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AGM 2023

VSMA AGM 2023

Please Note: change of date, the 2023 AGM will be held on 10th November.

The meeting will be held in the Radstone Hotel prior to the Annual Dinner.

Full details to follow.

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2022 Sir Jackie Stewart Classic

Thirlestane Castle

Sir Jackie Stewart Classic

What a superb event this was for a first attempt. It was a huge undertaking and the work by the team from Thirlestane Castle made it an event for all the family and a tremendous credit to all involved and I understand the crowd was in excess of 20,000 over the 2 days. Most importantly the weather played ball and apart from the grass being wet when we arrived on Friday it was perfect conditions for getting a bit of a tan. Just ask Hugh McKinnon who did his impression of a beetroot both days!!

The selection of cars on display and taking part in the sprint was exceptional and Jackie’s collection of cars throughout his career included his very first racing car, the Marcos Xylon, originally owned by Barry Filer but now owned by an Italian who trailered it all the way over specially.

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The Veterans Association had plenty of space and we set up on Friday morning with Charlie Young and Mid Bruce doing the heavy lifting by bringing the gazebos, banner, table and some chairs. Hugh McKinnon appeared with 2 cars as his daughter drove his lovely 1965 Mk.1 Jaguar E-type from Houston and he peddled the tarmac rally-spec 1994 Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS. My friend Neil Hunter came with me and between us we built the encampment!!

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On Saturday morning Chris Paton arrived with his precious wee Mini and along with Vernon Williamson’s 1951 Ecurie Ecosse Joe Potts Special F3 car we had 4 cars on display (photo on the front page header on the website).

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From the point of view of the association the weekend was a great success with many visitors and several new potential members given flyers and application forms. We had visits from Jimmy & Arlene McInnes, Nancy & Barry Crichton, Billy & Anne Cuthbertson who are regulars on the Spring & Autumn Runs as well as many other stalwarts including Hugh McCaig, Sandy Denham, Bruce Lyle, John Cleland (whose Volvo dealership display was next door to us), Willie & Marnie Crawford, Robin Liddell whose father Eric was a well known racer in the 60’s, Clive Reeves and Iain Nicolson who runs the Ingliston Circuit website.

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Our Honorary President was aware of our presence but he was a seriously busy man over the weekend hosting many guests and didn’t make it to our stand. A great shame but I’m sure the figure raised for the ‘Race Against Dementia’ will be substantial.

This was the first event of a 3 year plan by Jackie so it’ll be interesting to see where it goes next year but it will be 50 years since he retired in 1973 so that may be an indication.

All in all an outstanding success and looking forward to next year already.

Mike How

 

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2013 Bo’ness Hill Climb

6th Bo’ness Speed Hill Climb Revival, 7th and 8th September 2013:

For those of you who have never been to the Bo’ness Hill Climb, below are two photographs of Kinneil House on the estate where the Hill Climb is held.  The view on the left shows the house as you would drive in from Bo’ness village.  Beyond the gateposts is where the Classic Car Show and the V.S.M.A tent would be situated.  The view on the right shows the grassy area where the Classic Cars would be displayed on each side of the driveway.
The Bo’ness Hill Climb Revival Site Plan
The sketch above shows you site plan of the Hill Climb as shown in the event Programme.  It is fairly self-explanatory. The Hill Climb route from Start to Finish is shown in red. As you can see it crosses over the driveway just before the Finish. This creates a barrier between the public car park and the display area.  However, the “barrier” is opened very frequently between runs to allow access to the other side of the track for access to better viewing of the Hill Climb, and also to the display area where the V.S.M.A. tent was pitched.
As promised we did come back to the Bo’ness Hill Climb Revival meeting. This time with an extra tent and a slight change of “Staff”, but in the same location as last year, just behind the Tunnock’s grandstand and in front of the Classic Car Show.  So, you really couldn’t miss us!
 It was a mad scramble getting everything sorted out before the practice runs started on Saturday morning. Thanks to the helping of our usual stalwarts Bob and Margaret Baillie, Mid and Val Bruce, Duncan and Adele Paterson, Stuart and Mairi Parker, and Donald Gordon.  Donald had arrived in his 3 litre Austin Healey which drew very admiring crowds all day despite Donald not having entered the Classic Car Show!

The Classic Car Show:

Barry and Nancy Crichton once again had been in charge of organising, setting up and controlling the Class Car Show. This was a repeat of the previous year being held again in the display area just in front of the historic Kinneil House, and behind the VSMA tent. There were 15 Classic Clubs on display at the show, including the following clubs:
Scottish Mondeo Club      Hamilton Classics
The 289 Register     MGCC Caledonian Centre
Scottish Riley Enthusiasts     Scottish Kit Car Club
Sporting Bears Motor Club     Jaguar Enthusiasts Club
Manta Owners Club     Rear Wheel Drive Club
Autoscots       Marcos Scotland
Lotus Drivers Club       Rock’n Roll Motors
Jaguar Drivers club
Unfortunately we have no photographs of any of the Classic Cars on the show.  Of particular interest were some of the kit cars and the range of MGs.  However, the Best Individual Entry in the Classic Car Show was won by a beautiful vintage Austin hearse! Appropriate for the occasion??

