AOVC CLASSIC SHOW, BALLYMENA SHOW GROUNDS - 25TH JUNE 2011

This was our first time taking the SD1 to the AOVC Classic Show in Ballymena Show Grounds.  As in previous years the Classic Rover Club (NI) had pre-booked a club stand. 

We knew we had to be at this show before 10.00am to be entitled to the complimentary breakfast.   Our youngest son who was coming with us was slow about getting ready, meaning that we left home later than we had planned, resigned to the fact that we were going to miss out on our freebie.  However, light traffic and an uneventful journey meant that we arrived at the show grounds a few minutes before 10.00am.  We were given a programme and 2 vouchers for breakfast; we were told to park up and make our way to the canteen as quickly as possible because breakfasts were finishing soon.  We made our way to the club stand; there were 3 cars (2 P6’s and a P5 B) already parked up but no sign of the owners. 

We parked up beside the P6B and made our way to the canteen expecting to find the other members there, but there was no sign of them.  We joined the long queue waiting to be served, eventually we received our fry’s which we thoroughly enjoyed – a great way to kick-start the day.

With our bellies filled we decided that the first thing on the agenda was a walk around the Bric-a-brac stalls.   To be honest given the size of the venue and the number of cars on display I thought there would have been a lot more stalls.   We meet up with the other members amongst the stalls.  They were looking for a toy rat – earlier, before we arrived someone they knew had had a nasty meeting with a rat, where the rat ran up his trouser leg. Having checked out the stalls and without buying a thing we headed back to the club stand where the Club banner was erected.   Then one off the members decided it was time for a coffee, we went with him to the canteen and sat chatting for a while before going out into the grandstand to watch the remote control airplane display. 

When the display was over we made our way back outside to view the cars that were on display.  The next picture shows a small number of the cars on display taken from the viewing gallery.

Once outside we decided to take a walk around the cars in the general area (cars that weren’t part of club stands). 

The first car that caught our eye was a Rover SD1 Series One 3500, we got chatting to the owner and her husband.   My husband was in his element getting to talk to another SD1 enthusiast.  

Walking around the general area, I got separated from the 2 men but carried on with viewing the vehicles on display by myself.  Being on my own I was able to stop and view and photograph the cars that were of interest to ME.  I also bumped into one of the members of the Rover 75 and MG ZT Club, who was there as a spectator.  

The following pictures are of cars that caught my eye in the general area 

MUSTANG

JAGUAR

FORD ANGLIA

MINI MOKE

MINI

MILITARY VEHICLES

Making my way around the club stands, I stopped to drool over a MG Y Type, the Volkswagen Beetles and the Austin Healy Sprites (Frog eyed Sprites.)  Although, I love our SD1 I lust after a Beetle or a Frog Eye, I just can’t walk past them.

MG 'Y' TYPE

MG CLUB STAND

VOLKSWAGEN BEETLES

HEALY SPRITE

The other club stands that caught my eye were the Morris Minor Club and the Jaguar Club

THE MORRIS MINOR CLUB STAND

JAGUAR CLUB STAND

This 1931 MG 'M' Type also caught my eye.  It is undergoing a full restoration, has been fitted with a 1939 Ford 10h.p. Sidevalve engine with Aquaplane modifications.  Once restored it will be used in trails and general competitions.

1931 MG 'M' Type

By the time I arrived back at the Rover Club Stand one of the members  of the Classic Rover Club (NI) was being interviewed for a video.  He had worked up an appetite and a few others were ready to eat again - time to break open the cool bags.   As I prepared our lunch another member of the Rover 75 & MG ZT Club joined us and another Rover (P5 B) arrived on the stand.  This brought the total number of cars on our stand to 6. 

CLASSIC ROVER CLUB (NI) CLUB STAND

It started to rain round 3pm, a few of the club members decided to hit the canteen for scones and tea/coffee and I opted to join them to get out of the rain.  We then went out to the grandstand to watch the driving skills demonstration.  

When this demonstration was over we made our way back to the club stand, where we chatted until it was time to collect the finishers’ award – a Sealey screwdriver set embellished with the AOVC logo and the Ballymena Council logo.

Awards collected, some off the members decided to call it a day and set off for home.  We let the field clear a bit before leaving.  We took 2 of the members of the Rover 75 & MG club members for a spin in our SD1 around Ballymena before heading off to see one of their MG, that has been fitted with a replacement engine and is waiting to have a bit of body work done.

A super show with lots of events going on to keep the whole family entertained.  The only fault that I found was that there wasn’t a timetable listing the times that events/demonstrations were taking place, due to this we missed out on some of them.

Although the sun didn’t shine and there was couple of light showers we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

 

HILLMOUNT FATHER'S DAY VINTAGE SHOW - 19TH JUNE 2011

As in previous years the Classic Rover Club (NI) had a club stand Hillmount Father's Day Vintage Show.  This was our SD1's first outing at this show, although the Classic Rover Club (NI) has attended this show in previous years.

We we arrived at just after 10.45, the following cars were already parked up on the club stand, P5, P6 and a 25 Impression.  Whilst my husband was away washing the SD1 a few more cars arrived including a 216 convertible and a 75 tourer.  The drivers of these 2 cars also set about washing and shinning up their cars.

 

The other member arrived shortly afterwards.  The club had a total of 12 cars on display ranging from an 1959 Rover P4 75 through to a 2005 Rover 75.  A very good turn out for a small club at a small event.

