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MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

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    MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

    Youngest of the big three Motor Cycling Club endurance trials, which was first run back in 1910 on Boxing Day, when entrants made their way from London down to Devon. The event continues with a mix of vehicles on 2, 3 and 4 wheels, some entrants date back to the 20's - the event has now moved to the first weekend of the year and sees the entrants start at around 7:30 on the Friday night from various locations, making their way to the Haynes Motor Museum in Somerset. The event proper kicks off at midnight taking the entrants to special "green lane" stages - these were the bits of road they forgot to tarmac in the early 1900's, most tend to be hidden away in forests and have signs stating "unfit for motor vehicles"!! These pics were taken on Simms Hill at Ilsington near Bovey Tracey. This year the event was more difficult than normal, recent rain made the muddy and rocky slop incredibly slick and very few entrants cleared the stage.

    Onto the pics, all taken on 1D3 with a 35-350L lens, ISO ranged from 800 through to 6,400 as the light dropped - next event is the Lands End trial which should take place at Easter - happy to post a couple more if people interested....

    The event still has a large number of bikes as well as motorcycles and side-cars, the weather can be extreme, many years there can be snow and ice, this year at least the sun shone - Entrant 55 - Andy Syms & Mark Daubney on their Yamaha XT500



    It is really difficult to show movement in some of these vehicles, however, getting all four wheels off the ground while going up a mud track looks fun - this is a trials special, aptly named Canon Alfa with Nick Framer at the wheel...



    A slightly older entrant, Wolseley Hornet from the 1930's - most entrants are rear wheel drive, the co-pilots main job as the vehicle loses traction and momentum is to bounce up and down to get some grip into the wheels. Just love the facial expressions in this one, unlike many events you can get really close to the vehicles and the action...



    Many entrants eventually lost traction, wheels spinning, bouncers bouncing, but in the end you just knew they were not going to make it - Ken Best & David Prowse in the Marlin Roadster, coming to a gentle stop...



    This was a really unfortunate accident at the end of the day, this was the first incident I have seen in several of these events over the years. Reversing back down the slope was exceedingly difficult, the slick surface meant that breaks were not effective - this dramatic shot is the vehicle going over... The accident resulted in both occupants needing to go to hospital.

    _______________________
    John Baker
    Canon 1Dx, Canon 8-15, 17-40, 24-105, 50, 70-200, 100-400, 400 DO, Tamron 15-30, 180 macro

    #2
    Re: MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

    Good to see to around again John. I have always been an admirer of your work and i like these - really in the thick of the action

    Comment


      #3
      Re: MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

      Very nice set John, I trust the 2 guys in the last shot were not too badly hurt

      Comment


        #4
        Re: MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

        #2 is my fave with wheels off the ground and occupants looking like they are bracing for landing. Also hope that the 2 were not badly hurt.
        Di ~ Trying to take "the" photograph.
        Di's Flickr

        Comment


          #5
          Re: MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

          Some superb shot's of a challenging event, I tried it once many years ago with a mate in a sidecar outfit we built together using the Dniper 650 max speed of 65mph but it would climb a brick wall.

          Have you got any more details of the one at Easter, thanks

          .DAVID.
          Take nothing but photo's - leave nothing but footprints!

          http://www.davidstallardphotography.com

          Comment


            #6
            Re: MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

            Originally posted by Muscat View Post
            Very nice set John, I trust the 2 guys in the last shot were not too badly hurt
            The official MCC website state "One person was airlifted to hospital with what turned out to be no life threatening injuries" - Linky - in many years of watching and photographing the event this was the first real incident I had seen - the marshalls were amazing and responded very quickly...

            Originally posted by DeeGee View Post
            #2 is my fave with wheels off the ground and occupants looking like they are bracing for landing. Also hope that the 2 were not badly hurt.
            I love those too, you have to watch some of the youtube videos to see how slowly some of these are going, the hill is seriously steep, so to get all 4 off the ground takes some doing, there is a bit step which can throw cars into the air, it did manage to break a couple, one Marlin managed to snap a prop shaft at that point!

