Another Rally good weekend

CAR show, model aircraft extravaganza, funfair, home of the £4 cheeseburger; the Woodvale Rally is many things. But I wasn’t anticipating a wedding at last weekend’s event.

That’s one of just many things I witnessed a weekend celebrating the weird and wonderful at RAF Woodvale, and even though I genuinely wasn’t expecting it a “wedding”, took place on the same stand I was showing off my car on.

A wedding between two cars, no less, but even something as bizarre as that fits in with the fun-filled atmosphere you always get at the annual August event, which took place this year last Saturday and Sunday (August 7 and 8, 2010).

In previous years I’ve clocked a goggle-donning dog at the helm of a Morgan three-wheeler and a Land Rover buried nose-down in a sandpit, so an automotive wedding with specially-written vows seemed entirely appropriate.

It’s hard to explain exactly what the Woodvale Rally actually is other than to say it’s a melee of old motors, model aircraft displays, funfairs and car boot sales, but despite having gone almost every year for the last 15 years I’m still drawn back every year, because it’s a heady mix of sunshine, shiny machinery and stalls which seem to sell absolutely everything. Everything apart from the one Haynes manual I actually wanted, of course!

The stock cars proved a popular insight into a part of Southport’s sporting past you probably didn’t know about but one of the real highlights this year was the Wall of Death, which despite offering shows just a few minutes long was definitely worth the £2 entry fee. I’ve no idea how an attraction which lets you see people blast bikes around a vertical wall got past the health and safety inspector, but I’m glad it did because it’s breathtaking to behold!

As an exhibitor I was obviously flying the flag for my own piece of the region’s motoring heritage – the Mini from The Champion motoring section – but it was staggering to see so many stunning cars of all shapes and sizes putting on a show at the rally, with everything from fast Fords and Volkswagen camper vans to exotic machines like Porsches on Ferraris proving a memorable draw for members of the public.

After two days of relentless walking around RAF Woodvale I was knackered, sunburnt and considerably skinter than this time last week, but it’s the Woodvale Rally and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Roll on next year…