Love for an MG Magna
Dear Ones,
I received an
e-mail early this morning and it begins:
“We regret to
inform you that your application was not successful Thank
you Graham,
Unfortunately, your application to BeautifulPeople.com was not successful“: But
I don’t really mind because yesterday I met up with an old flame! It’s
a long story but I shall not spin it out. It begins with the meeting of two
much younger challengers for her affections. Ewan had already spoken for her
but chose to go walk-about “down under”. I was still in the same hemisphere as his love
and wrote to him promising not to abuse her and mentioned a couple of cosmetic
matters that I would overlook.
Ewan,
being the gentleman that he was (and still is), agreed that I was best placed to
protect her and so my encounter began. However,
after my brief relationship of less than twelve months Ewan returned from the
antipodes and very earnestly wanted her back. Being
the gentleman I am, I agreed and the sad parting of the ways was accomplished.
Sharing the same love, Ewan and I remained friends and over the intervening
forty years we met at the odd beauty contest and discussed his
conquest. So
what of the “old flame”? Well you might
have guessed by now that she is really a stunning model and likes to be driven
gently on the open road. This 1932 MG is an octogenarian but handles well and yes, Ewan let me briefly take the wheel at
Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb.
This
is no ordinary venue, but a very fitting one for the likes of vehicles of a
bygone era. It is the oldest motorsport and race track in the world and started
when charabancs and steam cars took to the hill on its dirt surface creating
much smoke and dust. In the days of poor tyre grip it would be necessary to
carry passengers, adding weight to improve grip on the track – but some failed
to make it to the top. 
This
place has an appeal that brings enthusiasts from far and wide who are sometimes
prepared to risk life and limb in order to chase the magic number – the fastest
time of the day. The numbers are diligently noted in the record book and the
lives lost are respectfully recorded on the brass plates that adorn the simple
wooden pit enclosures. The only concession to modernity seems to be the metalled
track surface and a food hall that sits comfortably beside the old mill and the
majestic barns that have stood here over five hundred years. Ewan
still loves his delightful conveyance OV9757 and looks after its machinery very
well, having covered over 100,000miles since my 3000miles in the late 1960s.
The engine has been re-bored and carries a couple of electronic devices for the
controlling of temperature. The bodywork has been re-built following a small
accident and the steering and brakes have undergone minor improvements. She will
most likely outlast the both of us. The following
link is to the album of images taken at Shelsley Walsh Wednesday 22nd June.
Best Wishes,
Graham
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