Several SMS members were represented at the above depleting the Brit Cars showing back home. However as they say, a good time was had by all at both events.

The Wales visit consisted of a Friday meet up in the hotel at Cardiff, a Saturday run with a side trip to the ‘Big Pit’ coal mine, a dinner and then ‘Show time’ in the Mermaid Quay on the Sunday where a couple of dozen MGFs & TFs along with the brand new LE 500 were displayed.

I guess for most the coal mining Big Pit museum visit was the highlight. It is both foreboding and intriguing and historically utterly fascinating when one learns of the hardships associated with mining over the centuries. The pit ponies lived and died underground and six year old boys spent six twelve hour days guarding the air circulating doors alone in the complete darkness, apart from the company of rats, they were constantly wet.

The boys suffered from eye sight deterioration and depression and because of rats carried no food below. During the winter they saw the daylight only on Sundays. It was then off to school and church for them, their stooping backs becoming curved over time. Coal from this mine fuelled the ill fated Titanic with the ‘best steaming coal in the world’.

During the weekend, Television News carried much coverage of the ferocious rain fall throughout Wales and as you would expect it affected some parts of the Saturday rally run. The mid section, deep in the forest, was hastily cancelled after frantic phone calls to competitors. We were probably the last to negotiate a deep fissure in the macadam and a shingle wash out over the road - a challenging drive!

The ’Monkey Tree’ restaurant came highly recommended by our Welsh hosts for our celebratory dinner. It lived up to reputation with attentive service, very good food and a reasonable tariff. Many of the previous months, participants to the Swiss event were able to catch up with memories and stories from that wonderful journey.

The Sunday was fine enough to stand around the cars talking and admiring or as the case may be criticising the new LE 500. It needs a little bit of interior attention to become ’our favourite’ car.

I must mention the wonderful surprise Carole received from the Dunlops in the form of a birthday cake, complete with Carole’s photo in rice paper on the surface of the cake. Carole shared it out on the table in the MGF Register gazebo during the afternoon.

Wales? We love it. And the SWMGF members were so friendly.

Dave & Carole Walker