The Hill Climb:

You can see from the track layout on the right (Click to enlarge) where the Paddock lies in relation to the Display area, the Start and the Finish.  There being no convenient return route, following their run competitors have to retrace their way back to the Paddock in groups. Practice Runs took place from 09.30 to 12.30 each day. This was followed by the Cavalcade of cars from the Classic Display down to the Paddock and back, giving the spectators (and the Competitors in the Paddock) a marvellous display of the classic vehicles, of all shapes, sizes and age.  They were truly splendid.  After a lunch break, the Competition Runs commenced from 14.00 through to around 17.00 with the Presentation of Prizes taking place in the Paddock after the last run. The Hill Climb Revival, was really two separate events, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.  Most competitors competed on both events which gave them extra practice and a further go in their Class.  A few indeed had double entries in different vehicles in different Classes!  In all there were nineteen Classes, so the organisers were kept very busy getting the entries sorted out, not just for practice but for the runs themselves!  A logistical nightmare!   However, they were pretty close to keeping to their timetable on both days – this despite crashes on each day which did cause some delay while the track was very efficiently cleared.  On Saturday the FTD was set by our own Malcolm Wilson with a time of 30.51 seconds, while on Sunday this was beaten by Geoff Hunt from Andover in a time of 27.84 seconds.  This was quite appropriate as both were in Lotus cars and winning on the 50th anniversary of Jim Clark’s first World Championship, also in a Lotus.

The Paddock:

Spectators were able to get down to the Paddock via a somewhat tortuous route or by taking the regular free minibus service which rotated between the display area and the Paddock between runs. There they were able to observe what was going on, chat to the competitors and see more action at the Start and the Hairpin.The photograph on the right shows Ian Smillie beside his old Lotus 22 with the current owner Geoff Hunt from Andover.  Geoff has now owned the car for 40 years (yes, forty!) and because of this was on “BBC South” recently while competing at Gurston Downs, where he is a committee member of the organising BARC.  Geoff keeps the car immaculate and any major work is carried out by Simon Hadfield. The car is better built now than when it left Colin Chapman!As mentioned above Geoff on Saturday went on to snatch FTD from Malcolm Wilson with a scorching 27.84 seconds.  Ian has now been invited down to Andover where Geoff stays, in December for a celebration of the forty years of the Lotus’s dual ownership!!

 Sunday Lunchtime at the VSMA Tent:

 Lunchtime on Saturday was probably better forgotten – the heavens opened and we were almost washed out, and as a result, we had very few “customers”.   Fortunately, Sunday turned out to be a really nice DRY day.  Indeed, the better weather brought hordes of spectators which must have delighted the BHCR organisers.  As you will know our main purpose at this Hill Climb was to provide a meeting place for our members, where they could drop in for a chat and some refreshment.  Here are just some of the VSMA members who dropped in – Kenny Allen, John Fenwick, Peter Girvan, Bill Henderson, John Jeffrey, Clive Reeves, Ian Smillie, Harry Simpson and Iain Ralston.  John Melvin and Bruce Lyle also paid us a short visit before departing for the beer tent! We were delighted to meet again Ronnie Morrison who had brought along his daughter Erica.
A very pleasant surprise during lunch was the fly-past of two World War II planes, a Spitfire and a Hurricane.  There was considerable interest in photographs from the distant past on display within the tent, kindly supplied by Bill Henderson. Below is an assortment of photographs taken over lunch of some of our members.
The photograph on the right shows Donald Gordon chatting with Stuart Parker, while parked just alongside our the tent was the original Lotus owned by the late Jim Clark.  It had been kept in remarkable condition.All in all, it was a pleasant two days, meeting old friends and seeing all the marvellous cars in the Classic display plus some fantastic driving up the hill.   In addition to Barry and Nancy Crichton, below are lists of VSMA members who also were involved in the organisation or were competitors.

VSMA Members Officiating were:

MSA Steward: John Fenwick
Club Steward: Ian Smillie
Chief Scrutineer: Ian Ralston
Classic Car Show: Barry & Nancy Crichton

