Volvo Owners' Club Trent Valley Section
 

I’m happy to report that Trent section new has a new “home”.
The venue is Patchings at Calverton (NG14 6NU). This is on Oxton Road and is only a couple of miles from the Ye Olde Bridge where the section met for many years. Future meetings will also be on Sunday mornings rather than the previous Wednesday evenings. Hopefully, this will encourage more members to attend.
Some of you will be aware of this café/restaurant as the section had its festive meal there in 2019. There is a large car park and they are happy for us to use it, although I think they would appreciate it if we used the café for refreshments. For those who haven’t been before, there is also a craft shop, art shop and art centre. In summer there is an arts trail.
I’m told the restaurant does an excellent lunch which members can book directly.
I have initially arranged three Sunday meetings, 10th April, 8th May and 12th June. All from 10.30. The web address for Patchings is https://www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk and the phone number is 0115 9653479.
I look forward to meeting members old and new on the 10th.

Jaki Ragg

Good luck with the new venue!

Chris

Thank you for organising, Jaki.

We enjoyed the drive out and the meet. Sorry for our tardy arrival; we will try to do better next time! We may even bring the Volvo!! :regular_smile:

Regards, John (and Linda)

Good morn John,

GAM (or the RB) and I may venture north for the 12 June meeting John, at the moment I'm free that day.

I suppose that means I'd have to stump up some cash to join the VOC though :-(.

Alan

You would be most welcome to join the VOC at any time, Alan, and indeed may find that membership could well be to your advantage - but it is not compulsory!

Meetings such as this one and the 'National' (which, unlike some clubs, is free to all) welcome guests (who may later decide to join), especially if they turn up in an interesting car such as yours - and not a Saab, as we did!

Sunday's meeting was a quiet affair - not a show as such, more of a coffee and chat - but I know that Jaki and the TVS are hoping for greater interest as the weather improves.

Regards, John.

Hi John,

Jaki did drop me a line to explain (which was very kind). It is about time I joined the VOC anyway!

I'll aim to bring GAM, but if not then the RB (certainly not a Porsche or a Skoda!).

Alan

Not far for me , this one , so already pencilled in!😃

It would be nice to see you !😀

Excellent Andrew. Perhaps John will attend as well.

This would be for the June meeting, I can’t make the May one.

Alan

I'll give you a call nearer the time (early June) John - perhaps meet up there.

Alan

Next Trent Meeting
 

Just a reminder that the next Trent meeting will be on Sunday 8th May at about 10.30.
The venue is Patchings at Calverton (NG14 6NU). This is on Oxton Road.
Their website is https://www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk and the phone number is 0115 9653479. No need to book for coffee but I suggest you book if you want to stay for lunch.
I look forward to meeting members old and new on the 8th.

Jaki Ragg

Hi John and Andrew,

Are you both still planning to attend the 12 June meeting (2 weeks today)? I'm free that day, and as long as the weather is okay I'll drive up - either in GAM or the RB.

I'm wondering whether Snow White might be persuaded to drive up in Delores also. She lives fairly nearby so perhaps we could drive in convoy:

Ah, breaker one-nine, this here's the Rubber Duck
You gotta copy on me, Pig Pen, c'mon?
Ah, yeah, 10-4, Pig Pen, fer shure, fer shure
By golly, it's clean clear to Flag Town, c'mon
Yeah, that's a big 10-4 there, Pig Pen
Yeah, we definitely got the front door, good buddy
Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy

:-)

Linda and I are planning to be there, Alan

It would be good to meet both you, and possibly 'S.W', in person, Alan and while not wishing to dissuade you from travelling a considerable distance, please remember that this meeting is much more likely to be a chat over coffee with a few like-minded enthusiasts than a full-on show.

The 'National' at Stratford a few weeks later will be the place to be for that!!

Regards, John.

I think I will go to Stratford instead of the Trent do.

I’ll not be back from Devon until the Saturday so will give Calverton a miss.

Super duper,
I'm planning to drive up, probably in Auntie Maud.
A low key event and a run out for one of my older motor cars is fine John. I'm not so sure about the 'National' event at Stratford, we'll have to see about that.
Best wishes,
Alan

Not to worry Andrew, there will be another time.
Alan

I should be able to meet you there in Delores and we can ‘convoy’ back.

S.W.

Have you ever seen a duck that couldn’t swim?

Hi Jaki,

The weather looks set fair, so I'm planning to attend (with Great Aunt Maud) on Sunday.

Alan

PS. This is Great Aunt Maud:

https://i.imgur.com/G8LOxOa.jpg

Ah, but which hat will you be wearing on the day, Alan? :regular_smile:

Looking forward with genuine pleasure to meeting you both!

Regards, John.

I love a nice Amazon.
Jaki

I think you are right John, a hat will be required on Sunday, it is a Volvo after all :-)

See you on Sunday.

Alan

The weather is looking good for tomorrow so we should be able to sit in the courtyard.
I look forward to seeing everyone.

