Last modified: 14/07/2002

No 53 Crew Service Crew

Peugeot 309 GTi 16v George Cooke Aron Brown Lawrence Fowler / Andrew Mitchell

After our problems on the Manx with a leaking gearbox oil seal and clutch failure, the offending items were replaced and extensive testing done long before we were due to leave for the Lake District. However nothing ever goes to plan and after some tarmac testing and spot light setting the previous weekend, the left hand gearbox oil seal failed again. As we had changed everything else, the only thing left to change was the gearbox itself. At 6pm on Wednesday the team assembled - at 3am on Thursday morning, George finally retired to his bed.

Thursdays test drive revealed no leaking gearbox oil seals, so the problem was finally solved. The only remaining task was to fit some forest tyres onto rims

The Grizedale Forest Stages was intended to be an end of season outing for the car and an excuse for the team to go away and let their hair down. In total, six teams from Streetly Motor Club would be taking part on the Saturday event.

The journey to the Lake District on the Friday afternoon was uneventful, apart from the usual delays on M6 made worse by strong winds and driving rain when towing the rally car on the trailer behind the Transit van. After eventually arriving safely in Conniston for Scrutineering and Documentation, George and Aron retired to the hotel to await the arrival of Andrew and Lawrence.

The following morning, the teams woke to a Christmas card snow scene all around the hotel - it was cold, very cold.

After a hearty breakfast, George and Aron took the Peugeot to the start in Coniston, whilst Andy and Lawrence took the service van into the Grizedale forest to set up a service pitch on a bleak and windswept hillside.

George reported that the first stage was "very, very, very slippy with snow and mud". At first service the front tyres were changed for some others with a more open block pattern. This helped a little, but the stages were still very slippy.

On stage 2, George narrowly avoided a massive accident by only a whisker; as car arrived too fast at a tightening left hand bend, the car slid across the road and hung a rear wheel right out over the steep side of the road. The car travelled along for a perilous 20 yards before regaining the road with Aron commenting later that he could see a long way down the mountain side.

At the next service halt, the tyre pressures were reduced to try and help grip, but many of the drivers were complaining of similar problems in the treacherous conditions.

The car started jumping out of first gear and therefore hairpins were difficult as standard gearing meant we had to approach the hairpin, set the car up, pull on the handbrake, and hold the car in first gear all at the same time.

George experienced navigator brain fade on the road section on the way to stage 6, resulting in some excellent Ordnance Survey map reading exercises to return the crew on course.

On the last stage of the day, a failing alternator resulted in all the spot lamps having to be switched off to save the battery. This resulted in some worrying moments in amongst the trees as the light failed in the late afternoon, but the crew kept going and eventually reached the finish line - hurrah

Well done to Jamie / Kennie for achieving 2nd in class 1 and to Clive / Jim for getting 2nd in class 6 on their first time out in a new car

Team Oranje and friends went back to our hotel to celebrate a good result and a good end to the season to find a coach party of OAPs had arrived at our hotel during the day oh well, cannot win them all !

Results from the Streetly Motor Club outing appear as follows: