Exciting news! We've just had official confirmation from organisers Clarion Events Ltd that we have been allocated an excellent stand space in the main hall at the NEC for this year's Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show with Discovery. We will be in Hall 5 (the same hall as the main stage) nestling cosily against a wall adjacent to our good friends from the Boston Classic Car Club. What happens next? Now the preparation work really starts. We are of course accepting the offer of a stand, which will trigger the flurry of paperwork (contracts, T's & C's, insurance etc) that is always required for these major public events. We will also be working on the design and layout of our club stand, working out what we will display and all the associated logistics around that. Expect announcements fairly soon from Bosun Mike Peake who is lead organiser for this show - Gar having deserted his post muttering something about being away in the Med on a luxury cruise ship. Anyone interested in viewing the full floor plan for the show can view it below.
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by Gar Cole Weekend of August 20-23, 2021A fabulous mix of scenic coastal driving and heavy engineering as the group heads to mid Wales. Base camp and start of the drive will be Brynowen holiday park near Aberystwyth. From here we take the scenic coastal route on the A465 to the Internal Fire museum of power, just outside of Cardigan at Tany Y Groes featuring huge diesel and steam engines from the industrial and maritime past. From the museum we will head inland passing through remote villages and towns such as Newcastle Emlyn as we meander north back towards our second stop of the day at Rheidol hydro electric power station. Set in stunning scenery the group will be allowed to park up and explore the reservoir and dam itself before going inside on a pre-arranged tour of the inner workings of the power station including the huge water turbines; hot and cold refreshments are available at the visitor centre. Sunday's part 2 will involve a gentle 7 mile drive to the Vale of Rheidol steam railway, a fantastic 12 mile narrow gauge railway winding it's way up and around impressive terrain before arriving at Devils Bridge Water Falls. For those that don't wish to use the steam railway an alternative driving route will be provided and you can meet the train and those riding it at Devils Bridge for some excellent photo opportunities. The tour is free for members to enter - food & accommodation at your own cost.
We have just published a new gallery of photos taken before and during the excellent and very well-attended 2021 show organised by the Boston Classic Car Club - well done to all those responsible, whose efforts behind the scenes produced a really good show!
Click the image or the button below to view the gallery. Brooklands Museum Press Release. Brooklands Museum to celebrate 95th Anniversary of first ever British Grand Prix
29th July, Weybridge – At Brooklands Relived on 7th August, Brooklands Museum is preparing to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the first Grand Prix to take place on British soil. Organised by the Royal Automobile Club and held in 1926 at Brooklands, the world’s first purpose-built race track, the first British Grand Prix formed part of the World Manufacturers’ Championship alongside the continental Grands Prix in Spain, France and Italy and the Indianapolis 500. Ninety-five years later, Brooklands will once again welcome some of the vehicles that took part in the very first Grand Prix, along with examples of Grand Prix cars from every decade up to 2013. Among the cars confirmed are a Delage 15-S-8 as raced in the 1926 Grand Prix, a 1928 Aston Martin LM1, 1960 Cooper Climax and 2013 Mercedes F1 WO4. Grand Prix racing has long been held as the pinnacle of motorsport and has driven technological development at an unrivaled rate. Brooklands Museum will tell the story of the first Grand Prix and its place in history during Brooklands Relived with the highlight of the day expected to be the ‘race starts’ which will see both cars and bikes setting off at racing speed up the historic Finishing Straight and onto the Members Banking just as they did in 1926. Brooklands has an unparalleled history in British motorsport and aviation and serves to inspire the next generation to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths. Among the permanent exhibits at Brooklands is ‘Driven by Design’, a new supercar exhibition opened on 26th July in collaboration with McLaren which features a McLaren Senna GTR prototype car, a McLaren Senna GTR concept car and a full-scale LEGO model of a McLaren 720S. Britain was first awarded the opportunity to run a Grand Prix after Sir Henry Segrave won the French Grand Prix in 1923 putting Britain on the motorsport map and starting a tradition of British Grand Prix winners that continues to this day with seven-time