The Dunsfold Park Wings and Wheels show has been a regular item in the Witley calendar for several years now. From an initial contact with John Bottomley (of the Brooklands Trust and also a Witley member), the approach of combining our usual display and a few assorted bikes with a youth arena trial demonstration featuring Surrey Schoolboys member has grown to become a firm favourite with the viewing public.

Last year the organisers brought the Witley arena in from the far-flung borders of the showground into a more prominent position near the classic car display. The same was true this year for the first two-day show, though the space wasn’t ideal for spectators, being only 25 metres wide but 50 deep.

On the Saturday morning, a small but select band of volunteers assembled the EZ-ups and a rough cut of the trials obstacles, including the obligatory scrap car. More or less sorted by about 2.30pm, we left Chairman Colin Boniface in charge for the night. Some of the SSTC stalwart families turned up later in the day to camp immediately adjacent to our site, outside the fence. So by kick-off time around 9.00am on a chilly Sunday morning we had getting on for 20 young riders eager to have a go, and as usual they didn’t disappoint.

An initial gremlin was the toilet-pumping truck which had been dumped unceremoniously right in the middle of our already limited viewing area. After 2 hours and several conversations with the security staff and event organisers, the driver was finally located to move it – and from then on the spectators were consistently 2 or 3 or more deep watching the skills of the young riders.

Colin, Dave Kavanagh, Jane and myself were joined by Barry Brockman, bringing a little classic style to our small collection of road bikes with the Huntmaster. However, lack of lighting had become a problem en route, which after some investigation of the regulator was diagnosed as dynamo failure by our resident Ariel guru Andy Hewett. But of course the great thing is – it still has a magneto, so providing you get home before nightfall…

Alan and Michelle Cutler were among our visitors – Alan was taking part in the car displays with his Porsche 911 and so young Will stayed in the Witley marquee, ably minded by our staff – especially Dave. What a well-behaved young man. And so was Will...

I always feel that the car and motorcycle demonstrations are rather lost in the vastness of the Dunsfold runway – it’s all too far away from the viewing position and can’t compare with a venue like Goodwood House for atmosphere. But on the other hand there is a good opportunity to see the vehicles close up in the paddock.

The air show provided the usual thrills, with the Red Arrows, Vulcan and Typhoon topping the bill along with the Harrier. All astonishing in their own way, as were the other aerobatic treats served up for the occasion. The Arrows did have to wait their turn, however, as a violent squall blew up just as they were about to take to the air. We narrowly missed losing our display panels, but more cable ties and gaffer tape soon had them back under control!

During the day the enquirer numbers on the Witley/SSTC stand exceeded expectations and previous experience. So many parents keen to get their children on a bike – though unfortunately we weren’t able to make that possible on this occasion, we handed out

innumerable leaflets and also information on the Surrey Youth Trials Have A Go Day run by Eddie Renham (see page 4 for details). And adults too, asking how to get started. Perhaps we need to look at some Have A Go facilities for over-16s too, or even over-50s!

Monday was fairly much a repeat performance, though it has to be said that the classic car and motorcycle numbers were way down on those for the Sunday. If you had gone to the show on Monday for that specific reason, there’s little doubt that you would have been disappointed.

But our trials kids – also somewhat reduced in number – just kept on going all the time. Unstoppable, they tackled whatever was put in front of them and when told to kill engines, just jumped on their push-bikes instead! It was most encouraging to see how much individual children improved with constant practice overt the two days – and seeing enthusiastic boys and girls (we were fortunate enough to have several young ladies taking part) riding repeatedly over the heavily distressed Ford Fiesta was a great draw for the public!

Overall the two day format did keep crowding and traffic problems to a much more manageable level than in 2009, when it was almost impossible to move in some areas, especially near the toilet blocks. Incidentally, this year’s toilet provision was as good as I’ve seen at any show, with no queuing even in busy periods – due to many more units and also the addition of 6-in-a-shed gents’ stalls. But it does make for a much more difficult schedule for those involved in putting on the show.

So as Monday came to a close with the Harrier reversing and side-stepping above the runway, and weary SSTC Dads heaving heavy obstacles into the hire truck, we could look back on a busy, exhausting but entertaining weekend where many visitors had seen children from as young as 6 having fun with motorised vehicles in a controlled environment – and most of them seemed pretty impressed. Let’s hope that at least some of them take it further…L.G.R