Flying Scotsman 2025 Preview
There is something about old things that generates a universal appeal, indeed in recent years a whole industry has sprung up based around the recycling of old furniture and nick-nacks that might once have been consigned to landfill. Old machinery is the same, from old tractors to aircraft, universally recognisable and universally appreciated. Then there are vintage cars, that perhaps are bested only by steam engines in the way that they can muster a smile from even the most involuntary fan of the internal combustion engine. Yes, there is something undeniably special about a vintage motor car, they invoke passion and excitement amongst those young and old, and this perhaps explains the enduring appeal of the Flying Scotsman, Britain’s premier vintage rally.
The formula is fairly simple, muster a fine selection of pre-war motor cars and compete across three days on a route that takes in some of England and Scotland’s most tremendous roads, through a series of speed tests and navigational challenges that will examine car and crew along the 650-mile route. Then, celebrate everyone’s achievement in fine style at the world-famous Gleneagles Hotel.
The execution of course is a different matter altogether, from the first miles of route planning to the actual feat of competing in machines that in some cases are over 100 years old. The roads are enjoyable, but challenging and at this time of the year the competitors can often experience four seasons in one day – with the added challenge of dealing with poor weather in cars without a roof and lights and wiper blades that are akin to dousing a fire with paraffin.
64 crews will be taking to the start for the 2025 edition of the Scotsman, leaving from the host city of Harrogate and heading northeast through Northumberland and Midlothian, before backtracking south-west to the finish. This is a return to the northeast for the first time in almost a decade, and according to deputy Clerk of the Course, James Phillips, the crews can expect to find some new venues, in amongst some old favourites, on a route that provides a little bit of everything. “We visit some brilliant venues, like Otterburn Ranges, Kershope and have a reg in the vicinity of Kielder. There is also a reg through Moon and Stars, that Jim Clark Rally fans will recognise. The crews can expect some climbs as well as flatter terrain and a mixture of surfaces, including gravel, it ought to be a good test of the drivers and the navigators, but without favouring any one kind of machine.”
The big news on this year’s route though is the addition of a Thursday evening prologue, to kick the event off that puts the crews straight into a test immediately after the start. “We wanted to add an extra bit of spice” says JP, “the prologue format has worked well on other events, and it’s’ a couple of hours on the Thursday afternoon, in daylight of course, that will offer just a little bit more time in the cars and allow us to seed the field for all three full days.”
Within the field, of the 128 drivers and navigators, 76 hail from outside the United Kingdom, with entries from as far away as the US, but with an extremely strong contingent from Belgium and Holland. Their presence on this event is always a forceful one, with the rally seeming to capture a large cross section of motorsport enthusiasts from those countries, such as Kurt Vanderspinnen, who alongside navigator Iain Tullie finished second in last year’s event and will be hoping his 1928 Lea Francis Hyper can carry him to one better this time around. If you’ve never heard of the aforementioned Lea Francis, you won’t be alone, but Kurt and Iain are easily recognisable on the road, in their pudding basin helmets.
This year’s entry is slightly up on last year, but a notable absence is Theo Hunt and Jimmy Galliver, who came so close to winning last year, only to suffer the heartache of a mechanical failure on their Frazer Nash within hours of the finish. Theo’s exuberant driving style will be missed, and we hope to see them back soon. Their absence, as well as a few other previous winners opens the field up slightly and the trophy may go somewhere brand new this year, and whilst there would be a few that might fancy their chances, the truth is, with cars that are this old you never really know what is going to occur.
The field is a strong one, with former winners in the shape of Bill Cleyndert and William Medcalf and champions of other rallies as well. Competition aside though, the real joy of this event is seeing the depth of machines that are out on the road being used. This moving motor show raises interest and smiles along its entire length, with a better collection of cars than most museums could muster – with the added appeal that they are being driven, in some cases hard. You know it’s a good entry when a Bentley is somewhat commonplace, with a list of marques that includes Aston Martin, Bristol, Lancia, AC, Talbot, Sunbeam and Rolls-Royce, and an unusual entry from Spain, with a Hispano Suiza H6 appearing courtesy of Alex Sánchez-Silva and Borja Sánchez-Silva.
The oldest cars in the field are a trio of 1924 Bentley’s, at a colossal 101 years old, with the youngest machine built in 1949, a mere pup at 76. This collection of cars entered from around the world, competing against one another along stunning roads is why the Scotsman has such an enduring legacy. This April the legacy will gain one more chapter, a chapter that JP hopes all of the competing crews enjoy, “it’s a great opportunity for the entrants to use their cars on an event dedicated to pre-war motoring, I hope they all really enjoy themselves and find a nice balance of tests and regs and distance travelled, all against the backdrop of some stunning scenery”.
So, the Scotsman is set to add to its illustrious history, and there could well be a new name etched into the trophy come the Sunday afternoon at Gleneagles. For that to be the case though, the driver and navigator will need to perform with consistency and balance speed against mechanical sympathy, as well as enjoying just a little bit of luck along the way.