world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton. Emphasising the close links between the motorsport, experimental engineering and aviation worlds in the 1920s, there were no fewer than five past, present and future Land Speed Record holders competing in the 1926 event. Samantha Hart, Marketing Director of Brooklands Museum said: Anyone who watched this year’s British Grand Prix will understand the importance this event has for the country. In 1926, Britain’s motorsport industry didn’t hold the position it does today. The running of the first British Grand Prix at Brooklands was a huge step for motorsport in this country and brought top level drivers, teams and engineers to compete here. Gar Cole and the team organise a range of classic car events every season for members to attend, from the prestigious world-leading Practical Classic Classic Car and Restoration Show and the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show (both at the NEC) to formal static shows in fields to organised driving tours in beautiful areas of the country. It almost goes without saying that Covid-19 is still affecting public events, so please do check with Gar and the team before travelling. These events are not limited to pre-85 British motors as they are also open to members of our sister group, Pre-Millennial Motors which includes cars, bikes and commercial vehicles from every country in the world built before the year 2000. We're a friendly lot and would love to see you at an event or two - you can even come if you don't own a classic at all as there are usually spare seats going (just ask first!). All events with the exception of the major commercial shows are free to enter, but you will usually be responsible for your own food, fuel and insurance as well as any accommodation that may be needed. Any questions? Just ask Gar Cole - he's the font of all knowledge as far as group events are concerned. Current list of confirmed EventsTo view the up-to-date list of official group events, please click the button below.
Newly published on our official You Tube channel is "Enthusiasts at the 2017 Resto Show" - a slideshow containing the best images taken from the weekend of our 2017 appearance at this prestigious classic car show at the NEC which is sponsored by Practical Classics. If you like it, please give it a Like and subscribe to the channel to help us build a new audience there. Written by Gar Cole. You are invited to join me on 26 February 2022 - the weekend of my 45th birthday - to break up the long winter break. I propose a starting route at the hotel in Ross on Wye, crossing the beautiful Wye valley and into the heart of the Forest.
Following the gold forest route from Cinderford to Coleford, the forest is amazing at the time of year as it starts to emerge from Winter into Spring. The route will take in its first stop and visit to the Dean Heritage Centre, following on will be a steady 20 mile drive through the forests B roads, leading to our second stop at Clearwell caves - modernised with full lighting, level walk paths and a great visitor centre and cafe / facilities ideal for a lunch break, it will not matter on the weather. From here a drive further down the Wye valley to our 3rd and final stop at Tintern Abbey, it is fully open this time of year for brave explorers and a great chance for photos with the cars, from here a journey back to the hotel and pre booked evening dinner. The official photo gallery from our weekend on the Staffs Oatcake Tour is now live and there are already some great shots of members classics on the road and at rest.
More photos are being added as they become available so do check back again. by Gar Cole Weekend of 25-27 June 2021Group members Graham Adams and Sue Clamp invite everyone to join them on a tour they have planned and designed for the group.
Day 1 on Saturday the convoy will leave base camp www.haleshallcaravanandcampingpark.com based in Cheadle and head north onto the moorlands with a first coffee stop in Flash, the highest village in England. From Flash we head across country to the town of Buxton before heading towards Macclesfield on the Cat & Fiddle road. Lunch stop will be at the newly refurbished Cat & Fiddle Inn, recently reopened with it's own whiskey distillery, suitably fed and watered the tour will continue back towards the campsite stopping off at Oakamoor to give our cars a blast up the Speed Hill climb course located there. Sunday's tour takes a gentle turn south to the National Memorial Arboretum, with time to explore this thought provoking place, from here onto the National Brewery Museum in Burton on Trent, this organised visit will allow us to park in the museums inner courtyard, sample the brews on offer , have lunch and check out their collection of vintage brewery vans and their beautiful Shire horses and carriages, returning to base camp around 4pm. This tour is open to all members of this group and the Pre Millennial Motors group. Press Release from Andrea Seed, Poppyseed Media Ltd.
