Members of the Pioneer Motoring Group cross Clyde Bridge on an outing on Saturday. PHOTO: TRACIE BARRETT
The hills surrounding Clyde reverberated with the sounds of one- and two-cylinder vehicles last weekend when members of the Pioneer Motoring Group gathered to enjoy their vintage cars and motorcycles.
Group spokesman Stephen Kidd said 17 cars and three fixed-gear motorcycles, all of which were more than a century old, were used in the two-day gathering.
The Saturday route took the vehicles across the one-lane historic Clyde Bridge and through Earnscleugh, before returning for lunch at the Dunstan Rowing Club.
On Sunday, the motorists drove and rode through Letts Gully to Galloway, enjoying lunch at the Galloway Hall.
The cars were made from 1900-14 and included a 1910 Stanley model 71 steam car, known as a Stanley Steamer.
Mr Kidd said the group was formed on the coat-tails of the 100th anniversary of the TSS Earnslaw steamship in 2012 and provided members with ‘‘occasions to exercise our cars’’.
Andrew Sim (81), of Methven, said his pride and joy was a 1906 Cadillac he bought in 2012.
‘‘I just wanted a single-cylinder car,’’ he said.
The vehicles were capable of speeds upwards of 40kmh, although the Stanley Steamer had some difficulties on steeper hills.
Shirley Shadbolt, a vintage car enthusiast with her husband Tim — no relation to the Invercargill mayor — cautioned that the related top speeds might be hopeful.
‘‘It depends a lot on whether it’s downhill with a back wind.’’
- Tracie Barrett
