Budding young designers are being invited to create an environmental-themed wrap for an electric van – with the winning design to be unveiled at the MotoFest Coventry festival.

The competition is being launched by E.ON Drive, in partnership with MotoFest Coventry, and will offer pupils from schools in the Coventry and Warwickshire region the opportunity to create a new design for one of E.ON Drive’s electric van fleet.

There will be four age categories for the van wrap design competition – Key Stage 1 (yrs 1-2), Key Stage 2 (yrs 3-6), Key Stage 3 (yrs 7-9), Key Stage 4 (yrs 10-11) – with individual prizes, including goody bags, on offer for each competition category winner.

The overall winner, chosen from the four category winners, will have their design wrapped onto the van and unveiled at the E.ON Drive exhibition stand at the MotoFest Coventry festival weekend on 3 and 4 June, 2023. There will also be a prize-giving ceremony for the four individual winners, including a photo with the special guest Veloce Racing driver, and the presentation of a model of the van with its new wrap design to the overall winner.    

As part of the competition launch activity, an E.ON Drive van design template – featuring a 360-degree representation of the van – will be given to the participating schools to hand out to pupils to use for the individual competition entries.

The overall competition theme is based around the environment, nature and sustainability, with the winning designs to be judged on how well they reflect these core competition themes. 

Alongside the core competition themes, the design should also feature electric vehicles or sustainable forms of transport, use realistic imagery rather than abstract concepts or designs and utilise bright and vibrant colour schemes.            

All entries will need to be submitted by April 14, after which they will be judged at the end of April by the competition panel comprising; Mark Daniels, Director of Commercial, Strategy and Lighting, E.ON Drive, Philip Wallace, Head of City Energy Transformation, E.ON UK, James Noble, MotoFest Coventry Festival Director, Colin Knight, Coventry City Council’s Director of Transportation and Highways.

Following the judging panel’s decision, the four category winners and the overall winner will be notified and invited to attend the unveiling ceremony at the MotoFest Coventry Weekend.

Mark Daniels, Director of Commercial, Strategy and Lighting, said: “We’re delighted to be part of MotoFest Coventry and see this competition as a fun and creative way of engaging local children in the exciting topic of future mobility.

“E.ON is passionate about engaging the next generation in our journey to a lower carbon future and this is a great opportunity to complement our existing schools’ programme and clean air campaigns.

“It’s incredible to think that some of our competition entrants might be the first generation to have only ever driven electric vehicles and who knows we might just inspire some of them to become our next intake of sustainable apprentices, engineers, installers and designers.”

James Noble, MotoFest Coventry Festival Director, said: “It’s a privilege to support E.ON Drive, our new event partner, with the van design wrap competition.

“It’s an incredible opportunity for school pupils to create an environmentally themed van wrap design that will not only be showcased at MotoFest Coventry but continue to be seen throughout its service as one of E.ON Drive’s fully sustainable fleet of electric vans.  

“We look forward to seeing the creativity and imagination of Coventry and Warwickshire pupils produce a captivating and memorable design that wows both the MotoFest audience and the Coventry and Warwickshire public, following on from the festival weekend.”  

Councillor Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change said: “With plans for Coventry Very Light Rail, a gigafactory and more on street change points than any city outside London, Coventry is really driving the green industrial revolution.

“Our ambition though is matched by the young people who live and study here – and for them green jobs and a green future are vital.

“I hope we will see some fine designs for E.ON’s electric vehicle and fantastic that it will be on show for all to see at the future technology zone at Motofest Coventry.”

E.ON Drive, in partnership with MotoFest Coventry, will see this year’s event showcase the latest in advanced automotive, future and electric vehicle (EV) technology. This includes a significant future technology focus, with a showcase of the latest alternatively fueled vehicles, electric cars and advanced automotive technology.

The new future technology zone, based in the main Greyfriars Green festival site, will see exhibitors committed to showcasing the latest electric vehicles and motorcycles. Many of those two and four-wheeled exhibits will also take part in dynamic displays on the main sprint circuit and the motorsport and drift arenas.

E.ON Drive provides an end-to-end electric vehicle charging service for customers. It is part of energy supply and solutions provider E.ON, which has its UK headquarters in Coventry. E.ON Drive becomes the lead brand partner for MotoFest Coventry, with a series of initiatives, promotions, competitions and events launching on the run-up to and taking place across the festival weekend on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 June.

