We arrived at the Heritage Motor Centre about 8.30pm Friday night and we found the space for the Club stand - it was quite small. We started to set up and roughly planned out the stand for the weekend ahead. Two members who turned up on the Friday had a very long journey down from the north-east. Saturday morning soon came round and the club’s stand started to fill up by 12 noon with a Lightweight, 130 Pulse Ambulance, 101, Wolf, SIII 88, our 90 and a Vectra under cover (???); we also had Alan Bucknell’s Pinkie due to come on the stand but we didn’t have room! Sorry Alan - but at least were able to find him a good home with the other Panther.

The Heritage Centre was open to public and exhibitions all weekend for free. The museum has a vast array of all different kind of motor cars and a few special ones too, all from the British motor industry. I recommend you to go and have a look around, it’s well worth it and you can see lots of long – and probably best – forgotten cars from the Leyland era. There was a lot of different activities going on throughout the weekend for all ages, including Charting (adults and children), Terror Pod (owned by Land Rover) and there was also team challenges for clubs to compete against one and another - space hopping, Tirfor Challenge, tug of war and so on. We didn’t take part this year, but in 2005 EMLRA entered and made second place, so we could still show them how it’s done!

There was also “Twist-Off” challenge where Land Rover owners can drive up a twist off ramp and then their axle articulation is measured with three wheels remaining in contact with the ground at all times. We had two EMLRA members take part in this challenge, John Butcher with his 101 Radio Body (his Land Rover’s body that is, not his own) and Alan Bucknell with his ’68 Pinkie and they both did rather well, so top marks lads!

The yearly Heritage Run took place on the Sunday. It was good, though not as big as pervious year, but still a wide range of different Land Rover “product” and well worth seeing. There was a talk on the new Discovery 3 and how they developed and designed it into what we all see on the road today. There was also a viewing and a talk on the very first Range Rover right through to the present day Range Rover Sport.

I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all our members who took the time and effort to attend the weekend at all stages of it because we all lead very busy lives, and after all if we didn’t have members anteing and give up their time, we wouldn’t have a Club.

As you can see the Gaydon Heritage Motor Centre has a lot to offer us over the weekend, or even for the day throughout the weekend, its designed for all members for anyone’s family.

And finally I like to thank the Show Marshall Anthony Burrows for setting up and planning a fantastic weekend. Might see some of you at Gaydon 2007 – we’ll be there.

Alan Bucknell twisting his Pinky