2006 North of England Regional Championships - First Section

A closely matched group of bands get set to tackle Goff Richards exciting test piece, but which of them will show their sea legs and come out on top.

Saturday 18th March
Adjudicator: C. Brian Buckley
Test Piece: Voyage of Discovery – Goff Richards
Commences: Starts after Second Section
Draw: 1.45pm  

No photo? Please send a JPEG to:  general@4barsrest.com stating the conductors name, your band, your region and section.

Broughton's Brass
Conductor: Brian Grant

Last Ten Years:
2005: 8th in Championship Section (rel) (B. Grant)
2004: 9th (J. Bell)
2003: 7th (K. Bolton)
2002: 4th (B. Grant)
2001: 2nd 1st Section (C. Bentham)
2000: 3rd 1st Section (B. Holden)
1999: 5th 1st Section
1998: 6th 1st Section
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Broughton's return to the First Section this year after a four year stay in the top tier that started with much promise but just faded away in subsequent years. Brian Grant couldn't quite do enough with them last year to stop them being relegated, but in truth that may not have been a bad thing. The experienced MD should bring a touch of class to their effort and they should feature come the results.   

Easington Colliery
Conductor: David Hirst

Last Ten Years:
2005: Winners (D. Hirst)
2004: 4th (D. Hirst)
2003: 8th (D. Dye)
2002: 6th (D. Dye)
2001: 9th (D. Dye)
2000: 7th (D. Dye)
1999: 7th Championship (rel)
1998: 8th Championship
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

David Hirst returns once more with Easington and they will be looking to consolidate their position here and gain another title or at the very least a qualification place once more. Last year they headed to Harrogate and came 11th which was a decent return. More of the same beckons we think.  

Felling
Conductor: Graeme Tindall

Last Ten Years:
2005: 6th (G. Tindall)
2004: 2nd Second Section (prom) (G. Tindall)
2003: 4th (S. Malcolm)
2002: 6th (N. Davies)
2001: 8th (B. Broadbent)
2000: Winners 3rd Section (prom) (B. Broadbent)
1999: N/K
1998: 8th (rel)
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Felling made the step up last year from the Second Section and more than held their own when they came 6th. They have been bettering themselves at this contest now for the past six years since taking the Third Section title in 2000, so don't be surprised that the run continues on the weekend.  

GT Group Peterlee
Conductor: Barry Holden

Last Ten Years:
2005: 2nd in Second Section (prom) (B. Holden)
2004: 4th (B. Holden)
2003: 5th (B. Holden)
2002: 8th (B. Holden)
2001: DNC
2000: 2nd (T. Maddison)
1999: 2nd
1998: 7th
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

A band moving in the right direction for certain and GT Group Peterlee were fine value for their runners up spot here last year which saw them come a very solid 7th at Harrogate off an early draw. Barry Holden is a quality MD and they showed a glimpse of their potential at Butlins where they came 8th against strong competitors earlier in the year.  

Houghton Brass
Conductor: T. Gibson

Last Ten Years:
2005: 11th (T. Gibson)
2004: 3rd Second Section (prom) (T. Gibson)
2003: 2nd (T. Gibson)
2002: Winners 3rd Section (prom) (T. Gibson)
2001: 4th 3rd Section (T. Gibson)
2000: 5th 3rd Section (T. Gibson)
1999: N/K
1998: 10th (rel)
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Houghton dipped their toes into the waters of the First Section last yar and came 11th. That would have shown them what they will now have to do to make a real impression here, but we think they will do just that under their fine MD. A bit of a dark horse perhaps.  

