We rode in the very last trial to be held at the Old Mine at Kinlet today and what a sad occasion that was.

I have no idea how many years the Midland Centre has been holding trials at Kinlet, but I first went there in 1982.

For those who have ridden there, the venue needs no explanation but for anyone who never made the journey to Kinlet it is typical Midland 'going' whilst being unique at the same time.

Wet muddy climbs and 'off-cambered' tree roots are the order of the day. Kinlet offers, or I should now say offered, unexpected levels of steep elevation. The steep wooded banks of the old mine workings rising out of the rocky river bed; a course setters delight. If you needed practice in muddy slots, Kinlet was the place to ride.

Recently the Midland Centre has rented the Mine on a yearly basis, but it's location made it difficult for many clubs to use effectively, so more recently Pete and Linda Cartwright from the Dudley and District club took over and have run their superb club and centre championship events at the Mine. Indeed todays event was set out and organised entirely by Pete and Linda and what a great trial it was.

Knowing that this was to be the last ever event held at the Old Mine, I decided to lend my trials bike to my buddy Neil who only rides his XR400 in LDT's and use my DRZ for the occasion, we were also joined by my daughter Jessica on her Oset, Jess had never been to the Old Mine and I thought she would enjoy her one and only chance to ride there and get really muddy!

So why has the Old Mine been lost to us?

One simple reason..... ILLEGAL PRACTICING!

In all fairlness to trials riders it's not just 'us'. The venue has suffered badly at the hands of illegal off roading by both bikers and four wheelers. Teenagers with dodgy 'read nicked' MX bikes with no exhausts and no helmets are regularly seen, and the evidence that the 4x4 gang leave behind is plain to see. The latter have even moved the giant rocks placed accross the entereance by the land owner in an attempt to keep them out.

The club and other members of the Midland Centre have tried their best to stop this illegal practicing, I've been told that on more than one occasion they confronted a gang of riders who had strayed onto a cultivated neighbouring field gaining after access to the Old Mine, after various heated discussions, the Police were called. This had no effect other than to make them leave in a hurry... to return later.

So the the inevitable has happened, no use what-so-ever! Anyone found riding or driving at the Old Mine is there without permission.

It's a real shame as the illegal use will continue unchanged I guess, you can only legislate against the law abiding.

A sad day for the Midland Centre Indeed.

Pete

Very sad to hear. The illegal riding will continue and the only ones to suffer are the riders who were they with permission to ride in organized events.

The world is mad!

Pete, you are right it is a sad day, losing Kinlet is a real blow to the hard working Dudley pairing. We have only been into trials for a few years but my daughters and I have ridden a number of trials at the old mine, we were there today. Personally I never got on with the place, in fact it bit me today and sent me home for an early bath with a 4" gash to the shin, but we always came back. Possible to ride in any weather, for us coming an hour and a half across from the East Mids it was always a chance to try something different and we were glad to support Peter and family. I hope the Dudley club can keep going, land is a problem for us all and as soon as you run any sort of event on some every looser thinks they have a right to blast round on anything they can get their light fingered fingers on. RIP Kinlet, lets hope some day we can wake you from your slumber!

Can somebody please explain to me how stopping a legimate trials club from using land will stop ' Illegal Riding ' . In fact I would go as far to say that the opposite may even work better ! Less land to ride on means more illegal riding !

Do these people who come out with these ideas about bans and such like , really believe that the illegal riders will now think ' oh this mine has now closed so i'll go and ride somewhere else ' I don't think so do you ?

Phil

I know of a venue where the problem is idiots using it as a dump!!! The place is locked up but they break the lock and get in. It's a fact that whatever you do if it's close to houses the local "yobs" and I include all ages in this, (some pensioners behaviour is despicable on this front), just seem to think they can do anything they like with the land. The only solution is to photograph them doing it and get the council and Police involved.

I would guess there is a little bit more

Pete, great shame to lose such a famous venue. I first rode there in 1980 as a schoolboy, I think Brian Webster ran the Dudley club then, had my first win there as well and been chasing another ever since I've not ridden there for many years now but always hoped to get back there in the future.

Edited August 31, 201015 yr by The Addict

Can somebody please explain to me how stopping a legimate trials club from using land will stop ' Illegal Riding ' . In fact I would go as far to say that the opposite may even work better ! Less land to ride on means more illegal riding !

Do these people who come out with these ideas about bans and such like , really believe that the illegal riders will now think ' oh this mine has now closed so i'll go and ride somewhere else ' I don't think so do you ?

Phil

Phil, I don't understand the thinking myself but perhaps the owner has been getting grief from the neighbouring land owners who's land is being accessed from the Old Mine?

You can imagine the Sunday afternoon phone call to the owner

"Those bikers of yours are riding all over my land again!!!!"

"They're not my ones!!!"

"Well you take their money, so you sort it out!!!!!"

We all get tarred with the same brush. And following numerous warnings (to legitimate users) the plug is pulled.

I'm only guessing here, others may come on and give the correct reason. But the fact still remains...... Venue lost.