Monday 25 March 2013

MY 2013 Help For Heroes Fund Raising Event is In Detailed Planning


My 2013 Help For Heroes Fund Raising Event Planning

Towards the end of 2012 I was trying to organise a Round English County Towns Relay using any means of transport requiring a team of about 45 people to Fund Raise for a Day each before passing on the Collecting Baton to the next County.

'The Baton' Made for me by my Good Engineer Friend Jim West

Sadly I have exhausted my contacts, including the H4H County Coordinators and believe it or not, could only raise interest from about eight people plus myself. That was so disappointing, but maybe I was being too ambitious.


Last week, when the MSCC Club Magazine Miscellany dropped through the letterbox, inside was an article about a topic which has inspired me to go for another Solo Motoring Challenge.



Each year the motoring fraternity celebrates the Motor Car on the Sunday nearest to April 23rd by getting the Car out for the 'FBHVC Drive It Day'


Historical Overview from the Cornwall Austin Seven Club – By Doug Castle. 
In 1900,    In the summer of 1899, the Automobile Club Secretary (Later to become the RAC), Claude Johnson, conceived the idea of a trial, to be in the form of a rally rather than a race, which was banned on the highway in Britain.  


The trial would be a series of daily runs of up to 100 miles that would test the driver's patience and skill, but more importantly the design, construction and reliability of the cars.  There would also be exhibitions in the main towns along the way, to try and convince the population of the pleasures and reliability of the motor-car and overcome the prejudices.  


This Hero Events Schematic Route plan is a Modern Version following a similar route.

http://www.heroevents.eu/Events/thousand_mile_trial/


 The itinerary was now in place for the event to run from April 23rd to May 12th 1900.  The final route would comprise 11 days of driving between 61½ and 122¾ miles, the total distance being 1060 miles.  There would be 4 hill-climb competitions, with Shap being the only optional one, an optional speed trial, with 7 all-day exhibitions, 6 short exhibitions during the day runs and 3 arranged for evenings.


The trial was not intended to be a pleasant and leisurely run but a true test of the car and driver under many differing road and weather conditions, with the hill-climbs and speed trial timed and average speeds calculated.  In the quaint terminology of the time motoring was referred to as 'the field of automobilism', owners and drivers were either 'automobilists or autocarists', and mechanics were known as 'mechanicians'.  

The cars were open to the weather even though most had a pram-hood, but no windscreen, which afforded little protection to the driver and passenger, who had to be suitably dressed in 'autocoats', hats and goggles.  
Extracts Copyright of Doug Castle

Here is an example of the type of car available in 1900

My New Grande Plan 
I have decided that here is the perfect Motoring Challenge for me and the Green Goddess to do over 11 days sticking as close as I can establish to the Original Route and Stopping Places. 


Some locations have been re developed since 1900 so another Local Ideal Stopping Place will need to be investigated 

These will be selected stopping points where I hope to be able to Fund Raise for a couple of hours using my Baton Tins, above, and all funds raised will be posted into a new Bmycharity Website, yet to be established, where on line donations may be made

Unlike the Hero Plan, I would not be using any motorways to make the journey. 

The original route commenced in Central London at Hyde Park Corner, finishing at Marble Arch and Whitehall. I plan to pick up the A4 at Slough where I will drive west following the old A4 to Bristol for Day1.  I plan to pass through Marble Arch and Whitehall on the Last Day turning for home again at Slough. 

Where the original trial held Rest Days and Exhibitions, I will keep going for the 11 Days in succession making as much time available to Fund Raise along the route.

Hopefully I will be able to decorate the car again with Help for Heroes Logo for High Awareness  

I also intend to continue this Blog on a daily basis with appropriate photos taken along the way added for general interest. All I need is lots of Luck again and some decent weather.

Here is Hoping for Lots of Support.
Frank


http://www.bmycharity.com/1000milerally

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First Update on My Help for Heroes Thousand Mile Relay Fund Raiser



I have been trying very hard to establish the exact route taken by the drivers in the original 1900 Thousand Mile Car Trial organised by Claude Johnson, the then head of the Automobile Club.

Claude Johnson 



I have been very fortunate during a recent visit to our local Oxfam Shop to find two fantastic books to help me in my quest.