Jaki

Super duper,
The weather forecast is good so I’ll bring Aunt Maud - arriving about 11:00.
Alan

It’s a super run from Corby bud, miss Nottingham out by the east, lovely!

It’ll do the Dowager good.

Enjoy.👍😎

We use the A46, exit onto the A6097, crossing the Trent at Gunthorpe. Then left onto B6386 off the Oxton bypass. Patchings is on RHS just after the second road on the left to Calverton. The latter is very easy to miss / overshoot!

Regards, John.

The same I should think John. Uppingham, Oakham, Melton Mowbray then the A46, the same as you. I should think I’d arrive between 11:00 and 11:30. I’ll be the tall chap with a beard wearing a fedora and driving a bright red Amazon :-)

PS. Just a thought: is Patching the sort of place that might welcome a very well behaved dog? I’m just thinking aloud, it will be a nice day - but that would mean it would be too hot to leave Bob in the car. Also, GAM doesn’t have any seat belts in the back so there would be nowhere to tether his car harness. I think I’ve answered my own question: I’ll ask Bob’s Auntie Janet and Uncle Neil (our neighbours) to take him for his middle of the day walk.

I think that they probably would, Alan. They do have a website, so it will probably say whether or no on there. J.

I think not this time John, I’ll treat it as a reconnaissance. If it is okay I may bring Bob to a future meeting.

I think it will be a bit hot for Bob in GAM tomorrow, he much prefers the Skoda estate and even has a crate in the back, but that is a much bigger motor car and has air conditioning.

:-)

Just watch the average speed cameras on the A6097.

Jaki

Thank you so much for organising today's meeting Jaki, it was really nice to meet everyone.

Best wishes,

Alan

A good run mate? Did she enjoy it?😀

[QUOTE=Othen;2828840]Thank you so much for organising today's meeting Jaki, it was really nice to meet everyone.

I'm glad you enjoyed it and look forward to seeing you again soon.

Jaki

Trent Valley Volvo Owners Club Meeting
 

Thank you Jaki for organising today’s gathering at Calverton.
I enjoyed having a drive out today through lovely countryside and in delightful weather. Most of all it was a pleasure to meet you and the other members and I look forward to another gathering in the future.’ Elizabeth

Very good indeed Andrew,
This was the first time I’d taken GAM on a long run, and I have to say it was an absolute pleasure. Two things about the motor car struck me:

• the lower profile tyres (175/60) on the silver wheels were a great improvement: better grip, lighter steering, quieter, better looking and they correct the speedometer reading.
  
• the BT receiver coupled with the period 1960s Volvo speaker and my iPhone is the perfect solution for the motor car. I had Led Zeppelin and the lady from Google Maps for company all the way.

It was a good day out - and I met some really nice people.

Truly excellent bud. Glad all was well. Brilliant!👍😀

I must admit I ,too , like the wheels!

… I also like the Led Zeppelin:-)

Good morning, Alan. It was a pleasure to meet you personally yesterday, too; also Elizabeth (aka 'Snow White').

It was also a treat to see both 'Great Aunt Maud' and 'Delores' in the metal. That they completed the journey without issue comes as no surprise and is a just reward for the efforts that you have made to bring them up to the condition in which they stand today. They made a handsome pair parked side by side in the sunshine!

We are pleased that you had a good trip home. You are both using your cars in the manner Volvo intended, and prove conclusively that they remain a practical proposition on today's roads half a century or more after they left the factory.

Looking forward to next time, possibly even the 'National'? :regular_smile:

Regards, John (and Linda).

PS - Did you note the V70's ridiculously large turning circle (that we had earlier discussed) as I pulled out of the car park? We would have got round in one with room to spare in a RWD Volvo! J.

Yes indeed John, it was a great pleasure to meet you and Linda; it was good that 'Lizabeth could make it on her way back from Yorkshire also.

One thing we forgot to do is take a photo of Delores and Great Aunt Maud together at the venue. I meant to but just forgot (getting older and forgetting so many things is irritating). I was pleased that both old Volvos performed so well (me having been responsible for the spannering on both). I have just reported on another thread in the 120 section that GAM achieved 31MPG on the trip, which I thought was mighty impressive for a 59 year old motor car.

I liked your V70: what fantastic value it has been. It still looks pretty smart but I remain unconvinced that changing to FWD was one of Mr Volvo's best ideas.

We drove back in convoy as far as Corby and stopped for an ice cream. We discussed the BKV and are both thinking about it.

If I come to the next Sunday morm meeting I may well bring the RB, that way Bob could come along as well (he would love that).

Best wishes,

Alan

The next meeting will be this Sunday 10th at Carriages as normal.

Weather looks like it's going to be a hot one.

Jaki

Where and what is Carriages?

Unless I have missed something, 'ITSv40', I think that may be an error. I do know of a 'Carriages' in the area, but as far as I am aware the meeting will be at 'Patchings' as usual (see the first post in this thread for details).

That is where we were headed anyway! I'm sure Jaki will be along directly to clear up any confusion. :regular_smile:

Regards, John.