Compiling a more complete history of the National 400 - HELP NEEDED!

[Delph Cyclist]

I am interested in knowing a bit more about previous editions of the National 400.  I understand it used to be a CTC event but it died at some point presumably from lack of interest, whether from would-be riders or Organisers I don't know (probably both).  When was the first Nat400?  And when was the last (before the concept was reintroduced in 2012)?

Any updates to the following table would be welcomed

Year	From	Organising Body	Validations
2017		tba
2016	Biggin, Peak District	Peak Audax CTC
2015	Dingwall, Ross-shire	CTC Highland	74
2014	Ingleby Barwick, Stockton on Tees	VC167	52
2013	Ash Thomas, Devon	Exeter Wheelers	79
2012	Hempnall, Norwich	Norfolk 'n' Good Audax	72

 

And you will notice that we'll be looking for riders (and helpers!) for 2016 and for someone to put something on in 2017.

[Ian H]

Exeter  1993  Devon CTC

Keith Matthews is your man for information about the inception.

[Exit Stage Left]

I went to one in 2004. Pam Pilbeam organised it from Denmead. It went to the New Forest. I seem to recall getting within a couple of hundred metres of Bucklers Hard, but not actually going there.

http://www.aukweb.net/results/archive/2004/listevent/?Ride=583

Heather seems to have been the only woman listed, there could have been one who wasn't a member.

Looking through the results for a 400 around the second week in July is the way ahead.

http://www.aukweb.net/results/archive/2005/listevent/?Ride=695

All those names are pure nostalgia.

[Rainmaker]

I used to enjoy the National 400, but in many ways it was a bit of a misnomer.   I was always under the impression that it was supposed to be an introduction to longer, overnight rides to riders who had not done one before.   But many of them, especially the 1998 edition which was a combination of torrential rain and gale force winds, were a challenge to experienced audax riders.

Anyway, here's my input;

11/07/1992   Linlithgow
06/07/1996   Lincoln
12/07/1997   Tuxford
11/07/1998   Alverston, Bristol
10/07/1999   Theale
08/07/2000   Kingdom of Fife
14/07/2001   Ampthill

I have some details of the rides if you are interested. 

[Bus Shelter Bertie]

My first CTC National 400 was in 1985 organised by the Chippenham District Wheelers. It was my introduction to Audax. According to the AUK website, the event started in 1982. As Rainmaker says it was supposed to be an easy introduction to long distance and night riding,  and there was some consternation in 1988 when the Oxford start took in the Black mountains during the night,  it was widely felt to be too difficult (dangerous) for beginners.

[Salvatore]

1987 Keith Matthews was organiser.  Start and finish was Charterhouse School.

[Andy Corless]

Arrivee no. 117, Summer 2012 contains an article by Richard Thomas covering pages 30 - 35 which details more or less a complete history of the National 400 for the years 1982 - 2012. Hope this is of help.

Andy Corless

[Somnolent]

I have scanned copies of the results sheets going back to 1987 if of interest.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

I rode the 2004 (my first 400) and 2005 versions.

The 2004 was organised by Pam Pilbeam and had controls Denmead- Lockerly (an El Supremo feed stop if I recall correctly) - Lymington - Blandford - Lockerly - Denmead (for a sleep stop) - Whitchurch (another El Supremo feed and very welcome) and back to Denmead.  There were stiff headwinds out to Blandford and a fair bit of rain.

The 2005 version I think was organised by Mark Rigby, from Apperley and went up Stanway Hill before controls at Alcester, Tenbury Wells, Presteigne, Bwlch, Alveston, Brinkworth (both of which had some sleeping facilities) before returning.  Nice weather from memory.

I've blogs of both events if you want more info.  And I think my account of the 2005 version was in an Arrivee shortly afterwards. 

I really liked the format, especially the midday start, as a 6am start for a 400 often ends up in an early hours finish, but for one reason or another have never managed one of the reincarnations.

[eck]

The 2000 event was "To Kingdom Come" , run by the then Fife DA. IIRC they got the organisers' award that year.

[Delph Cyclist]

Arrivee no. 117, Summer 2012 contains an article by Richard Thomas covering pages 30 - 35 which details more or less a complete history of the National 400 for the years 1982 - 2012. Hope this is of help.

Andy Corless

That's brilliant!

[rob]

Arrivee no. 117, Summer 2012 contains an article by Richard Thomas covering pages 30 - 35 which details more or less a complete history of the National 400 for the years 1982 - 2012. Hope this is of help.

Andy Corless

That's brilliant!

