Saved from the crusher – vintage car Bluebell takes to the roads of Caithness and visits Castle of Mey

The sun shone brightly around the Castle of Mey on Sunday as members of a vintage vehicle club paid homage to one very special car.

Starting at Scrabster Harbour, a convoy of classics took part in the Bluebell Coastal Run – a special event organised by Caithness and Sutherland Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club (CSVCVC) to celebrate the saving of a Standard 10 from being crushed under the Government's scrappage scheme.

Club member Tom Sayles, who was driving Bluebell on the day and is the person responsible for saving it, said: "This car was traded in by someone to Dunnets in Thurso against a Ford Transit when they had the scrappage scheme.

"I found the car had been put into Speedy Skips in Thurso and was about to be crushed. That's the wrong thing to do, I said, so I took it from them and put it into my garage. After speaking to Practical Classics and lots of other people we managed to get the DVLA to allow the car to stay on the road. That was about five or six years ago."

As Tom showed the basic features and fixtures within the pristine 1950s era vehicle, he said that it was actually in roadworthy condition when sent to the scrapyard. "Everything was as you see it today and it was ready to go through the crusher to be made into bean cans.

"At the time of the scrappage scheme people would have got £2000 for it against a modern car, or in this case a Transit. The previous owner had tried to find a buyer but didn't manage to sell it, so he just let it go as part of the scrappage scheme."

After the deal was done and the car purchased by CSVCVC, Tom said that it was displayed at a museum in Dundee and then at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu for around nine months. "It's been all around the country and in lots of magazines – it's a very famous car now."

The Bluebell Coastal Run gave other members of the CSVCVC a chance to see the little car in action as it went at a steady 35mph from Scrabster to Dunnett Head via Thurso and Castletown and then to Latheronwheel via Wick and Lybster. The Castle of Mey pit stop provided a pleasant brunch for club members and the chance to show off their vintage vehicles.

Tom said that there is still restoration work to be carried out on Bluebell such as putting in a new clutch and changing the tires. "The car's done really well today for something that was basically going to be scrapped. We had great help from a guy called Johnnie Miller at Sutherland's Garage who checked it all over before we set off."

He also paid tribute to Bob Alexander of the Scottish branch of the Standard owners club. "Without his enthusiastic support, we would not have been able to save Bluebell and achieve such national recognition."

Vice chairman of the CSVCVC, Les Bremner, said: "It's gone really well and we're surprised at the turnout expecting only a third of these cars. I'm overwhelmed but I think it's down to the fact that we've got Bluebell here. The lunch and everything has been really fantastic and everyone says it's been really good."

There is a Facebook page for the classic vehicle club at: www.facebook.com/CSVCVC

If you would like to join, annual membership costs £15 and family membership £20.

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