Langbaurgh Brass
Conductor: R. Collinson

Last Ten Years:
2005: 2nd (T. Oldroyd)
2004: 7th (T. Oldroyd)
2003: Winners of Second Section (prom) (T. Oldroyd)
2002: Winners of Second Section (T. Oldroyd)
2001: 2nd 3rd Section (prom) (T. Oldroyd)
2000: 3rd 3rd Section (T. Oldroyd)
1999: Winners 3rd Section
1998: 9th 3rd Section
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Rob Collinson takes over the baton this year following the departure of Tim Oldroyd and he has a bit of a task to emulate the achievements of the former MD.  The band came runners up here last year and went to the Finals to come a decent enough 14th. If they can do that again it will be a fine achievement, but given their record you wouldn't bet against the band doing just that.  

Northumbrian Water Ellington Colliery
Conductor: Alan Fernie

Last Ten Years:
2005: 7th (T. Swainson)
2004: Winners Second Section (prom) (D. Wright)
2003: 3rd in Third Section (prom) (D. Wright)
2002: 2nd (D. Wright)
2001: 5th (D. Wright)
2000: 6th (J. Higginson)
1999: N/K
1998: 7th
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Tony Swainson did a fine job for Ellington last year and Tony Griffiths took the band at Butlins where they came 12th against some pretty stiff opposition, but if they can learn the lessons from Skegness it may set them up nicely here to do well, especially as they will be led by the talented Alan Fernie for this contest..  

Westoe (STHCT)
Conductor: Raymond Tennant

Last Ten Years:
2005: 4th (R. Tennant)
2004: DNC
2003: 5th in First Section (prom) (J. Smith)
2002: 3rd
2001: Winners 2nd Section (prom)
2000: 2nd 2nd Section
1999: 3rd 3rd Section (prom)
1998: Winners 4th Section
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Westoe South Tyneside Health Care Trust, to give the band its full name came back to the contest last year and came a very creditable 4th place under the baton of the experienced Raymond Tennant. He is back in charge this time too and that should hold them in stead, with a top six place once again very much on the cards. 

York Railway Institute
Conductor: D. Warley

Last Ten Years:
2005: 9th (D. Warley)
2004: 6th (D. Warley)
2003: 6th in Second Section (prom) (D. Warley)
2002: 3rd (D. Warley)
2001: 2nd (D. Warley)
2000: 9th (D. Beal)
1999: DNC
1998: 9th 1st Section (rel)
1997: N/K
1996: 4th 1st Section

The band from the lovely city of York (the home of the National Railway Museum) return this year hoping to put behind them the disappointment of coming a lowly 9th last time out.  That was a bit of a disappointment given that they came 6th the year before. They will need to up their form then if they are to stave off any possible relegation threats.  

Past Qualifiers:

2005: Easington Colliery, Langbaurgh Brass
2004: Kirbymoorside, Barrow Shipyard
2003: BHK (UK) Ltd Horden, Barrow Shipyard
2002: Gateshead Brass, Harrogate
2001: Harrogate, Broughton's Brass
2000: Cottingham, Boldon
1999: Gregg's Bakery, Rowntree
1998: Cottingham, Boldon Colliery
1997: Skipton, Vickers Barrow
1996: East Yorkshire Brass, Skipton
1995: EYMS, Boldon Colliery

North of England Bands at the Finals:

2005: 11th, 14th
2004: 10th, 12th
2003: 1st, 6th
2002: 8th, 18th
2001: 15th, 16th
2000: 12th, 17th
1999: 7th, 16th
1998: 7th, 15th

4BR Prediction:

This should make for a very interesting contest on the Saturday, with a challenging test piece, some pretty good bands and a man in the box who will certainly know this piece inside out. Who will tickle Brian Buckley's fancy then?

Looking at the line up, a few names do stick out, but it is a very closely matched field on paper. We will stick our necks out though and opt for Easington to make it two in a row with Broughton's the band to push them all the way. After that it should be a great scrap with Langbaurgh, Westoe,, GT. Group and Felling all capable of winning let alone qualifying. Houghton are our dark horses.

1. Easington
2. Broughtons
3. Langbaurgh
4. Westoe
5. GT Group Peterlee
6. Felling

Dark Horse: Houghton Brass

^back to top