hello and welcome once again to group leader’s ramblings
As this really is really Etienne’s slot I had better include his aptly titled travelogue first.
Letter from America
Hello to you all from over the pond.
After two months of travelling through Thailand, Australia and New Zealand, I'm now having a rest in Atlanta, meeting up with friends and catching up on my sleep. I've obviously been thinking about you all as I've sat on a tropical Island beach or walked through the beautiful countryside of Australia and New Zealand on a warm summer day, a cold beer in my hand and hearing on the news that the UK and most of Europe has experienced the coldest winter in 30 years.
Of course, after two months of sun worshiping and sun burn on the end of my nose, I am now back in the northern hemisphere and I have to say that it's not exactly warm here in Atlanta. Yesterday there was a weather warning of possible snow and I'm sure that you've seen the images on the news from New York and north east states. Apparently, this isn't normal.
Anyway, to beat this cold snap and to try and build up my tan up again, I will be heading down to the Florida Keys over the next few days. It's a long drive and will take three days, but I plan to stop off in St Augustine and Miami on the way.
Before flying in to Atlanta I spend five days in Las Vegas, a city I haven't been to for over 15 years. A lot has changed, but some things remain and what ever you do in Vegas, you're sure to have a good time. I certainly did and nearly all the things I got up to didn't involved gambling. Of course America isn't the main part of my travels. It's a country I visit regularly and know reasonably well.
Thailand, Australia and New Zealand were all new experiences and I have to say that they were all fantastic in their own right. Thailand, especially Bangkok, is like no other place I've experienced. Koh Samui was a very relaxed place and I spent many hours on the beach and in the sea, soaking up the atmosphere and recharging my batteries after a rather hellish 2009.
As for Australia. Well, despite being populated with Australians, the country itself is a beautiful place and even the cities are clean and have the vibe of a new and optimistic country. But the winner of the most amazing place competition is New Zealand. It is without doubt one of the most beautiful and visually stunning places I have ever visited.
The scenery is just breathtaking, the pace of life relaxed and the people friendly and helpful. The cost of groceries may be one of highest in the world, second only to South Korea and beer isn't exactly cheap, but I'd go back at the drop of a hat and live by a lake with a V8 Holden in the shed and miles of empty roads to enjoy...
Take care and see you all in March
Etienne de Coensel
Thank you Alan Whicker
So my brief spell as editor comes to an end. I am assuming here that Etienne will be returning from his travels and normal service will be resumed next month. What have I learnt? Well for sure I will aim to stick to Etienne’s deadlines in future but he has probably heard that one many times before.
Here we are then. February and Annual General Meeting time again and my review of the past year. Put the kettle on and settle down with a cup of tea, it might be a long one. Only joking, I will keep it brief as I will have nothing to witter on about on the evening.
Looking back on the past year it has generally been another successful year for Brunel but strangely a quiet one for my activities, with my own TR being very conspicuous by its absence at most events. Our major event, the weekend trip to Goodwood and Portsmouth was a tremendous success and our thanks must again go to Dennis and Angela Lane for organising this one. The group photograph remains my favourite memory of the summer. The International Weekend was again well attended and I know that everyone enjoyed themselves. Our local events such as Bob Sackley’s Gartell Railway Trip was another splendid day out with a very good attendance and with much fun on the day.
The pleasing aspect of the group once again is the willingness of members offering to organise events. I have said this before that this I believe brings the group closer together. I know that Elf also appreciates all your help. I feel that the general comorarderie of the group could not be improved upon and at a level that I hope we can maintain.
There are some things that I personally did not quite achieve last year, namely my aim to draw more new members into the group but saying that we have attracted some good new members. This again will be one of my targets this coming year. I feel very confident that we have another interesting and hopefully very enjoyable year ahead of us especially with our Le Mans Classic trip in July. You never know you might even see my TR out and about again.
Once again, a big thank you to everyone and especially my fellow committee members who have made the past year another good one for Brunel TR’s and long may it continue.
You will see from the Social Calendar that Elf and her Social Committee have been extremely busy and come up with some very good looking additions to the list. I know that we will not have a presence at all of the listed events but there should at least be something to satisfy everyones taste. Personally I am intrigued by the Nostalgia Evening in October. I have not had a chance to speak to Elf on this one yet so do quite know what to expect. I am sure that it will be fun though.
Wessex and New Forest Triumph Run – Sunday 18th May
A good early season event, well organised and well attended by Brunel. Entry is £8 per car and closing date is 31st March. We have some entry forms so if you are interested please ask Elf or myself. Rumour has it that I may even enter myself.
Cotswold Air Show – Sat/Sun 19th/20th June
This is the rebranded Kemble Air Show (quite why I do not know) A few of us attended last year and discussed the possibility of having a Brunel display in the Classic Car section. I have been in contact with the organisers and have booking forms. Cost is £10 per car and entry for two for the weekend. This is a vast saving on the normal entry on the day (£25 last year) The display area is very close to the flight line This is an extremely good show indeed and well worth a visit with some fantastic aircraft on display and in the air. It would be good if we could have a 5 or 6 car display on each day. So if you are interested please let me know as soon as possible as I would like to get this one confirmed soon. We would not expect you to necessarily attend both days and we may possibly subsidise the entry fee subject to raising this at out AGM. I have mentioned this one to Glavon so hopefully we may end up with a joint display.
