Round 17 - Three Sisters, Sunday 1st September
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Three Huge Slag Heaps
Three huge slag heaps, referred to locally as the ‘Three Sisters,’ (I don’t know whether they were named after any particular family), were a legacy of coal mining at Garswood Hall colliery between 1867 and 1958. The people of Wigan also called them affectionately the ‘Wigan Alps.’ It took a further twenty years before the eye sores metamorphosed into a forty-four-hectare Country Park and Woodland.
Today the Three Sisters local nature reserve not only has a boating lake, wetlands and extensive footpaths, but is also home to an excellent circuit, which has various configurations and uses. Various notable competitors have visited in the past including Neil Hodgson (2000 British super bike champion) and someone called Lewis Hamilton (I’m not sure what he did).
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On the 1st September 2019 it was host to Longton & District Motor Club’s two lap sprint, a round of the TVR Sprint Championship, which attracted just two TVR competitors!!!! They were Bill Campion in his S2 and John Carter in his G.A.Y. V8S.
Adverse weather was expected to affect the day but by the time cars started running it had stopped raining. There was only one practice run due to it being a two-lap event. The track was drying out but seemed very slippery, but at least we found our way around, and then we went for breakfast in the excellent cafe. The track was a lot dryer for the first timed runs, although still slippery. The times were much quicker, with Bill in front of John (note to self - must try harder). After a wander round and chat to a few TVRCC members who had come to watch and fly the flag it was time for the second timed runs. There was a dusting of rain (monsoon) just before we went out. We both splashed our way round and then went for lunch. Oh, I forgot, Bill beat John.
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When it was time for the third timed run it hadn’t rained for a while and the conditions looked really good. We joined the queue with great expectations, arrived at the start and the track looked bone dry. Got the green light, dropped the clutch and made a superb start, round the first two or three corners and the grip levels were great. Then, what was that!!! It seemed as though someone/thing threw a bucket of water, but it wasn’t a bucket full, it was a sky full. So that ended that run. Two TVRs on track, rain, TVRs off track, rain stopped. Oh, and Bill beat John.
So, after a frustrating but very enjoyable day, Bill had won overall and John came second (or last) but had won class B, and Bill had won class A. John had set a new two lap record time, but was still last. Great day!!!!
Footnote, Bill’s car is up for sale, so I might have a chance next year!!!! |
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Go on put some numbers on it.
John Carter (Photography: Alan Jeffries, Steve Ducker) |
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