E.ON Drive provides electric vehicle charging solutions to customers at home, at work and on the go. This includes the supply and installation of a range of electric vehicle chargers – fast, rapid and ultra-fast – all of which can be accessed via mobile app, RFID card or on a pay-as-you-go basis.

MotoFest Coventry is a two-day festival dedicated to the city of Coventry’s motoring heritage, taking place on Saturday 3 June and Sunday 4 June. It will feature a unique blend of racing demonstrations, static displays, live music and anything else with a connection to Coventry, transport and the city’s motoring heritage.

For more details about MotoFest Coventry, visit https://www.coventrymotofest.com/

To enter the competition, visit https://www.coventrymotofest.com/van-wrap-competition/   

The brief story of a 1960 Triumph 6T “Thunderbird” – So far.

Mid-September 2021, a good friend of mine decided to venture into the world of classic British motorcycles. Following advice from myself, he managed to bag a bargain. A quite rare and beautiful un-molested example of a Triumph pre-unit 650 twin in the later duplex frame.  She fired first kick and sounded really nice, but as we had no idea of the history, I suggested doing a few fairly straight forward jobs before we took on any great adventures.

First and foremost was to do the sludge trap. This is located in the middle of the crankshaft, so it’s engine out to dismantle, refurbish and chuck back in. A job which sounds far more daunting than it actually is.

The disassembly was going well and concerns of a full sludge trap were confirmed upon removing the plug. Off to the parts washer to clean it out and prepare for a new catch tube, plug, big-end shell bearings and bolts. However, upon measuring the journals we found that one side had worn enough to warrant a regrind. So off to Coventry Classic Engines it went.

Crank back. The re-build can begin. But oh no no no… It’s not going to go as well as planned. When tightening the bolts to the specified torque settings (some like to use the “stretch method”, but this picture indicates why I don’t trust it) one of them let go. We put this down to an inferior quality pattern part. Something many classic bike mechanics are more than overly familiar with.

New bolts obtained thanks to a friend and former classic bike parts supplier Mike Ellis who was super quick digging through his boxes old stock. The bolts in question are quite expensive, so in a quest to keep costs down, he was more than happy to help. So, cheers, dude!

While the bike is sprawled out across the workshop and going by the worrying amounts of silicone sealant used by the previous builder, we decided to delve into the gearbox to make sure everything is as it should be. Thankfully nothing more than a couple of tab washers and kick-start ratchet return spring to hold us back, so we gave it a good clean out, changed the oil seal and reassembled it. We could then FINALLY start putting the larger lumps back into the frame.

On the home straight… Or so you’d think…
To be continued…

MotoFest, in partnership with E.ON Drive, will return in June 2023 following the postponement of this year’s festival. 

Organisers of MotoFest will make the formal announcement of the 2023 dates – Saturday 3 June and Sunday 4 June – at 11am on Saturday 22 October at the latest Club MotoFest BreakFest Meet at Millennium Place, outside the Coventry Transport Museum.

James Noble, MotoFest Coventry Festival Director, will be joined at the BreakfFest Meet by Deputy Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Jaswant Singh. A selection of Club MotoFest member vehicles, representing MotoFest’s past, present and future theme, will also be parked at the BreakFest Meet event on static display. 

The new 2023 dates announcement come after MotoFest 2022 was postponed in September following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the subsequent official protocols implemented in line with the passing of the monarch.

James Noble, MotoFest Coventry Festival Director, said: “We are delighted, and somewhat relieved, to be at the point where we are able to announce the dates of Saturday June 3 and Sunday June 4 for MotoFest 2023. 

“The road to this announcement has in recent weeks been paved with numerous challenges, obstacles and difficulties. Following on from the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the subsequent period of national mourning during which MotoFest and the nation paid our respects to the Monarch, we were unable to stage the event beyond September 10 and 11 in 2022 due to various complicating factors.

“The legally required six-month application period for our motorsport licence and the        co-ordination of all the calendars of the different motorsport and disciplines featured at MotoFest are just a snapshot of the issues we had to contend with. Further legal measures to be applied in order to secure the road closures for MotoFest, and the time frames for these measures to be implemented, would have taken us way beyond September. 

