Wim van Soest(NL) / Kees van Soest(NL) driving a 1936 – Lagonda Le Mans at Forrestburn
by Shonah Gibbon
Over the years I have attended Forrestburn as a spectator, marshall, competitor, in fact you name any type of event and we have been there. Sunday 6th of April saw us there to marshall for the Flying Scotsman Rally and I thought that I had died and gone to heaven. The first couple of cars to arrive were Bentleys and I thought, ‘Oh great’ but I wasn’t ready for what was to come. As the rest of the cars appeared I’m sure my chin was down round my knees, totally gob smacked!!!!!!!
Paul Collins(USA) / Peter Blenk(CH), 1939 – Lagonda LG6 Rapide at Forrestburn
Now I had planned to be helping Ben serve tea, coffee and a selection of lovely cakes to the marshalls and competitors but I was running around like a headless chicken taking photographs, in fact I took over 300. They just kept coming and coming, over 100 of these incredible vehicles materialised in front of me, here to complete a stage of the rally before they headed off to Gleneagles where the event finished that evening. The oldest car was a 1912 Chalmers 10 which had the largest capacity engine at 7.5 ltrs. Now be honest, how many of you have ever heard of, let alone seen a Chalmers, not too many I’m quite sure in fact I would put money on it. The youngest entry was a mere 65 years old in the form of a 1948 M.G.TC, but still not in the first flush of youth and it is a real credit to the designers and makers of these vehicles that they are still on the road today.
Some of the visitors and cars were far travelled with some from Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Netherlands and the farthest coming from the U.S.A. with the Cadillac 75 which just happened to be one of the owners collection of 16 Cadillacs, as one does!! A Riley Bigley Special was also here from the other side of the pond, all to take part in a rally. The makes and models were mind blowing, Invicta, Lagonda, Hudson, Buick, Oldsmobile, and so much more exotica that it would have crossed your eyes.
Roland D’Ieteren(B) / Dominique Gasse(F) driving a 1932 – Invicta at Forrestburn
For me, the star of the day was car number 53, a 1934 Aston Martin, over from Switzerland to compete. Anyone who knows me won’t find this surprising as I’m crazy about Astons but this little beauty left me lost for words. On speaking to the driver I managed to strike a deal, when I win the lottery he will sell me the car, – don’t hold your breath Shonah!! He even gave me his e-mail address so I will be able to contact him to settle the finer points of the arrangements for the handover. *:)) laughing
The time flew and before I knew it they had all passed through, gone but never forgotten. Jamie said that I was like a child let loose in a sweet shop and he was going to tie a piece of string to my ankle as I was on such a high, I was like a helium-filled balloon. So next year if they are back through, come and see them as I’m sure anyone with the remotest love of cars could not fail to be impressed, to say the least.