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The Flying Scotsman

HERO-ERA

3rd-6th April 2025


The Flying Scotsman 2025
Winners: William Medcalf/Ryan Pickering (Bentley SuperSports)
Photograph: © HERO-ERA/Will Broadbent

Organiser: HERO ERA

Date: 3rd-6th April 2025

Clerk of the Course: Guy Woodcock

Deputy Clerk of the Course: Andy Pullan & James Phillips

Route: 531 Miles (16 Regs, 16 Tests)

Start: Rudding Park, Harrogate

Finish: Gleneagles

Starters: 61


The fifteenth edition of the Flying Scotsman, the country's premier event for pre-war cars, started at Rudding Park on the edge of Harrogate. The start, and indeed the whole of the event, was run in sunny dry weather, a rarity on the Scotsman.

As well as the 53 contenders in the main event, eight crews were tackling a Lite Rally, an innovation for 2025. The Lite Rally contenders would just be contesting the event's 16 tests, but none of the regularities.

Proceedings started with a short 90 minute Prologue, consisting of two tests and a regularity. Indicating that they were going to be the team to beat, William Medcalf/Ryan Pickering (Bentley SuperSports) were quickest by one second on the opening test, that used the roads within Rudding Park. They were one second faster than Simon Arscott/Emily Anderson (Aston Martin Speed Model 2L) and Andrew Boland/Mark Bramall (Talbot AV105).

There were some delays for a number of crews on the first regularity, which used lanes around Lindley Wood and Swinsty Reservoirs. Farmers moving livestock at a couple of points caused a few to collect maximum one minute penalties at some of the timing points. The Bentleys of Sue Shoosmith/Trina Harley and Filip Engelen/Ann Gillis were amongst these.

In contrast, Stephen Owens/Ian Canavan (Jaguar SS100) managed to hit all three timing points exactly on time and added zero to their total over the section.

The second test was at Hildebrand Barracks and it saw Arscott/Anderson fastest, beating Medcalf/Pickering by two seconds. This meant that when crews returned to Rudding Park for the overnight halt these two crews were tied for the lead; with the tie-breaker being the age of the car, Medcalf/Pickering were in first place. John Lomas/Pete Johnson (Riley Sprite) and Flying Scotsman debutants Patrick Debussere/Remco Luksemburg (Dodge 6 Roadster) were tied for third place.

Medcalf/Pickering took a clear lead by beating Arscott/Anderson by a second on the test that opened Leg 1 the following morning. These two crews were the fastest of the field on the test.

Reg 1/1 was to the south-west of Ripon and had three timing points. Once again, Owens/Canavan were best, dropping just four seconds. Arscott/Anderson were on six seconds and moved into a three second lead as Medcalf/Pickering added eleven seconds to their total. The 2024 runners up, Kurt Vanderspinnen/Iain Tullie (Lea Francis Hyper) lost time on this section as they missed a slot left and picked up a maximum one minute penalty at TP 1/1C.

Tests 1/2 and 1/3 were on the wide open expanses of Dishforth Airfield. Medcalf/Pickering were quickest on the first, but only by two seconds from Arscott/Anderson, so the latter pair retained their lead.

However, disaster struck for Arscott's Aston Martin on Test 1/3; it lost its core plug. A spare was being carried, but this also came loose and the crew had to cut to the day end in the hope of machining a remedy. They were unable to do this and so were forced to retire from the event.

The airfield suited the Bentley SuperSport and Medcalf/Pickering were 19 seconds quicker than any other crew on Test 1/3, cementing a lead that they weren't to lose.

The Flying Scotsman 2025
Runners Up: Mike Farrall/Zach Burns (Jaguar Standard Swallow SS90)
Photograph: © HERO-ERA/Will Broadbent

There was one more regularity to contest before the lunch halt. This was in the Swinton Park area, to the west of Masham. Medcalf/Pickering put their stamp on the event by being best over the ten mile section, picking up just a one second penalty. This performance was matched by Mike Farrall/Zach Burns (Jaguar Standard Swallow SS90), who were now in fourth place.

The lunch halt was at Tupgill Park, near Leyburn. By this point Medcalf/Pickering had built up a lead of 40 seconds. Lomas/Johnson were in second place, eleven seconds ahead of Debussere/Luksemburg.

From Tupgill crews moved to nearby Catterick Ranges for a regularity and two tests. Debussere/Luksemburg missed a loop on the reg and arrived at the second timing point over a minute early; this cost them three positions in the overall standings. Richard Prosser/Bernard Northmore (MG VA Tourer) had bigger problems; they had to miss the rest of the Leg as they attempted to get a fuel problem fixed.

Medcalf/Pickering shared best performance on the regularity with Gerd Buhler/Maximilian Matt (BMW 327/28), both dropping just one second. The leaders were quickest on Test 1/4, but were beaten by Boland/Bramall on the final Catterick test.

Regularity 1/4 started at Whaw and ran over to The Stang. Engelen/Gillis were one of four crews to post the best performance of one second over this section, but the magneto on their Bentley then failed. Bill Cleyndert had a spare and gave it to the Belgian pairing. This gave them the hope of rejoining on Leg 2, however the new unit caused issues with the timing and, despite the false dawn, they were forced to retire.

A coffee halt and test were taken at Raby Castle. On the way there Bill Cleyndert/Georgia de Jong Cleyndert had the front brake shoes break on the Bentley 3-4½ Litre. They fitted new shoes and made the Time Control at Raby just within their time limit.

On Test 1/4 Medcalf/Pickering were once again fastest. Peter Moore/Kit Moore (Riley Special) had been leading Class 3 when their car suffered a propshaft failure on the Raby test and they lost the remainder of the Leg as they got the Riley repaired.

