Westwood Works 1903-2003

The Motor Club

(See also here)

INDEX

The Motor Section

The Motor Section was the largest section on the Sports Club with some 1,200 members. Started in the latter part of 1959, the section required members to pay an additional subscription to that already being paid as a member of the Sports Club. This was to help repay a company loan of £2,000 to cover the cost of purchasing and equipping a fabricated wooden building to be erected near to the car park close to the Works.

The workshop was fully equipped to allow members to service and repair their own vehicles. It also contained a shop where oils, polishes and other car accessories could be purchased. By March 1973 the membership of the section had grown to a level that a new 60ft by 40ft concrete workshop designed by Geoffrey Moore, costing £11,000 was built in a corner of the Westfield Road sports field.


Early Motor Club badge	Date?: The original Motor Club building	1964: Dinner Dance	1967: Inside the first workshop	1967: Getting underneath	1971: L.P. Simpson presents prizes at the annual Motor Club dinner	1973: The new Motor Club building

1973: John Hardy opens the new Motor Club building	1973: Inside the new Motor Club building	1973: Inspecting the new facilities	1973: Kevin Arbon, Ted Thain, Roger Dicking, Ted Coles, Maurice Browett and John Hardy at the new building's opening	1973: Maurice Browett oversees Roger Dicking and Ted Coles working on an Austin Maxi	1973: The Motor Club building signage	1973: Club Meeting

1973: Treasure Hunt	1973: Quiz Winners	Menu for 1973 Dinner and Presentation Evening	1979: Dinner Dance	1979: On the Skid Pan	1979: Visit to RAF Wittering	1980: Dinner Dance

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The Camping and Caravanning Section

The Camping and Caravanning Section was a very popular part of the Motor Club's activities. Rallies were held on many weekends during the year and members enjoyed the advantage of being able to store their caravans on Company premises at the north end of the site behind the Pattern Stores. The first Rally was held in August 1977. As will be seen from the photographs below, the Rallies were a very popular part of the Section's activities, borne out by the programme for just one year - 1984:

May 4th -7th - July racecourse, Newmarket.
May 26th - 31st - Spring Bank Holiday Rally on the Cromer Football Club Ground.
June 15th - 17th - Pea Shoot Rally at Witcham Nr Ely.
June 29th - July 1st - Stoke Bruerne, Towcester.
August 25th - 30th - August Bank Holiday Rally at Scratby Hall, Caister-on-Sea.
September 21st - 23rd - Lilford Park, Oundle.


1977: Camping and Caravanning Section - Reversing and Handling practice in the fog!	1977: Rally at Lilford Park	1978: Rally at Buckden	1978: Family Christmas Party	1979: Bernard Carr makes magic at Social Evening	1983: Rally at Westfield Road	1986: Camping and Caravanning Club

1990: Rally at Yarwell	1992: Rally at Yarwell	1993: Rally at Yarwell	1993: Rally at Yarwell	1995: "Western" Rally

The Section was formed in 1976. After many weeks of negotiation the section was awarded a "Certificate of Exemption" ; a rare achievement for a private club. this allowed the section to hold rallies without the laborious routine of obtaining planning permission for each event.

NOTE: The club is still in existence (February 2011) under the name of the "Westwood Caravan and Camping Club".