Richard doesn't hang about on here and is away touring at the mo.   I can send you his e-mail address and know he would be more than willing to help.   He has detailed records of all his rides.

[Delph Cyclist]

... But many of them, especially the 1998 edition which was a combination of torrential rain and gale force winds, were a challenge to experienced audax riders.

I can't help thinking that that's something outside of anyone's control

[SR Steve]

My first calendar audax event was the 1984 National 400km from Lincoln to Great Yarmouth and back.

There was a large field and the organiser set us off in groups of 20 for safety reasons. I was in one of the earlier groups, but it wasn't long before we were passed by Assassin and Jane Ramsdale absolutely flying on a tandem trike with about 50 riders already in tow. Me and about half of my group hopped on the back and by the time we passed the leaders there must have been 70-80 of us in the group. It was great fun charging through the lanes across the fens in great company with a tailwind and this got me hooked on audax rides.

I was fortunate to be able to ride right behind the tandem trike later on, so could admire the way they shifted their centre of gravity to take the corners at crazy speeds. My luck ran out after the café at Great Yarmouth when I emerged to find my bike buried 10 deep against the railings. By the time I had dug out my bike the tandem trike had long gone, so I had to push into the headwind to Norwich on my own. The wind dropped at night though, making it a fast ride and I was reunited with the somewhat depleted tandem trike group for the rest of the ride.

It doesn't seem like 31 years ago I was only 20 years old!

[Hummers]

Didn't El Supremo run a National 400 in 2007?

H

[rob]

I probably should also have remembered that I organised it in 2002.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

2002 was the first National 400 for Mark Cox and I. It was the event that led him to doing PBP before he died. He was thrilled to bits. Thanks for helping him do that, rob.

[rob]

2002 was the first National 400 for Mark Cox and I. It was the event that lead him to doing PBP before he died. He was thrilled to bits. Thanks for helping him do that, rob.

It was one of the more memorable events we organised, with a different subset of riders than we had before and a lot of first timers.   I think it was also Pip's first 400 before going onto PBP in 2003.   We had to beef some of the controls up a bit and improve the TLC levels.   We had something like 120 starters and exactly 100 finishers.   I remember talking rider number 100 out of packing at the breakfast check. 

Route was Wrotham-Peasmarsh-Ringmer-Chichester-Winchester-Ewhurst-Wrotham.

[frankly frankie]

A scene from 1983 (2nd edition of the National 400)

in the grounds of Salisbury YH, warden and audax luminary Mick Latimer presiding

[Delph Cyclist]

... the organiser set us off in groups of 20 for safety reasons ... we were passed by ... a tandem trike with about 50 riders already in tow. Me and about half of my group hopped on the back and by the time we passed the leaders there must have been 70-80 of us in the group

So much for those "safety reasons"

[Salvatore]

A scene from 1983 (2nd edition of the National 400)

in the grounds of Salisbury YH, warden and audax luminary Mick Latimer presiding

Is that a youthful Dave Hudson on the left? and Ray Craig on the extreme right of the seated group in the red jersey, with Richard Thomas on his left in the Eastbourne Rovers jersey?

[eck]

... the organiser set us off in groups of 20 for safety reasons ... we were passed by ... a tandem trike with about 50 riders already in tow. Me and about half of my group hopped on the back and by the time we passed the leaders there must have been 70-80 of us in the group

So much for those "safety reasons"

The 2000 National had a similar condition imposed by The Polis. We were set off in groups of four, about five minutes apart. IIRC, those who were thought to be slower were set off first, the faster ones later. The upshot of that was that we were strung out in a huge long line for the first few miles, then all bunched together as the faster ones passed the early starters. Stiil it was a grand day out.

[Rainmaker]

Posted by: Delph Cyclist on: September 20, 2015, 09:33:59 PM

Quote from: Rainmaker on September 19, 2015, 09:03:50 AM

... But many of them, especially the 1998 edition which was a combination of torrential rain and gale force winds, were a challenge to experienced audax riders.

I can't help thinking that that's something outside of anyone's control

Indeed it was, but the ride was named "The Tour of the Black Mountains and Cotswolds", not an easy ride with decent weather.

[runsoncake]

I rode the following:-

1983 Godalming - Salisbury- Swanage- Godalming, my 2nd ever Audax

1984 Lincoln - Great Yarmouth - Lincoln. DNF .  The night before shared a room with Keith Mathews and Ray Haswell.

1985 Chippenham - Cheddar- Upton- Overton- Burford- Chippenham.

HTH

Still can't believe that I could do stuff like that.