Hardy Vintagents brave elements

On New Year’s day we set off in the 1929 Sunbeam in torrential rain for the VSCC Verzons meet. Over 100 other vintage cars braved the weather. We saw first an immaculate Albion van, and later were told that the Distance Award had been won by Paul Carter’s vintage open 4.5-litre Bentley from Kent. The ‘Car You Would Like To Go Home In’, judged by other competitors, was Alex Simpson’s Alvis SB Speed 25 with Cross & Ellis body, runners-up Sir John Venables Llewellyn’s 1750 Alfa Romeo two-seater and Mike Preston’s T43 Bugatti.

Austin led the makes list with 15, Alvis 12, Morgan 11, MG and Riley eight each. Cars apart, Peter Walley flew circuits in a Piper Cub in memory of Hamish Moffat, who used to arrive in his aeroplanes, a thoughtful gesture on this drab day.