Barge, the 940? Hopefully attending...?
Farrell?
Shimon?
The guys from last year...Ephraim and the dude with the really tidy white mk3 whose name is currently escaping me?
(will try to think of more)
Once this has been firmed up, I'm going to hit the VOC and the V3M Facebook group with it.
cheers
James
