A CELEBRATION WORTHY OF AN ICON LAND ROVER LEGENDS AT BICESTER HERITAGE

A CELEBRATION WORTHY OF AN ICON LAND ROVER LEGENDS AT BICESTER HERITAGE

A fascinating and diverse collection of several hundred Land Rovers amassed at Bicester Heritage last weekend (May 25/26), making the immaculately-preserved former WW2 bomber station the place to be for fans of this iconic marque. Land Rover Legends was a Land Rover event like no other, showcasing the very best examples, from original vehicles to renovated and restored cars, including prototype and pre-production vehicles, production models, rare conversions, military derivatives, bespoke conversions and much more, from the 1948 Series 1 to the very latest models.

The event broke several records, including that for the largest-ever gathering of the SAS ‘Pink Panthers’ (Land Rovers converted to SAS desert duty specification for MOD special ops missions) and the largest-ever gathering of the ultra-rare 100-inch wheelbase Land Rovers. It also showcased the enormous affection in which the marque is held by people of all ages, with thousands of visitors young and old and from around the globe travelling to Bicester Heritage to immerse themselves in all-things Land Rover. Many arrived in their own Land Rovers, and became part of the show by parking in special dedicated display areas, while many opted to camp on site, with the camping ground forming an impromptu display of the suitability of the marque for al fresco sleeping, with everything from Land Rovers converted into motorhomes to some splendid roof tents perched atop Land Rovers of all ages.

The world’s leading Land Rover collection, the Dunsfold Collection, brought a range of very special vehicles for display and, in addition to the main exhibits and demonstration vehicles, 20 major Land Rover Clubs booked space for the event.

With special anniversary and club displays, daily parades celebrating four key Land Rover anniversaries and even period dancing displays to music provided by - what else? - a Land Rover-based DJ, it really was a festival to remember. This was also the first year in which dogs were allowed to attend the event and, judging by the number of wagging tails, Land Rover ownership and dog ownership often seem to go hand in paw!

National Land Rover Awards

During Land Rover Legends a panel of experts were inspecting the finalists in the National Land Rover Awards, and the results were announced at the show on Sunday afternoon.

Martin Port’s 1959 Series II took the award for Most Original Vehicle. The vehicle has a fascinating history; from 1959-63 it was driven from Cape Town to London and was sign-written along the way, detailing the route taken. Much of the sign-writing survives. Charles Whitaker’s 1989 Discovery Prototype - the only surviving Discovery prototype in private hands - was Highly Commended.

Rupert Baron’s immaculate 1958 Series II won the award for Best Restored Vehicle. Rupert only acquired the vehicle late last year in a farm clearance sale; it had spent its entire 60-year life on the farm and was almost completely original, a quality Rupert has striven to maintain in a careful restoration. James Clough’s 1987 Land Rover 90 V8 - which he has owned from new- was Highly Commended.

The award for Best Bespoke Vehicle went to the glamorous 1981 Range Rover Classic Convertible. Now owned by David Barker it was commissioned by Roger Taylor of Queen at a cost of more than double the list price of the standard model. Adrian Thompson’s splendid 1963 88" Forward Control Fire Appliance, which has served with Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade, was Highly Commended.

The show award for Best Club Display (sponsored by Land Rover Monthly magazine) went to the SAS Pink Panther Register, with the Land Rover Series 2 Club Highly Commended. Dedicated Land Rover enthusiast and collector Barry Pocock won the Brian Bashall Memorial Award, in memory of the founder of the Dunsfold Collection, and Sebastien Conté, Pink Panther enthusiast and owner, received the Spirit of the Festival Award. While bringing several Pink Panthers across from France for the event he was first faced with having his trailer impounded by the authorities and then suffered punctures on his car transporter. However, in true Land Rover (and SAS!) spirit he didn’t give up, and he - and the Pink Panthers - made it to the event.

Land Rover Legends also brought the people behind the vehicles to Bicester Heritage, with on-stage discussions led by TV presenter, self-confessed petrol head and serious Land Rover enthusiast Mark Evans in the magnificent main exhibition hangar at Bicester Heritage. Each discussion focussed on one of four star cars, each representing a very special milestone in the history of Land Rover.

To discuss the 50th anniversary of the entry into service with the SAS of the Series IIa ‘Pink Panther’, Roger Jones MBE, who spent much of his Army career with the vehicles and is now Curator (Vehicles) at the REME Corps Museum, and Alan Bucknell (Land Rover researcher and enthusiast) were brought to the stage. George Thomson, David Evans and Michael Jones (all ex-Land Rover Design Studio, and involved with the creation of the P38A Range Rover and the first Discovery), Bob Allsopp (retired engineer who worked on the P38A) and Discovery and P38A enthusiast and preservationist Julian Lamb came on stage for discussions centred around the 25th anniversary of the P38A and the 30th anniversary of the Discovery. And Arnold Biber, who was involved in the evaluation trials of the 100-inch Land Rover by the Swiss military in the 1970s came from Switzerland to attend the show, and appeared on stage to discuss the 40thanniversary of the 100-inch prototypes with Paul Butterworth (recently retired from Land Rover) and Emrys Kirby (writer and journalist, dedicated Land Rover fan, and expert on the history of the 100-inch).

For more information please visit: www.landroverlegends.com.