Friday 15^th April 2016

The 8^th Flying Scotsman Vintage Car Rally – Castle Howard.

The Endurance Rally Association had organised ‘The 8^th Flying Scotsman 2016’ Vintage car rally and it was scheduled to call in at Castle Howard for a refreshment break during the early afternoon. Vintage cars can be classified as those built between approximately 1919 and 1930. As far as I am concerned these are beautiful looking vehicles, many open topped, with no protection from the weather for the driver and passenger, very limited interior heating and air conditioning is provided by the elements, you certainly need to be a hardy sole and passionate to drive such a car.

The Vintage Car rally started earlier in the day departing from Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire at just after 8.00am. Over one hundred vintage cars were taking part in this three day event. Day one, today, the cars set of from Belvoir Castle and travel north along the Lincolnshire Wolds and over the Humber Bridge arriving at Castle Howard at approximately 1.00pm. After a short refreshment break the cars set off and continue their journey north onto the North Yorkshire Moors via Osmotherly and stopping overnight in Northumberland.

This vintage car event has been running every year since 2009 and is quite an endurance test for the driver, navigator as well as the car. During the three days there are several timed stages and off road time trials which have to be completed.  Tomorrow, Saturday, Day two continues from Slaley Hall through Northumberland and north over the Scottish Border with an Overnight stop at Castlecary. The final day, Sunday, the cars set of for the Knockhill Circuit before heading on to Kenmore, Pitlochry arriving at Gleneagles late afternoon, some 700 miles later and quite a challenge for the car, driver and passenger.

I marvelled at the organisation of the event and respected the drivers for the challenge that lies ahead for them. Let’s hope the weather stays fine and dry for the rest of the weekend.