(Click for Archives Click for 2008 Meetings  ::   [  SVVS in 2009;  Meetings held this year.  ]   ::

Please click on the picture or on the section heading to be taken to the fully detailed Event Page.
Normal formal internal meetings at the Hand-in-Hand would not be described here.

14

::[ SVVS Christmas Social - Hand-in-Hand, Box Hill - December 2009 ]:: One of the newer events which was added to the SVVS calendar a few years back continues to be a great success. The Christmas Social is get together to which ladies could come along with their husbands without having either to listen to boring talks on old cars or having to stand in drafty car parks watching husbands kicking tyres. Lovely grub was laid on by the pub and they must be complemented on the quality and the quantity. Great fun  was had  by all,  with a turnout  of  some 53  people.

::[ SVVS at Reigate Tunnel Historic Car Display - September 2009 ]:: The SVVS was again invited by the Reigate Business Guild to display our vintage and classic vehicles in old Tunnel Road above the Reigate Sand Caves in the support of the National Heritage Open Day Scheme. One of of our charity events. The event was held in conjunction with the Cave Society. The weather was nice to us again and resulted in a good turnout of visitors. Some ten proper SVVS cars attended, which included two nice  Bentleys. Once again our  presence  was  noted in  the  local press!

	:: [ SVVS Evening Meeting - Skimmington Castle - August 2009 ] ::  Skimmington Castle has traditionally been a venue with a very high member turnout and it was decided that as it is quite central to most, the venue would be repeated twice this year. The Skim is a pleasant olde worlde pub hidden on Reigate Heath. We again had reserved free use of one half of the entire car park to which we did do justice despite really quite lousy weather. It was very dark, windy and it rained most of the time. Not ideal environment to show off non waterproof machinery!
	:: [ SVVS Summer Picnic - Church Farm, Horne - August 2009] :: The Great SVVS Summer Picnic was held this year on a pleasant day at a very rural location of Julie & Bozi Mohacek's Church Farm beside the rather lovely St Mary's Church in Horne. As usual free drinks greeted the Members on arrival dispensed by Messrs Wright & Drew and Hotdogs cooked by Messrs Mohacek juniors and served by Julie. The Picnic coincided with the Arts and Crafts Festival held at the next-door Church of St Mary's Horne, to raise funds to repair  damaged porch roof.
	:: [ SVVS Evening Meeting - The Plough, Bletchingley - July 2009] :: The ever-popular meeting at the Plough on the A25 in the village of Bletchingley is normally one of our best attended meetings. There was concern that the grassy knoll had not been cut in time for us. In the event, they worked very hard to clear it for us but the rain poured down all day and thunderstorms had been threatened most of the day so that by the wet evening only the stalwarts came ! In fact only two cars were brave enough to go on the grass, others staying in the empty car park.

:: [ Ardingly Vintage Vehicle Show  - Ardingly, Sussex  -  July 2009 ] :: The Ardingly Show is not one that is noted in the SVVS calendar but is a Show that is attended by a number of our Members including our regular 'snapper' Tony Oakes who once again provided lots of interesting photos. This year it seems that it rained again as with most summer. The Ardingly Show  has many classes of vehicles including steam traction engines, veteran, vintage and classic cars, caravans, motorcycles, fire engines, vans, commercials, tractors and machinery.

:: [ SVVS Lunchtime Meeting - The Dog & Duck, Outwood - July 2009 ] :: The Dog & Duck is located on Outwood Hill in Surrey not far from the Outwood Windmill. A slightly reduced turnout of members which is becoming quite traditional for this venue, which is a shame because it is practically always a lovely sunny day when we come here. Highlight of the meeting was probably the regal arrival of John Chapman on his latest possession, an AJS Motorcycle. This is quite an unusual 1937 250cc machine with a  single cylinder but two exhaust ports  and  pipes.

:: [ SVVS Evening Meeting - The Six Bells, Horley - June 2009 ] :: No problems with suspected murders at the pub, as was the case a couple of years ago, so the pub was open to be serving beer ! However it seems the beer was hard to get and and thirsty drivers were unsated for a while.We did not have quite the usual turnout expected for this venue which is generally quite well attended. Main problem was the weather which had been very threatening throughout the day and drizzled. Hence  only  the  usual  very hardy  Members  were  to be  seen.

:: [ SVVS Lunchtime Meeting - Surrey Oaks, Newdigate - June 2009] :: If one were looking nominate a timeless English country pub then the Surrey Oaks in Newdigate would be high on the list. With its low beams-ouch-rambling layout, pleasant garden and variety of real ales, there can be no better place to while away a summer's afternoon. Weather at this venue is always at the very least good or otherwise brilliant.  Could do with more like it! This also seems a popular place for unveiling new cars.  Lovely  visiting  Ford  Popular  to match  that  of the  'convertible'.

::[SVVS Lunchtime Meeting - Plough & Furrow, Smallfield - May 2009]:: This is a new date and time for this venue. It has been bought forward and to lunchtime, and as it is located very much at the eastern edge of our catchment area, it does seem that it falls off the radar to many of our Members. Nice refurbished pub serving meals. This has to be the smallest SVVS meeting in the aptly named metropolis of Small field. Only four proper cars turned up. We came in our go-faster modern as we  had to  leave early, and  sorry if   I have  missed  some  latecomers.

:: [ SVVS Evening Meeting - Skimmington Castle, Reigate - May 2009 ] :: As is traditional, our summer evening season started with a visit to the Skimmington Castle, a pleasant olde worlde pub hidden on Reigate Heath. The landlord had once again ensured that no moderns crept into our half of the car park, and we ensured that we prevented all moderns coming in by occupying most of the other half. The Skim was shut for a prolonged period with credit crunch rumors but we were delighted to see it was only shut for a refurb,  and continues now as popular as ever.

	:: [SVVS Lunchtime Meeting  -  Wellhouse Inn, Coulsdon  -  April 2009] :: One of the new venues, a very olde-worlde beamed pub with a historic well. Seems it was the original St Margaret's well from which the local area Mugswell is named. Mentioned in the Doomsday Book but dates to a Celtic/Anglo Saxon settlement. This is one of the first outdoor meetings of the year, cars in mothballs, and generally the turnout is low. However a little better this year, and it must be said that the weather helped;  blue skies and warm.  Also nice to see some  new cars.
	:: [ SVVS Dinner - Russ Hill Hotel, Charlwood - February 2009 ] :: The Annual SVVS Dinner was held at the Russ Hill Hotel and was again a great success with some 70 Members attending. Most of the regulars were there resulting in the usual land-grab for the tables. Some have now got it to a fine art in preparing pre-printed Reserved cards. Although the Recession had resulted in smaller numbers, a lovely evening with good food and drink and very enjoyable company. The evening highlight was a very amusing talk by a glam  EasyJet  lady pilot.
	:: [ New Year's Day Lunchtime - Beehive, Woodhatch - January 2009 ] :: Our first 'unofficial' meeting of the year took place again at the Beehive which had been extensively modernised. The weather was dry but quite cold and the turnout of proper cars was quite minimal. Because of the weather many other members came in moderns and hid them round the back. Kicking of tyres in the carpark was minimal. We were also responsible for the consumption of quite a chunk of the pub's cooked lunches as many members took the opportunity to give wives a day off.

Return to Earlier Meeting Archive Page

Return to Home Page