Thames Valley Centre Events

Most of our events during the year are club runs. All We organise frequent runs to interesting venues, mostly on weekends but some mid-week as well. Our runs are well controlled by the Run Leader and Back Marker with a comfortable pace aimed to suit the riders and bikes. We also join up with other Centre’s runs and will lead our group to the meeting point. For dates of planned runs see below.

Get on Jon’s email list and join us on a run, you won’t regret it.

jon.dunsdon@btinternet.com

From time to time we also organise events mostly on Club nights, such as our popular Question nights on technical Velo matters of guest speakers – see Events List below.

2024 Events List

Update 15th February 2023

We hold our meetings at lunchtime 12:00 noon on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday every monthly.  We are gradually updating the calendar of events for 2024 below as we put together our plans and the dates for external events are known.

There was a general agreement at a recent Club Meeting that Club Runs this year should be shorter in distance and aim for about One Hour each way (max 1Hr Qtr). So runs such as Cheddar Gorge or Sammy Miller are not organised by the club.

Mid week runs

We will aim to have at least one per month hopefully more from Spring to Autumn and we have a small team of volunteers to try to achieve this. Generally confirmed within a weeks notice to fit in with weather and member availability. Any changes or cancellation will be via our email circulation list so contact Jon Dunsdon to get on his list to get the final details of the meeting place.

We are considering some other runs to be added to those below so watch this space.

2024 Events List

February 2024

February 13th & 27th – Club Meetings at the Rising Sun 12.00 Noon

March 2024

March 12th – Thames Valley Club AGM at the Rising Sun from 12.00 Noon starting at about 12:45 to give members a chance to have some lunch/drink.

March 17th Sunday – Brooklands Sunbeam 100 Years of the Sunbeam MCC. Open to all visitors on pre-1940 machines. We plan to have a run to this Sunbeam MCC event at Brooklands Museum, so pull out your pre-1940 ish machine and join us on a run there. Details of the Arborfield meeting place and times to be confirmed.

Spring ish?? – Technical Question Meeting – We are considering when we can hold this in the Rising Sun and an email will be sent out in advance detailing how we plan to manage it.

April 2024

Tuesday April 9th?? – To be confirmed – Short version of the Rigid/modest pace Run ( Now Cancelled due to unpredictable weather) as the first run of the season, not too long, just to get us started.  Come on any bike, will be at a rigid but at a gentle pace so you won’t feel rushed. Pleasant amble through part of the Berkshire Downs for about 30 miles through roads that you may not have been on before to finish at the Rising Sun at about noon for our regular club meeting.

Wednesday ??th – Popham Airfield Run. Meet at the Shell Garage in Padworth on the A4 at ?? for a ?? departure (Date & times to be confirmed).

Spring ish?? – Technical Question Meeting – We are considering when we can hold this in the Rising Sun and an email will be sent out in advance detailing how we plan to manage it.

April 21st Sunday – Classic Vehicle Day at the Royal Oak Bishopstone. As in previous years we will be having a run to this event near Swindon where there will be lots of old bikes and cars. Very friendly informal gathering usually with excellent organic burgers and barbecue food by Helen Browning available. Weather forecast looks good at this stage. Meet in the rear car park of the Bull Inn, Streatley at 9:45 am and depart at 10:00 – for a very pleasant run there out the A417 and B4507 of about an hour.

May 2024

May 6th Monday – Fleet Lions Run and Concours Bank Holiday Monday The Fleet Lions Run is back with an excellent signed run of about an hour (I think!) with a lunch stop at a pub not far south of Reading. To enter  simply visit their website at www.fleetlions.org.uk/motorcycles and complete the registration process. Meet at the starting area between 9:30 and 10:30 for breakfast Tea and Coffee and sign-in at The Key car park at Elvetham Heath on the A323 Fleet to Hartley Wintney Road (postcode GU51 1HA). Information only as no run .

May 11th Saturday – Kempton Park London Classic Bike Show – We have a stand at this Classic Bike Show and normally do quite well against the other stands. The Show usually has a large autojumble as well so a popular event.

May 22nd Wednesday – Berkshire Downs Run.  (SORRY CANCELLED due to heavy rain forecast) Meet in the rear car park of the Bull Inn at Streatley at Cancelled for a gentle 80 mile run through the Berkshire Downs  with a tea/coffee break in Lambourn and lunch at the Grocer Chef at Ardington before returning to the Bull. There will be pick up points at Bluebury and Rowstock and perhaps others on request. Weather is looking fairly stable so Run is still planned.

