The "Buzzing" Club

I am sure many of our members know of Classic Moped Spares based in Taunton, Somerset; suppliers of, amongst other things, VeloSolex, Peugeot, Puch and Motobecane parts. Well, their fame may spread a little wider after this month when they are to appear on national television!

Malcolm Corrigan from Classic Moped Spares has been in touch to say they will feature in the Channel 4 television show ‘Find It, Fix It, Flog It’ in which the show’s presenters, Henry Cole and Simon O’Brien, travel across the UK to find items to fix up and flog for profit … in this case – you guessed! – a moped. To this end, they are aided by Malcolm at Classic Moped Spares. The screening date for the episode is 25th September 2017, with a proposed screening time of 3pm (although the time may change due to network programming). So, look out for it – and set those video recorders!

As a keen enthusiast of all things small capacity, ‘Moped Malc’ is looking forward to the show generating some good publicity and increased UK interest in mopeds generally. What are we likely to see? Well, after all the fun of filming, Malcolm has not seen the final edited version but is sure it will be entertaining and, hopefully, encourage people to restore their mopeds … and, if they go on to ‘flog it’, let’s hope it ends up in the small ads in ‘Buzzing’!!

The East Yorkshire Section are regulars at the ‘Autumn Motor Bike Day’ organised each year by the Yorkshire Waterways Museum at Goole, making sure the NACC and our kind of tiddler get a look in amongst all the bigger motor bikes that turn up … and punching well above our weight when it comes to attracting the visiting public’s attention!

Anyone planning to pop along should note there has been a change of date. A representative from the Museum has let us know the event has been moved from Sunday 1st October to Sunday 8th October. The reason is a bridge closure for maintenance in Goole on the 1st, which makes the museum almost inaccessible on the day.

As always, Terry from the East Yorkshire Section is the contact for more info – his e-mail address is hellspeds@hotmail.com.

Photo: Mopeds on display at the Waterways Museum

The Shropshire Buzz’Ards Section will once again be presenting an NACC stand at Jim Reynolds’ ‘Borders Classic Bike Show’. The show takes place at Lacon Childe School in the pretty Shropshire village of Cleobury Mortimer over next weekend, 9th – 10th September.

The perennial show, started by Jim Reynolds, and now in its 29th year, has a lovely informal atmosphere, copious cake, an auto jumble and exhibitor camping in the school grounds, plus a Saturday curry night to boot!

John Burgess from the Buzz’Ards may still be on the look out for machines to display … or, if you just want to know more, contact John on 01270 500469 or burgessrepairservices@gmail.com.

Photo: Club stand at the 2016 show

I’m sorry to have to pass on the sad news I received recently that Derek has passed away. Derek was a very active member of the NACC for many years, taking part in numerous runs on a regular basis and his machines always ran like silk! He had co-run the Granadaland / Lancashire Hot Pops Section of the club for a long time. He also served on our central Committee for a short time a few years ago as Publicity Officer. He will be missed by all and I offer condolences on behalf of the club.

The Section’s page has info on the funeral – click here.

Liz Butler, Secretary NACC

This year’s NACC Annual Rally had a couple of very special guests. Sixteen year olds Ioan Crowe and Jessie Moody joined us, taking a detour from their circumnavigation of Wales. We look forward to telling the tale of their adventure in the pages of our club magazine ‘Buzzing’.

Their recommendation? If you want an adventure, there’s an alternative to high-cost globetrotting on huge on-off road adventure bikes. Get yourself an old moped, fill its shopping basket with your camping gear and set off for a fortnight to travel around the Welsh coast, then finish with a trip along the Welsh Marches border country.

That’s definitely the Buzzing ethos! Well done lads!!

The Leicestershire Enthusiasts will be at this Sunday’s Vintage Motor Cycle Club’s ‘Founders Day‘ at Stanford Hall near Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 6DH.

If you’ve not been before, it’s a great show with all the major marque clubs displaying their finest, along with a central arena to see machines in action. The autojumble must be one of the best around too. If you are coming some distance, there is camping at the Hall on the Saturday night.

The theme for this year is American motorcycles – you couldn’t get further from the exhibits on our NACC club stand. After oggling the big vee twins, pop along to see the Leicestershire Enthusiasts who will be presenting choice examples of machines small and perfectly formed … complete with a little LPA for good measure when they cut a dash in the arena!

