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Taunton New-Year Road Run
By John Reeves

A year ago there were suggestions in some sections of the enthusiast press that the 2008 Taunton New Year Road Run was likely to be the last, following the closure of the town’s market, its venue for many years. However, the club committee were determined that the event should go ahead, and continued their search for a suitable site. By late autumn we were able to announce that the 2009 run would indeed take place, starting and ending at the new Sedgemoor Auction Centre outside Bridgwater, by courtesy of the owner, Mr Derek Meade. Two routes were available, a longer run to Taunton and back across the Somerset Levels and through Bridgwater. A shorter route took slower vehicles through Bridgwater and along the edge of the Quantock Hills. 400 vehicles – commercials, emergency and military vehicles, cars motorcycles and tractors – took part and their owners enjoyed a good day out, coming from as far afield as Wales and Cornwall. A collection for the children’s charity Brainwave raised £500. It was bitterly cold, but at least the rain kept away, and the catering units and the excellent facilities at the new centre provided sustenance and a good gathering place for the traditional chat before the run started.

Steam entries are not that common at this event, so it was a pleasant surprise when Mike White brought along his recently acquired Aveling roller. New in 1906, with Royalty Number 5995, the roller spent its working days in Switzerland and was recently repatriated It arrived at the run on a trailer pulled by a JCB Fastrac. We usually have a good number of fire appliances and among the regular participants, are Chris Swindle with Devon Fire and Rescue’s Dennis F8, Jemima, Colin and Jackie Gillard with their ex-Dorset Karrier, and John Godley with his ex-Somerset Dennis. It was particularly good to see Graham Hart’s latest acquisition – an ex-Devon Fire Brigade Dennis F8 – very similar to Jemima mentioned above.
A trio of Bedford's was brought along by Club members. Colin Wait’s unrestored O type Bedford is a lovely old vehicle still in its ‘working clothes’; two more examples, fully restored were brought by RJ & SJ Cornish, and WG Foley. Kevin Patch’s M (?) type was vehicle in sight and sound! Amongst the smaller commercials were two ‘oldies’. Nick Jones brought his 1927 Austin pick-up, which is sometimes seen with a period motor home body – who said that demountable accommodation that can be fitted to a pick-up and removed when not required is a new thing?
Attracting a great amount of attention was a very original Ford Model T – not in black, but a nice shade of rust, and carrying a real ‘smallholder’s load’. This is one of at least two which are brought by the owners to the Honiton Hill Rally; hopefully they will never be ‘restored’.

As usual there was a most impressive selection of cars present, many of which are rarely, if ever, seen on a rally field – many owners prefer road runs to ‘steam type’ rallies, particularly if conditions are likely to be wet and/or muddy. A Ford Model A Coupe was one of the oldest, while an Alvis Grey Lady was a type that, personally, I have not seen for some time. Most later makes were represented in what was one of the best attendances for cars in terms of variety.

Tractor entries were down on pervious years, partly because we probably lost the Taunton contingent who used to drive to the old site; the new venue is quite a run if you road your tractor there and back from Taunton as well as taking part in the seven mile run. All the same, we had a good selection, with Mike Brockway bringing his Doe Triple D, an unusual tractor to see on a road run, and Peter Treleaven and Mary Phillips as usual coming all the way from Cornwall with Nuffield and Massey Ferguson 35 respectively. Bernie Weaver is another regular, this time with his Massey Harris 744, a tractor which always brings back memories of my Dinky Toys version in days of yore!