Woodvale Rally organisers bid to bring 2013 event back to RAF base

By Natasha Young, The Southport Champion

ORGANISERS of the Woodvale Rally are hopeful that it can return to its RAF airfield home next year, amid fears that having to find a new location could spell the end for the event.

Earlier this year the annual two-day festival of aircraft and motoring displays and demonstrations, as well as camping and family attractions, was forced to make a last minute move to Southport’s Victoria Park after asbestos was discovered at the RAF Woodvale site.

The 2011 Woodvale Rally at its traditional home at RAF Woodvale

As the dates for the August event were moved back to July, and the new venue meant that some of the attractions such as flying displays could no longer take place or had to be scaled back, the team behind the rally remained determined to put on a good show.

However, the event brought a financial blow for organisers as it only took around a third of its usual takings on the gate, and the loss of some popular attractions is thought to have put some regular visitors off.
Rally manager Peter Wood has now confirmed to the Champion that they are waiting for a report to by the Ministry of Defence to arrive any day, which will determine whether or not asbestos-hit RAF Woodvale is now safe to be used for such an event.

If the report, which is being put together after Southport MP John Pugh raised the issue in parliament, confirms the airfield is safe, Mr Wood said they will aim to take the rally back to the site.

"The thing is the who event is built around RAF Woodvale, and we need a runway," said Mr Wood.

"We hope we can go back because if we can’t get back it could be the end of the Woodvale Rally."

The 2012 Woodvale Rally at Victoria Park in Southport 

Since this summer’s Victoria Park event, Mr Wood said other locations such as Leisure Lakes and the Riverside Caravan Park have been considered for 2013, when the rally will be in its 42nd year, however organisers are keen to maintain the character and all the popular features of the event.

He added: "The only other site we could use is Leisure Lakes , but it’s not the same and it wouldn’t be the Woodvale Rally.

"Victoria Park was a nice site but the problem was we couldn’t have the model aircraft so people didn’t go."

As the organisers continue to secure the future of the Woodvale Rally, they are still getting preparations underway for a 2013 show by booking stalls and attractions.

"We’ve got to keep the ball rolling in the hope we can get Woodvale," said Mr Wood.

"People have been coming to the event from all over for 40 years. They love it."

Woodvale Rally organisers "confident" of return to RAF Woodvale for 2013

PLENTY of you have got in touch about this year's Woodvale Rally, which for the first time in its forty year history wasn't actually held in Woodvale.
Thanks to everyone for your comments about this year's show, which was held this year not at its traditional home of RAF Woodvale, but at the home of the Southport Flower Show, at Victoria Park. From the feedback both on Life On Cars and at The Champion, the Victoria Park event has definitely had a mixed reaction from visitors - some loved it, others, like yourself, didn't find it as impressive as previous years.

The organisers have, however, told me since the event that they are 'confident' this year's Woodvale Rally will return to RAF Woodvale for the 2013 event, although probably the best bet is to check with the official website at www.woodvalerally.com for any official announcements about next year's show. If I hear anything, however, I'll post it on here as soon as I can.

On another note, here's some more pictures from the show, which were taken after I'd cleaned the dust on my camera lens which made the first lot of shots look a bit weird and hazy to the untrained eye:

2012 Woodvale Rally at Victoria Park, Southport

IT MIGHT have been held at a different venue for the first time in forty years but the organisers of this weekend's Woodvale Rally have been determined to give visitors the same offering of full-throttle attractions.

Visitors to Victoria Park in Southport - better known for the town's annual flower show - might have been offered a physically smaller venue than the Rally's traditional home at RAF Woodvale, but fans of classic cars and bikes were still treated to an eclectic variety of vehicles from decades gone by.

Scarisbrick couple John and Jean Fagan, whose lovingly-restored Morris Minor was featured on Life On Cars last month, won second prize in the show's concours competition.

John told Life On Cars: "It's the first time we've been to the Rally, but it's an absolute delight seeing all the old cars here - they're all absolutely beautiful.

"It really is a nice place to be and a great show to go, so I'm sure we'll be making a point of visiting each year from now on."

Alongside the scores of classic cars and bikes which made the trip to Southport for the show, visitors could also check out a World War Two Spitfire with regional connections, trade stalls, dance and music displays and specialist shops at the Victoria Park venue.


Life On Cars, as ever, has paid a visit to the Woodvale Rally and took these pictures at the event:

The event continues tomorrow (Sunday, July 29), so there's still time to catch up on the attractions. For more on the Woodvale Rally see next week's edition of The Champion, published Wednesday, August 1.

Happy birthday Life On Cars! Eagle-eyed readers might have spotted that it's exactly three years since this blog went live (even if it was a couple of weeks later before the column got printed in The Champion). The anniversary hasn't gone unnoticed, but seeing as the blog is also verging on publishing its 500th article I'm working on something a bit special for article number 500. Watch this space in a couple of days...

Woodvale Rally 2012 - an update

An official statement from the organisers of this year's Woodvale Rally regarding the change of venue:

A routine site survey at RAF Woodvale has found as of 11am Wednesday, May 30 that asbestos has been discovered at the airfield.

The survey has revealed that World War II buildings, which were demolished and buried have now found their way to the surface and contain asbestos. For health and safety reasons organisers of the Woodvale Rally are relocating the event to Victoria Park with the new dates of Sat and Sun July 28 and 29. 

