A special autumnal 5 day, 100 mile coaching tour in North Wales nicknamed “Fun on the Road” was completed by a number of Road Club members in October on two road coaches. The Monarch owned by Barbara and Rod Stockton and Chris Rawlins and put to their British Hackneys that had spent the summer demonstrating their qualities at British and European coaching events with each of the three proprietors driving various stages.
The partnering coach was John and Pebs Brown’s Nimrod drawn by the Household Cavalry’s team of blacks. As well as showing, this team is regularly seen in Windsor and London training and rehearsing for ceremonial occasions.
The days were not inactive. On the second day the guards were kept busy using the drag shoes on the steep Welsh hills. The Monarch suffered problems part way down to Maentwrog with a smoking felloe. It had to be cooled with an improvised fire-hose.
The following Nimrod was then held up in Llan Festinniog with a very hot shoe locked in place under a wheel causing the sizzling shoe to melt the tarmac.
The guard then had time to fry three rashers of bacon on a hot shoe and serve to the passengers!
Everyone certainly had “Fun on the Road”
By Richard JAMES
