People visit Shetland – and some decide to stay – partly because it’s a great place to pursue particular interests, be that bird-watching, archaeology, music or textiles. Over recent decades, local enthusiasts have added another incentive. Every two years, hundreds of those who love classic motor vehicles gather in Shetland to display their particular pride and joy. They’re welcomed by the very active Shetland clubs devoted to that heritage, and local vehicle collections are very impressive.
Had it not been for a Covid-enforced cancellation in 2020, 2022 would have been the 20th Shetland Classic Motor Show, but we’ll have to wait for 2024 to reach that milestone. Notwithstanding that, this year’s 19th display was comprehensive, embracing cars, motorbikes, bicycles, buses, commercial vehicles, tractors, stationary engines and models.
Before and after the show, owners took their vehicles on tours around Shetland. This has been a popular feature of the event for many years.
As always, cars took up more of the available space in and around the Clickimin Centre than any other category. They offered a remarkably comprehensive account of motoring history, from a Model T Ford to a Tesla Model 3. Of the 210 cars entered, 130 were from Shetland owners, confirming the very high level of local interest.
Many of the exhibits recalled the days when British car brands were many and diverse, so there were examples from once-familiar firms such as Austin, Daimler, Hillman, Humber, Jaguar, Morris, MG, Riley, Standard Triumph, Singer and Sunbeam.
Smaller manufacturers – at least in terms of volume – were there too, including Alvis, Armstrong-Siddely, Aston Martin, Bean, Bentley, Bristol, Jowett, Lea-Francis, Lotus, Morgan and Rolls-Royce.
Bean? Not the best-known name in British motoring, but one of the pleasures of visiting the show over many years has been to watch the remarkable restoration undertaken on a Bean 11.9 that was first registered in Glasgow in 1923. It came to Shetland a few years later and modified valves were fitted in 1937; but it was laid up in 1939 with the outbreak of war.
Erik Erasmuson has gone to enormous trouble to restore the car, finding parts wherever he can. He’s currently looking for a rear brake drum and differential, so anyone who has a Bean secreted away in a barn should get in touch with him!
As well as the Model T, many other examples from Ford were on show.
There was also an outstanding display of Vauxhalls, dating back to 1936, and forming two rows in the main hall.
Many models from mainland Europe were to be seen, Germany being represented by Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen. There were Citroens, a Simca, Fiats, Peugeots, a Skoda and Volvos, including one that had come all the way from Norway. Japanese makes were in evidence too: Datsun, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Toyota.
One of the undoubted highlights was a 1926 Bugatti 35B Grand Prix racing car, at the cutting edge of engineering in its day and now stabled in Aberdeen. It competed and won in Grands Prix around the world.
Motorbikes – over 160 of them – were almost as numerous as cars, and they made an impressive display. Again, there was a wide range, the oldest being a 1917 Triumph from Bristol; there were good numbers, too, from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, many of them Shetland-based.
In the 1950s, scooters began to make an impact alongside bikes and several were on show.
By the 1970s, Japanese makes such as Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha were becoming established; but the display also featured Nortons, BMWs and others.
This year’s farthest-travelled entrant was Minna Jokinen, from Finland, with a Honda Transalp. This year’s show featured a variety of off-road bikes, including scramblers by Suzuki and Honda.
But cars and bikes are only ever part of the story. Two of Shetland’s historic buses put in an appearance. There was a good range of commercial vehicles, large and small, and the Land Rovers included a locally-owned one which once belonged to Eric Clapton.
The display of stationary engines, belching steam and with a variety of sound effects – including a very loud horn – was as entertaining as ever. Tractors always make up part of the roster, and there were several examples.
Add to all that a range of bicycles, going right back to a Penny Farthing, plus a wide selection of models, photos and motoring memorabilia, and the show offered about as rich a mix of wheeled transport as one might hope to find.
The Shetland Classic Motor Show is now established as one of the leading national events of its kind, and its reputation has spread beyond the UK. Anyone who has an interest in classic vehicles should look out for details of the next show, in 2024, and if any enthusiast makes the move to Shetland, they’ll be made very welcome in the local fraternity.
Thanks to its sponsors and the volunteers who run it so efficiently and enthusiastically, it looks as though it will continue to go from strength to strength.
Alastair Hamilton moved to Shetland in 1976. Until he retired, he worked for Shetland Islands Council, latterly as Head of Planning, and was also involved in economic development.