General Manager Peter Wood said: 

“Although we are disappointed that we are not able to use the airfield after so many years we are more than happy with Victoria Park as a venue. Most attractions will go ahead as usual. The Southport Flower Show committee have been marvellous in accommodating the rally at Victoria Park.

“The 2012 Rally will have the benefit of a town centre location with free bus transport from Chapel Street station and free parking in Princes Park. The 2012 Rally will adapt to the new venue and will provide most of the usual events and attractions.”

Public camping will go ahead and we will contact all people who have already booked.

To see today's earlier post click here.

Woodvale Rally to be held at new venue on earlier date

EAGLE-eyed readers might have already spotted something unusual on our Events page about this August's Woodvale Rally. This year it isn't being held in August. Or in Woodvale, for that matter.

For all sorts of complicated reasons better left to the hard-nosed news bit at the business end of The Champion the event can't be held at the RAF airbase this summer, meaning that the show's now got an earlier date (July 28 and 29) and a different venue (Victoria Park, which visitors to the Southport Flower Show will already be familiar with).

As one of the many, many classic car fans who've headed there year on year to show off their pride and joy at the Rally it's a bit of a shock to the system, but despite the setbacks the organisers have still got my support. The show, as they say, must go on! The Woodvale Rally has long been one of the highlights of my motoring year because it gives enthusiasts the chance to check out hundreds of classic cars, bikes and other machines in a nice, friendly atmosphere which provides a fun day out for ALL the family. Behind the rows of Rover SD1s and owners' club flags there's fairground rides and stalls selling sunglasses and handbags, so you can leave your other half or your kids to wander around to their heart's content while you take fuzzy photos of old Jags. It is big fun.

Over the years I've enjoyed all sorts of perspectives of the event; I've been there not just as a showgoer, but as a litter-picking cub scout, as a venture scout pointing motorists to the car park, as someone who's offered a helping hand with the model railway tent, as a Champion journalist reporting on it and - most proudly of all - as a classic car owner exhibiting there.

I‘ve been to Woodvale pretty much every year since the early Nineties and still come back with a smile on my face, with the exception of the ‘95 event when - while litter picking with the cub scouts - I managed to fall over and came back with a gaping great big gash on my knee instead. That exception aside though the sunshine, the radio-controlled aircraft, the banter with the classic car owners, the hamburgers, the vintage buses that connect them all are what make it what it is - I love all of it.

Only time will tell whether the Woodvale Rally will prove just as enjoyable at a different venue on an earlier date, but that doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to it.

Why 2012 is shaping up to be a great year for events

IF ancient Mayan tradition and a rather poor disaster movie are to be believed then 2012 is going to be your last year on Earth.

Luckily, there's more than enough in the way of motoring events to keep you going over the next year, which is no mean feat given 2011 was a bit of a bumper year for car and bike shows in itself. Whatever your tastes you're bound to find something to look forward to later this year.

For starters there's another Woodvale Rally to look forward to, although when it takes off at RAF Woodvale near Formby on August 4 and 5 the organisers will have the tricky task of topping last year's magnificent Battle of Britain flypast, which at last year's 40th anniversary event literally stopped the show in its tracks. The good news is that I haven't been to a bad Rally yet, and with the show's usual blend of cars, bikes, planes and traders it doesn't look like there's one on the way.

A classic car event with a charity twist also returns to the region later this year, when the Lydiate Classic Car and Bike Show returns to the village's parish hall. All proceeds from the event go to Cancer Research UK, so you get to help a good cause while checking out a great selection of cars and bikes from years gone by.

There's also tantalising talk - but as yet no firm confirmation - that a repeat of last year's Ormskirk MotorFest is on the cards, with a provisional date of Sunday, August 26 for the full throttle event. Of all the events I went to last year, this was by far the one most enthusiasts told me they'd love to see happening again. With last summere's event offering up the surreal sight of a Ferrari Enzo, a SEAT touring car and a 40-year-old F1 car roaring around Ormskirk's one way system, I completely understand why.

And if you're prepared to jump into your car and drive a little there's a wealth of shows right across the north west, with everything from the Cholmondley Pageant of Power in Cheshire, the Totally Transport Festival in Blackpool, and every bike show, autojumble and indoor exhibition you can think of in between.

All you need now is some sunshine!

If you've got a motoring event taking place in 2012 you'd like to share with Life On Cars get in touch with us by sending an email to david.simister@champnews.com or call 01704 392404. For a full list of events visit www.lifeoncars.blogspot.com

Woodvale Rally: Day Three

THE stirring sight of a Lancaster bomber, a Spitfire and a Hurricane flying side by side was just one of the treats in store for those visiting the Woodvale Rally today.

Even though weather which proved wetter than yesterday meant proceedings got off to a damp start, by mid-afternoon the event was in full swing with the sun shining down on the many exhibitors hoping to head home with one of the many awards up for grabs.

This video from the 2011 Woodvale Rally will appear on The Champion website later this week to tie in with our newspaper report of the event, but click below for a sneak preview:

Life On Cars also took these pictures of today's event at RAF Woodvale:























I'd also like to point you in the direction of this excellent video of the military procession through Southport yesterday - featuring entrants from the Rally - which has just made it onto YouTube:

A full follow up of the 2011 Woodvale Rally will appear in the next edition of The Champion (published Wednesday, August 10).