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- Created on Tuesday, 11 June 2013 22:17
- Written by Stephen Tickell
MGs in the Park (2 June 2013)
This is the second year the Magnette Register has included the annual MGOC-organised ‘MGs in the Park’ event at the Cotswold Wildlife Park on its official calendar, and once again we were rewarded with one of the best days of the summer so far – though to be fair, the challenges to this accolade have been few and far between. And it was certainly a change from our first event of 2013, Magnettes and Steam, which was cancelled as a result of heavy snow.
So on a bright and sunny day 11 Magnettes assembled amongst an enormous field of MGs ranging from a fine brace of 18/80s to three MG6s. It was particularly good to see some newer faces amongst the crowd of regular Magnetteers. Richard Hawkins’ Mk IV Auto stood out, resplendent in its black and Old English White livery – a truly immaculate example of this very rare model which Richard’s father bought new in 1964. Michael and Anne Waterman’s Island Green ZA was also looking splendid after its journey up from Southampton. This was an event with more owners than cars, though. The ZAs of Alan Slack and Grant Howlett and David Halliday’s ZBV were present in spirit only, Alan’s car being minus its boot lid and Grant’s being stuck in Suffolk. David’s car expired on the way to the event last year and over the succeeding twelve months he has taken the opportunity to undertake a serious refurbishment – we look forward to seeing the newly supercharged ZBV on the road (probably just as a passing blur) later in the summer!
For those who tired of looking at long rows of MGs the Wildlife Park offered many diversions. Camels, rhinos and zebra grazed peacefully in neighbouring fields apparently oblivious to the magnificent Abingdon (and Longbridge)-born products nearby and separated from them only by flimsy-looking low wire fences. Numerous other species resided in the fields and buildings nearby, but members of the Magnette committee were oblivious to these as they met over lunch, cans of Speckled Hen to hand, to plan the final details of the Magnette60 event in August.
The run back from the park later in the afternoon was (for this scribe at least) one of those idyllic drives – a perfect English early summer’s day, winding Cotswold lanes and a Magnette on song. We look forward to more of the same over the next few months!
Text by Paul Batho, Photos by Stephen Tickell
