Battery Vehicle Society

Have you tried Rye House Kart track in Hoddesdon?

Google map here:-

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab ... ye%20house

Do you think its a good location? I know a few people there and can call and ask then about the possibility of hiring the track for a day (probably 10 - 4), I doubt they could fit in a weekend, but I can ask.

I've raced at Clay Pigeon before, its a very flowing track for karts, which would be good for cars. Rye House is a bit tight, comparitively. Lap times are about the same, though.

I would certainly be able to come to the event if it were held at Rye House, as its only 15 miles away

Many thanks to the BVS members who are currently checking for possible venues in their area.
"Many hands..."
All the best
Ed.

Some of you know I'm heavily involved in ICE cars including very very fast track cars. We've taken part in some track events and hired tracks for testing etc.

IF there's a good number of people who genuinely are interested in turning up at a proper track and don't mind sharing the event with some serious petrol heads. (not on the track at the same time obviously, there would be 100+mph speed differentials) I could look into the possibilities of doing some sort of joint days.

Hiring a track is anything but cheap so I'm afraid there would be a cost involved for attendees but I'll try my best to keep it down to as low as possible.

How many folk are interested in this ?

This is an excellent idea, and a generous offer, from qdos.

Meeting the current UK statutory obligations upon any person or group who could by the loosest imagination be defined as "organising an event" is proving to be a major task. Determined work is currently in progress by a number of BVS members to overcome these obstacles, and to enable us to succeed in having an "Electrathon", (preferably SOMETIME in 2009 !...)

However..............

It is still possible that, at least for 2009, perhaps, time may run out. I anticipate that a decision will be made by the committee in the near future. In that event, I feel very strongly that qdos has done us a great service in initiating a very sound back-up plan.

There are a number of aspects of a combined track-day and Electrathon that make solid common sense, in my view. These are:
a] BVS participants are track-day venue customers
b] Almost certainly fewer restrictions might be needed
c] As customers, the statutory obligations apply not to us but to the venue operator
d] We would not need to provide "staff", thus all BVS participants could "play"
e] A wider choice of venues might apply
f] Our activities would reach a wider public, (rather like "The TTXGP effect", on a smaller scale)

As a BVS member currently involved in the "Electrathon Project" I salute qdos' idea on a personal basis because it "takes some of the load off" should time run out for us.

Cheers, qdos, and all the best, from Ed. in Plymouth.

Dear Kelvin and Stuart
The BVS committee would like to gratefully accept your kind offer of "a joint event, details to be devised". I had to admit that the task of obtaining affordable P.L. cover is now a serious task in itself. To then secure a suitable venue,..... and finally arrange an Electrathon, now seems likely to over-run into 2010. Whilst I shall keep at it, you guys have saved the day.

One of our committee members explained how motor sport club events suffer the same difficulties nowadays, so, please let me know if there is any way BVS members, jointly or individually, can help.

We appreciate that time is very short, so I do look forward to your response, and will "get on the case", spreading the word, as soon as asked. Once again, thank you for your excellent idea. We are also intrigued by the thought of what fiendish monsters you will have been building, each of you. The mind boggles.....

Looking forward to hearing from you, all the best, from Ed.

ED (BVS Competitions & Events Coordinator) WRITES:




Electrathon 2009, probably the best chance we have, and a very good offer.

The BVS committee have agreed to recommend that members be asked to respond ASAP to this:


BVS members Kelvin Kincaid and Stuart Mills, both car constructors in their own right, have offered the following to help ensure the chance of a BVS Electrathon 2009:


KELVIN (BVS MEMBER) WRITES:


Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:15 am    Post subject:

Some of you know I'm heavily involved in ICE cars including very very fast track cars. We've taken part in some track events and hired tracks for testing etc.

IF there's a good number of people who genuinely are interested in turning up at a proper track and don't mind sharing the event with some serious petrol heads. (not on the track at the same time obviously, there would be 100+mph speed differentials) I could look into the possibilities of doing some sort of joint days.

Hiring a track is anything but cheap so I'm afraid there would be a cost involved for attendees but I'll try my best to keep it down to as low as possible.

How many folk are interested in this ?


