by Clive Cottle

Photos Paul and Colleen

Furthest travelled would be Don and Eileen Edmonds (Statesman) from Ellerslie, not seen in ages and we hope in the beautiful HOTO S V8 were Trevor and Tita Day from Ashhurst, Martin and Elizabeth Waayer ( Toyota), Paul and Linda PS S V8), Merv and Rose (CW S V8), Brian and Colleen (CW S V8), Bruce and Anne (Monaro), Jim, Anne and Richard Fong (Honda), Clive and Carol Cottle (S1 Daimler), Robin and Di Coleman(BA D V8) and the Wilson's who are friends of the Cottle's and probably came in the Daimler too.

23rd November 2012 saw us load our Leyland car and head off with friends to Fielding to meet up with the rest of the Central croup Leyl,and Y6..y*be'rs for a weekend of fun and adventure, including our Christmas dinner held at the "Raceway Motel complex Paul and Sharon looked after us wonderfully over the weekend, putting us up in two groups of motels close to each other. The dinner and breakfast were great and they were good hosts.

The staff filled in any questions we had and Merv Cox and John Wilson thought they knew a couple of machines they had seen-while working in the Wairarapa Then it was back to the shop for bits and pieces and then back to our motel for socializing. At 7-7.30pm we met at the dining area for drinks (mainly outside as it was very warm) and then into the dining room for our meal and Christmas function. Merv and Rose became Santa’s helpers when it became time for giving out the presents we had been asked to bring.

The evening carried on well into the late hours before we retired to our rooms after thanking Rose and Merv for their organizing of this weekend away.

The next morning most had breakfast either in their motel or in the dining room and then Packed and talked outside before heading off into Fielding once more arranging to meet up at McDonalds at 10-10.30am.

John Wilson suggested we visit Manfeild Raceway first as we had talked to a Lotus driver in the car-park at the motel.

At Manfeild Raceway we found a hive of motorbikes going out to race, so we watched for a while before going for a drive up to the look-out on the west side of Feilding. Then we caught up with the rest at McDonalds. Soon it was time for a short drive north to "Rushes Museum" of racing cars that were raced by Graeme McRae, or built by Begg or driven by Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme as well as cars owned by Tim Rush or his father Terry and family. Terry's white Jaguar has a place and so does Tim s collection of Morris Minors. There are other cars on loan as well and a Ford farm truck and huge American fire engine with twenty four spark-plugs, fully equipped with hoses and ladders. Around the walls are posters and boxes of memorabilia on racing in N.Z. and other places and also a vast collection of model cars trucks and vehicles shapes and sizes, some made locally by a model maker. After relaxing in their lounge with a complementary coffee or tea and shortcake we thanked the Rushes for showing us around and pointing out the history of the racing cars and set off for lunch at Hansen's café and bar in Kimbolton. The photos below show some of the Rushes Museum, a place I shall have to visit another day, and the cream of the crop of club cars, being the beautiful S1 Daimler of Clive and Carol Cottle followed by the P76's of Heath, Francis and Cox. Just for a change the D Series Ford behind must have been chasing Paul!

The museum cars speak for themselves really!

We arrived in time to see a group of Harley Davison motorbikes just leaving. The Café is quite unique in that it has been several different types of stores during its history and now has been refurbished to look after all you desire in food and drink and the staff pamper everybody that comes. The fire-place is over 2 meters high and about the same width with wood-boxes on both sides and there are walls of newspaper articles about the goings on reaching back to previous centuries on your way to the loo's.
We set off after lunch to visit a farm where the couples have got several Army vehicles and a rare fire trailer. They showed us these and explained how they are rebuilding them.

There was several jeeps and a dodge command vehicle and a N.Z. made "puddle-jumper"

Chev built at Petone. Soon it was time to say goodbye to ail our friends and head home via the motel as we had forgotten to empty the fridge and Merv still had their room key in his pocket. See you all next year "MERRY CHRISTMAS"


Linda Graham, Paul Heath, Brian Francis, Tita Day, Trevor Day, Colleen Francis	Long time members Jim and Anne Fong	Santa's helpers, Merv Cox and Rose Bendall	L to R Robin Coleman, Martin Waayer, Anne Cooper (now) Bruce Cooper, Di Coleman with others in the background