At 12 noon it was time to register, exhibitors were given a goodie back.  By this time stomachs were rumbling and it was time to hit the canteen for a bite of lunch.  After lunch we headed back to the club stand where we chatted and had great craic.

THE CLASSIC ROVER CLUB (NI) STAND

I took a walk around the other cars and tractors that were on display and here are some of the vehicles that caught my eye.

THE CAR OF THE SHOW WAS AWARDED TO THIS STUNNING MINI

All exhibitors were given a goodie bag which contained, plant food, crackers, and this stunning dated model.

Once again the weather held up for us despite the poor weather forecast and despite this being a small show we had a great day out.

KILBRONEY VINTAGE VEHICLE RALLY - 18TH JUNE 2011

This show takes place annually in the beautiful Kilbroney Forest Park, in Rostrevor on the banks of Carlingford Lough.  As in previous years The Classic Rover Club (NI) had a club stand booked, however this was our SD1's first outing to this show.  

We packed the car up with our cool boxes, seats, raincoats and wellies as the forecast was for heavy rain and thunder.  We left home at 8am and head off to Sprucefield where we were due to meet some of the other member.  When we arrived Sprucefield, 2 other club members were already there, while we waited for the others to arrive we had a bite to eat to set us up for the day.  The other 3 members arrived just before 9am.   The convoy consisting of a Rover P6 3500, a Rover convertible, a Rover 25 Impression, a Rover P5 B 3500, a Rover P6B and our SD1 we set off towards Kilbroney, we travelled the 37 miles in convoy, arriving in Kilbroney around 10.00am.

As we entered the park we were given our numbers, a souvenir programme and complimentary bottle of water.  Once we had parked up a few of the members set buffing and polishing their cars, during which time more members arrived including a P4 100 and a P5B.    In total there were 10 cars on the stand, a good turn out for the club.

CARS THAT WERE ON THE CLASSIC ROVER CLUB (NI) STAND

After the cars were cleaned up it was time to have a walk around, we opted to beginning with a walk around the bric-a-brac stalls for a spot of bargain hunting.  There were so many stalls that by the time we'd seen them all it was time for a bite to eat.   We opted to have chips and wait until later to light the barbecue.  There were so many stalls selling food that it was difficult to choose which one to buy from. 

By now it was almost 1.00pm and the fire brigade where going to give a demonstration on the sort of things that they do when they are called to a road traffic accident.  We decided to hang around and watch for the demonstration.   

My husband was horrified when he realised that they were going to cut up a pretty decent Rover 400.  He jokingly made a comment about all the good parts going to waste.  One of the firemen overheard him and asked him if there was anything he wanted of it.  My husband quickly replied the front grille (to add to his collection of grilles on his garage wall). 

By now my legs and feet were sore, I decided along with one of the other wives that it was time for a rest, so we headed back to the car, leaving the men to keep looking around the stalls.  Here's a few vehicles and displays that caught my eye on the way back.

Cadillac

VINTAGE THRESHING MACHINE IN FULL WORKING ORDER

VINTAGE HORSE DRAWN CARAVANS

A SMALL PART OF THE CROWD AND A SMALL SELECTION OF THE VEHICLES ON DISPLAY

We arrived back at the Classic Rover stand in time for the end of the barbecue, a bunch of the other members had fired up the barbie and had already eaten.  We contemplated cooking our food but decided to wait for our husbands to return before doing so.  Shortly after we arrived back at the car, it began to cloud over and we had a heavy shower of rain, but thankfully it only lasted a short time.

FROG EYED SPRITE DRIPPING WET AFTER THE RAIN

When it dried up I set about chamoising our SD1.  Whilst I was doing so my husband and the other men arrived back.  I think my husband just about had a heart attack when he saw me drying off the car, this is the first time I chamoised a car in the 20 years that we've been married.


Now that they were back it was time to fire up the barbecue again and get our food cooked up.  Given my obsession about food cooked on the barbecue I decided to do the cooking.  When I cooked up our food one of the other member asked me to cook some burgers for him and I'm pleased to say that he said it was delicious.


After we had filled our bellies and had a bit of banter it was time to take a walk around the cars.  The following pictures are of cars that caught my eye as we walked around.

VOLKSWAGEN CAMPER VANS

METRO POLICE CAR

SELECTION OF VAUXHALLS

A COUPLE OF VOLKSWAGEN BEETLES

PORCHE

VINTAGE AUSTIN CLUB STAND

MORRIS MINOR CLUB STAND

Having seen the cars we made our way back to the car and chatted for a while with the other club members.  A few had decided to call it a day, but we along with 3 other members decided to hang around for a bit longer because there were long queues of cars leaving the park.  The now traditional trashy gifts were exchanged which as always resulted in great laughter and teasing.

Soon it began to cloud over, before long the heavens had opened and it was pouring down.  Looking at the dark clouds, we decided that the rain was on for the evening and that it was time to leave.  We headed of in our SD1 behind the P6 with the 25 behind us. 

Traffic was heavy leaving the park and until we left Rostrevor.  We made our way through Kilkeel and Annalong with out much traffic.  As we approached Newcastle the traffic was slowing and soon we were at a standstill.  Going was very slow through Newcastle, it took us about 45 minutes to do a few miles.  The rest of the journey was uneventful and we were home around 8.00pm. 

This was a massive (the largest one that we've been to this year) show with something for everyone, held in the a truely stunning park with stunning views over Carlingford Lough. 

Another great day out with the Classic Rover guys and girls.