WARINGSTOWN VINTAGE CAVALCADE - 29TH JUNE 2012

The annual Waringstown Vintage Cavalcade in aid of the Northern Ireland Kidney Research Fund took place on Friday evening, 29th June. 

The Rover 100 Ascot driver arrived at our house at 4pm, as arranged, for a chat.  We waited on the Rover 75 tourer until 5.30 but it didn't show up and its owner was off radar... he was responding to Facebook messages or answering his phone.  So we left without him.

My husband, son and I headed off in our SD1 followed by the Ascot and drove the short distance into Waringstown where we stopped for ice lollies.  As we were eating the lollies, we received a phone call from the owner of the tourer, asking if we’d left home yet!   Needless to say he got a ribbing about his time keeping!

From here we headed on through the village past a lot of spectators and vehicles already on display; we were virtually out of the village before we found a parking space.  The cars were neatly lined up on the grass verges on either side of the road.  

Rover SD1 and Rover 100 Ascot.

We took a walk around the other vehicles on display, we recognised some the cars from previous shows but we also saw a lot of cars that we haven’t seen out at any other show this year.  The vehicles kept flocking in right up until the roads closed at 7pm to facilitate the cavalcade. 


The cars that caught my eye included, a 1965 Series 1 Ford Mustang and an Austin 35.



1965 Series 1 Ford Mustang

Austin 35

Besides club members cars, there were 5 other Rovers on display,
a Rover 90, a Rover 60, 2 Rover P6's and a 216i convertible.

Shortly after we arrived back at our car, we received another phone call from the tourer owner saying that the road had been closed and that he had to park in the spectator’s area, I gave him detailed instructions on where to find us.   Soon after he arrived we were joined by another member of the Rover 75 and MG ZT club who was also there as a spectator. 

There was a fine drizzle which only lasted a few minutes, as the cavalcade began the sun came out.  The vehicles looked splendid, in the early evening sun, as filtered past us.  Soon it was time for us to join the cavalcade; we filed out into the convoy with the Ascot sneaking out in front of us.  The spectators were out in force lining both sides of the street.   The sheep in the back of the Ascot attracted a lot of attention and comments. 

Having travelled the length of the village and back it was decided that it was time to make our way to the hall to cash in our meal voucher.  By the time we got to the hall, we were gutted to learn that they had ran out of sandwiches... no tea for us!  At this point we decided to call it a night and headed to Tesco for sausages, burgers etc to cook back at our house.

This was a great event, which ran like clock work, with an impressive turn out.  I’d estimate that there were over 500 vehicles (cars, lorries, tractors and motorbikes) on display, supporting a very worthwhile cause. 

Another event that we will be adding to next year’s events list.