‘Tundergarth Trophy’ 12 Car Rally. October 12th

1 Willie Keaning    Liam Harkness    3 fails    16 mins………………………12 points each.

2 Liam Patterson   David Paterson    3 fails    30 mins……………………..11 points each.

Alistair Stewart      Calum Clark         3 fails        27 mins……………………10 points each.

Clark Dowson         Ian Lindsay          7 fails        27 mins…………………….9 points each.

Ian Wright               Dan Wright        16 fails        37 mins…………………….8 points each.

Harry Merry            Charles Brown   18 fails       20 mins…………………….7 points each.

Tony Currie  Graham McMurray……………………………………………………..1 point each.

Crews assembled at the Green Frog Cafe, Moffat  for a later start than normal, allowing them all to depart in darkness and the organiser a chance to get finished at work.

We had two new crews join the Club, Ian Lindsay and Clark Dowson from the Canonbie area and recruits from Warrens recent missionary work, and Harry Merry and Charles Brown from up north – well Carluke and Kilearn -, who I seem to remember from the mists of time on previous Doonhamer Navigational events?.

After a quick coffee break for the workers, the crews sped off, followed I feared at one point, by a couple of service crews!!. Oh aye, I forgot Liam had lent Calum the Honda Civic so, Liam was out in the unmarked white van. Oh man. The second van was the owner of the cafe, shooting off  home and wanting to demonstrate her car/ van control, thanks Chris.

The first 2 miler took 88% of the field towards Selkirk and right on to the bumpy link road to Wamphray. Unfortunately Tony and Graham decided to have a evening supper at the Grey Mare’s Tail or was it the cafe at St Marys Loch and were scunnert before they started.  The lads called Warren G at the first TC to hand in their dummies.

The second control with Big Donald C, had to be relocated as the farmer at Pumplawburn decided he was working late and there were massive amounts of ‘single payment subsidy’ parked in the conveniently situated  layby. All six crews were clean, only a  few dropping a minute or two.

Third section would have been familiar to the Doonhamer Classic crews, as we passed the new forest test at Fingland Fell on the blast over the windsheild hill to Boreland, only Ian and Dan dropped a large chunk of time here. There was a pleasant surprise for Mike Curry, as not only was his control about five mins from home, allowing the organiser to drop the paperwork off to his front door, but the third car to blat up the hill was an on song Imp engined  Clan Crusader, driven by new member,  Clark Dowson. Mike admited later the crew were lucky to get away, as he wanted to invite them home to inspect his own Clan. I must admit a soft spot for these venerable tuperware tubs. As a yoof I imagined myself in such a wee flyer. Finally, at a race meeting at Ingliston I inveigled my way into the very dab. Well that was as far as I got, 6 foot 1 and size 11 plates of meat don’t sit well in a wee Clan.

Due to staff recruitment problems, the marshal at TC 4 had to be at TC 5 and the sections were consolidated (Business wank) giving a nine mile traipse to Bankshill and the eponymous Tundergarth. I only hope that the crews appreciated the smooth surface on the evening’s event as the Navigator in the clan was instumental in securing  these works. Up hill and down hill into the Valley of Ecclefech went the Five !!. Harry and Charles were too frightend at the reputation of the “Fechan” and skipped a control. The  exspurts were still clean to this point but had dropped a hand full of minutes.

Making quickly out of the home of the’Fechan Tart’ (very tasty she is too) the crews bridged the Annan at Hoddam, for the maze of bumpy (poorly maintained) roads south of Dalton. Although the new surfacing  on some of the route would have been fun! on a wet night.

Again the staffing deficiency required management to consolidate two sections but the crews all made the Dalton Hook (up) at TC8. See what I did there? ‘Hook up’, oh please yersel’s.

Warren  (trainee of the month) was on double time and covered this control taking time out of his busy schedule to check the clue, and was on the mobile to correct a minor typographical discrepency. Handy things these mobile phones. Great for phoning up when yer lost on a 12 Car Eh!! you all know who you are!!. The section to TC 9 had the management working some overtime as the doubty chaps from Scottish water had asked for a road closure en route and it hadn’t been intended to overrun, thus the last minute route amendment as the team setting the codes out in the afternoon discovered the fly in the ointment. (or mains replacement programming displacement error)

The run to the final control is always a bit of a problem for event planning executive like wot iam.  You all know where the control is, so how to make it difficult to find, well I must have tried to hard. My local knowledge was too good. I knew there were only three places to pass under the motorway, and we were right on top of one of them, but you have to have GREAT EYESIGHT TO SEE TO WEE ENTRY OFF THE B7076 AT CASTLEMILK.

Still, seven out six back and off to the Truck Stop for a natter, while the management massaged and manipulate  the figures to present you with these magnificent results.

In conclusion, good roads and generally well presented but a bit heavy handed on the resource restructuring and rationalisation.

The Management.

Mark Simpson and  assistants:-

MISSIONARY WORK………………………………….. Warren (Employee of the Month) Gillespie

FINANCIAL SERVICES…………………………………..Donald (The Don) Carruthers

PLANNING LEGISLATION……………………………..Mike (PVC Windows) Currie

EGO MASSAGE…………………………………………..Chiara (Ahw Dad!!) Simpson

TIME CONTROL TECHNICIAN………………………Your Name HERE?