            Originally posted by David Stallard View Post
            Some superb shot's of a challenging event, I tried it once many years ago with a mate in a sidecar outfit we built together using the Dniper 650 max speed of 65mph but it would climb a brick wall.
            Have you got any more details of the one at Easter, thanks
            .DAVID.
            Hi David, full details of the Lands End Trial are on the MCC web site - basically it will be held on the 6/7 April, while there are some great stages, the best shots are to be had at the top of the Blue Hills section near St Agnes - - if the sun shines it is a glorious day, with the North Cornish coast in the background.

            A couple more shots...

            6 - Not all the machines were sporty or meaty, even attempting 300 plus miles on a Honda Cub takes some doing, that is before you factor in trying to get up the hills - Ed Meers got a massive cheer from the crowd for "going for it", on of 2 Cubs which run most years...


            7 - Phil Tucker and Derek Hurford in a glorious TR3...


            8 - John Turner and Nick Derham in their Austin Seven


            9 - Eric and Di Wall in their Dellow - Getting some big air...


            10 - Jeremy Slatter and Eric O'Hara in a smoking Troll T6 - close to the top, but not there yet!!!
            _______________________
            John Baker
            Canon 1Dx, Canon 8-15, 17-40, 24-105, 50, 70-200, 100-400, 400 DO, Tamron 15-30, 180 macro

            Comment


              #7
              Re: MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

              Sorry to miss you out my last response, thank you for your kind comment - last year was busy for me, after being made redundant and having lots of time, I restarted to some consultancy work which impacted on my time, but getting paid has been nice. I will try to post and comment more this year...
              _______________________
              John Baker
              Canon 1Dx, Canon 8-15, 17-40, 24-105, 50, 70-200, 100-400, 400 DO, Tamron 15-30, 180 macro

              Comment


                #8
                Re: MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

                Originally posted by John Baker View Post
                Sorry to miss you out my last response, thank you for your kind comment - last year was busy for me, after being made redundant and having lots of time, I restarted to some consultancy work which impacted on my time, but getting paid has been nice. I will try to post and comment more this year...
                Thats oK mate - I always remember you for that 35-350 which you really like
                regards-Robin

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

                  Originally posted by hhcanon View Post
                  Thats oK mate - I always remember you for that 35-350 which you really like
                  regards-Robin
                  The old 35-350 is still a totally amazing lens, all it really lacks is the IS, but due to its great weight it is nearly always on a monopod, so that it is not such an issue - it is just such a useful set of lengths, with the body crop it becomes a 45 - 450mm. It has a new big brother, I was after something faster, with the option of using converters, after a lot of looking, reading and soul searching I ended up getting a Sigma 120 - 300 f2.8. I am really looking forward to trying in anger, with the 1.4x it becomes a 168 - 420 f4 (1.3x body = 218 - 546mm) and for occasional use and the matched 2x it's a monster 240 - 600 f5.6 (1.3x body = 312 - 780mm) - so I am looking to get some new material this year. When I need the coverage I will have my 35-350 on my other old trusty, my 1D IIN and the new boy will be on the 1D III.
                  _______________________
                  John Baker
                  Canon 1Dx, Canon 8-15, 17-40, 24-105, 50, 70-200, 100-400, 400 DO, Tamron 15-30, 180 macro

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

                    Some excellent action John.
                    These events are so much better photographically when there is a load of mud

                    Stan
                    Stan - LRPS, CPAGB, BPE2*

                    http://neptuno-photography.foliopic.com/
                    flickr

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

                      Great set of images, enjoyed looking at them

                      Trev

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: MCC: Exeter Trial - Simms Hill on Jan 2012

                        Lovely images. wouldnt have minded being one of the guys in #2. looks fun
                        regards
                        Donald

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