Good response to Far North vintage vehicle club's plan for online rally after 2020 event cancelled due to Covid-19

Published: 09:16, 11 June 2020

| Updated: 09:17, 11 June 2020

Trophy winners gather at the end of Caithness and Sutherland Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club’s 50th anniversary rally last year.

Members of Caithness and Sutherland Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club are staging a virtual rally to help make up for the disappointment of having to cancel their popular annual showpiece at John O'Groats.

The club celebrated its 50th anniversary last June with a bumper turnout, but the 2020 rally is one of many community events that have fallen by the wayside because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Undeterred, the club says its virtual rally via Facebook will give members something to focus on. Many vehicle enthusiasts have responded already and others are being urged to take part, with five classes to choose from.

Gallery1

A 1902 Panhard-Levassor Tonneau owned by SWM Threipland, Dunbeath, was the oldest car on the field last year.

Gordon Meiklejohn’s 1926 Morris Bullnose Cowley (RW 6677) at John O'Groats in June 2019.

Bert Macleod’s 1962 Rover 80 Saloon (557 UYG) on the right at last year's rally.

Compere Willie Mackay kept the crowd informed at last year's rally held by Caithness and Sutherland Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club.

Bruce Tait’s 1948 MG TC Sports (SH 8419) at the 50th anniversary show held by Caithness and Sutherland Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club.

Some of the lovingly restored vehicles on show at last year's 50th anniversary rally.

The line-up of old tractors captured plenty of attention at the 2019 rally.

Overall winner at the Caithness and Sutherland Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club rally last June was George Sutherland’s 1955 Jaguar Coupé Sports (GNR 860).

Les Bremner’s 1951 MG TD (WSL 441) at the 2019 rally in the John O'Groats show field.

Peter Hylton, originally from Indiana, now Thurso, at last year's rally with his 1948 MG TC (VXS 395).

Bert Cooper’s 1947 Sunbeam Talbot 10 (TSL 754) at the 2019 John O'Groats rally.

Bob and Diana Alexander from Glenshee were the farthest travelled entrants last year with their 1971 Triumph Stag E (APP 578J).

Iona Young (left) and Morven Plowman in a 1933 Wolseley 25 Coupé, part of the collection of the late Edward Sutherland, at the 2019 rally in John O'Groats.

Club chairman Kevin Sutherland explained: "The club took the decision to cancel the annual vintage and classic vehicle rally at John O'Groats due to the pandemic and restrictions. However, some members decided we could have a rally using social media.

"We set up a new post on our Facebook page indicating we were planning a virtual rally, and this generated a lot of interest from users and followers."

The club's Facebook administrator Ryan Cameron set up five vehicle classes for entries to the virtual rally:

Class A – Cars pre-1950
Class B – Cars post-1951
Class C – Motorcycles pre-1950
Class D – Motorcycles post-1951
Class E – Commercial, agricultural and other vehicles

Those wishing to enter can load up a comment in the class post with some brief details of the vehicle, make, type and year along with a photo. The comment within the post with most likes by 5pm on Sunday, June 14, will be judged to be the class winner.

Kevin added: “It's such a great pity the event was cancelled, but we had no option. The new committee had been well under way with the arrangements, but the Covid 19 situation made it unsafe to hold an event where crowds of 2000 might gather from all over Scotland.

"The virtual rally is a wee bit of fun giving enthusiasts something to look over and join in. It will never replace the John O'Groats rally, but it is generating a great deal of interest from local enthusiasts and others from further afield."

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