Classes  

Class  1   Saloon and Sports Cars prior to 31 December 1918
Class  2   Saloon and Sports Cars 1 January 1991 to 31 December 1930
Class  3   Saloon and Sports Cars 1 January 1931 to 31 December 1946
Class  4   Saloon and Sports Cars 1 January 1947 to 31 December 1961
Class 5A   Saloon and Sports Cars 1 January 1961 to 31 December 1973 up to 1500cc
Class 5B   Saloon and Sports Cars 1 January 1961 to 31 December 1973 over 1500cc
Class 6A   Single Marque only, Jaguar Pre 1974
Class 6B   Single Marque only, Triumph Pre 1974
Class 6C   Single Marque only, MG Pre 1974
Class 6D   Single Marque only, Porsche Pre 1974
Class  7   Sports Racing Cars 1 January 1947 to 31 December 1960
Class 8   Sports Racing Cars 1 January 1961 to 31 December 1973
Class 9   Single Seater Racing Cars 1 January 1947 to 31 December 1960
Class 10   Single Seater Racing Cars 1 January 1961 to 31 December 1965
Class 11   Single Seater Racing Cars 1 January 1966 ro 31 December 1973
Class 12   Formula Junior Racing Cars
Class 14   Historic 500cc CarsClass  15   Cars fitted with “Flat Head” engines
Class 16   Other Cars as agreed or invited by the Organisers
Best time of the weekend was made by Geoff Hunt in a Lotus 22, Class 10 with a time of 27.43
Further details on the 2013 event, all the Classes and the FULL Results, can be seen by visiting the 2013 Bo’ness Hill Climb Revival Official Website by clicking here.
Finally, our thanks to Bill Henderson for supplying the photo display in our tent from his Collection, and all the VSMA members and partners who assisted in manning the tent on both days – you were great.
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2012 Bo’ness Hill Climb Revival

5th Bo’ness Hill Climb Revival, 8th and 9th September 2012:

VSMA was represented at the fifth Bo’ness Hill Climb Revival on 8th and 9th September.  Actually, we were very well represented! Apart from those manning our “tent”, there were fourteen members competing, four officiating and another dozen or so who dropped in to see us at the “tent”.
 
However, the most prominent V.S.M.A. member there was Ian Stewart, he of Ecurie Ecosse fame, who drove one of the E-Type Jaguars on a demonstration run up the hill.  The paddock containing the competitors was separated from the spectator area where our tent was situated by the Hill Climb itself.  However, we were able to visit the paddock and Start by using a curtesy Minibus but the competitors were unable to come up to us and partake of what we had to offer. None-the-less from what we gathered everyone had a great couple of days. 
Another of our members who was not really there in person at the event was Roy Allingham!  But he could be heard many times during Sunday afternoon.
      
He was the train driver that day for the Scottish Railway Preservation Society’s Bo’ness & Kinnell Railway and every time he passed above the paddock he gave a prolonged toot on his whistle to encourage the competitors and public alike. Thanks, Roy. 
Apart from the excitement of the Hill Climb itself, one of the main attractions of the weekend was the presence of the famous Ecurie Ecosse Transporter and several of beautiful vintage racing vehicles.  These were all parked alongside our tent and caused a great deal of interest.
There were numerous other vehicles on display from those of the Caledonian MG Car Club and other vintage marques. 
Here were of just some of the members who dropped into our stall: Fulton Beaton, Iain Bennie, Charlie J.H. Brown, Mid Bruce, Sammy Colman, Ian Cunningham, Bill Cuthbertson, Peter Girvan, Bill Henderson and son William, John Jeffrey, Rob McKinna, Mairi Parker, Margaret Baillie, Val Bruce, Jim Pettigrew, Iain Ralston and Boyd Tunnock.

Officiating VSMA Members were:

MSA Steward: John Fenwick
Chief Scrutineer: Rob McKinna
Club Stewards: Ian Smillie and Bill Wood

Fourteen Competing Members: 

Stephen Smith: Austin 7 Special
Tom Richardson: Riley Brooklands and also in a Riley MPH
Jim Grant: Lotus Elan S3
Hugh MacKinnon: Porsche 911 3.0 RS
Kenny Allen: Lotus Elan
Bob MacGillivary: MG Midget
Alistair Muir: Triumph TR4A
George Cooper: Cooper Sports
Jamie Gibbon: Morgan 4/4
Stephen Cooper: Cooper T59
Malcolm Wishart: Cooper T65 FJ
Alex Graham: Vauxhall Firenza
Olly Ross: Triumph TR8
Brian Hopkins: Morgan
Members’ Results:  Best results were from George Cooper in Class 6 “Sports Racing Cars from 1st Jan 1947 to 31st Dec 1960″ – he was 1st in Class on both days. Similarly in Class 7 “Sports Racing Cars from 1st Jan 1961 to 31st Dec 1973” Jamie Gibbon was first in Class on both days.  In the “Formula Junior Racing Car Class,” Stephen Cooper was 1st on both days with Malcolm Wishart being 2nd.  As for others, they all seemed to have had a great couple of days despite not collecting any silverware. Sympathy does, however, go to Hugh MacKinnon who was well beaten by his son Colin in the same Porsche!
Thanks are due to the many who helped in setting up and manning our presence at this event, especially to Bob and Margaret Baillie, Mid and Val Bruce, Charlie and Netta Young, Duncan and Adele Paterson.  Thanks too to William Henderson for providing his father Bill’s historic images from previous Bo’ness Hill Climbs which were on display at our stand. I’m sure we will all be back in 2013 to enjoy another great Motorsport event.

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