Last updated: 1st December 2024
Memories - a few of many
When Janet and I started to support the monthly Club runs in 2004 we found ourselves amongst long-time enthusiasts with a wealth of experience gained over many years having driven their Sevens on many runs, on holidays in Europe and the UK, completing the JOGLE, the East to West and London to Brighton runs as well as attending the annual rallies of the Dorset, Bristol and Scottish Clubs driving all the way there and back. It all sounded very appealing – would we be doing the same?
The usual format for the runs was to meet at the appointed start location, exchange greetings, hugs and chat whilst the ‘senior’ members decided where to go and where we would have lunch. The runs were very much ad-hoc and the 10 or so cars ran to ‘convoy rules’ – we soon learned what to do. Breakdowns were calmly dealt with on the roadside by the ‘black-hand gang’ members present, and our Big 7 had a few minor problems.
The runs soon became more popular with 15 or more cars turning up. The increased number had become too big for a convoy and caused problems for lunch stops as it was now difficult for 30 plus people to descend unannounced on a pub and expect reasonably quick service. The event format had to change and so route sheets were introduced with the organiser having to make arrangements with a suitable pub for a large group to take lunch. It was not long before the runs were attracting 25 or so cars and the choice of lunch venue became a problem in some areas as 50 plus customers arriving at one time required extra staff and sufficient tables etc.
Wherever we met for the event, along the route or at any stop our Sevens attracted inevitable interest – publicity for our events in the local newspapers had worked.
The memories of some runs have stayed with us.
10.15am meet at Sourton service area (opposite the Shell garage),
which is situated at the West Okehampton turn-off from the A30. The run
will entail a drive up a 1 in 4 hill and around a very old military road
on North Dartmoor, so make sure your car is well greased and brakes are
OK. Then a pleasant drive down the old A30 road to Launceston for full
Sunday Lunch at Eagle House Hotel, approximately £8.00 for a full Sunday
roast /or vegetarian equivalent; or you may just wish to picnic on the
Castle Green which is a few yards away and has some outstanding views.
We made an early start from Helston to meet the others at ‘Perranarworthal layby’ as usual but the Big 7 would not accelerate or go at more than 20mph. We were not going to make it, so we headed back home and swapped it for our ‘modern’ (I was later to find that the fuel pump lever was the wrong side of the camshaft). We joined the group and made our way to Sourton. Nearly 30 cars had come for the run and I was put as passenger with one of our lady drivers in her 1933 RP Saloon, and Janet went with another member in a MK2 Ruby.
Split into two groups we made our way up to the military checkpoint
to begin our drive over the narrow roads across the Moor. Our first
hazard was a mini-bus approaching us. It was the practice weekend for
the annual 'Ten Tors' Dartmoor Challenge and the lady driver, with 10 youths, was
adamant that she could, or would, not reverse 50 yards to a pull-in so
that we could pass. Greatly outnumbered, she was, after a long delay,
persuaded to move the mini-bus to the side and come back onto the road
after we had passed, with guidance by our run organiser.
A little while
later a man came racing down the hill on the right shouting and waving
for us to stop, only to tell us that we had to turn around as we would
not be able to get through. We knew where we were going so on we went,
no doubt the well-meaning chap waited, and wondered, for us to return,
but we did not.
Having enjoyed the narrow roads and the splendid scenery that Dartmoor offers we had an excellent Sunday lunch in Launceston before making our way home. (Seven Focus May 2005 pp 17- 20)
A new format
The format of driving for up to 2 hours through the lanes, taking
lunch and then driving for another 2 hours or so was becoming a little
repetitive and boring. The Committee decided that the runs should have a
theme, perhaps to look at places of interest around Cornwall, and for a
few years that became the norm. One of the first runs of this type was -
Carried over from a rained - off January! An atmospheric little
run around the Trethevy Quoit, St Doniert’s Stone, The Hurlers, and the
Cheesewring. Lunch in a Tea Shop en-route. Let’s hope this time we get
a little post solstice sunshine! Meet at Maders, near Callington, at
10:30 for coffee.
Those of us from the west met up as usual and journeyed up the A30
and then the A38 Glyn Valley but we soon turned left as the Little Red
Van led us across the lanes of the southern part of Bodmin Moor to
Maders. We followed a route to visit the standing stones of the area and
the organiser had provided a booklet with a guide to each one. The sunny
day allowed us to walk to each site and view the scenery of the
district. The group enjoyed lunch in one of the two cafes in Minnions
before visiting a few more stones. It was a very interesting run and a
good start to the new format. (Seven Focus, May 2009 pp 8-13)
A similar themed run was on
Saturday October 10th 2009 -
Penwith Ramble
Meet at Morrison’s (nee Safeway), Long Rock Car Park, at 10.30am.