May or June? – Flower Pot Run. Our regular run down to the Flower Pot Inn at Cheriton where we may meet up with South Hants Centre guys, may then go across to a big bike meet. Meet at the British Legion car park in Arborfield Cross at 10:15 for a 10:30 departure.

June 2024

June 22nd Saturday – Show Off Your Bike show at the Rising Sun. The date has now been confirmed with the Committee managing the green for us to hold our Show on the green opposite the Rising Sun. This years event will be the same format as last year with food (special menu) and drinks from the pub which all worked very well. There is free entry but all bikes and owners need to be recorded for judging purposes. The day starts at 11:00 am and we are aiming for a relaxed event,  no raffle, just chat and enjoy yourself. The will still be a modest award for the bike winners by class. Bikes to make sure you look for the entrance to the green on the left at the top of the lane as some of the gravel is deep further down so take care, any cars to park at the bottom. Hope to see you all there.

June 25th Tuesday – Technical Question Meeting – This will be a change to our regular 12 Noon meeting at the Rising Sun pub when Stuart McGuigan and John Crocker  (Criterion Engineers) will host a Technical Question session. This will start at 12:45 approx following lunch.  The session will either be held in the rear garden (if the weather is good) or at the rear of the pub (if the weather is poor). This is an entertaining and relaxed event as in previous years, please bring any Velocette technical questions with you and Stuart and John will attempt to answer them.

July 2024

July 13th Sat – Woodcote Rally. We are planning to attend this rally for Saturday 13th only (as we have done in past years)  it is a fairly relaxed event that we normally enjoy. To display your bike free you need to have your entry form lodged before 30th April, we can email you the form, just contact Jon or ask at Club meetings.  Note that it is a 2 day event but we don’t attend on the 2nd day Sunday 14th.

July 17th Wednesday – Run to Popham Airfield Cafe.

After all this wet weather, a Run is planned to Popham for Coffee/Tea/Cake/Breakfast (whatever). Please watch weather forecasts as this could be risky! Meet at the Shell Garage on the A4 at Padworth at 9:30 and depart at 9:45.

August 2024

August Sunday 4th 2024 – Popham Megameet – We have a pitch/stand booked at this popular local event, however location is not known. There will be a run to Popham (weather permitting) meet at the Shell Garage in Padworth on the A4 at 08.45 for a 09.00 departure. There will be a limited number of tickets for the event available at the start of the run at Padworth.

August Wednesday 14th – Woburn centre at the H cafe –  The Woburn Velo Centre are having a run to the “H” Cafe on the A4074 at Berinsfield and they expect to be there approx 1130 to 12 noon. We are not planning a group run but anyone who is free could meet up them there.

August Wednesday 21st – Run to Popham Airfield Cafe.

With a good weather forecast (as I write!), a Run is planned to Popham Airfield for Coffee/Tea/Cake/Breakfast (whatever).  Meet at the Shell Garage on the A4 at Padworth at 9:30 and depart at 9:45.

September 2024

September 8th – Seymour Run.  This run visits Thame and on for a run through country roads we then stop for lunch at the Chearsley Classic & Vintage Fun Day. Meet at the BP filling station / McDonalds, post code OX10 6LX, at the roundabout in Benson where the A4074 meets the B4009.  Meet at 09:15 and depart at 9:30.

September 14/15th – Kop Hill Climb – Planning to have a stand at this prestigious event as usual. Watch all the activity including our club members on the Hill climb and view all the amazing bikes and cars. Similar vehicles to those at Goodwood but here you can get up close.

October 2024

November 2024

November ??- Brookwood Cemetery Run??. This is about a 45 minute run to Brookwood War Graves Cemetery for the Remembrance Day Service. As we did last time we need to get there early enough to be in place and out of the way there before the Parade starts that precedes the 11.00 am Remembrance Service in the Canadian section of the Cemetery. The proceedings are very well organised and thought provoking, well worth a visit.

December 2024

December 10th – TV Velo Christmas Lunch – Planning to have our Christmas Lunch at the Rising Sun at 12:30 for 1.00 o’clock this year – Full Details to be available later – look out for Jon’s email for details of how to book your place.

December 24th – No TV Velo club meeting (Provisional tbc??)

Keeping Velocettes Alive.
In the Mind, on the Road, on the Track.