Northern Twixfests - Feb 2025 poll for dates

[320touring]

Back in the hoose on 441 miles. Just the 14hrs and 326 miles all in. Cracking day, great roads, great pies, braw weather and guid cunts aww roon.

The poor 300k mile rank taxi saw some sights it's likely never encountered before..

First up, something more akin to a dried up riverbed than a road..

These sheep were super impressed!

After this, there was a consumption of baked goods supplied via @Jimbob McGregor from the folks at Saddlers in Alston.

https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063610391718

Their pies and sausage rolls are dynamite, the loaves are exceptional and the cooked breakfasts are ace! Would heartily recommend - and the drive to Alston is terrific!

 

Whilst most of the assembled company decided to womble freely underground,

 

@Jim Bell and I did a handling pack upgrade to the A2..

16" wheels and tyred tyres off( see wot i did there?)

MK1 A3 15" lightweight alloys with good tyres on

The A2 has specific jacking points and needs much care to avoid any issues with the aluminium. It all went swimmingly once we got the car on some stone to raise it enough for the jack and jacking pad to fit under.

The car looks in good condition, and was decent to work on ( making me less bitter about the shitey one I had)

I then had back to back Renault trials..

 

First up, @PSAPerv's super low mileage Mégane Coop. Thanks for the shot!

This has the f7r 2.0 16v lump and 150bhp. It's like a grown up and refined Clio 182, and sounds GREAT! I channeled the fuck out my inner Jean Ragnotti and had a right old rag up the hill.

It also passed muster with Clio_Stu, a man with discerning taste

Then I drove the car of tomorrow from 10years ago

Pretty damn fucking good. Nae noise but relentless up the 20% grades. Most impressed 

Enjoyed chasing down @loserone up hill and down dale. The Octavia brakes need new discs ASAP. Some heavy stops made for a good shudder and smelly pads.

All in all a smashing day, cheers to everyone!

 

[loserone]

@Jimbob McGregor's lad made this from clips of the day

 

 

[seacow]

That coupe does it for me. Brings back fond memories my mate had a yellow one back in the day. 
 

is that road the one way Forrest road through grizedale?

[loserone]

  On 11/05/2024 at 22:02, seacow said:

That coupe does it for me. Brings back fond memories my mate had a yellow one back in the day. 
 

is that road the one way Forrest road through grizedale?

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He's got a yellow one too

The route is in the first post in the thread, except for the tiny track down into Nenthead which is this one.

 

[seacow]

It’s a bit of a trek but I fancy coming to the next one if I can. 

[seacow]

I used to have a 1995 Clio as a company car. We had a tie up with Renault and the team leaders got an rsi. The managers the Megane coupes and the top dogs the fancy Lagunas. They  let us all have a shot and I’m proud to say I ragged the nuts off the Renault range from 1996 to 2000

[seacow]

  On 11/05/2024 at 18:17, loserone said:

That's @PSAPerv.  He has a few and would love to find a buyer for some of them.

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I darent ask which ones…

[yes oui si]

Looks like a grand day out. I'll try to plan migraines better and make the next one... I reckon the Enyaq would love the trail. 

[loserone]

Rather you than me trying to squeeze it in down the back lanes in Nenthead!

[richbraith]

Cheers for a lovely day.  I had a nice treat afterwards as I called to see the Audi perv that lives on the way into Alston from Nenthead (we've met briefly before and he was outside when I passed).  He remembered me and I got a guided tour of his sheds and there's all sorts back there, I would have loved to take some pics but not really the done thing!  Nice guy.  Seems to have most of the remaining Audi 80 B2s.  

[captain_70s]

Girlfirend_70s and I had a grand time! Many thanks to @loserone for planning the route, @MrsJuular for sorting the mine tour and @Jimbob McGregor for providing quality pies and bakewell slice!

My camera shat itself with a lens fault so scant pics, but here you go anyways.

Around 370 miles covered in total, we drove down on the Fri evening and stayed in a hotel locally, because I don't do early starts...

Dolly handled the run fine. Exhaust centre silencer is rotten so it's a bit loud and after a few 20% grades being taken flat out in 2nd at 6,000rpm and then immediately being shut off in 23C heat it did get a bit hot and send a fountain of water out of various pinholes in the radiator... Once it'd cooled off it never leaked as badly again, so presumably there was just a lot of pressure in the system causing the seeping radiator to become a more rapid leak. I bought some RedWeld for the trip home, but never needed to use it.
Ironically I spotted it pissing coolant while trying to ascertain the source of a minor leak on the Amazon, which turned out to be rain water leaking out of the fog lamp...

