VETERAN motorcycles are being dusted down and wheeled out for an annual test of endurance on rural routes around the North-East.

Sunday's 34th Beamish Trophy Trial will see a cavalcade of vintage and classic motorcycles, and associated vehicles, attempting to complete a testing course of more than 100 miles across the North Pennines.

Harking back to the pioneering traditions of early motorcycle competitions, the event is based on the Travers Trophy Trial of the 1920s and a South Shields Motorcycle Trial of about 1925.

Motorcycles, cycle cars, tricycles and micro-cars dating from 1979 or earlier, plus a handful of pre-1941 light cars, will set off at one-minute intervals from the start and finishing point, The New Board Inn, at Hill Top, Esh, near Durham.

The first starters set off at 9am, heading westwards through Weardale into Cumbria, sweeping back into County Durham via Northumberland.

There is a one-hour lunch stop, which should prove a crowd draw in Allenheads, Northumberland, as scores of machines are parked around the centre of the village.

Given a favourable head wind, the first finishers should be back at The New Board Inn by 2.45pm.

During the course, there are several difficult off-road sections, plus a number of hill tests.

Trial organiser Pete Robson, of Durham Classic Motorcycle Club, said entrants' knowledge of the Highway Code and motoring history would be tested en-route.

"We will issue detailed route cards to entrants and some parts of the route will be marked out, but the onus for finding the correct route rests entirely with the rider/driver."

There will be 24 awards in various categories, including the Richard Hore Memorial Trophy for the best overall performance.

Since 1998, the club has taken charge of the event, which for its first 27 years was run by the Friends of Beamish Museum.

Although there is no longer any connection with Beamish, Mr Robson said the name was now well established and so it has been retained for familiarity.

See the riders en route

ESTIMATED times (overlapping as riders set off at intervals):

9am onwards - start at The New Board Inn at Hill Top, Esh.

9-9.40am - Esh Village and Quebec.

9.05-9.45 - Five Lane Ends

9.10-9.50 - Comb Bridges Bank.

9.15-10 - Honey Hill Works.

9.20-10.05 - Weatherhill and Crawleyside Bank into Stanhope.

9.30-10.15 - over the ford and into Westgate.

9.45-10.30 - Killhope Lead Mining Centre.

10-11.30 - Nenthead and Haggs Bank.

10.30-11.45am - Oaskpool and Spartylea.

Noon-1.15pm - lunch stop in Allenheads.

1.15-1.45 - Cowshill.

1.15-2.15 - Newhouse Bank, Middlehope and Rookhope

1.30-2.45 - Holme House, High house Lonnen and Bewdley Hill.

1.45-3.15 - Velvet Path, Stanhope Dene.

2-3.30 - Blanchland

2.15-3.45 - Crown and Crossed Sword pub, at Shotley Bridge

2.30-3.45 - Medomsley, the Hat and Feather and Jolly Drovers Inn, at Leadgate. Maiden Law crossroads and Burnhope junction.

2.45 onwards: New Board Inn