Back in December 2012 I prepared a list of the ten trials sections in longest continuous (or almost continuous) use for major trials, intending it to be used as one of Michael Leete’s Classical Gas Christmas Quiz questions. As it turned out, Michael found some better questions, but I thought people might be interested in the list anyway.
I’ve re-checked all the “first-use” dates with Cowbourne, so if anyone claims earlier use I’d like proof. There are, for example, lots of claims for earlier use of Nailsworth Ladder as a “test hill” but it doesn’t feature in any major trial until the 1933 Gloucester as far as I can determine.
The use of sections from the PreWar MCC Sporting Trial in the current MCC Edinburgh Trial is hardly surprising, but where would the modern MCC Exeter Trial be without the PreWar Brighton-Beer?
The Top Ten
- Beggar’s Roost
First use: 1922 MCC Lands End Trial.
Current use: MCC Lands End Trial. - Bluehills Mine (Old Bluehills)
First use : 1924 MCC Lands End Trial.
Current use: MCC Lands End Trial (Class 0). - Fingle Bridge
First use: 1929 B&HMC Brighton-Beer Trial. (1932 was first use for MCC Exeter Trial).
Current use: MCC Exeter Trial. - Pepperdon
First use: 1929 B&HMC Brighton-Beer Trial. (Not used for the MCC Exeter Trial PreWar).
Current use: MCC Exeter Trial (Class 0). - Simms
First use: 1929 B&HMC Brighton-Beer Trial. (1933 was first use for MCC Exeter Trial).
Current use: MCC Exeter Trial. - Ruses Mill
First use: 1930 MCC Lands End Trial.
Current use: MCC Lands End Trial (Class 0). - Putwell 1 and Putwell 2
First use: 1930 MCC Sporting Trial (Not used for the MCC Edinburgh Trial PreWar).
Last use: 2016 MCC Edinburgh Trial (now downgraded to bridleway and use unlikely to be authorised in the near future). - Litton Slack
First use: 1930 MCC Sporting Trial (Not used for the MCC Edinburgh Trial PreWar).
Current use: MCC Edinburgh Trial. - Waterloo
First use: 1930 B&HMC Brighton-Beer Trial. (1958 was first use for MCC Exeter Trial).
Current use: MCC Exeter Trial.
The next three
- Darracott
First use: 1933 MCC Lands End Trial (as Gooseham).
Current use: MCC Lands End Trial. - Nailsworth Ladder
First use: 1933 NWLMC Gloucester Trial.
Current use: SDMC Cotswold Clouds Trial. - Windout
First use: 1933 B&HMC Brighton-Beer Trial. (1937 was first use for MCC Exeter Trial).
Current use: MCC Exeter Trial (Class 0).
This Post was originally published on 29 June 2019 as a Page on this website and is re-posted here without amendment.
