September 2012 meeting

a post-Olympic patriotic line-up

September brought us a gloriously sunny day and five spridgets in a range of patriotic colours. Rob & Jenni had got their blue k-midget back on the road after a few months of repair work, John & Carol came down from County Durham in their red Sprite which had just passed it's MOT, and Tim & Sarah were in their white Sprite. Then what could be a more patriotic colour than British Racing Green, the colour of Alan's RWA, who came up from Doncaster. Harvey & Leslie also came across, and we all had great pie. There are some pictures here of the meeting. 

August 2012 meeting

least power -v- most power

A lower than usual turn out in August, with many people away on their holidays, but we still had 3 spridgets and a Rover P6 gracing Ye Jolly Farmers' car park. It was particularly good to meet Russell who has recently bought a Caterham powered k-series midget (formerly of Alan Lo in Bristol), and he and Rob were able to compare detailed notes on k-series technical stuff - Rob's midget will be back on the road for the September meeting. Also good to see the ever charming and heavily patina'd Cybil, Jason & Michelle's Mk II Sprite, out and about. There are some pictures here of the meeting. 

July 2012 Meeting

 a cheery arrival on a lovely day

We had our youngest ever attendee this month with baby Isla, at 3 weeks of age. Seven spridgets spanning most of the range, from frogeye to 1500, and an MGB, came out to play in the sun. It was particularly good to see Hilary enjoying her frog again after working so hard to recover from her serious neck injury last year. As usual many of us enjoyed a piece of Lynne’s pie after a rather delayed entry into Ye Jolly Farmers due to baby and car chatter... There are some pictures of the meet here. 

Meeting in June 2012

typical British Summer Time

On the anniversary of "Midget 50", we had a repeat torrential downpour.  More fool me for only leaving the tonneau on rather than the roof - yes I did get a wet bum on the way home! We were joined by Dale and Freda in their Mk IV Sprite and Porsche, who have recently moved to the Lake District from Hampshire, and Yorkshire is their closest meeting.  Rob & Jenni were in the P6 as their k-midget was poorly, plus some other regulars came in their modern cars, perhaps sensibly considering the major thunderstorm that unfolded... In view of the wetness, no pictures (apart from the above) taken.

Meeting in May 2012

brightly coloured turn-out on a hot sunny day

We had a turn out of five bright, patriotically coloured spridgets in May, which sparkled in the early summer sun.  We were also joined by a Z4, a pre-war J2, and quite a few in daily drivers who either had restoration projects or whose cars were undergoing work.  Superb banter and homemade pies as ever. There are some pictures of the meet here. 

April 2012 Meeting / Daffodil Run

making a splash on the Daffodil Run

A much smaller turnout in April - and no spridgets! On a wet day, Rob & Jenni came in their P6, Sarah and Jason & Michelle came in modern cars.  However, the pie and company were very good as usual.  However MASC made up for it a week later at the MGCC's Daffodil Run, which we were invited to as guests. Tim & Sarah and Harvey & Lesley went in their Sprites, and Ian & Claire went in their midget, plus several other midgets showed up.  This was a fantastic event taking in some great roads in the North York Moors that have featured on our events in the past, plus some some new ones, and also taking in a couple of very swollen fords...
There are some fantastic pictures here. 

Meeting in March 2012

shiny newly refurbished Atlantis Midget

We had a good turnout at March's meeting at the first sunny spring meeting of the year. Four spridgets turned up, and several others in modern cars.  In particular it was good to see Dave Wigley's MkII Sprite "Dinky" out after a lot period off the road having a new floor put in last year, and to poke over Mark Hall's Atlantis Midget that has now had a full engine rebuild and new clutch system more suited to the 1700 crossflow fitted to complement the excellent body restoration carried out last year.  Rob & Jenni in the k-midget took a break from their winter P6 steed, and Tim & Sarah's "Sebrina" made it out of the garage for the first time since December.  The steak and ale as ever was excellent and the company great.  Here's hoping for a great spring and summer of spridgeting...

There are some pictures from the meeting here.

Winter 2011 / 2012 Meetings

a dirty autumnal spridget

We hope that you can join us at our meetings over the winter on the second Saturday of each month at Ye Jolly Farmers Inn, Dalton near Thirsk, from 12:30pm onwards. A warm welcome and great homemade pie awaits! Map here. 

Sarah & Tim

October 2011 Meeting

at Ye Jolly Farmers on the Canada Run, early October

October’s meeting at Ye Jolly Farmers was a complete contrast to the heat of the Canada Rub in early October, as it was on a wet autumn day, but was well attended with Jason & Michelle, Mike in his frog (bravely without roof), Ken in Little Red, Steve & Barbara in their midget, and John in EEV the Sprite. Good company, good banter, and excellent homemade grub.

