Devizes & District Motor Club’s Classic Tour, or Touring Assembly, ran on Sunday 2nd August 2026. We struggled a bit for entries this year, for a variety of reasons and, on the day, we expected 34 cars to start from the Royal Wootton Bassett Rugby Football Club but, due to illness, this went down to 32, seven of which were D&DMC crews that will get them all a few points in the Club Championship!
First to be flagged away by Wilber, the Wiltshire & Bath Air Ambulance mascot was a 1965 MGB, the first of 7 MGs, and then we had 6 Triumphs in various guises. Unusually, we only had one Morgan and one Austin-Healey this year, along with a couple of Minis, a Jaguar F Type and a Jaguar E Type which sadly didn’t make it back to the finish at the Rugby Club for the evening meal. Other cars included a 1954 Morris Minor, a 1966 VW Beetle, a 1963 Hillman Super Minx and, bringing up the rear, a Marlin Roadster built by its driver 40 years ago!
The route went North round bits of Swindon people never knew existed, before turning back South along the Western Edge of the Vale of Pewsey to Aldbourne and then heading East along the Southern edge of the Lambourn Downs. Finally passing photographer Robin near RAF Welford before a halfway lunch halt at the West Berkshire Classic Vehicle Show at the Newbury Showground. We make a donation to the Blood Cancer UK charity for which this event raises funds. After lunch, the route went South towards Newbury and then West following the Kennet Valley to Savernake Forest before returning through the new housing estates South of Swindon to the finish.
We contribute to a scheme administered by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs Ltd to offset our carbon and use the rallies info paperless entry and administration system (rallies.info Home), but we do provide a printed roadbook as we don’t think people should be expected to navigate on their phones. Rally plates are provided by Paul at Macro Motorsport.
This year’s Tour raised over £200 for Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance, the Club’s nominated charity.
Jill Shepherd