Bangour and Sighthill

[h0m3sy]

Does anyone remember racing at the old Bangour Village Hospital near Broxburn and the track next to the Sighthill Hotel? I started my racing at the Bangour club about 25years ago, I also ran a few times at the track beside the Sighthill Hotel in Edinburgh. Would be good to hear from anyone who can remember these tracks.

[Mr Eccleston]

I remember both these venues, raced at both. Also raced in the old boat house under the FRB in South Queensferry before the Edinburgh club moved to Bangor Hospital.

[h0m3sy]

I only got back in to the off road racing in june last year, my last memories of it were these two venues. So much has changed since then. I first ran a Schumacher Topcat at Bangour, hard work on the polished floor.

[Dave77]

I remember Sighthill very well. It was a bit bumpy iirc.

I also recall racing rallycross with my Schumacher CAT and previously my Optima Mid.

I have some photos somewhere that I will try and find.

[Mr Eccleston]

I'm sure the Tamiya BigWigs came out about the same time as Bangor, also the original Cat was launched. Also remember the Kyosho Optima coming out a bit later, with it's original chain drive.

[h0m3sy]

I wasn't long in upgrading to the CAT after struggling with the 2WD Topcat at Bangour. I remember racing up at Dunfermline as well, think I was racing a Kyosho Lazer ZX by then. Also the Scottish National round that year at Dumfries.

[GBH]

I have a video which I copied onto DVD of my first time racing at sighthill in 1986

Mostly RC-10 running although I believe Gordon Gillan was running the first CAT in Scotland which on it's first outing was not very good.

We were all racing stcok motors back then as well!

[h0m3sy]

Get the dvd posted up on here

[traffman]

I remember racing at bangour with andy dunn an jim wylie. Loved that hall.

[StevieD]

Not heard that name in a while jim wylie. Was that when you had hair as well paul.

[stulec52]

First off road race I went to was a 4 hour endurance race in 1984 @ Sighthill !
It was there a few of us talked about doing an inter cities series the following year and that's where the Scottish Championships came from, with that first race being down at Dumfries, and Edinburghs race aso being at the hotel.
I have at least 1 picture from 1985 of the racers, will try to post it.
There's actually a few of the racers from that year on Facebook, it's been great to catch up with some.
Not sure how many are still racing though, I am, although only occasionally, but did make an A main at the weekend at our big indoor event here in Calgary.

[traffman]

Originally Posted by StevieD

Not heard that name in a while jim wylie. Was that when you had hair as well paul.

Ha , buying a toupee at the weekend.

[h0m3sy]

Originally Posted by stulec52

First off road race I went to was a 4 hour endurance race in 1984 @ Sighthill !
It was there a few of us talked about doing an inter cities series the following year and that's where the Scottish Championships came from, with that first race being down at Dumfries

I remember that first Scottish Championship meeting in Dumfries as it was my first proper championship race, I had the Schumacher CAT then, happy days....

[stulec52]

Originally Posted by h0m3sy

I remember that first Scottish Championship meeting in Dumfries as it was my first proper championship race, I had the Schumacher CAT then, happy days....

I think your memory is playing tricks on you !
CAT wasn't out yet.
I know Jimmy Hamilton won that race with a Yokomo which was a 4wd car, but he ran it without the chain (something I only just found out last year)
I think Jimmy Mac was 2nd? he ran an AYK car I think.
There were a lot of Kyosho 2wd cars too.

here's the pic I have from Dumfries in 1985, but not the first race. I think this one was August or September, taken by Jimmy Mac.
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...175_7877_n.jpg

[stulec52]

I have a tagged version of this picture on Facebook, so I think we know who everyone is.
Also, hopefully you can make out the cars, some great old cars there.
Mine was a Kyosho Beetle.

[h0m3sy]

Wasn't '85 I was there, a couple of years after this I think it was, deffo ran the CAT at the event. Great pic, be good if anyone else has some oldies they could post up.

[stulec52]

GBH sent me a copy of that video from 86, Thanks again George!
it was great to watch, in fact Jimmy Hamilton REALLY wants to watch that, I should make a copy for him.

there's a few guys from that picture actually still racing, myself included.
I never knew that almost 30 years ago I still consider some people in that picture to be friends.
In fact my facebook friends list has over 80 people I have met through toy car racing over the years !

[GBH]

Hi Stuart,

Good to hear your still watching the DVD and racing. I still have the Video but I can not find the DVD copy. That was the first race in Scotland for the CAT being Driven by Gordon (front row of the picture sporting what looks like a broken arm) and I believe it was 1986 and was the last big meeting of that year (Stuart can you confrim from the DVD?). The picture is a few years older and before I started racing and way before the CAT appeared.

Take care all,

George