TOC THREE COUNTIES TOUR 25th Oct 2025

As we all know, Talbot ownership is a continuous learning experience. My most recent lesson was, courtesy of Ian Potts, how to change the thermostat on my 105 Speed Sports Saloon. On a previous journey, the water temperature had risen alarmingly and the radiator shutters refused to open. So, in preparation for Simon Scott's Three Counties Tour, I needed to sort the problem.

Firstly, with the aid of a hot air gun, normally used for wallpaper stripping, I checked that it actually was a faulty thermostat. Several minutes of this produced no movement of the shutters – point proven. To keep me going in the interim, carefully sized and cut oak twigs jammed in the spaces between the shutters allowed a sufficient flow of air, but oak twigs are generally frowned upon as a long-term engineering solution on Talbots.

On 1960s cars, E Types and the like, with whose mechanicals I am very familiar, changing a thermostat is a doddle, but things are never that simple on a Talbot. So I prepared by reading the excellent recent articles on the subject by Dave Kempton and Kevin Beesley, took a deep breath and…called Ian Potts for help!

Heeding the dire warnings about the shutters all falling out and the potential ensuing chaos, I carefully numbered each one and taped them together. Ian and I then removed the radiator surround and associated radiator cap.

The trick of course is to remove the complete shutter mechanism, much easier with the two of us, so that the thermostat can be unscrewed with the help of a special tool, which Ian has.

I had previously sent another, non-functioning, thermostat from the ever-so-useful TOC second-hand stores to Anglia Radiators, who repaired and returned it within a couple of weeks and which we then screwed into position. Next, we refitted the shutters and managed to do so without anything falling out – result! Again, four hands are better than two. When everything was back in position, the car was fired up and, after a few minutes, as the engine warmed, the shutters opened. My thanks to Ian for all his help.

Anyway, enough of the preamble. I mention  all of this because I wanted to take part in Simon’s event and he’s 130 miles away from me, too far in an unhappy car, even with its finely crafted oak accessories. I was delighted that the car was back to its usual health. And so, to the main purpose of this article.

Following Simon’s offer of pre-tour breakfast from 9.00 to a 10.00am start, I set off at 6.45 from home in pitch darkness. I hadn’t driven the car at night before and the Talbot’s lights require considerably more concentration than a modern, driving alone on country lanes, but once on main roads I was able to follow other vehicles quite comfortably and reached Simon’s on the dot of 9.00.

Simon and son Austin provided welcome coffee and croissants and we were soon joined by Richard Newby. Before setting off, Simon gave us a whistle-stop tour of his ongoing projects and we congratulated him and Austin on their sporting achievements in their Talbots. 

Eventually, we were able to set off on a somewhat truncated version of Simon’s route, providing just enough time to make a stop in each of the Three Counties: Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Cheshire. The day was fine and bright and the autumn colours glowing in the sunlight in that rural area made any thought of vising Canada to ‘see the fall’ entirely superfluous.

Simon takes up the story:

We left Winnington House in Staffordshire, at the slightly later time of 12.00 hrs after our informal breakfast of coffee and croissants and a general catch up and chat. After a short drive we headed across the Staffordshire border into Cheshire to the historic village of Audlem, mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. 

      From Audlem, Cheshire, we then headed to the county of Shropshire, stopping off for a short time in the market town of Market Drayton, home of the gingerbread man and again noted in the Domesday Book. 

      Our final stop was back into Staffordshire to Maer Hall, built in the 1600s, once the home of Josiah Wedgwood in the early 1800s and a frequent stopover and meeting place of Charles Darwin. He went on to marry Wedgwood’s daughter, Emma, at Maer Church, opposite Maer Hall. 

      Our final stop was the nearby Slaters Country Inn for our rest and recuperation lunch to mull over all things bright and Talbot.

      Thanks again for all who showed interest and especially those who came along.

      At the excellent lunch halt, we all agreed that it was a delightful part of the country for vintage motoring and that the full-length tour could well be repeated at some future date. Relatively accessible, with low levels of traffic and genuinely wonderful countryside all made for a very enjoyable day. Thanks to Simon for his hospitality, patience and organisation.