We wanted the 2021 show theme to reflect where we all are right now – and that’s continuing our journey. Our lives and hobbies were somewhat put on hold due to covid but now, as the government roadmap unfolds, we can get back on the road, in every sense. Headline sponsor Lancaster Insurance will be doing just that as its VW Camper restoration nears completion before it drives around the coast of Britain before being auctioned in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. Andrew Evanson, Senior Operations Manager for Lancaster, said: The Classic Motor Show is an unmissable event for enthusiasts. The past year has been extremely challenging for everyone and the show comes at a time when, hopefully, life can begin to see a return to normal for all of us. I’m very much looking forward to the auction of our van from Camper Round the Coast and, of course, seeing the vast array of classic cars on display. This year’s show is being planned with a number of Covid safety measures still in place that can adapt with any changing guidelines.
When booking tickets, visitors will be asked to choose a specific arrival time and entrance hall from which to enter the show. The organisers are planning the event to ensure everyone gets the best possible experience whilst keeping safety the number one priority for all attendees. More information can be found on the show’s website. The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, is scheduled to be held at Birmingham’s NEC from Friday 12 to Sunday 14 November 2021. Tickets are now on sale. Check the website www.necclassicmotorshow.com or sign up for the newsletter at www.necclassicmotorshow.com/newsletter for the latest updates. Official Press Release from Andrea Seed of Poppyseed Media Ltd. TICKETS ON SALE FOR NEC CLASSIC WITH SPECIAL DISCOUNTS |
This is the BMC & Leyland Show, a must-see for any fans of classic British marques. We have a huge variety of vehicles on display covering everything from Morris Mini Minors to Rover 800s. Explore the show and meet like-minded people. This is the show where you can examine every panel and bolt on an Austin Maxi and not worry about being judged for it! We will have a ‘Show and shine’ open to any vehicle on display, if you feel like getting competitive. On top of all that, Museum entry is included with the show ticket giving you access to see over 350 classic British cars in the Museum.. |
2021 marks 50 years of the Morris Marina and we want to celebrate by getting as many Marinas and Itals, their successors, to join us. We’re offering FREE entry and vehicle display to owners of these cars.
GREAT DORSET STEAM FAIR TO RECEIVE £136,000 FROM THE CULTURE RECOVERY FUND
Great Dorset Steam Fair has received a grant of £136,000 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen. This award will be used to help towards monthly operating costs over the coming months.
Martin Oliver, Managing Director, Great Dorset Steam Fair, said:
“Following our recent application, we are delighted to have been awarded support from Round 2 of the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage. The Coronavirus Pandemic has been devasting to the event industry and this grant will help safeguard the sustainability of the event as we look ahead to planning the next show in 2022.
The Great Dorset Steam Fair (as The National Heritage Show) is unquestionably the keystone event which showcases Great Britain’s rich industrial, rural and leisure history. Being widely recognised as the World’s leading steam heritage and vintage vehicle event, its importance in the heritage events calendar is immeasurable. The event is, in effect, the largest working/living museum of its type in the world, inspiring and educating a whole new generation and attracting huge numbers of visitors each year into the local area.”
Group members Graham Adams and Sue Clamp invite all members to join them on a tour they have planned and designed for your pleasure. Tour dates are 25-28 June 2021.
Day 1 on Saturday the convoy will leave base camp www.haleshallcaravanandcampingpark.com based in Cheadle. The camp site has set aside 14 pitches for our group, so make sure you mention us when booking.
From there we head north onto the moorlands with a first coffee stop in Flash, the highest village in England. A visit to the hill climb circuit at Oakamoor is booked. Next we head across country to the town of Buxton before heading towards Macclesfield on the Cat & Fiddle road.
Lunch stop will be at the newly refurbished Cat & Fiddle Inn, recently reopened with it's own whiskey distillery, suitably fed and watered the tour will continue back towards the campsite.
Lunch stop will be at the newly refurbished Cat & Fiddle Inn, recently reopened with it's own whiskey distillery, suitably fed and watered the tour will continue back towards the campsite.
