Many SADCASE members arrived early at the annual Cranleigh Show, possibly taking into account the lessons from previous years or following the guidance provided in our monthly newsletters. Access before 8.30 am was quite smooth, but there could be some waiting during peak entry times. Initially, we were designated to be situated in Zone "D," similar to last year near the covered barn. However, for reasons unknown, we were instead allocated a prime spot in Zone "A." This might be attributed to the substantial turnout of SADCASE members being one of the larger groups. Initially, we arranged our vehicles in a straight line as per Cranleigh's instructions. However, we had to rearrange the parked cars moving them all forward by a car's length to make space for the Sunbeam Tiger club. We are a considerate group of people!
As our members continued to arrive, it posed a challenge in finding parking spots. Eventually, we managed to organize around 50 cars, or possibly more, into three separate lines. Once completed we were then able to explore the many food and drink stalls for breakfast located to the south of the field. Throughout the morning and early afternoon, classic cars from all types and eras continued to trickle in. Most of these were then directed to park in Zone "Z," which was reserved for individual entries not affiliated with a car club. To secure a larger area next year with the organisers to accomodate all SADCASE members , we would ask that if possible your entry is submitted by June 30th registering as a SADCASE member.
The event offered a multitude of attractions at the arena, including an auction and diverse car-related demonstrations that held the attention of audience. The breaks between the arena events allowed many to visit the large number of motor related stalls. There were a number of well stocked motor car related stalls with many bargains especially if you had the right car. The raffle was particularly impressive. The top prize was a pair of Goodwood Revival tickets. However, the announcement of the winners took place at 4:00 pm, by which time a substantial queue of vehicles had formed as usual leading to wait times of up to an hour to exit the venue. Opting to leave just before 4:30 pm, we experienced a significantly improved exit time of around 10 to 15 minutes.
As usual, the show, thought by many to be the largest classic car show in the south was a resounding success, allowing a good sum of money to be donated to charities and affording SADCASE members the opportunity to mingle with other groups, enjoy live music from an excellent rock band, discover excellent dining and beverage options, relax in the field, and, of course, witness a good number of interesting events at the arena. A good entry for your 2024 Diary. See you there.
