Car fans make tracks for motoring pageant
More than 400 classic and vintage cars were the stars of the first Bath Pageant of Motoring at the weekend.
Organisers hope the event, which was organised by Bath Rotary Club, will have raised £100,000 for the Bath Institute of Medical Engineering charity at the Royal United Hospital.
The money will help the charity to provide more of its powered wheelchairs for young disabled children, the Wizzybugs, to families.
One of the main attractions at the pageant was a display of more than 30 supercars – with marques such as Aston Martin, AC Cobra, Lotus, Ferrari, Porsche and Jaguar. Visitors to the event were given the chance to ride in the cars in exchange for donations to the charity.
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The oldest car taking part in the show was a 1919 Swift Sports and also appearing was a 1923 Horstman built in Bath and one of nine still in existence.
Trevor Turpin, 65, who acquired the vehicle four years ago, said he bought it because he thought it should return to the city where it had been made.
He said: "It was about four years ago there was a celebration at the Museum of Bath at Work in Julian Road and we talked about having a display of all the Horstman cars left.
"The chap who owned this car said he was selling it and I thought it ought to come back to Bath.
"I have taken it to lots of vintage rallies and it has been great fun, although I'm still trying to sort out all its teething problems."
There were also trade shows and the chance to inspect the latest models from a range of manufacturers, cookery demonstrations and children's entertainment.
Trevor Dawson of Bath Rotary Club paid tribute to fellow member Peter Edwards, who owns nearly 70 cars and whose brainchild the event was.
"There has never been anything in Bath, not in recent years, to do with cars.
"Bath was quite well known for its car events at one time.
"Bath is well known for its architecture and Georgian history but it is not so well known for its engineering background."
He said the club had decided to support the BIME charity to increase awareness.
He said: "It is a small charity and this is a good way to raise its profile.
"What the Rotary doesn't like to do is just give money to people, it likes to have a product at the end of it.
"The Wizzybugs are a wonderful product and with the money they can make more and lend them to people.
"You can see how the money is spent and it is not going to just disappear."
Hywel Thomas of Southdown was at the event with his two grandchildren Grace, aged eight, and Jack, aged four.
He said: "I am mad keen on vintage cars and as our grandchildren are with us today what better opportunity to come and enjoy it?
"I hope more people come along and see what's going on. It's a great event."
Tony Hayes, 68, from Trowbridge, who owns a 13-year-old TVR said: "I love the aesthetics of them and the history of them, how they were built and who they were built by, and the fact that some are still going after 90 years is just incredible."
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