News / War-themed motor show
WAR is the theme of the biggest ever Shetland Classic Motor Show at Lerwick’s Clickimin Leisure Complex this weekend, commemorating the centenary of the start of the First World War and the 70th anniversary of the D Day landings.
The show will feature a special display of war memorabilia in the main hall, including a 1913 BSA 3.5hp belonging to Lerwick man Frank Johnson and a 1914 Douglas Model W from Bristol.
Other artefacts include death plaques of local members of the armed forces and other WW1 memorabilia.
Three visiting cars from the era will be a 1914 Sizaire-Berwick tourer from Glasgow, 1915 Model T Ford from Orkney and a 1911 Austin Harrogate from Aberdeenshire.
Two army tents will be erected outside in remembrance of the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944. The tents will contain a display of military vehicles including three local ex-army motorcycles, a 1944 Canadian Ford Bren Gun Carrier and a 1942 Jeep both belonging to Grant Davidson of Aberdeen.
Also on display is associated memorabilia provided by the local Cabin Museum at Vidlin.
Shetland’s active modelling group will be joined by the Orcades model club from Orkney for a display that will almost fill the multi-function room.
New for this show will be the classic tin toys, a hand engineered 1/18 scale brass fire engine and a Mac snow plough.
The Orkney club are bringing up a farmyard layout and a radio controlled combine harvester, while Shetland’s Radio Racers have an outside event to allow folk to test their skills around their track.
A variety of stationary engines will bring the noise and smell of petrol, paraffin and oil to the outside arena.
The undoubted star engine exhibit this year will be the 1885 Crossley, rescued by the late Jim Smith of Berry from Belmont in Unst in the 1980s. Large pieces of it were pulled from the sea and then spent many years in Brindister Loch to remove the salt from the cast iron.
Robert MacBeth has made the original slide-valve ignition equipment from scratch and it returns now with open-flame ignition.
The most noticeable engine will once again be the 1942 Ruston Hornsby 9HR 57hp Diesel exhibited by R & M Mowat from Eshaness.
Weighing in at over 8 tonnes this engine drove the crusher in the lime kiln at Girlsta and was restored over a number of years to create a real showpiece.
Space has also been found for the 1969 Dodge Charger recently purchased by Shaun Simpson, a near replica of the 7.3 litre ‘General Lee’ in the 1979 television show The Dukes of Hazzard.
A Shetland Buffet will offer a wide choice of dishes at lunchtime on both Saturday and Sunday in the Waterside Suite, sponsored by Shetland Seafood as part of the So Much To Sea initiative.
On Saturday evening the popular Classic Foy featuring the Cullivoe Dance Band will be on at Sound Hall, with tickets available from Graham on 07876164777.
The show will be opened by Stuart Garret, managing director of main sponsors Serco NorthLink.
Organising committee member Maurice Mullay thanked his company and all the other local businesses who have supported and sponsored the event, which he described as “a colossal collection of classics”.
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