The first find was an actual book compiled by Claude Johnson called 'Roads Made Easy - Picture & Pen. It was published in 1907 and is Volume 2. Covering Journeys from London to Wales. It was probably compiled from actual journey experience. It was published by 'The Car Illustrated, Ltd.' 



You can see from this page the conditions of roads in those days and the novel method Claude uses to describe directions, a frequent one being 'Follow the Telegraph Wires'.


My next find is a more recent publication which may still be in print? 


In one of the early sections of the book he describes the Thousand Mile Trial with some interesting comments made by pundits at the time, such as 
' The Biggest and Most Important Thing Done in this Country'
'Shap Fell, with some considerable Muscular Assistance'
'A Wierd Drive in the Dark beside Thirlmere'
The First Milestone of the British Motor Industry'

The Precious Photos below are all from the book showing various places and events along the way.

The First Badge of the Automobile Club before becoming Royal in 1907

'Ready for the Off' at Grosvenor Place, London

The Toll Gate at Maidenhead used as a Time Check Point.

At Calcot Park Reading where Daily Mail owner Mr Hawkworth had laid on a sumptuous lunch. 

Also at Calcot Park with the Mayor of Reading in Top Hat.


One of the Exhibitions held along the way at Edinburgh Waverley Market Hall - John (lord) Montegue Sitting on the Rostrum Rail.

 Arrival Home in Whitehall London.

_______________________________________________________________________

My Help for Heroes 1000 Mile Rally Route Plan

The Journey Plan is coming together nicely as listed below.


All I need now is lots of your Kind Donations to the website :



http://www.bmycharity.com/1000milerally



The Highlighted Places are where I am hoping to be able to stop and fund raise somewhere, hopefully at a local Sainsbury's or Asda Superstore.



END PLACETOTAL MILES

1,290
Day 1MEASUREMENT TOWNMILES FROM LAST TOWN
MON 29TH APRILHome
Beaconsfield
Slough-
Reading28.6
Calcot-
Newbury16.74
Hungerford8.48
Marlborough9.84
Chippenham18.23
Bath12.76
Saltford-
Keynsham-
Bristol12.94
Almondsbury7.4
Total Distance107.59
Day 2MEASUREMENT TOWNMILES FROM LAST TOWN
30TH APRILBristol-
Almondsbury-
Thornbury Station-
Gloucester27.1
Cheltenham9.1
Tewkesbury8.89
Malvern Link16.7
Worcester ( 3pm arr.)6.1
Kidderminster13.8
Birmingham17.1
Tamworth
Litchfield15.3
Sheepy Magna9.1
Total Distance111.49
Day 3MEASUREMENT TOWNMILES FROM LAST TOWN
WED 1ST MAYLitchfield16.9
Burton on Trent12.3
Derby107.59
Matlock16.7
Bakewell8.3
Taddington7
Buxton6
Whaley Bridge7.4
Stockport10.8
Cheadle2.6
Manchester – Fallowfield4.57
Fallowfield
Total Distance183.26
Day 4MEASUREMENT TOWNMILES FROM LAST TOWN
2ND MAYManchester – Fallowfield
Wigan22.4
Preston17.9
Lancaster21
Kendal21.6
Bowness in Windermere8.3
Total Distance82.9
Day 5MEASUREMENT TOWNMILES FROM LAST TOWN
3RD MAYKendal
Windermere8.4
Ambleside4.5
St Martins Elterwater, Langdale8.3
Keswick17
Cockermouth
Carlisle30.3


