2006 - 2010
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AJS Rally 2010 - Black Country Museum
The annual rally was again a great success . Many thanks to Ken & Maureen who stepped up to the challenge and produced a superb weekend. Our accommodation was The Red Lion at Bobbington, which was recommended by the Stevens family, our
Most members gathered on Friday evening at the Red Lion and over dinner caught up with what had been happening over the year.
Saturday saw us travel to Ashwood Nurseries where the owner John Masset has a private garden in three acres next to the canal, which is open on 2 days of the year and fortunately our visit was on one of those days. It was here we met up with Colin Stevens, his wife and his sister and husband who were on a visit to the UK from Australia and made our weekend part of their trip. It was great that they remember their heritage, Colin has an AJS Car and Stevens motorcycle in Australia.
We then travelled about 8 miles to Bodenham Aboretum 156 acres of landscape gardens including 2 acres of pools and lakes. Here most of us stopped for lunch, which was all prepared and cooked on the premises.
Our final visit of the day to keep us interested in all things mechanical was to RAF Cosford which has a full history of the RAF and houses 70 aircraft and is home to war missiles, , transport, training and research and development collections. The National Cold War exhibition with interactive displays gives visitors a chance to see what life was like behind the Iron Curtain.
Back at the Red Lion for our evening meal and time for a catch up with people we had not seen for a while. The evening was really buzzing with chatter and at one stage "Young Jim (89) was seen to disappear under the table and emerge the other side on his way to the bathroom, he said Joan was not keen to move!!
During the evening Colin gave us an impromptu talk about his side of the Stevens
Sunday, we all set off to the Black Country Museum at Dudley. Bill would have been elated to see his wife Barbara and daughter Caroline out using his car along with John & Moya and as passengers. It was a superb day with a very varied collection of vehicles all produced in the Black Country area. We had 9 AJS cars on display, 2 belonging to the Black Country Museum, Chris & GIll's, Mark, all the way from Ireland, our honourable Chairman Peter with wife Suzi, Peter & Gwen, Barbara & Caroline and Richard, who trailored his car as it is undergoing cosmetic surgery.
We had the largest gathering of the remaining Stevens family we have had at an AJS Rally. Colin Stevens and his wife, his sister and husband, Jim & Joan with daughter Penny and son Andy, Peter And Jack and Sue Taylor whose mother was married to the famous works rider, Tommy Span. If you look at the AJS book by S B Mills you will see a superb
Talking of which Ken has a book "Vintage and Veteran Motorcycle" by Sheldon which at the back has a photo of Colin Stevens father with some of the works riders at AJS.
It was a superb day with opportunities to drive our vehicles around the internal roads within the museum and to see other vehicles being driven, much better than static displays.
Ken and Maureen put a lot of effort into the event producing a superb Road Book and information Pack especially considering that it was not on their home territory.
Photos from AJS Rally 2010 - Black Country Museum
Click here to see more photos of the 2010 rally.
AJS Rally 2009 - Houghton Conquest, Bedfordshire
The 2009 rally, the planning of which was started by Bill Barton, but completed by Pat & Bernard was based around "The Knife & Cleaver" in Houghton Conquest.
On Saturday we took a trip to Wimpole Hall where Pat & Bernard kept up with tradition and managed to break their car again, snapping a halfshaft. Dinner in the evening was a very fine affair with plenty of good wine and and wine flowing along with the odd speech and plenty of conversation made for a very enjoyable evening.
Sunday dawned and we had a run to the Shuttleworth Museum. This is a fascinating place which centres on aircraft but also has motor cars and motorcycles on display. Unfortunately not many planes were flying due to windy conditions, but again it was an excellent weekend.. Thank you Pat & Bernard.
Photos of the AJS Rally 2009 - Houghton Conquest
Click here to see photos of the 2009 rally.
VSCC 70th Anniversary
The VSCC 70th anniversary was celebrated at the Three Counties Showground at Malvern in August. The AJS 9 Car Club was asked to take a stand on the Saturday to display their cars. We were given a very prominent position on the main drive and had three cars on display, John's, Chris and Peter's. Even within the VSCC the AJS created interest as many people did not know that the AJS motorcycle company produced cars - a continuing theme!!
