Rochdale Vintage and Collectors Car Club

17/04/2026

16/04/2026

With Gordon Rigg Garden, Home & Leisure Todmorden – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉

15/04/2026

Good morning everyone!
I trust you are all on good order this bright, Spring morning!
Here, complete with all available information, is notification of the Chadderton Car Show - for your consideration!

All the very best
Alastair.

14/04/2026

Hi there one and all!
It’s Tuesday afternoon - April 14th 2026.
It doesn’t seem very long since we were commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the loss of the Titanic and those unfortunate souls who perished that night - now 114 years long gone!!!
If you’re ever in the Colne area, a visit to the Wallace Hartley memorial on the main road through the town is recommended.
A few moments of silent reflection is the very least we
can do for this son of Lancashire, the band leader on board the Titanic that night.
He famously dismissed his co-band members when it became apparent that the ship was doomed.
But they all stayed - and played as the ship gasped its last, and headed to the bottom of the icy Atlantic! Wallace is buried in Colne Cemetery - his body retrieved after the sinking’

This post is just to let you know that I will be attending Rustival at the Gaydon Motor Museum this weekend in Fizz, my little Citroën C1.
I will post a report and some pictures after the event!!!!

12/04/2026

Here is some information “hot off the press” from Mike and Sue for members of the RVCCC!

Today we have finalised plans for our 8 day Scottish North Coast 500 road trip which is a 516-mile scenic route around the north coast of Scotland, starting and ending at Inverness Castle.
On our first day we will head to Loch Lomond, I know this area quite well having spent many days & weeks waterskiing on the loch over a 25yr period. Our first stop will be for lunch at Duck Bay marina, with spectacular views overlooking Loch Lomond. We then head north along the west side of the loch, calling in at The Drovers Inn, a 300yr old pub with many of its original unchanged features. As you enter the reception hall you are faced by a full grown, stuffed grizzly bear, an assortment of other animals and the assured feeling that this place is going to stay in your consciousness for a long time to come.
We then head to our first overnight stay at Tyndrum, before driving to Inverness for the start of our road trip, hoping that the fuel situation doesn't get any worse and is still readily available.

And a reminder to all members.
If you have any communications you wish to bring to the attention of members, this facility is here to help!
Just contact me - Alastair -
and we will sort the business out !!!
Many thanks.

10/04/2026

Hi there Rochdale Classic Car enthusiasts!!!
If you find yourself wondering how to pass some time this coming weekend - or any other free time, I have a recommendation for you - and it’s close at hand!!!
A short run out to Walsden gets you to Riggs Garden Centre - and a wonderful hidden gem of a museum!
Riggs Mill and Motor Museum is a glimpse into a World sadly long gone.
If, like me, you thrive on common sense and good old fashioned no messing around, you’ll be right at home here!!
A beautifully executed and laid-out meander down memory lane!
Cars from the dawn of the Motorcar right up to the 60’s!
And you’d be forgiven for thinking there is a hint of garlic and and good, strong Côtes du Rhône in the air! (There isn’t!)
It’s pure engine oil and that distinctive musty old car aroma!
But there is a heavy dose of La Belle France nevertheless!!!
I’m not going to give too much away!
The Collection spans decades and takes in all manner of technology - television, a lovely old red phone box, Police uniforms from another era!
I’m not going to put all the photos I took on this post - I’d rather you had the thrill of discovering the exhibits yourself!!!!
Here is “un petit peu” !
“Bon appetit!”

07/04/2026

Welcome to all those new followers and those who attended tonight’s AGM!
It was great to see you all!
It looks like we have a brilliant year ahead of us!!!!