Sarah & Tim

MASC joins the MGCC Canada Run

Mike's frog and Ken's "Little Red"

On the first Saturday in October, a group of spridgeteers from MASC joined the Yorkshire area of the MG Car Club on their end of season Canada Run, around the WW2 Canadian RAF bomber bases of the Vale of York and Vale of Mowbray, organised by our own Ken Cothliff. The route was excellent and the weather even better - in fact the hottest day of the year!  It was great to be joined by Claire & Ian, Roger & Caroline, Mike, Granville, Rob & Jenni and Ken & Julie.

There is a really great set of pictures here

Sarah & Tim

September 2011 Meeting

How many MASCites to change a rotor arm?

September’s meeting at Ye Jolly Farmers on a day of variable weather was well attended with regulars Rob & Jenni (in their Series 2 Landrover for a change), Dave in Dinky the Mk2 Sprite, Peter & Leonie in their 1500, Pete in Ariel the Mk 3 Sprite, Ken in Marmalade his MGB, Sarah in Daphne, Tim in Sebrina, and John & Carol who were sans spridget. As ever the homemade pies, halves of tasty real ale, and company were excellent. 

Pete had to get back to Wakefield and was one of the first to set off after lunch, but unfortunately Ariel ground to a halt just outside of Topcliffe, so the Yorkshire MASC rescue brigade set out en mass (with assorted breakdown tourists) to give him a hand. Suffering what was clearly an ignition problem, over the next hour a new rotor arm, condenser, and spark plug were fitted at the roadside along with points being opened and carb dashpots being topped up. All of this resulted in getting the car started, but as it was still running very rough, Pete got it into the village and safety of a pub car park for recovery. A valiant team effort by all. Ariel now has electronic ignition!

Sarah & Tim

MASC joins the MGCC Dales Run

views over Nidderdale on the Dales Run

On August bank holiday Sunday, a group of midgeteers from MASC joined the Yorkshire area of the MG Car Club on their annual Dales Run. Whilst the weather was variable and quite cold at times, it kept dry for the bulk of the day, and the route was fantastic. It was great to see Frank, Granville, Ken, Rob & Jenni and Peter & Leonie out and about on the day (even if they weren't all in their midgets).

There is a really great set of pictures here


Sarah & Tim

August 2011 Mtg at Ye Jolly Farmers

EEV and other spridgets after lunch

We were surprised at August’s meeting to see Jason & Michelle turn up with some new-fangled form of eco-spridget, aka on a tandem bike! They almost had us believing that they had cycled the 70 odd miles up from Doncaster to Dalton, but later they were caught red-handed loading it into the back of Jason’s van... 

It was also good to see regulars Rob & Jenni, along with new folks John and Carol who have recently bought an Iris blue frogeye and Peter & Leonie in their 1500. It was also good to see the “Spridget Family” aka Paul and Lorraine in their Weller-wheeled 1500 and sons Sam and Adam in their newly restored red frogeye of which they are rightly proud. John came in EEV, his daughter’s Sprite which he is fettling and which was partially stripped down, but at least he’s managed to cure its overheating problems since we last saw him. 

After excellent pies at Ye Jolly Farmers, a few of us had a little run up to Hawnby for afternoon tea and cakes.

There is a really great set of photos here.

Sarah & Tim

MASC National Gathering at Silverstone Classic

Steve passes Silverstone fire tender

MASC had its national gathering at the Silverstone Classic, and Yorkshire Area was represented by 3 cars including Steve in his RWA Midget, Jordan & Tanya in their IOW frogeye, and Sarah & Tim in Sarah's Sprite. Several other Yorkshire folk were about such as Andy, Matt and Ian, but sans spridget. Hopefully some more of you can join us next year...

On the Sunday we got 40 spridgets out on track to drive 2 parade laps of the full new F1 circuit.

There are some great pictures here and here.

Sarah & Tim

July 2011 Mtg at Ye Jolly Farmers

ecurie Saunders

After June’s bumper meeting, July was a much quieter affair with only 5 midgets venturing out on a showery summer’s day.

After helping Sarah fix the lights on her new white 1965 Sprite “Daphne”, Rob & Jenni in the k-midget followed Sarah in Daphne and Tim in Sebrina (aka Ecurie Saunders) to Ye Jolly Farmers, where we were joined by Mike Bainbridge in his frog, and ultimately by Tony in his 4AGE Midget. Unfortunately Tony had to walk the last few hundred yards as his alternator gave up the ghost, but at least the waiting time for the recovery truck was long enough for a chip butty and refreshing half.