Andy Spencer
Ps 2010/2011 Newsletter subscription fees will be due on 1st March. These will be subject to a possible proposal at the AGM. New forms will be available at the meeting or sent out separately.
social committee report
A very brief Social Report for this month but as you can see by the additions to the Diary the Social Committee have been busy sorting out a few more events for the calendar, and there are more to come!We hope you are all having a well earned rest - if not a hibernation - before we all meet up in the spring.I look forward to seeing you all next Wednesday for the AGM at the Newman Hall.
Elf Harris
hello and welcome to group leader’s ramblings
Here we go then. In the absence of the globetrotting Etienne, yours truly is in the editor’s chair. What kind of finished article you are reading is solely in the lap of the god’s, although late is probably a certainty. Of course, if I make to good a job of it, which is highly unlikely, he may not get his position back. I sat down a while ago and tried to think of some witty new title for my joint piece. You can see the result above. Ok, I did not think about it for very long. Just do not expect to see any photos in the newsletter as I have not got to that chapter in the editor’s technical manual yet.
Anyway, I hope that you all had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year. The recent deluge of the cold white stuff has been a bit of an inconvenience to say the least. Hopefully we have seen the last of it for a while. Bring on global warming I say.
Talking of our Editor, I have received a few emails from him. In fact I could probably serialise them. He has gone from Bangkok to Brisbane and Sydney, via Singapore and last heard of somewhere in New Zealand. Needless to say he is having a good time, relaxing and spending far to much time than is good for him on the beach sipping cold beer and cocktails. Hopefully he appreciates what us poor souls have been enduring back in Blighty recently. I was initially considering putting his emails in the newsletter but his first one verged on the politically incorrect and involved a game of Connect 4 with a local young girl in Bangkok. I never thought that I would worry about that. Come to think of it, I am the last person to be politically correct.
So what has been happening on the TR front? Unfortunately I missed the TR Register 40th Anniversary Meeting at Hopcrofts Holt but my sources at the meeting say that it was an interesting and successful day. No doubt there will be a full report in the next issue of TR Action.
You will remember that at our Christmas meal we decided that instead of giving each other cards that we would donate the money spent to charity. We raised the sum of £43.35 which went to the chosen charity of Cancer Research. Thanks to everyone for this and to Tony and Helen Luffman for suggesting and organising it.
I came across the very sad news over Christmas that Hasell Atwell of the Atwell Wilson Motor Museum in Calne has died. Brunel visited this wonderful local museum a couple of times in recent years and on each occasion found Hasell to be a most charming, warm and enthusiastic lady.
We have included in this newsletter a complete list of major national and regional events that we have confirmed at the time of writing. Where possible we hope to included the relevant web site link for further information. We do not expect that Brunel will be represented at all of these but just to give you a choice and variety of events to enjoy your TR. There will be more to be added when they are announced and details of those events that we will be attending as a group will be published in due course. Elf and her newly formed Social Committee will be adding some dates of our own in due course. The list of dates are also included on our website and updated regularly so it is worth checking now and again.
I was considering making this newsletter a combined January/February issue but decided against it. So as soon as I complete this one it will be straight into the February issue which will include the Agenda, Accounts and hopefully the Minutes of last years meeting. The latter is dependant on being able to retrieve the file from my deceased pc.
Andy Spencer
social committee report
A Happy New Year!
I trust by now that you have all dug yourselves out of your igloos and are now feeling fully refreshed and fit because you have been walking everywhere instead of jumping into that dreaded car!! Thank goodness the TRs are in hibernation.I must admit I’ve quite enjoyed the change of lifestyle and enclose some photos I took of Blaise Castle under snow which quite caught my imagination.
Events…. I am planning an event for Feb, after the AGM when hopefully the weather will have settled down a little and we can get around safely, so will inform you later.
Xmas Meal…. went off with a bang yet again and I think was successful. However, I felt this time it lacked a little vigour and atmosphere ( as we were the only people in the building) and I feel we are ready for a change next year…..what do you think? However I must say thank you to all of you for contributing so much to the evening and thanks also have gone to Moss for supporting us with the ‘auction’ prizes.
AGM next month will be held at the Newman Hall Westbury -on-Trym as last year, 7.30 to 10.30It will again be in the upper room and the bar is available to us. I’m sure a few of us ladies will be able to provide a few edible goodies to add to the evening! If you haven’t attended before and are unsure of directions to the Hall, please contact me.
Regalia…. I will be taking orders at the AGM night Social Committee now includes Derek Lee and Derek Roberts, but suggestions or requests from you are always helpful.
Elf Harris