04/04/2026

Good morning to friends of the Rochdale Vintage and Collectors Car Club!
May I wish you all a Happy and Peaceful Easter!
We are into April 2026.
And that marks the end of my first month “at the wheel” of this august instrument of communications - the RVCCC
page!
Our next club meeting in on Tuesday - 7th April - 19.30 hrs at the Success to the Plough, Marland.
For those of you who don’t know me or my motorcar passions, I have been a club member for a couple of years now.
But, I have an alter-ego! I am the proprietor and curator of the Bus Stop Model Motor Museum in Wardle.
It is a collection of some 6,000 diecast models - cars, buses, vans, coaches, HGVs, some aircraft, ocean liners - a handful of significant railway related models, a huge collection of TV and film related “stuff”, hundreds of Police and emergency service vehicles - British, French, Italian….. a massive number of Land Rovers, Jaguars, Citroen, Renault….
It is an archive of brochures and car related books!
It is a rich seam of information and has been nearly 60 years in the making!!!!!
I have my own dedicated page, which I use pretty much on a daily basis to share news and views!
Visits are by appointment, and limited to two people per session!
Now to the point of this missive!In future, during the weekend prior to our first Tuesday of the Month members’ get-together, I will give a little round-up of “What’s On at the Museum” here on the RVCCC page - just a flavour!
You are also most welcome to turn to the BSMMM page itself if you enjoy the content!!!
After all that, I’ll keep today’s “update” brief!!
The month has been a mixture of the old and the new.
A couple of restoration jobs and some reflections on exhibits that have been on display for some time.
Restorations included a lovely Pegaso butane tanker, by model maker JOAL of Spain from the 60’s. Just a gentle makeover really - a good soapy wash, followed by some careful paint “touching up”!
Next - a firm favourite here! The Corgi Chubb Pathfinder Airport Crash Tender from the mid ‘70s.
This one was tatty! More TLC required! The colour match proved a challenge - but blending orange and red paint solved the issue!
Another “ongoing” article covered a look back at Vauxhall and Opel products over the years. Vivas, the Astra GTE series 1, the Opel GT sports coupé of the 70’s - with its “trick” rotating headlamps - and my personal favourite - The Senator/Monza!!!!.
There have been brochures too…..
The Citroën Méhari - a plastic bodied 2CV6 based fun machine - ideal on the Cote D’Azure!
It’s written in French! Magnifique!
Also a brochure for the Peugeot 104 Z Sport Z! A long forgotten “warm hatch”! No competition for a fuel injected Golf, but a move in a sporty direction.
Keep watching - some lovely new models due in coming days!!!
A particular triumph was getting my hands on an early brochure for the original FIAT X1/9! Immaculate as the day it was printed in the mid 70’s - and on the quality of paper that spells Class!!!!
Time to sign off - and hope this has been of interest!

03/04/2026

Good morning fellow car enthusiasts!!!
I would l like to take this opportunity of wishing you all a Peaceful and Happy Easter.
Traditionally, this time of year has been a marker for the start of our Season of Car Shows.
I have a short list of jobs I wish to carry out on Fizz, my Citroën - and I am sure that many of you will be in the same situation!
“Drive It” day, Sunday April 26, is but a few weeks away! By then, Rustival at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon will be a memory.
That is my first outing - April 18!

“Drive It” day this year will be marked by the Club with a run out to Anson Engine Museum, followed by a visit to the nearby AVRO Museum.
Meet up is at Asda car park, Rochdale - 9.30 am
Members intending to join the event need to declare an interest by the next meeting!

That conveniently brings me to notifying you that the next meeting is on Tuesday, 7th April 19.30 hrs at the Success to the Plough, Marland.

Plenty more to come as the year unfolds!!!!
Keep safe!!!!

26/03/2026

Many, many thanks to all those who have taken the time to look at what is going on here at the Rochdale Vintage and Collectors Car Club.
I am humbled at the numbers of people interested in reading my scribblings, and delighted that you are prepared to join our conversations and adventures!
Rochdale has been given a bad press for many years - often obscuring the good that goes on day-to-day.
Time to help redress the balance.

Welcome to RVCCC!

26/03/2026

I have sent out invitations to a number of contacts who are associated with my Bus Stop Model Motor Museum Facebook site.
I would love to have you “on board” with the RVCCC.
It promises to be an interesting adventure, and I hope to bring you all some interesting “copy”!
We are in the early days of the season - but it is all looking very positive! Let’s hope the weather cooperates!!!!

I wish you all a warm welcome, and hope you enjoy coming along with us!!!!!

Alastair (Fitton)
Comms Officer, RVCCC

12/05/2025

Some pictures from our Cars in the Park Show on Sunday 11th May. The best in show prize voted by the public went to the Mini and Caravan.