Sunday's tour takes a gentle turn south to the National Memorial Arboretum, with time to explore this thought provoking place, from here onto the National Brewery Museum in Burton on Trent. This organised visit will allow us to park in the museum's inner courtyard, sample the brews on offer , have lunch and check out their collection of vintage brewery vans and their beautiful Shire horses and carriages, returning to base camp around 4pm.
This tour is open to all members of this group and the Pre Millennial Motors group.
This tour is open to all members of this group and the Pre Millennial Motors group.
WANT TO TAKE PART? CLICK THE BUTTON
By Gar Cole.
Rebooked for the 8th May and fully in accordance with the new Road Map rules from the UK Government, the museum will be open to visitors with open top tram rides available and the cafe for provisions, however the indoor museum and display areas remain closed and social distancing of 2 metres will be enforced.
Following several years of successful shows at the tram museum we are booked in again on saturday 8th May. The museum has found itself in difficulties this year due to the Covid pandemic so support from the public and car clubs will be important in 2021 to keep the wheels moving at the museum.
Entry is free to drivers of classic cars but we politely suggest a donation of £10 per car to help with museum funds; passengers pay standard entry price. It's a fascinating piece of British history that we don't want to lose.
Entry is free to drivers of classic cars but we politely suggest a donation of £10 per car to help with museum funds; passengers pay standard entry price. It's a fascinating piece of British history that we don't want to lose.
The more the merrier to help support Crich, no limit on numbers and all classics welcome, not just pre 85 Brits.
From Andrea Seed, PR Director, Poppyseed Media Ltd
The next outing of the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show, with Discovery, will now take place in March 2022.
Event Director Lee Masters said: “We understand this will be as big of a disappointment to our exhibitors and visitors as it is to us. We have all been very much looking forward to getting back to some form of normality and ‘business as usual’.
“We are truly sorry that we have had to make this extremely difficult decision and thank all involved for their continued patience, understanding and support in these ever-changing times.”
The organisers are not planning on letting the occasion go unmarked though and are putting together an Online Edition, to be held on Saturday 27 March 2021. Celebrating all the great elements of the show, the classic car community will be invited to share their restoration stories, advice and projects through the show’s social media channels.
Classic Car Auctions is hosting its Spring Live Online sale on Friday 26 March, with the Silverstone Auctions Race Retro Sale taking place the following two days. The Practical Classics Classic Cars and Restoration Show Auction will take place on 11-13 June 2021.
Lee added: “We have confidence that come the autumn, life will have returned to a more normal rhythm and we are planning the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery as usual for November.”
Tickets already purchased will automatically be carried over to the same day next year (18-20 March 22). Visitors also have the option to move their booking to the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show (11-13 November 21) or Reis Race Retro (18-20 February 22). Please contact practicalclassicsshow@seetickets.com with your request, including your ticket booking reference if you have this available.
For more information, visit www.necrestorationshow.com
“We are truly sorry that we have had to make this extremely difficult decision and thank all involved for their continued patience, understanding and support in these ever-changing times.”
The organisers are not planning on letting the occasion go unmarked though and are putting together an Online Edition, to be held on Saturday 27 March 2021. Celebrating all the great elements of the show, the classic car community will be invited to share their restoration stories, advice and projects through the show’s social media channels.
Classic Car Auctions is hosting its Spring Live Online sale on Friday 26 March, with the Silverstone Auctions Race Retro Sale taking place the following two days. The Practical Classics Classic Cars and Restoration Show Auction will take place on 11-13 June 2021.
Lee added: “We have confidence that come the autumn, life will have returned to a more normal rhythm and we are planning the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery as usual for November.”
Tickets already purchased will automatically be carried over to the same day next year (18-20 March 22). Visitors also have the option to move their booking to the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show (11-13 November 21) or Reis Race Retro (18-20 February 22). Please contact practicalclassicsshow@seetickets.com with your request, including your ticket booking reference if you have this available.
For more information, visit www.necrestorationshow.com
A message from the Classic Motor Show organisers.
