Yesterday, Sunday 26th April, was 'Drive it Day' when owners of old cars are encouraged to take their cars out on the road.
This is an annual event organised by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) on the weekend closest to 23rd April, the day on which in 1900, the Automobile Club (the forerunner of the RAC) started a One Thousand Mile Trial, run over 20 days, to prove the viability of the motorcar on a route that started and finished in London and included Bristol, Derby, Manchester, Edinburgh and Northampton. 65 vehicles started the trial and 35 completed it.
Due to the Covid restrictions this year, it was changed to 'Park it on the Drive Day'!
Those walking down Rudds Lane yesterday could have seen, and possibly heard, Richard Hirst's 1935 Railton Light Tourer (4.2 litre straight-eight engine), Roger Mott's 1962 Daimler SP250 (2.5 litre V8 engine) and Malcolm White's 1970 Triumph Stag (3.0 litre V8 engine).
