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September
2011
September was a busy month for the region, with our annual Italian Run,
Technical Evening and a private tour of
The annual Italian run comprises a drive out to an Italian Restaurant for a good
meal and a bleather. Except this year,
somehow, we stopped at a non Italian Restaurant.
We where told that it used to be one, so that it still counts;
apparently. Anyway, it hit the right
spot, so who cares. Many thanks to
Mike Esson of Strastone Jaguar kindly hosted a technical evening with a
presentation by Peter Leake on the History of Jaguar Past and Present. Peter is Jaguar’s Dealer Training
Manager. This was a very interesting evening charting the history from the first
Swallow sidecar to the latest Jaguar XKR, how the name Jaguar came about, and
included a few anecdotes on Sir William Lyons and Jaguar’s new owner Ratan N
Tata. We also had the chance to see
the new XKR-S, some motorcar. Must
remember to write that letter to Santa Claus.
On 29th Jim Blackhall organised a private tour of
In August we held our annual Ladies Day run. This year we met at mains of Drum
for coffee and then set off for a circuitous drive to the Linsmohr Hotel,
Pitmedden for lunch. This time we
decided to give the Ladies the chance of driving our cars. After nice lunch we then visited
On the last Sunday of July we held our annual gathering at
As with previous years, the cars were judged in an informal concours
competition, with the following winners:
Earlier in the month a couple of the e type owners and friends also made the long journey to
Silverstone Classic on the weekend of 22nd to 24th with
our E-Types to join the other 1000 or so that turned up for the event to
celebrate 50 years of the model.
This was a great event and something to remember for a long time, and a chance
to drive around the Silverstone circuit was something not to be missed. I am sure there will be much written
about it over the next few months in the JEC magazine, but YouTube has some
impressive footage of the E-Type parade around the circuit. We could not believe the number of
E-types that turned up. Before leaving your car you just had to remember where
you parked it otherwise it took ages to find it again, there where so many. Quite the opposite to parking at the
local supermarket. Throughout the
weekend you could not drive anywhere within the vicinity of Silverstone without
seeing an E-type of some colour, shape or form. We are now looking forward to the 60th anniversary. We would also like to thank the JEC
staff (and the other Jaguar clubs), in their unstinting help at the event
organising the Jaguar contingent.
Equally well attended was the evening run up Strathdon to the Glen Kindie Arms
Hotel, on Thursday 26th May, where the landlord provided a fine meal.
Starting from Banchory we followed a delightful route along small rural roads
all the way to Glen Kindie, a real feat of route planning.
For July we have organised a social gathering on Sunday
10th at 2pm at Stuart Ellis's house near Westhill. Please
bring food and wine/beer etc. Further details available from Henry Riddoch.
As usual, full details will be given to all Grampian region members by email. If you are interested in attending
any of these events (and those for the rest of the year) please contact Henry
Riddoch who will be pleased to give you the details.
We held our first event of the year at our usual haunt, The Old Mill Inn
Maryculter, South Deeside. There was a good turn out by the club members and we
all enjoyed a few drinks and a hearty meal.
Our chosen charity for this year is Friends of ANCHOR and we were given a
presentation on the work of the charity by their fundraising representative
Fiona Pearson.
For May we have organised an evening run on 26th up Strathdon followed by a meal
in a local hotel. As well as the other
planned events we also hope to get a group together to attend Scottish
Jaguar Day on 26th at Doune Castle.
This should be an opportunity to show off our Jaguars and to meet the other JEC
Regions.
Details will be given to
all Grampian region members by email in due course. If you are interested in attending
any of these events (and those for the rest of the year) please contact Henry
Riddoch who will be pleased to give you the details.
April 2011
Our region Rep and chairman Jim Blackhall has now stepped down due to work
commitments, and has been replaced by Henry Riddoch. We would all like to thank Jim for
his unwavering support to the club as chairman.
Henry is also a long standing Jaguar enthusiast and we all know that he
will serve the Grampian region well.
All the organisation of events organised by the Grampian region is coordinated
by email.
All JEC members who you
live in the region (or in any neighbouring area out with the AB post code) who
have indicated that they wish to be included in the communication will receive
emails about the events that are being organised; normally a few weeks before
the event. Any Grampian regional member
not receiving email notification about events and wish to do so, please contact
our chairman at the email address above.
Once again the Grampian Region is offering a fully packed year of mixed social
and technical events.
So get those
Jaguars tuned up for 2011.
Please do not hesitate to contact Henry Riddoch if you have any queries
regarding any particular event. You are all welcome to attend.
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
Again our annual Spring Weekend Away was a great success, with a good turn out. Some 10 couples attended the event,
bringing with them their Jaguars ranging from E types through to the latest XJ. We set off from Raemoir Garden Centre,
Banchory
on Saturday morning, having refreshed ourselves with coffee for the journey, and
headed south down the coast road from Stonehaven to Brechin. If you are ever heading south and not
in a hurry, this route is a far more enjoyable one than charging down the A90. The coastal views are spectacular
with fine views of the Mearns. At
Brechin we stopped for lunch before heading through Forfar, past Glamis to our
overnight stop at Ballathie House Hotel.
Here we had a very enjoyable afternoon tea and an evening meal, complete
with the usual social banter. After
a peaceful sleep and wonderful breakfast we made our way home. We would like to thank Jim Mann for
arranging the weekend away and using his considerable negotiating skills to
procure a low rate for the overnight stay at such a prestigious venue.
May 2011