BODELWYDDAN CASTLE-SUNDAY

[logsplitterman]

Had a good day at this show yesterday,with a huge turnout of classic cars,caught up with members Ray and Tommy Mercer from Bury, also our parts man David Swan came over and kindly introduced himself and we had a good chat. Nice to be able to put a face to a name. Hope you got home safely to Buxton David.
Cheers,
Alan.

[droopsnoot]

I've been to that show quite a few times, but not for a few years now - I tend to think now about what I'm going to do all day, and while it's a really nice and photogenic venue, once you've been around it, it's just the same next time. While I was away from my car a few years ago, one of its early owners (the second, I think) came past but unfortunately no-one took his contact details, so it'd be nice to run into him as well.

It'd be nice to get a few more people up there as it's billed as a Vauxhall-Opel show. I might be doing it next year as the previous owner of my Sportshatch lives up that way and it'd be an easy way to show him it, assuming it's running by then.

[Fred Dukes]

Interesting that you met Ray and Tommy I have not seen or heard from them for some while now - they seem to have dropped off the scene - not renewed their membership for 3 years - thought something had happened to them.
Dave is doing a good job on the spares - unfortunately he wont be reading this thread as he is not a computer man. I have done this show a couple of years ago and was on the Vauxhall Drivers? Stand with the Red Baron - maybe we can get a Club stand going there next year - make it a gathering for a chat and catch up - as Mike says there was not a lot else on - or is that where that annoying bloke tries to get you in the ring and really gets up your nose - the one that does Capesthorne Hall as well

[droopsnoot]

He is at that one Fred, I think he's at all the Andrew Greenwood events (or whoever runs them now). Just try to get a stand far away from the arena so the sound doesn't carry so much! I guess in smaller shows like those they feel the need to do something to keep the interest up rather than just having everyone park up at 10am and wait until it's time to go.

[logsplitterman]

Completely agree about shows with classic cars and just half a dozen auto jumble stands and nothing else to do , i also quickly get bored. Bodelwyddan Castle is a ten minute drive for me. so perhaps thats why i make the effort. The guy on the mike is very irritating and although billed as a Vauxhall/Opel event we are scattered about in manufacturing years and not in a group, so yes Fred lets perhaps have a club stand. An event that i go to every year in August is the Denbigh & Flint Agricultural Show, again just a ten minute drive for me. This show has absolutely everything to keep you occupied all day long, with about 60 classic cars, dozens of vintage tractors, stationery oil engines, machinery, trade stands, gun dog trials, flower and produce competition,show jumping a fair ground and in the main ring this year motorbike stunt riders are booked to appear. That is just a fraction of what is on offer.
In the afternoon at about 3 o'clock the classic cars are invited to parade around the main show ring three times, and a couple of years ago i was chugging around in the Beagle following a Mini Cooper, as each car reaches the raised commentary position the guy speaks briefly about the car in front of him, when i passed their was a long pregnant pause--------- followed by "This is a Vauxhall Viva estate car" another long pause as i excelerated up the straight--------"SL90". Blimy i thought, where did that come from. chuckling to myself. On my second run passed the commentary box absolutely nothing. On the third run BINGO------"And here we have a 1966 Bedford HA Beagle estate, a very rare car this one"
It's moments like this that makes it all worthwhile.
Alan.

[droopsnoot]

That's one of the reasons I quite like doing shows like the Donington Historic, Oulton Park Gold Cup or the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power - lots going on during the day on the track, as well as all the cars to look at. When you've been doing these shows for a while, it does get a bit boring wandering around the same stuff over and over. Tatton's autojumble also serves as a nice distraction. Places like Tatton Park and Cholmondeley Castle are good for when you get bored at a static show - so much grounds and garden to look around that there's plenty to keep you occupied. Bodelwyddan is lovely, but it's quite a small place and it doesn't take long to see all of it. I went down into Rhyl a few years back, but that wasn't as nice as it used to be.