Howards Day - Castle Combe 28 March 16

[RNHodge]

This should have been a brilliant start to my marshalling season!


...Instead I ended up getting rather wet and muddy in a vein attempt to push water up hill and desperately try and keep a race meeting on the road along with all the team from Quarry right round to where I was at Old Paddock.






It was disappointing to note that despite us all having telephones and scanners etc we really were kept in the dark about whether the meeting was going to go ahead. The first session was scheduled for 0830, the call for abandonment came at midday. So, we spent a lot of time waiting around (as did the general public who were also in the dark as much as we where!) Glad to see customers got a refund, all I got was wet feet and muddy overalls!!

I appreciate Castle Combe can not be held responsible for the weather and the shear volume of rain we have experienced in the South West over the last 48 hours has been exceptional. However, I've never known a race meeting abandoned at Combe before and seeing as it's in a location famous for it's micro climate, is this now something that is going to become more commonplace? Since the construction of the solar farm and the removal of several acres of field ideally suited for water drainage is is more artifical drainage around the circuit required?

[brands]

As a spectator can I thank the marshals and circuit crew for trying to clear the floods.
I suspect the solar farm as well. I've seen Bobbies flood before but never Quarry or Old Paddock.

A view from Quarry:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1709/2...f997481a_b.jpg

[kipper]

Originally Posted by RNHodge

I appreciate Castle Combe can not be held responsible for the weather and the shear volume of rain we have experienced in the South West over the last 48 hours has been exceptional. However, I've never known a race meeting abandoned at Combe before and seeing as it's in a location famous for it's micro climate, is this now something that is going to become more commonplace? Since the construction of the solar farm and the removal of several acres of field ideally suited for water drainage is is more artifical drainage around the circuit required?

Firstly a disclaimer: I wasn't at Combe although I've been at enough meetings at one time or another that have been abandoned due to adverse weather. However, as you say, the weather over the last couple of days was exceptionally bad and the circuit is not alone in having problems today (there have been significant delays at Snetterton, for instance). Whilst you say there hasn't been a meeting abandoned at Combe for some time, it is also fair to say that the Circuit features a comparatively low level of usage and as such the odds on meetings being affected are also reduced.

Whether, the solar farm has reduced the run off capability is debatable, it is fair to say that heavy and sudden rainfall, combined with an already high water table is unlikely to give positive results.

[bmh1979]

I wholeheartedly support the decision of the clerks of the course to abandon the meeting yesterday, it was obviously too dangerous for the drivers and marshals to race, what my question is would the clerks have made the same decision to cancel/abandon the meeting had there not been enough marshals? I wonder how many meetings have been abandoned due to a lack of marshals?

[The Fat Clerk]

We were a bit luckier @ Santa Pod over the weekend by the sound of it.
Friday started about an hour late but ran through to 8pm.
Saturday started on time and ran until 4-30, Sunday started an hour late and finished around 4pm.

It was worth it for the sight & more especially the smell of a couple of 8000Bhp Top Fuellers.

[Mike Kelly 1]

Originally Posted by bmh1979

I wonder how many meetings have been abandoned due to a lack of marshals?

A meeting was cancelled (in the week preceding the meeting) at Cadwell Park a number of years ago due to lack of marshals volunteering for it. It was actually mentioned in Autosport on the Thursday before the meeting as well.

[The Fat Clerk]

I've also been @ Cadwell when it's been moved from the long to short circuit due to lack of Marshals.

[Slipstick]

I originally started marshalling because a meeting at Snetterton was about to be cancelled "if we don't get a few more warm bodies to stand around looking like marshals". That was a long time ago though.

Since then I've been at meetings that went ahead with only a single marshal on most posts, chiefing, flagging and incidenting all on his (my) lonesome. Great days .

Steve

[anna_blakemore]

Originally Posted by bmh1979

I wholeheartedly support the decision of the clerks of the course to abandon the meeting yesterday, it was obviously too dangerous for the drivers and marshals to race, what my question is would the clerks have made the same decision to cancel/abandon the meeting had there not been enough marshals? I wonder how many meetings have been abandoned due to a lack of marshals?

Not sure if this is just aimed at causing an argument (them and us, or without us they couldnt race!!!!). I have been at meetings were it has been touch and go on the marshal numbers although in recent years if the club puts out good grids they tend to get good marshal numbers, the efforts of BMMC and the taster days at many circuits and the work that other clubs and the MSA has put in has paid off. I have no doubt that if marshal numbers were not sufficent to be safe (remember the book doesnt tell us what that number must be) then they would not run, after all someone (clerk, steward) would be the ones stood in front of the courts. If as a marshal you dont feel you have enough on post you can always call it in and write it down, you have done all you can then.

[Asp]

Originally Posted by RNHodge

It was disappointing to note that despite us all having telephones and scanners etc we really were kept in the dark about whether the meeting was going to go ahead. The first session was scheduled for 0830, the call for abandonment came at midday. So, we spent a lot of time waiting around (as did the general public who were also in the dark as much as we where!) Glad to see customers got a refund, all I got was wet feet and muddy overalls!!

I never envy CoCs in this position. On Saturday I was at the No Limits meeting at Oulton Park which had the same problem at the opposite end of the day - it probably made the decision a bit easier because (a) everyone had had at least 1 race so people weren't going home 'empty handed' and (b) the time available to clear the track in a condition to go racing again was less so even if the weather suddenly improved after the decision to abandon (which it didn't) the benefit from the races that would have been run before curfew was smaller.

The thing is you are often damned if you do, damned if you don't.

If you make the decision to abandon a meeting too early and conditions improve, everyone has gone home disappointed for no reason.
If you make the decision to abandon a meeting too late, then everyone's been standing around for no reason.

Access to weather radar and the like helps with this sort of thing, but it's still not a guarantee. And at the start of the day, you really want to do everything to see some track action and "give it a go" if you can.

[M Greenslade]

Originally Posted by The Fat Clerk

I've also been @ Cadwell when it's been moved from the long to short circuit due to lack of Marshals.

Yep, I was there.....

Bladders....

[RNHodge]

I totally understand the decision to abandon a race is a pretty naff one to make. The general point I was trying to make was it'd have been nice to have been kept in the loop a bit better but I appreciate that is sometimes a lot more difficult than it seems!

The chief marshal (Richard) has sent an email out to all involved on Monday and explained the CoC's position - the circuit are investigating new methods of pumping and drainage and hopefully in the event of a major storm again flooding won't be an issue!

[The Fat Clerk]

The problem with being a C of c is that you're constantly juggling chainsaws and occasionally you drop one........sorry.