Beaulieu Autojumble
Beaulieu Autojumble in September is always a draw for anyone interested in older vehicles, cars or motorcycles and as usual we had a gathering of AJS members around stall G196, Graham, Ken, Mark and Peter met Saturday to discuss all things AJS. Mark sold his Scott motorcycle at Bonhams auction whilst Graham & Ken ferreted out interesting AJS parts and literature.
AJS Rally 2008 - Lavenham, Suffolk
This years event was based at The Crown, Bildeston near Lavenham over the weekend of 4th, 5th and 6th July and was organised by John & Minty.
On Saturday the 5 AJS's undertook a not too strenuous drive through Suffolk lanes and villages with the first stop at Flatford Mill, where John Constable and others worked and took a tour of the Field Centre. Lunch was at a pub close by after which we drove to Beth Chatto Garden, then on to Carter's Vineyard at Boxted to sample some local made wines, before returning to Bildeston where 24 members sat down for the Annual Dinner.
On Sunday John and Minty arranged Vintage Sports Car Club style driving tests on an old airfield near Lavenham. The AJS cars with various drivers competed in a series of driving tests. An excellent display of competitive driving saw John's daughter win the event and no, it was not fixed! This was followed by lunch, back to Bildeston for a quick cuppa then a minibus to Saffron Walden for barbeque, and lots of car, garden and other
Thanks to hosts and family for a memorable weekend.
AJS Rally 2007 - Pickhill, Yorkshire
Peter and Gwen organised the 2007 AJS 9 Car Club Rally and located us at The Nag's Head, Pickhill. What a perfect location and hostelry.
In addition to the "normal attendees" we welcomed Jim & Pat from Kings Lynn plus Maureen for their 1st AJS9 Club meeting. Peter & Gwen had arranged a "Taste of Swaledale and Wensleydale" for our Saturday jaunt with 45 miles of breathtaking scenery prior to a lunch stop at Thwaite. Another 45 miles in the afternoon including a visit to Aysgarth Falls plus afternoon tea at Middleham before the welcoming sight of the bar at The Nags Head.
Sunday we travelled the short distance to Newby Hall for "The Historic Vehicle Rally" featuring over 1,500 entrants where the AJS Club featured 6 cars on its own stand. The "summer" caught up around midday when heavy rain set in for the day. However this did not stop a constant stream of interested spectators including Dave Lockwood with tales of 1955 with an AJS. An early departure from the Hall before we got fully waterlogged and back to the Nags Head haven, and cars onto trailers. Bernard suffered a broken rear brake shoe when a lining came adrift but drove back proving you don't need brakes anyway!!
A great many thanks to to Peter and Gwen for the organisation, another super weekend where the friendly atmosphere of what is the AJS 9 Car Club was paramount. Well done!!
AJS Rally 2006 - Dorchester on Thames
This year was the turn of Pat & Bernard to arrange the annual rally which was held on 15 & 16 July 2006 in the Dorchester area. The White Hart Hotel accommodated the club and most members arrived in time for dinner on the 14th. As well as the regulars we were joined by Gordon Patterson and Isabelle Justice (constructor of Bernard's present special).
Saturday there was a 75 mile run around Oxford taking in Oxford Bus Museum, lunch at the Old Swan, Minster Lovell and afternoon tea at the Royal Oak Farm Shop.
Sunday was a mere 63 miles run towards Princes Risborough passing Kop Hill which was one of the earliest hill climbs in England, Henley River & Rowing Museum was the location of the afternoon stop.
Pictured below are Peter Stevens (son of Geoff), Jim Stevens (son of Billie), Geoff Stevens (son of Joe), Alec Stevens (son of Joe) and Andy Stevens (son of Jim). Joe and Billie Stevens were two of the five brothers who founded AJS (see history section).
Bernard & Pat kindly manufactured some place mats for all attendees of the weekend, featuring a cut away view of an AJS saloon - the mats are now a collectors item.
