Holme Moss 100

[yorkshire_spam]

This looks like a fantastic idea:

https://m.facebook.com/pg/holmemoss100/posts/

Sadly their website seems to be out of order at the moment. 

[JohnD]

Yes, sad, as the Facebook page assumes you know everything about it.

If it's a bicycle race - I'm too tired!

John

[yorkshire_spam]

4 hours ago, JohnD said:

Yes, sad, as the Facebook page assumes you know everything about it.

If it's a bicycle race - I'm too tired!

John

Not a bike race John, they plan to re-run the Holme Moss hillclimb on each of the centenaries of the original runs, 1920-1924 re-run as 2020-2024!

I copied this from one of their posts:

For last nights announcement see below:

HMHC 100 – Press Reception Talk by Guy Loveridge 19th July 2018 at the Carding Shed, Holmfirth

Welcome

Thank you everyone and welcome. The reason we have asked you all here is because history was made just a few miles away over there, on The Moss. Between 1920 and 1924 that steep ribbon of road was one of the most celebrated and looked to in not just Great Britain, but all across the motoring world. For five events Holme Moss Hill Climbs, organised jointly by the Huddersfield and Halifax Motor Clubs drew the greatest names in motor sport - Raymond Mays, Malcolm Campbell, Archie Frazer-Nash, Eddie Hall…all came to pit their skills against that hill. 
We think this should be remarked upon, remembered, commemorated. And that is what we plan to try to do, with your help.

Contemporary Context

I have said “we” – this is not just an ego trip for me! Please allow me to introduce us all on the team. First up a long standing and senior member of Huddersfield Motor Club – Mr Stuart Holland and next the founder and leading light of Two Peaks Motor Club, Mr Nick Thornton – I am Guy Loveridge, motor sport journalist and author. I’m also the Vintage Sports Car Club’s lead commentator and former Chairman of The Guild of Motoring Writers and 2015 Peugeot Motor Sport Writer of the Year. Last, but by NO means least, our kind and generous host here at the All New Oil Can Café – Mr Ian Kellett.

Historic Context

So, take a quick leap back with me to 1919. The world is staggering back to its feet following the end of the First World War is finally declared in July. (No, it was just an armistice in November 1918!) everywhere people are looking to pick up the pieces and carry on. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the motoring world. Brooklands, the world’s first purpose-built motor racing course returned to racing at Easter 1919. By the close of that first post WWI season things had almost returned to their pre-1914 state, but there was a great lack of venues. Shelsley Walsh had almost got into its stride with a decade of events before the War, but enthusiasts were looking far and wide for suitable venues. Onto the stage stepped The Bradford Automobile Club who, together with The Huddersfield and Halifax club issued a basic press statement in early 1920, reported by the local papers as :-

“Speed Demons will gather in the village of Holme to test their skills against a most challenging and severe course leading up the ‘Moss’. Local clubs are planning to stage a motor-climb that will rival events at Brooklands and Shelsley Walsh in popularity. These local clubmen anticipate the greatest names in motoring sport will attend. No charge will be made”.

The first running of the event was considered a huge success. It was estimated that around 7,500 people came to spectate. There was a full entry of 40 cars and the event was run safely and satisfactorily. It merited fully four pages of coverage in “The Motor” and was reported on by the late Tim Nicholson thus: -

“A notable new course was used for the first time on 7th August when the Bradford AC organised a match between itself and the Huddersfield and Halifax Club on Holme Moss, near Holmfirth on the Holme-Woodhead road. The timed distance was 1 ¼ miles; its steepest gradient 1-in-8.77. It included five corners; a feature which was more important than the gradient these days. Good road-holding was, or should have been, more sought-after than sheer power. The open events mainly went to the experts, who could not afford to scorn a hill just because it was new! Malcolm Campbell’s Talbot made Fastest Time of the Day in 1min 42.6 seconds”.