Sarah & Tim

Midget 50

Anita, Rob & Jenni at Midget 50

After the June meeting, a group of us set of down the A1 in the general direction of Burghley House for the Midget 50 celebrations the following day. This included Anita & Mark, Ken & Julie, Harvey & Lesley and for part of the way Rob & Jenni (and of course Sarah & Tim). En route we met up with Peter & Leonie in their newly acquired 1500 Midget.

The event was well supported with over 800 spridgets of all varieties in attendance. It was great to meet up with and see so many Yorkshire MASCites at Midget 50, who had all made the journey down in their cars in the face of bad weather forecasts of heavy rain, which sadly came to pass. Despite it being such a wet day, it was amazing to see so many spridgets together in one place again, and to be reminded of how well supported spridgets are by Yorkshire folk and to see so many old friends we have made over the years through our fun little cars. There were too many of you to mention here, but you know who you are and it was great to see you.

There is a fanstastic set of photos of Midget 50 here

Sarah & Tim

June Mtg at Ye Jolly Farmers

Sprites leaving June's meeting

We had a fantastic turn out at June’s meeting, with 11 spridgets and a couple of modern cars in attendance, figures doubtless being boosted by former area reps Anita & Mark’s attendance during their holiday from Australia, and by folk driving together down to Midget 50 after the meeting.

In addition to regulars Rob & Jenni in their k-midget, Harvey & Lesley in their Austin Sprite, Ken & Julie in their Mk 1 Midget “Little Red”, and John & Jeanette in their 1500, we were joined by Mike Bainbridge in his frog, Geoff & Hilary in their frog, and Tony in his Toyota 4AGE powered Midget. Guy & Hazel from Cumbria in their Austin Sprite called in en route to Burghley House and Anita & Mark were over from the Gold Coast in Anita’s Mk 3 Sprite “Kevin” which had been taken out of storage for their UK visit.

Finally, in addition to our own Sebrina (Sarah’s new Mk 3 Sprite “Daphne” staying under wraps this month), we were joined by Steve from Peterlee in his very pretty Peugeot french blue midget on its second ever day out after restoration.

Pictures from the meeting are here.

Sarah & Tim

May Meeting at Ye Jolly Farmers

May's line-up

May’s meeting had a good mix of old and new spridget friends with Peter & Dorothy travelling across the Pennines in their newly finished white frog with rather posh new hood; Paul who came down from South Shields in his lovely and very freshly painted red & white frog, giving the car a decent length test run; Paul & Lorraine from Great Ayton who had bought a set of Weller wheels for their RWA, but a 1500 with MOT came attached, so they thought they’d bring it for a test drive; Dave in Dinky (Mk2 Sprite) which now has a completely new floor welded in and is back on the road after a long break, and last but not least, Rob & Jenni in the k-midget. Embarrassingly for us, everyone’s cars were immaculately clean apart from ours… maybe Sebrina will get a wash before June's meeting!

Pictures from the meeting are here.

Sarah & Tim

Royal Wedding Run - 29 April 2011

in Dalby Forest

In order to avoid a day in front of the telly, Yorkshire area of MASC held a celebratory Royal Wedding Run on 29th April. We had 8 cars participating and enjoyed a great day of driving in the Wolds, Carrs and North Yorks Moors. The morning started at Tadcaster and we ended at Robin Hood's Bay, via a great lunch at the Gait Inn in Millington and Dalby Forest.

It was fantastic to see some new faces and cars that haven't been out with us before. There are some really great photos of our day here.

Sarah & Tim

Drive It Day 2011

the joy of the open road...

Drive It Day saw six spridgets come out to play on a glorious day, although unfortunately a weeping brake hose on Sebrina (only spotted the day before) annoyingly meant that we had to come in a “modern”, safety first being paramount. It was great to meet up with Ian & Claire, John & Jeanette, Frank & Val, Harvey & Lesley, and Trevor & Pam, providing a colourful range of cars from frogeye to 1500. We were also joined by Harvey & Lesley’s son in his rather large 1966 Dodge Coronet drag-racer, which made the spridgets look even smaller than usual!

We started with a tasty carvery at the Royalty on Otley Chevin before an informal drive north to the privately owned Clifton Castle near Masham, which was holding a charitable open garden. This was a rare opportunity access some beautiful walks along the River Ure which are normally out of bounds, and the homemade cupcakes were pretty good too. Geoff & Hilary in their frog, who had been chasing behind all day, caught up with us there. There are some really good photos of our day here.

Sarah & Tim