“The next available opportunity to stage any form of event in 2022 would have been in the winter months, where the strong possibility of adverse weather conditions, would not have been conducive to safe, dynamic MotoFest event activities. We have also been awaiting confirmation of the date for the King’s Coronation, as it was important that a new MotoFest weekend did not clash with celebrations for this nationally significant celebration.  

“With all these factors to consider, we hope that all our supporters, stakeholders and fans of MotoFest understand and appreciate why the festival could not be staged this year. 

“Moving forward, we now have a firm and fixed date in the 2023 event calendar. With a return to the first weekend in June, when we can look forward to celebrating Coventry’s motoring heritage with one of the most electrifying event spectacles of the year.”

Councillor Abdul Salam Khan, Cabinet Member for Events, at Coventry City Council added: “I’m delighted to hear that MotoFest will be returning to Coventry in 2023 after its recent postponement due to the sad passing of Her Majesty The Queen. I know it is a highlight of the city’s annual events calendar that attracts both local residents and visitors from further afield. 

“I’m also pleased to see that the city’s Cycle Fest event will form part of the overall offering over the weekend. The whole event truly captures the city’s rich automotive history and celebrates its future innovation. It really is a fantastic, unique event that is not to be missed.”

As was planned for MotoFest 2022, the free CycleFest event will be integrated into MotoFest 2023 festival weekend. The CycleFest event will feature various cycling activities, including the opportunity to enjoy an exciting new twilight ride experience on the unique city centre MotoFest circuit, following the completion of the day’s motorsport programme. 

MotoFest 2023 will see the return of the unique Sprint Circuit, carved out of the City Centre Ring Road, and two new performance motorsport and drift arenas, due to have been launched at the 2022 festival. 

With new dates in June now agreed, organisers will be using the time in between to develop a dynamic content programme across the festival weekend. It will feature many of the innovative new attractions and displays set to have been debuted at the 2022 event, alongside further new exciting additions that will be unveiled in the coming months.

As for the 2022 festival, the 2023 event will have a significant future technology focus, with a showcase of the latest alternatively fuelled vehicles, electric cars and advanced automotive technology.

A new future technology zone, based in the main Greyfriars Green festival site, will see exhibitors committed to showcasing the latest electric vehicles and motorcycles. Many of those two and four wheeled exhibits will also take part in dynamic displays on the main sprint circuit and the motorsport and drift arenas. 

As part of MotoFest Coventry 2023’s ‘past, present and future’ theme, there will be the traditional classic car and modern modified static car displays across the city centre.  

Motofest 2023 will continue to be supported by sponsors E.ON Drive, which provides an end to end electric vehicle charging service for customers. It is part of leading energy and solutions provider E.ON which has its UK headquarters in Coventry. E.ON Drive is lead brand partner for MotoFest Coventry, with a series of initiatives, promotions, competitions and events launching on the run up to and taking place across the festival weekend on Saturday 3rd June and Sunday 4th June 2023.

E.ON Drive provides electric vehicle charging solutions to customers at home, at work and on the go. This includes supplying and installing a range of EV chargers, all of which can be accessed via mobile app, RFID card or on a pay-as-you go basis.

E.ON Drive is the lead brand partner for MotoFest 2023, and will offer a series of promotions and events in the run up to June, as well as during the festival itself. E.ON Drive provides an end-to-end electric vehicle charging service for customers. It is part of energy supply and solutions provider E.ON, which has its UK headquarters in Coventry. 

Chris Lovatt, E.ON’s Chief Operating Officer, UK Solutions, said: “We’re pleased to be a part of the plans for MotoFest 2023. Coventry is home to our head office in the UK, and to many of our customers and colleagues. We want to play our part in helping cities including Coventry transform themselves, with energy efficient decarbonised homes and clean air in their streets.

The time to act is now, and the shift to electric vehicles is part of the adjustment needed to combat climate change and help us meet our environmental targets. Cleaner motoring is key to the nation’s drive to zero carbon by 2050 and through MotoFest we hope to raise interest in the idea of electric vehicles.”

MotoFest Coventry is a two-day festival dedicated to the city of Coventry’s motoring heritage, taking place on Saturday 3 June and Sunday 4 June, 2023. It will feature a unique blend of racing demonstrations, static displays, live music and anything else with a connection to Coventry, transport and the city’s motoring heritage.