There’s a Tea/Coffee stop within ½ hour of start. Lunch will be in the
Zennor Area. Maps etc. will be provided. Please let us know if you
intend to come along, Coffee/tea break and the lunch stop are by special
arrangement.
We left Morrison’s, not in convoy, but in our own time, with precise
instructions to meet up again for coffee specially arranged
at a local farmhouse near Lanyon Quoit where we were given some local
history. Once we were suitably refreshed, we viewed the Quoit and left the
views of the English Channel to enjoy those of the Bristol Channel. At
the NT Levant Steam Engine we had a further tranche of information from
Sandy about local mining and the Ding Dong lode, before more traffic
free roads, to Cape Cornwall and onto our last stop at Drift Reservoir.
(Seven Focus November 2009 pp 15 – 16) It soon became the norm to include at least one ford along the route.
Memorable runs for action photography at a ford were:
The which took us through the ford at New Mills, near Truro, on a run out to the Roseland.
An excellent route for the a run in North Cornwall included the fast-running ford near Penvose Farm, Trelill.
took us through the narrow streets of Mousehole, the lanes by Lamorna, and out towards Land’s End via the Logan Rock Pub for coffee. Then along the coast road via St Just and Pendeen to the Pendeen Watch Lighthouse. Lunch was at the Chapel Cafe, Zennor before heading to Penzance through the back lanes and the ford at Boskennal, near Crowlas.
A very different event was:
The Causeway Clamber on September 4th 2011 which took us across the causeway to St Michael’s Mount. Once parked up, we had a couple of hours to explore the Mount and depart before the tide came in.
The biggest event in our Club’s history was:
The South Wales, Bristol, Devon, Dorset and Scottish A7 Clubs were invited to celebrate our 10th Anniversary with us at Wendron Cricket Club, 65 Austin Sevens were there out of 72 entries.
Although we were setting up the site with our visitors arriving from the Wednesday onwards, the main programme was on the Saturday/Sunday the 10/11th. For the all-day run on the Saturday we had a circular route with one group going along the south coast route and the other group along the north coast route. The route was “scenic” so that everyone could enjoy a relaxed meander down to Cape Cornwall, stopping at places of interest on the way rather than a quick thrash to see who can get there first! After a pasty lunch at the Cape Cornwall Golf Club there was an opportunity to be shown around the National Coast Watch Institution Lookout at the Cape by one of our then members before everyone continued the run in their direction of travel.
On the Saturday evening there was 60’s dance music with local group,
‘Perfect Mismatch’. The rally was formally opened on the Sunday by our
then Chair and the programme continued with “A7 happenings”, various
games etc, on site for the rest of the day with a concurrent local
treasure hunt. A meal and skittles evening at Country Skittles, Townshend followed on the Monday. For the next few days our visitors toured the area as they wished, before the event was closed on the Wednesday.
Every entrant went home with a bagful of mementoes, including a state of the art ‘Kernow Rumble’ mug. It was the biggest ever gathering of Austin Sevens in Cornwall and unlikely to be repeated as so many of those who attended have now… (Seven Focus August 2010 pp10 – 13)
A very different event format was the:
The primary aim of 'Drive it Day' is to showcase the historic vehicle movement and also celebrates the '1000 Mile Trial' which left London on 23 April 1900, with as many people as possible able to see us enjoy the right to drive our cars on the public highway and have an opportunity to meet us whenever we stopped.
Our run to support 'Drive it Day' evolved to be county wide with five to
seven start points in Cornwall and North Devon. Each group followed a
route on A and B roads to convene at a well-known venue where we could
park for about three hours so that the public had plenty of time to come
and chat to us whilst our members were also able to visit the
attraction. Our host venue was encouraged to advertise our coming visit
on their website and with pre and post-event publicity we gained a lot
of exposure for the club and the historic vehicle movement. 
ATDC and VAR members were invited to join us and with some of our
members driving their pre-war Austins there were an Eight, several Tens
and Twelves with an ex-London Taxi and our usual Sevens to give a fine
display of cars at the host venue. For a few years it was a successful, and enjoyable, format enabling our members from all areas to gather and display 24 to 34 cars at Tintagel (twice), Pencarrow, Boscastle, Heligan, East Looe and at the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre at Newquay.
Apart from Club runs members have always been encouraged to attend the rallies, fetes etc around our villages during the summer months. From the inception of CA7C members had supported the WESES Steam Rally on the third weekend of August. It was a big event on the circuit for the steam and traction engine owners coming to the south-west.
We will be having a club stand weather permitting! When you send in your entry please mark Cornwall Austin Seven Club across the top of the form.