After the government's announcement earlier this week, we are very excited about the outlook for the show in November!
Over the coming months, we will be announcing more details about what's in store. From exhibitors, clubs, car displays, interviewees and of course the final line up of owners and vehicles in the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership competition - watch this space!
To whet your appetite until then, why not revisit the great content from our 2020 Online Edition, or this past weekend's Reis Race Retro Revisited. Read on for more details....
A tour, you say? During Lockdown? Well yes ... we reckoned we could all use a boost in these trying times, so are very excited to announce a LIVE VIRTUAL TOUR FROM HOME of the British Motor Museum at Gaydon, followed by a Q&A session with the curators. The tour is being run privately for our group, will be made available via Zoom to all members and is free of charge - Admin will cover the Museum's tour fees from Group funds as a thank you for all your support. |
The British Motor Museum says:
The British Motor Museum holds the World's largest collection of historic British cars. There are over 300 classic cars on display from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and the Jaguar Heritage Trust.
We believe we have the perfect tour for your group; it covers from 1885 to 1985, giving you a flavour of the chronological story of the motor car and the social history that runs along side. We will include a sprinkling of rare vehicles and prototypes where possible. It last for 40 minutes and has a Q&A via chat for 20 minutes afterwards.
Date/Time: Tuesday 2 March 6:30pm GMT
Interested? Click on the "Sign me up" button below (available to members only).
#classicsforcarers
Classics for Carers, the national stay-at-home motor show which has already raised £17,500 for NHS Charities Together, is coming back on 20 March 2021.
Classics for Carers, the national stay-at-home motor show which has already raised £17,500 for NHS Charities Together, is coming back on 20 March 2021.
This time the target is to raise £13,000, which is enough to build an NHS well-being pod in which staff can take a break, as well as giving enthusiasts an opportunity to share their classic cars with locals and online communities, whilst showing support for the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It will be the third such event, during which owners buy event plates and stickers, affix them to their classic cars and bikes and on 20th March, display their vehicles at home so passers-by can enjoy them, as well as posting photos on social media to be appreciated by the wider motoring community, using the hashtag #classicsforcarers.
Click the "Tell Me More" button below for more information or the "Buy Plates and Stickers" button to place an order so you can take part in this campaign to support the NHS.
It will be the third such event, during which owners buy event plates and stickers, affix them to their classic cars and bikes and on 20th March, display their vehicles at home so passers-by can enjoy them, as well as posting photos on social media to be appreciated by the wider motoring community, using the hashtag #classicsforcarers.
Click the "Tell Me More" button below for more information or the "Buy Plates and Stickers" button to place an order so you can take part in this campaign to support the NHS.
Unsurprisingly the ongoing Covid situation continues to affect public events and we are very sorry to tell you that the Gloucestershire Vintage Steam Extravaganza planned for this Summer has been called off. Hopefully it will return next year.
A decision has also been made to postpone our visit to Crich Tramway Museum on March 27. The revised date is Saturday 8 May and we can only hope the later date will enable this event to go ahead.
All being well, we will once again visit Crich Tramway Museum to display our cars on the iconic cobbled street. Starting at 10am, entry is free to drivers of classic cars but passengers will pay normal admission price. In order to help boost funds for the struggling museum we politely request that all our drivers pay a voluntary £10 entry fee if travelling alone.
All being well, we will once again visit Crich Tramway Museum to display our cars on the iconic cobbled street. Starting at 10am, entry is free to drivers of classic cars but passengers will pay normal admission price. In order to help boost funds for the struggling museum we politely request that all our drivers pay a voluntary £10 entry fee if travelling alone.
The Admin team wishes all our members a very happy New Year with hopefully a return to a full but safe and enjoyable classic car events calendar. The official group events already lined up are shown below.
Confirmed Official Group Events
This summary of all currently confirmed future group events is updated on a monthly basis. Click on an image for details of an event. Only available to members of, "Enthusiasts of British Motor Vehicles Built Before 1985".
Editors
Paul Sweeney