May we take this opportunity to wish a Happy New Year to all our members and TVR enthusiasts. Here's hoping for some happier news to start TVR's 60th anniversary year than that with which we finished 2006. Don't forget that we have an extensive programme of events to celebrate the diamond jubilee. Not yet a member? Perhaps the 60th anniversary is the time to join.
Following last Friday's sad news from Bristol Avenue, we have today received the following update from Mr Tony Hodson, the Transport and General Workers' Union convener at Blackpool.
It is with deep regret that the Club has to report this evening that we have heard from several uncorroborated sources that TVR's manufacturing company, Blackpool Automotive, have today gone into receivership. There are reports that there will be a meeting on 2 Jan 07 to seek a way ahead.
We hope to have more information over this weekend and as soon as we hear anything more or are able to corroborate this information, we will let members know. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to the workforce.
TVR have confirm to the TVRCC that, at the invitation of Blackpool Council, it has taken part in discussions with a number of parties who expressed an interest to the Council in starting a new automotive business at the company's Blackpool factory. Unfortunately none of these plans has come to fruition. As a result, the company will now be concluding discussions with the Transport and General Workers Union on redundancy terms for TVR staff. It is anticipated that these proceedings will be completed by the end of the year.
Dom Trickett, Managing Director of TVR Power last night successfully concluded the purchase of the Coventry based company from TVR owner Nikolai Smolenski. Included in the management buy-out deal are all the existing factory body moulds up to Tuscan and Sagaris Mk1, along with the exclusive UK rights to all genuine TVR parts for all current and future models for the next 10 years. Accidents do happen, and when they do, it is reassuring to be in the best possible hands. Being involved in an accident can be very distressing and hugely time-consuming to resolve.
TVR Accident Management has been established to provide a complete specialist service that ensures TVR owners involved in an accident will be back on the road with the minimum of inconvenience. The team can arrange a replacement vehicle and repair of the damaged vehicle, and can act in pursuing reimbursement from a third-party insurer. Although formal verification is still awaited from Guiness, initial indications are that a new world record for the maximum number of cars of a single marque in one location was set today in the capital with London Thunder. Figures seen by the Club vary as to the actual numbers of TVRs on the rally from as few as 400 up to the highest of 478 which is reported to be the number of cars that pulled out of the car park at the Ace Cafe to commence the drive through London. In any case, all of these eclipse the previous World Record set by MX5 owners who gathered just 249 together. A final reminder to anyone who may have missed it (although you must have been trekking in the Himalayas to have done so!), tomorrow sees London Thunder as around 400 TVRs head to the capital in an exciting attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the biggest one-marque convoy ever recorded.
Full details of the event, and the nationwide convoys that are heading to the start point at the Ace Cafe, can be found on the event's dedicated website. And don't forget, for those over the water who perhaps cannot get to London, there is a similar rally in Belfast timed to coincide with the main event. Details in our discussion forums. Racetech Direct, a new independent TVR specialist based in Oxfordshire dedicated to the supply of TVR car parts and Accessories has formally opened for business. The company was established and founded by Harry Conway to service the needs of the TVR owner. Their website is currently showing parts from S series to T350.
Members will have seen the discussions in our discussion forum about London Thunder and the news itembelow announcing the rally. One of the aims of the rally is to deliver a petition to the House of Commons to highlight the plight of those workers who are losing their jobs in Blackpool and to call on the Government to do everything possible to retain manufacture of TVRs in Britain. Therefore, we need YOUR signature. As members will have read on our discussion forums, in the local media in the North West and on Pistonheads, around 100 TVRs descended on Blackpool last Friday in a show of support for the production staff workers at TVR who sadly are probably going to lose their jobs as a result of the decision reported on this website three weeks ago that TVR is to out source manufacturing to an as yet undisclosed, but rumoured to be Italian, location. Following on from the success of this rally, a southern event, named London Thunder, is to take place in the capital on Sunday 26 November to support TVR in the UK and make a World Record Attempt.
At an awards ceremony held at the NEC this evening, the TVR Car Club beat off fierce competition, notably from the BMW Car Club, to take the coveted Classic and Sports Car magazine trophy for Best Club Show/Event for Back Home 2006. The TVR Car Club can now announce its line up for this coming weekend's Classic Motor Show at NEC. With the theme of the show being Designs through the Decades, we have chosen to portray the changing shape of TVRs from the 1960s to the present day. But with so many models to choose from in that range, it proved difficult to select a range of cars within the limited space available to us that would best represent the marque. The TVR Car Club has been informed this morning that staff at TVR's Blackpool factory have been informed today (Wednesday) that the company is planning to outsource all production. Agreements are being finalised for the 2007 run of Tuscan, Tuscan Convertible and Sagaris to be produced in Europe while fully built powertrains - straight six, four-litre TVR engines including clutch and gearbox - are due to be produced in the UK. We have also received an update from the Transport and General Workers' Union, representing the staff, the contents of which are reproduced below.
After 20 rounds spanning the length and breadth of the country, the TVRCC Speed Championship title for 2006, and with it the Colin Parry Cup, goes to Simon Cole. With 199.78 points, the Yorkshire based 350/460 driver took the title from second placed entrant Paul Edwards piloting a T350C by just two points. Third, and leading Class A competitor home, was Steve Dennis in a Vixen S2. Despite starting in 9th place on the 5th row of the grid, it was Andy Holden (Tuscan#6) who took the chequered flag at Oulton Park in the final race of the 2006 Dunlop Tuscan Challenge/TVRCC Challenge Cup today. But the title goes to Graham Walden, who despite finishing in 5th position, managed to hold off the challenge from Marc Hockin to take the title and Class B honours by just 7 points. Despite plans to move to their interim factory in Squires Gate Blackpool starting this month, TVR have today confirmed that has been called off at the last minute. TVR have said that they will now stay at Bristol Avenue until the permanent factory at Blackpool Business Park was up and running in 2008.
May I take this oportunity to thank all of you who attended this event My special thanks to Martin Lilley and Mike Bigland who were the icing on the cake of what turned out to be a great event with 52 cars in attendance. Well done Jacky and Craig Polly, who took first and third in the concours and Martin Cliffe for his well deserved second place. Thanks also to Glynn Bonser for his help in organising and running the event, and also my wife and Glynn's mates for their contribution. It is wonderful to know that the older cars are still out there and being kept in such superb order and hopefully there will be more next time. Did I say "next time"? Yes there will be another one, a couple of similar style venues are being investigated, and maybe we can make 100 cars. Once again thanks to one and all, see you next time. Geoff Gwynne
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