Photo:  Paul ‘Bodders’ Bodsworth and Bown Autocycle showing how its done NACC-style in the arena at last year’s Founders Day

For those who may not have heard, a few personnel changes have occurred in the NACC’s central committee as follows:-

Membership Secretary – Brian Groves
We have a new Membership Secretary in Brian Groves of Berkshire who has volunteered to take on the role previously undertaken by Bob Jeffcoat for the past ten years. Brian’s contact details appear on the on-line membership application form – so all new applications and renewals will need to go to Brian.

Events Secretary – Bob Jeffcoat
Proving you can’t keep a good man down, Bob Jeffcoat has taken on the role of Events Secretary from Liz Butler. Applications for Event Permits and return of completed permits should now go to Bob over in the West Midlands, rather than Liz. Contact details on the Events Permit Form.

Treasurer / Acting Secretary – Liz Butler
Having just recovered from this year’s highly successful annual rally, Liz Butler has breathed a sigh of relief as her three committee ‘hats’ are reduced to two – she retains Treasurer and Acting Club Secretary roles, so any matter you wish to put to the club committee can be sent to Liz (and/or Chairman Ray Butcher).

Photo: ‘Nippy’ Bob Jeffcoat leads ’em out from the Bradford Arms

We receive a good many e-mail enquiries here at Buzzing HQ from new and prospective members about getting various machines to run well. Our advice always includes a suggestion to pop along to your nearest section meeting where there will bound to be someone able to help … and the second week of the month seems to be a popular one for monthly meetings.

It all starts with the Worcestershire & Gloucestershire Section who meet on the second Sunday – the 9th this month. You will have to contact Section Rep Roger Watkinson to find out where and when. His e-mail is watkinsons@talktalk.net.

Heading south to the Solent, the South Hampshire Section meet at 8pm on the second Monday at The Coach and Horse Pub on the Southampton Road in Cadnam – that’s the 10th.

The Leicestershire Enthusiasts have their get together at The Queen Victoria Pub in Syston, starting 7.30pm every second Tuesday – that’s the 11th next week.

Up North, the Granadaland-Lancashire Hot Pops Section meets at 8pm back at their old haunt, the re-opened Farmers Arms pub at Bispham (near Parbold) on Wednesday 12th.

The other side of the Pennines in White Rose Country, the Yorkshire Section meet in the evening every second Thursday – the 13th next week – at The Wagon and Horses Pub at Fairburn just north of Ferrybridge.

Not forgetting the Warwickshire WACCers who meet most Thursdays at the Fleur de Lys pub in Lowsonford near Henley in Arden.

And, come Friday, you’ll be ready to put your feet up if you’ve buzzed along to all of those!!

Photo: Granadaland / Hot Pops ready for the off!

The star at last weekend’s Annual Rally in Wolverhampton – if the photos doing the e-mail rounds are anything to go by – must be Annie the buzzing terrier. She looked the part as she enjoyed the weekend’s runs, and was the centre of attention once back at the rally campsite. During the club’s Annual Dinner at the Rugby Clubhouse, Annie must have visited all of the tables. Well, with a beef dinner on the menu and all that charm of hers, there were titbits aplenty!

Many thanks to Allan Griffiths for the photos

With the high days and holidays of mid-summer now in full swing, the club’s events are coming up thick and fast. If you’ve just about recovered from bouts of LPA at the annual National Rally last weekend, there are more tempting events in store this coming weekend, 8th and 9th July.

Kent
In Kent, Nick Devonport’s Kent Sussex & SE London Section have their annual Summer Camp at Kingsdown, near Deal, Kent, CT14 8DU. Details from Nick – e-mail: nick_devonport@hotmail.com.

Suffolk
Alternatively, head east into Suffolk and the East Coast Pedalers have their run out on the 8th to the Melton Village Fete, some 10 miles NE of Ipswich. More details from Carl Squirrell – e-mail: eastcoastpedalers@hotmail.com. You will find them on Facebook too.

Devon
Over in the West Country, it’s the big Powderham Castle Show in Kenton near Exeter, EX6 8JQ. The Devon Autocyclists Section have a stand for the weekend (and their famous Chippy Run!), so pop over to say hello if you are heading to Powderham. For more details contact Roy Best by e-mail: roy@devonautocyclists.co.uk. You will find them on Facebook too.

Bedfordshire
And, not forgetting our good friends in the Vintage Motor Cycle Club’s Cyclemotor Section; they have their ‘Bikes in Beds’ run starting 10am on Sunday 9th from The Bell Inn, High Street, Little Addington, Northants, NN14 4BD.

Get fettling that machine!!

Photo:s 1. East Coast Pedalers 2016 gathering at Melton Village Fete / 2. Preparing for the run at last year’s Kent Sussex & SE London Summer Camp