Tyne-Tees Centre Autumn Leaves Run

ALMOST 40 cars gathered at Dobbies Garden Centre at Ponteland for the start of the 2013 Autumn Leaves Run held in memory of Peter Ebdon.

The venue proved to be an inspired choice by organiser Lyn Ebdon, as it offered excellent facilities, not least breakfast, of which most took advantage, on what started out as a cold, breezy but fairly bright (to start with) October day!

A relaxing start gave entrants a chance to meet up with friends old and new, part of what we are all about as a Club, with much conversation around the cars they had arrived in for the event, mostly MGs of course!

The route took the cars on interesting roads criss-crossing rural areas to the West of Newcastle, both North and South of the Tyne, byways not often driven by many people taking part, where despite the late summer, the leaves on the trees indicated that Autumn has indeed arrived.

The event finished, after an enjoyable 43 mile Sunday drive, at the Black Horse Inn at Red Row, Beamish, next door to the Aston Workshops which we visited earlier in the year. With 80+ people descending on the place for Sunday lunch, and the car-park full of MG cars, the other diners were in no doubt that The MG Car Club Tyne-Tees Centre had arrived!

We were well catered for by the Black Horse, with excellent food and generous portions. A guest judge chose ‘the car they would most like to drive home’, which turned out to be the immaculate MGB Roadster of David and Helen Bolton, a very popular choice.

Given that the run was in memory of our Chairman Peter Ebdon, it was fitting that his granddaughter Charlotte should present the new Autumn Leaves Trophy to a delighted Helen Bolton.