Find an extensive gallery of  Flying Scotsman photographs at http://www.tonylarge.net

Visit the Flying Scotsman Photo Gallery to find  Gerard Brown's event photographs

This film of the 2014 Flying Scotsman Rally was shown at the Gleneagles prize presentation dinner.

The 6th Flying Scotsman Rally - "Great Northern Edition"

Friday, 4th - Sunday, 6th April, 2014

The 2014 event breaks with past tradition and move the entire event for a "Great Northern" edition, starting out from the Forest of Arden, very close to and with easy access to Birmingham airport. This will see Day One drive north and west to an overnight hotel near Blackburn - so crews can enjoy driving the remote roads of Lancashire and Yorkshire from the start. This gets the event into the Scottish Borders on Day Two... we then drive much more of Scotland than has previously been possible, in a giant loop that sees us finish up again at one of Scotland's finest hotels at Gleneagles, north of Edinburgh.

Eligible Cars 

Anything pre-war, with a pre-war chassis, and a pre-war engine design. Exceptions? We are open to persuasion that an HRG is essentially a pre-war car, and so too is an MG T-Type. If it’s got two leaf springs at the front, then you certainly stand a chance. We want the right pedigree of cars, and more importantly, we want crews with the right attitude – one of the remarkable things about this event is that you are not surrounded by loads of whingers and moaners. And they come from all over the world to join in.

Newcomers should read Robert Coucher's 5-page report published in the July 2013 edition of Octane magazine - it's on the newstands now. The most essential item of equipment is a sense of humour. This is a Regularity Road Rally with off-the-public-road Time Trials, and each day runs to a time-schedule. Very few reach the bar at the end of the day without having lost time somewhere...  and those that do line up the refreshment for the rest of us.

Read Robert Coucher's Octane report (pdf file)

 

The Competition

Crews should note that this is a “press-on-regardless” style of motoring made up of three long days of essentially daylight driving, down remote country roads, with frequent timed sections, tests on private land and checkpoints, all manned by experienced local motor-club marshals. The Flying Scotsman is the only long distance rally purely for Vintageants and is aimed primarily at those with some experience who enjoy an element of competition. Understanding the pressures of driving the very early models a different route with more relaxed timing is being dialled in for those in the Veteran class. 

Dress Code

It is important to contribute to the unique atmosphere of the longest timed rally for pre-war cars by being correctly dressed - a dress sense that matches the era of the car entered is therefore going to win bonus points for one of the special trophies presented at the gala dinner at Gleneagles. The Organisation runs a luggage-bus for those who are bringing a car with only room for a pencil-case.

Back Up 

The Endurance Rally Association has some of the most well practiced rally mechanics in the old-car world, we have seen pistons sticking out the side of engine-blocks and still they get the car to drive under its own power to the finish line. Our crews work all night and drive all day and like nothing more than a challenge. It helps if you bring a tow-rope.

Getting Started

There will be briefing for competitors on the evening before the start to explain the format of the event together with tips on how best to tackle the different types of navigation and timing systems. However, if you want to brush on your navigating and co-driving skills with a spot of one to one personal tuition in advance, contact Alan Smith via the Rally Office. If this type of rally is new to you it could well make an enormous difference to your overall enjoyment of the whole event.