ED. WRITES
So, please would everyone who would like to participate in a “BVS Electrathon 2009” please let me know ASAP
You can email me at events@batteryvehiclesociety.org.uk,
or put an entry on the forum under events/Electrothon 2009

We need to enable Kelvin to see if he can fix a cost we can afford as individual members, THUS, the more, the merrier, please, and soonest...
ME? DEFINITELY
All the best, from Ed. in Plymouth

Whereabouts are you thinking of hosting? South West?

I think it depends where Kelvin can find that suits his, (and possibly Stuart's ?) needs, and which would allow our inclusion at an affordable rate per member.

Thus it may in part depend on the number of BVS members ready to commit
I also appreciate that interested members may need to know approximately when and where before being able to decide.

So, Kelvin, what do you think?

All the best, from Ed.

'fraid guys the venues I'm looking at suit the needs of our car and not the BVS. However being as we're nice folk we're happy to let y'all in on some fun too so long as you all behave yourselves and don't get shirty.

Word of warning though, we're looking at serious venues appropriate for machines doing more than double the legal limit on UK roads, so these are serious venues

I'm not promising anything but if I can help out I'm happy to do so so long as everyone plays ball. I'll let you know when and if I find a suitably flexible venue, but as I say, I am not going to promise anything.

THE ELECTRATHON 2009 IS ON SEPTEMBER 25th AND 26th, 2009, NEAR STRATFORD ON AVON, WARWICKSHIRE

Well, folks, thanks to so many people who helped, this event is at last set to happen at Shakespeare County Raceway on September 25th., and 26th., of THIS year!

Maybe half a dozen members, (or more?) had been scouting for a suitable, affordable, geographically central, venue
Stuart Mills had a chat with people he knows at Shakespeare County Raceway, which initiative ultimately clinched the deal just struck
Kelvin Kincaid has been speaking with venue operators with the idea of using spare capacity at a track day
Brian Hampton, John Crayton, Frank Wykes, John Lilly, Malcolm Skeels, and many others, have contributed knowledge and experience of organising and running BVS track events.
Paul Compton came up with advice and ideas to make the technical, scrutineering, assessment, and judging processes work
The BVS committee all steered the process and kept the inspiration going
And the Shakespeare County Raceway proprietors worked out a deal that covers all the difficult bits, (like statutory obligations) for us, and enables us to hold an event that should be well worth attending, both for entrants and spectators
So, now what?
Well, we need as many people as possible to make this a success
We need volunteers for marshalling, scrutineering, (judging will be a largely democratic process....) first-aid presence, and.....
We need competitors and supporters, lots of them

THIS FIRST TIME, this event is not open to the general public as such
"BVS members, family, and close friends, and associated groups".....
That is as far as the definition of "not the general public" can safely reach whilst still meeting the terms of the agreement, statute, and judicial precedent

There will be a Lamborghini Owners Club event taking place at the Raceway on the same days
We are to have a circuit of our own separate from the LOC action
This circuit will be devised to allow our specifically agreed type of activity, which will NOT include wheel to wheel racing
Our event will be a time-trial where energy-economy wins
It is important to emphasise we can have a viable, and very enjoyable event at greatly reduced cost provided we keep to the spirit and the practice of the original "Electrathon" events - AND - the terms of the deal we have made with the venue proprietors

Your "EVents-man" will meet the SCR proprietors on site this week to finalise details
Believe me, this deal is quite remarkable value for money
SCR have done a great favour for the BVS
Both organisations hope that this event will be so successful as to become a high-spot on the EV enthusiasts calendar

ANY vehicle having any form of electrical assistance will be welcomed
Moreover, PLEASE encourage anyone you know who might have anything fitting the above description to come along - AND, OF COURSE - to join the BVS!

"AND FINALLY....."
Look at our overall events calendar.......
Not only BVS events and participations, look at all the other Electric-Vehicle-centred, AND Electric-Vehicle-inclusive events, then the realisation is that the rise of the electric vehicle is accelerating
Yes, we need more evolved machines, re-charging infrastructure, and serious low- to no- carbon energy generation - BUT - how do we get there??

By all joining together to make events like TTXGP, Drive Electric Day, and our own "Electrathon" a success, one which demonstrates a viable reality to those not yet convinced
LET'S ALL DO IT

More soonest, and all the best, from Ed., the EVents-man
(possibly the weakest link, so please, everybody, help make this work)