One regularity more completed the Leg, which was a three timing point seven mile section around Muggleswick. Alex Vassbotten/Tony Brooks (Alvis Fire Fly 12/70) put in the best performance here and this moved them into the top ten at the end of the Leg.

The overnight halt was at the familiar Slaley Hall. By this point Medcalf/Pickering were over a minute ahead of Lomas/Johnson, who, in turn, had increased their cushion to third place, which was now held by Boland/Bramall. Farrall/Burns were fourth, but were only a second ahead of fifth placed Buhler/Matt.

The Flying Scotsman 2025
Third Placed: John Lomas/Pete Johnson (Riley Sprite)
Photograph: © HERO-ERA/Will Broadbent

Leg 2 opened with a test in the grounds of Slaley Hall, and this was followed by a regularity that skirted the eastern edge of Keilder Forest. These took the route to two tests and a forestry regularity on the Otterburn Ranges. Boland/Brammall were best on the two Otterburn tests, while Vanderspinnen/Tullie dropped least time on the regularity. Lomas/Johnson lost 57 seconds when they overshot a junction and then reversed into a ditch as they tried to correct their error; despite this time loss, they were still in second place.

The route now entered Scotland and there was a regularity with a single timing point immediately to the south-east of Jedburgh, before the Kelso lunch halt. Four crews, including Boland/Brammall, reached TP 2/3A on time.

At Kelso Medcalf/Pickering had extended their lead to 2m27s, while Lomas/Johnson were now only ten seconds ahead of Farrall/Burns, while Buhler/Matt were just four seconds further back.

There had been a third retirement at the Bellingham morning coffee halt when the Talbot of Freddie Turner/Jonathan Turner suffered a head gasket failure. Also, on Reg 2/1, Brad Mottier/Stephen Taylor were halted by a lack of fuel pressure. They had to cut all the way to the Finish.

Two tests and two regularities made up the afternoon competition. Medcalf/Pickering were fastest on both tests and dropped just one second on the regularities, so ended the Leg with a lead of 2m45s.

Lomas/Johnson had once again pulled away from third placed Farrall/Burns, the two crews were now separated by 25 seconds, while there was a gap of seven seconds back to Buhler/Matt, who remained in fourth. Cleyndert/Cleyndert led a tight three way battle for fifth place, with Vanderspinnen/Tullie and Debussere/Luksemburg close behind.

From the overnight halt at Dalmahoy, crews embarked on the final leg that took the route to the Finish at Gleneagles. The Leg consisted of three tests and five regularities, although one regularity, Reg 3/4, was lost due to a non-rally related road traffic accident.

A delay in finding the correct route to TP 3/1B cost Cleyndert/Cleyndert 40 seconds and allowed their two close pursuers to get past for fifth and sixth places.

By the lunch halt, which was taken at Bachilton Barns near Perth, Medcalf/Pickering, despite easing their pace, extended their lead to over three minutes. Lomas/Johnson were 26 seconds ahead of Farrall/Burns, with one reg and two tests remaining. Buhler/Matt were 17 seconds further back in fourth.

The final regularity used lanes to the south-west of Creiff, in the Torlum Wood area. It proved to be decisive in the fight for second place. Lomas/Johnson caught two cars and then this convoy met a car coming in the opposite direction, this driver did not know how to reverse. They lost over a minute at the following timing point, this was enough to allow Farrall/Burns through into second place. It was a major disappointment for the Riley pair as they had been denied the runner up spot on the 2024 event due to mechanical issues.

The final two tests were at Strathallan Castle. Medcalf/Pickering were fastest on the last test to come home with a victory margin of exactly four minutes, giving the driver his fourth win on the Scotsman; all these victories having been achieved with four different navigators.

Farrall/Burns secured the runner up spot, finishing 35 seconds ahead of a disappointed Lomas/Johnson, who took third place. Buhler/Matt messed up the final test and this allowed Vanderspinnen/Tullie and Debussere/Luksemburg to move up one place each, finishing in fourth and fifth places respectively.

Federico Gottsche Bebert/Virgina Sodi (Alfa Romeo 6C Mille Miglia) led the Lite Rally throughout and finished with a victory margin of almost seven minutes.

The 2025 Flying Scotsman was dominated by William Medcalf/Ryan Pickering, with the driver winning the Test Pilot Award and the navigator securing the Clockwatchers Award.


WINNERS OF THE FLYING SCOTSMAN

  • 2009 - Paul Carter/John Bayliss (Bentley Derby)
  • 2010 - Paul Carter/John Bayliss (Bentley Derby)
  • 2011 - Andrew Davies/Jonathan Davies (Riley 12/4 Special)
  • 2012 - Alastair Caldwell/Catriona Rings (Alfa Romeo 6C SS Torpedino)
  • 2013 - Gareth Burnett/Jeremy Haylock (Talbot 105 Alpine)
  • 2014 - William Medcalf/Dave Kirkham (Bentley SuperSports)
  • 2015 - William Medcalf/Tony Brooks (Bentley SuperSports)
  • 2016 - Gareth Burnett/Martyn Taylor (Talbot 105 Alpine)
  • 2017 - Paul Crosby/Ali Procter (MG TB Supercharged)
  • 2018 - Gareth Burnett/Matthew Vokes (Alta)
  • 2019 - Bill Cleyndert/Leigh Powley (Ford Model A Special)
  • 2022 - William Medcalf/Andy Pullan (Bentley SuperSports)
  • 2023 - Paul Crosby/Ali Procter (MG TB Supercharged)
  • 2024 - Paul Dyas/Mark Appleton (Bentley Derby)
  • 2025 - William Medcalf/Ryan Pickering (Bentley SuperSports)

RESULTS