More Adventures with a Crewe Car in Northern Ireland

Bluebell is strutting her stuff around Northern Ireland again this weekend doing her History Tour.



Here at the Stormont Parliament buildings (ca 1932).



The Culloden Hotel (ca 1876).



Overlooking Belfast Lough.



The Crawfordsburn Inn (ca 1614)



Donaghadee pier (ca 1626)



Grace Nellis Bar, Donaghadee (ca 1611), Ireland's oldest pub.



And finally, COOL FM & Downtown Radio's studios in Newtownards where the crusty security guard would not let them in for a photo shoot with the sign.



Just the bus....



(Posted by David Irvine - all credit to Terry Waugh)

N.I. by RR

Growing up in Northern Ireland in the '60s, '70s and early '80s I did see some Rolls-Royces about.
Not the most common car but they were there.



I've often wondered what it would be like to tour Norther Ireland in one of these cars....



Well, there's a new kid in town (or rather Country) in the form of a 1978 Silver Shadow II that has made it's way across the water to it's new owner Terry.
Terry has kindly allowed me to show off  his day trip shots of 'Bluebell' in various parts of the North.

So lets promote it this way:





Here's Bluebell as she starts her journey from 'the mainland' early August.

Terry writes:

"300 miles from Nottingham to Cairnryan totally effortless .. European Causeway just sailed taking us home to Belfast. Thank you David Irvine and Rodd Sala for giving me the courage...."




Oh, so I seem to have been an influence.....

The first car show on the pier at Donaghadee.





Then a car show at Bangor.



And now the County Down tour.
The Ards Peninsula, Strangford Lough and Scrabo Tower.







On the farm.



The Ulster Flying Club where Bluebell meets a Bluebird.



The badge bar is filling....



It's 'Getting Better....'



Ballyholme.





And then a few days later at the Newtownards Priory (c.a.1244).



Grey Abbey c.a 1193.



A little bit of shopping funded by a wedding.....





Sensibly parking far from everyone else.



The 1950 Samuel Kelly lifeboat.



Bangor Castle.



Belfast's Harland & Wolff shipyard's famous Samson crane.



The Titanic museum in Belfast.



Sneaking in close to a cruise ship on Belfast Lough.



By the decommissioned 1914 Royal Navy C class light cruiser H.M.S. Caroline.



And finally meeting a blue Lotus by the water.



Now doesn't that make you want to see Northern Ireland now?

More photos to come on this.

(Posted by David Irvine - many thanks to Terry Waugh).

The British Invasion, Stowe, Vermont.

If you lived in Montreal, every third weekend of September you have a choice of two great British car shows.

You could drive your Bentley or Rolls-Royce about 450  kilometres west to the show near Toronto:



Or go south east 300 kilometres to Stowe, Vermont.



If you live in Toronto you'd just go to the same one locally every year as it's close.



Or do you.....?
Why not use your sense of adventure and do the 750 kilometre trip to Stowe? How many crazy Torontonians would do such a thing in their old British car...?

Only the Eccentric.



Yes, I did it last weekend.
I set off at 6.30 am Friday and hit the road - well the petrol station.



Road trip, indeed.





Into Quebec we go....



Then across the border and a quick break.



Now the fun part.
A ferry crossing on lake Champlain.









After eight hours' journey we made it to Stowe.
Stowe, Stowe, Stowe, lovely Stowe....



The evening street festival (party).











And then up early the next morning to head to the field.
A heavy dew on everything.





Dried off and on our way.





It soon filled up and the sun came out.





Not a lot of Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
Maybe a dozen...















And some good examples of Britain's next finest.





It's not as big as the Canadian show but it's a good one.

Now the trip home.
We had an overnight stay halfway because it was tiring.



Still there the next morning (well, this IS Canada...)



And home by mid day Sunday.



A good trip.
A fun trip.
1,630 kilometres total round trip.
Would I do it again.....?
Maybe not, but it's off the bucket list now.

(Posted by David Irvine)