Total Distance68.5
Day 6MEASUREMENT TOWNMILES FROM LAST TOWN
SAT 4TH MAYCarlisle
Gretna Green8.6
Lockerbie15.6
Moffat15.8
Selkirk35.5
Peebles20.7
Penicuik13.7
Edinburgh Princes Street8.9
Mussleburgh7.5
Total Distance126.3
Day 7MEASUREMENT TOWNMILES FROM LAST TOWN
5TH MAYMussleburgh
Dunbar22.4
Eyemouth20.7
Berwick on Tweed8.7
Alnwick29.7
Morpeth18.4
Newcastle14
Metro Centre3.3
Total Distance117.2
Day 8MEASUREMENT TOWNMILES FROM LAST TOWN
MON 6TH MAYNewcastle
Durham15.5
Darlington18.8
Northallerton,15.7
Thirsk8.7
York22.6
Leeds23.5
Bardsey8
Wetherby4.8
Total Distance117.6
Day 9MEASUREMENT TOWNMILES FROM LAST TOWN
TUES 7TH MAYWetherby
Harrogate10
Pool in Warfdale8.7
Bradford10.1
Brighouse6.5
Huddersfield4
Holmfirth6.5
Stocksbridge11.4
Sheffield10
Total Distance67.2
Day 10MEASUREMENT TOWNMILES FROM LAST TOWN
8TH MAYSheffield
Welbeck Abbey & Park Centre16.9
Clumber Park7.5
Lincoln25.6
Newark on Trent16
Nottingham21
Ravenshead21.2
Total Distance108.1
Day 11MEASUREMENT TOWNMILES FROM LAST TOWN
THU 9TH MAYNottingham
Loughborough14.2
Leicester11.4
Northampton31.5
Bletchley19.8
Dunstable12.8
St Albans12.9
London Marble Arch & Whitehall21.6
Slough & Home31.12
Total Distance155.32



_______________________________________________________________

My Help for Heroes 1000 Mile Rally Route Maps


Here below is the route plan for my Help for Heroes 1000 Mile Rally Charity Run which is booked to take place from the 29th April to finish on 9th May. The Circles identify place where I plan to stop and hopefully Fundraise at SuperStores where I am currently seeking permission to stop for a couple of hours at each.

There will also be a number of 'Drive Throughs' of the City Centres and some possible visits to places of interest that the 1900's drivers visited. There were also four Hill Climbs on their route, mostly along the journey but at least two were diversions off of the main route. I will try and find those hills and drive them as well. Shap fell was an option in 1900 but as it is away from the main route I will not be going there.

As you study the route you may ask yourself ' Why such a convoluted route switching back and forth across the country'. 
I have no idea why other than to guess that organizer Claude Johnson, The Automobile Club and the Entrants themselves, would have some very influential friends living in these areas where they could make stops and get lots of help with their publicity for the Motor Car which was one of their objectives. There is a Book, which I have not yet read, about the Thousand Mile Trial, written by Elizabeth Bennett selling on Amazon for around £60.

 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thousand-Mile-Trial-Elizabeth-Bennett/dp/0953793001


Map 1 - Day One.
Beaconsfield to Slough to pick up the old A4 Road to Bristol


Map 2 - Day One.
Along to Bristol after a Visit to Bath and onto Cheltenham tomorrow


Map 3  - Day Two.
Cheltenham to Worcester via the Morgan Factory in Malvern - Birmingham to Tamworth overnight - Day Three onto Derby & Matlock


Map 4 - Day Three.
Buxton to Stockport and then Manchester overnight - Onto Wigan in the morning. 


Map 5 - Day Four.
To Preston, Lancaster and into the Lakes at Kendal - Windermere overnight


Map 6 - Day Five.
Windermere To Keswick, Cockermouth & Carlisle overnight. Then onto Gretna, Moffat and Peebles the next day.


Map 7 - Day Six.
Into Edinburgh and Mussleburgh overnight then on to Dunbar, Eyemouth and Berwick on Tweed in the morning.


Map 8 - Day Seven.
Berwick on Tweed to Alnwick, Morpeth and Newcastle overnight, then onto Durham and Darlington the next day.


Map 9 - Day Eight & Nine.
Nothallerton to York and across to Leeds and Wetherby overnight. Harrogate, Bradford, Hudderfield and Sheffield for the next night. 


Map 10 - Day Ten.
Sheffield to Lincoln via Welbeck Park. Then Nottingham overnight. Onto Leicester and Northampton on my last day in the morning.


Map 11 -  Day Eleven.
Blechley, Dunstableand St Albans before the drive into Central London through Grosvenor Place, the Original 1900 Starting Point and then along Whitehall where the Original 1900 Trial finished.
Lastly, back out of London along the old A4 to Slough before turning North and to Home.


 Map 12 - Day Eleven.
A More Detailed Map of the Central London Routes.

So that is my version of the 1900 Thousand Mile Rally Route. My version of the route is 1282 miles long at the moment with my diversions and may prove to be longer during the actual journey.

I hope you enjoyed studying the maps.

If you would like to support my event by donating to Help for Heroes to support me you can do this easily at my Help for Heroes website here:

http://www.bmycharity.com/1000milerally


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