Each year about 25 to 30 Sevens attended at some time over the 3-day event and attracted a lot of attention from visitors. We introduced a theme to engage the interest of the keener visitor, the most popular was probably building an engine to the point of it having to run, against the clock.
Our enthusiasm for our cars usually attracted a few new members each year. The event attracted over 100 steamers each year and the old site for the event, nearer Blackwater than St Agnes, was a bowl-shaped field where we could view everything. Tractors and ploughing demonstrations were in an additional field.
When the farmer decided to sell up he gave WESES ample notice to re-locate. The new site at the Stithians Showground did not have the same atmosphere and the number of steamers was drastically reduced to about 12. The new section secretaries had different ideas and the historic car area became an overfull free carpark with some 250 cars including custom built and many moderns – sadly, it was not the same.
We will again be having our own Club area. Our centrepiece this year will be “Specials”. Thanks to those of you that have offered your cars. We are not permitted to have a BBQ this year but we will be providing tea and coffee throughout the day. Help on the day would be appreciated. We need to have some idea of how much space to rope off so please let us know that you are hoping to attend. Gates open at 9.00 am and you must be “on site” by 10.45 am otherwise you will have to park in the public car park and pay to get in!
The event ran for 25 years and attracted many stalls historic cars, tractors and a few m/cycles. A main ring provided for entertainment and over the years we enjoyed the Cornwall Caledonian Pipe Band, a children’s Motorcycle Display team, the Helston Upper School Jazz Band and a Circus Tent where children were able to try plate spinning, tumbling, balancing etc.
Sadly, the increasing costs of putting on the event coupled with the older members of the Organising Committee unable carry on for ever it was brought to an end. The Shindig was, in its time, a superb, must attend, event.
Another very enjoyable village event was
We have again been invited to the St Mellion Cherry Feast. For those who haven't been before this is a bustling village fete, run by the Church, with stalls and games, entertainments and displays (of which we are one!). But first there is the usual BBQ at our member's Cottage near Callington. Arrive 11 to 11:30 for coffee followed by the BBQ (buffet indoors if wet). A leisurely 3-mile drive to St Mellion at about 13:00 for an afternoon of old-style fun. Departing at about 16:00 back to the Cottage for cream tea or home as you wish. For those from the West of the County meet at Fraddon (by the burger place) ready to leave 10:00ish.
It was a long run up the A30 and then the Glyn Valley, through Liskeard
and onto Callington as the Club supported this excellent event for
several years. Not only Bill and Eileen’s, now past members, wonderful
hospitality, aided by Mike Davies’ efforts with the bbq, but the field
was full of cars with visitors entertained by Morris Dancing or Falconry
Display etc on the Vicarage Lawn, displays in the Church of baptismal
robes one year and something equally good another year. There were
several bric-a-brac stalls and a particular favourite was a local
nursery selling plants, bulbs etc at very low prices, many of which
still survive in our garden. Sadly, came the announcement that the CofE was making changes with the parish, the Vicarage was sold and the venue no longer available.
These are just a few of the many well-supported events which we enjoyed as active members and we organised a few as well. The monthly runs took us out of our home area to parts of Cornwall which we would not have otherwise gone to, driving through many flowing fords and along the narrowest of lanes never driven along before nor since, seeing places of interest together with much of the wonderful inland and coastal scenery our county offers. We enjoyed the Club’s friendly atmosphere and seeing the delight of so many people who were enthralled by our variety of Sevens when we passed by or stopped somewhere. Sadly, some 20 of the members with whom we shared those events over the years have given up their interest in Sevens or passed away; we have fond memories of them all.
Whilst I was on the Committee I felt that we should support as many Club events as possible, our holidays abroad were arranged to fit the Club calendar. However, I soon found that driving the Big 7 was harder, and more painful, than I had anticipated as on the runs I needed prescription painkillers to get through the day and suffered for a few days afterwards – no, we would not be joining the forays to distant events. After 12 years the painful joints triumphed; we became less active and, for the past few years, have supported some of the local village shows, within an easy drive of home.
We enjoyed numerous events organised by members past and present, I cannot cover them all, but thank you all for contributing to our years of enjoyable motoring around the lanes of Cornwall in my Grandfather’s 1938 Big Seven ‘Forlite’. With my almost total lack of mechanical skills our greatest thanks are for the Club members who have kept the Big 7 on the road over all those years since the fifth day of our CA7C membership; our gratitude to them is, and will be, forever unceasing.
This article, written by Doug & Janet Castle, appeared in Seven Focus in January 2021 pp 14-21 and March 2021 pp 6-11
See also Austin Big Seven - over 70 years in the family