It also generated a lot of smoke from the front brakes when descending some of the 20% grades. I now know why people say that Dolly front brakes are shit and only have one good stop in them.

All in all a good day out. 11/10, would do again.

[loserone]

  On 11/05/2024 at 22:07, seacow said:

It’s a bit of a trek but I fancy coming to the next one if I can. 

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Is it

  On 11/05/2024 at 21:06, 320touring said:

Back in the hoose on 441 miles. Just the 14hrs and 326 miles all in.

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Much of a trek? 

[320touring]

To be fair, ahm a fucking idiot..

[davidfowler2000]

Pfft. I did Glasgow to Twixfest via Hastings and Ashford.

[loserone]

  On 12/05/2024 at 17:49, captain_70s said:

minor leak on the Amazon, which turned out to be rain water leaking out of the fog lamp...

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@juular I trust you are going to address this leak?

[juular]

  On 13/05/2024 at 11:01, loserone said:

@juular I trust you are going to address this leak?

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It's just crying in solidarity with @captain_70s radiator.  Who am I to argue?

[juular]

Good times. Will Twixfest again.  

Not sure of mileage, probably similar to @captain_70s as he's just down the road from me. Tank and a bit in the Amazon, so probably 350-375 miles or so.

We need more driving events.  Car shows are alright, but having stuff actually on the road is infinitely better.

[loserone]

  On 13/05/2024 at 11:59, juular said:

We need more driving events.  Car shows are alright, but having stuff actually on the road is infinitely better

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I'm trying to think of any similar events to be fair,  once went on an MX-5 OC run (on one of the roads we used on Saturday too) where they handed out walkie talkies for it but everyone was cruising at 35-40.   

They actually had a run yesterday and there was a queue of 20 MK3 mx5s trying to get into the dales centre car park.  Looked awful.  

 

I dunno if we could make it more interesting in some way, half way to a twelve car or similar.  I should probably sign up to do such a thing first but my copilot goes to bed when they start so it's not very family friendly.

 

Tips and suggestions welcome.  Also, @MrsJuular, let us know when we're coming north of the border.

 

[MrsJuular]

  On 13/05/2024 at 15:04, loserone said:

Tips and suggestions welcome.  Also, @MrsJuular, let us know when we're coming north of the border.

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If this is something peeps want im sure I can organise something. Let me look into it. 

[dome]

This was not on my radar sadly.Looks like an ace day out. I love shiny old cars and Twixes, real or otherwise. I shall have to attend one of these👌

[juular]

I've been contemplating something like this as a very first draft.

This takes in the A708 and A701, both of which are brilliant and scenic roads, and most importantly avoids the busy A7 and A72

I entered Peebles as a start/end point but in retrospect it's best avoided as parking is expensive and it's full of tourists.

I used Carter Bar as a start point as there's lots of parking, it's a lovely spot, and it's right on the border for you southerfolk.

Let me have a play around with routes and see what I can come up with.

[Jim Bell]

  On 14/05/2024 at 13:34, juular said:

I've been contemplating something like this as a very first draft.

This takes in the A708 and A701, both of which are brilliant and scenic roads, and most importantly avoids the busy A7 and A72

I entered Peebles as a start/end point but in retrospect it's best avoided as parking is expensive and it's full of tourists.

I used Carter Bar as a start point as there's lots of parking, it's a lovely spot, and it's right on the border for you southerfolk.

Let me have a play around with routes and see what I can come up with.

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That looks mega. 

[loserone]

Hermitage castle -> Hawick please 😂

[GeordieInExile]

  On 14/05/2024 at 13:38, Jim Bell said:

That looks mega. 

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Big time. I really like Moffat, great toy museum there. 

[tooSavvy]

Carter Bar to/from Hawick is epic 😁💨

I once 'followed' a fuzz area car [driver training] and I kept pace in the works van...

Just far enough back to see it, far off, but still howling along 🤣🤣

🚙💨

[hairnet]

  On 14/05/2024 at 13:58, loserone said:

Hermitage castle -> Stow please 😂

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[loserone]

Should we try to do another of these then? August/September? 

 

@juular and @MrsJuular, should we come a bit north?

[GeordieInExile]

Further north than Weardale would be very handy for me, what with the newborn at home and all...! Not that I'll be bringing anything particularly interesting - an XC70 with possibly inoperable 4 wheel drive.

[Ghosty]

Yes, need to come to one of these.

[Schaefft]

yeah, happy to travel a bit further North, too.