First Stop - Kingsley Fuel Cafe in Eynsham on the A40
This venue has been open now for 2 or 3 years and is a popular stopping off point for food, drink and facilities. Our Region had always intended to visit but the venue is not oriented towards meetings or talks etc.
Just short of a dozen Members pitched up in their Jaguars - including our Treasurer's, new to him and lovely, light blue XK.
At this, his first meeting with Oxon Region, new Member Ray Reed attended in his lovely good XJ6.
John Jansen appeared in his new, to him, S-Type, having traded up from his X-Type. John also brought along his mate Paul Ives, to whom we were pleased to give a hearty welcome.
Sitting under an image of Steve McQueen in his XKSS, those present enjoyed a good chat, pastries and drinks.
Then it was off to the Main Event.
A Good turnout at OCR Rally
OCR Rally was born from a friendship built within the classic car industry. With over 60 years' experience in the industry between them, and over a decade of working together preparing historic rally cars and other vehicles, Gary Pickard and Ben Harris have a keen passion for all things classic car. They had gone their separate ways until 2023 where they were given the opportunity to open OCR Rally after restoring a Cortina for a customer for the Monte Carlo rally.
Their mantra is that their friendly approach and superior attention to detail alongside accurate and regular communication with their customers helps to include them in the process, ensuring the time projects take to complete are achievable and realistic. They provide a bespoke high quality service to all customers by building a clientele for both the restoring of historic and competition vehicles. The OCR objective is to run a workshop to the highest standard with timely completed works providing unparalleled customer service. They offer complete support for all events, from travel, shipping and on hand mechanical needs.
There were two XK150 Jaguars in when we visit, at different ends of the restoration journey ! It became very clear that OCR Rally will be a very useful contact for Region Members who have classics to continue to care for or restore.
Treated to cakes and coffee, the Members strolled the cars to be found around this pristinely clean facility.
The early start and finish means then meant we could go off to a pub afterwards.
The Pub Was Jeremy Clarkson's'The Farmer's Dog
What a place, what a crowd, what a car park, what a wait but what good food in the end.
11 Members were joined by one's Partner. Anthony Parkin had arranged the evening, so it was good that his lovely wife Helen could join us at the pub. She's a great support to our Region and successfully raised the quality of those attending at a stroke !
The car park was very dark and just a bit of a mudbath, but that was in part a factor of recent weather and the veritable crowd present. The pub was well presented and the Hawkstone Beers went down very well amidst the wait to get our table, giving the opportunity for extended conversation and debates about the universe, our worl, our car club, our Region, our cars. So the usual really !
A good evening was enjoyed by all for all the different elements they had experienced.
And now it is onward to the inaugural 'JEC Coffee & Cars' event on Saturday 8th March at Podium Place, Newbury.