“The Moss” went from strength to strength. Running annually, so as not to disrupt the lives of those either side of the peak too much, it increased in size, both in terms of crowds and entrants. The odd rainy event did not seem to dampen any enthusiasm and plans were well in hand for the 6th running of the event in 1925 when – it was cancelled. Following a minor accident at Kop Hill where a competing car left the road and ran into spectators, Parliament’s knee-jerk reaction was to ban all competition on the public highway. Races had always been banned, which is why the Great British hosting of the Gordon Bennett Races was done on the Isle of Man pre WW1, but now time trials were also outlawed. Kop Hill itself ran that last event ahead of Holme Moss in 1925 so it has an “extra” event notched to its name in period. Nothing has happened at Holme Moss in terms of a motor sport venue since. The Tour De France and Tour De Yorkshire have been over there, proving the viability of the route and, with last year’s arrival of Parliamentary approved Road Closure Orders in England and Wales, we believe the time is right to start planning a Centenary Revival event for “Our” venue.

What “Revival Events” have done elsewhere…

In 1999 Kop Hill was revived. This was initially led by the local authority and the Bean Car Club as part of that year’s Risborough festival. That one off was well received and today's revival was kicked off in 2009 and is run along non-competitive lines, to showcase cars and bikes dating back to the competitive era as well as more modern cars of interest and heritage. The event was run by Kop Hill Climb Ltd, which was dissolved in May 2017 and is now run by Buckinghamshire Community Foundation (Kop Hill Climb) Limited with unpaid volunteers managing the event for the Buckinghamshire Community Foundation raising money for local charities. It is recorded that the 10 events to date have raised tens of thousands of pounds for local charities and bring an estimated £5 million boost to the local economy each year. 
Going further back in terms of a Revival Event, the Goodwood Motor Circuit Race Revival, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year (and thus running for longer than Goodwood did as an active motor racing circuit in the period) has the largest crowds of any sporting event in the United Kingdom. When it was last quantified by the Goodwood Road Racing Company the benefit to the local Chichester Community, in terms of hotels, business, local enterprise, locals attending, working etc was £25 million per annum. 
Now, we are clearly not claiming that we can instantly become the equal of Goodwood, but, there is clear evidence that this type of “Commemoration” event DOES work and DOES draw crowds.*

The Grand Plan

To run a Revival/Commemoration event on each Centenary of the event being live 2020-2024. The 2017 change in the law mentioned above, means we can have road closures and the route is IDEAL as it already has traffic lights in place and a designated detour – TdF, TdY and snow etc.

We plan to run cars in a demonstration in the first year, with classes representing the eras up to 1939 and then classics and super cars as well. We have been in discussion with a notable “leading light” in the world of a certain Italian brand to bring 20 mouth-watering machines to demonstrate during the lunch interval. We also plan to run over the two days of the weekend with more modern vehicles between 1930s to 1980s including Group B rally cars running on the Sunday.

Our 2019 Plan to complement our 2020 Event

A launch Event in the middle of Holmfirth, focusing on Norridge Bottom, the Old Bridge and Picturedrome areas, and involving a “walk” to a few notable local locations involving local pubs, businesses and having a wealth of historic cars in the car park etc. There will be bands, food stalls, a simulator so you can ‘drive’ the Moss competitively and so on… Date tbc but as nearest to the 8/9th August as possible.

Thank you – we are Completely Serious.

We have already a globally significant sponsor in Total Elf, representatives of whom are with us this evening. 
Motor Clubs are asking how they can become part of this already. 
We are highly experienced in staging “Motor Car” events. 
There is already much interest from a nationally significant vehicle auction house but we also NEED your support as locals to get behind this.

*The Daily Telegraph 2nd June 2017. 
The Goodwood Festival of Speed contributes £69 million to Britain’s economy, according to the results of a 2015 survey conducted by the Historic Vehicle Research Institute in collaboration with the University of Brighton.
The survey measured the economic impact of the 2014 Festival.
£25 million of the Festival’s nationwide contribution was generated specifically in the local Chichester area economy, with local pubs and restaurants serving an increased passing trade, and hotels and guest houses benefitting from 26,000 more person-nights.

[JohnD]

That sounds more fun!    I'd like a go at that, will you please let us know whentheir webiste works again?

John

[Hamish]

This need a northwest triumph class. 1959 TR3a ready and willing. 

[yorkshire_spam]

They (finally) have a website: https://holmemoss100.uk/

 

[Hamish]

Looks like it’s just pre war cars 

apart from invitation class and I can see them wanting very high value and or high powered cars. 

[PeteClan]

Show early interest and you never know.

Pete Richards