Benefit found in Belgium

Guild member Julian Parish has been in touch to tell us about a recent visit he made to the national car museum of Belgium, Autoworld Brussels.

Julian told us that the museum has a regular programme of different exhibitions – currently it is featuring Mercedes-Benz. “It’s easy to reach by Metro if you come to Brussels by train (Eurostar).

“They offer free entrance to journalists and were happy to accept my Guild membership card. You even get a free drink in the café, so I am enjoying a Belgian beer as I write this!”

The museum was founded in 1986, initially displaying the extensive automobile collection of the Mahy family, which at one time numbered more than 1,000 vehicles. Today more than 300 vehicles are on display at any one time – for more details check out the website.

Photo: Clemens Vasters/Wikimedia Commons

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Eric Dymock 1934-2026

Guild members will no doubt be saddened to hear of the passing earlier this month of renowned motoring and motorsports journalist and author Eric Dymock. Ray Hutton has kindly penned the following tribute to Eric.

“On a spring day in 1962, Jackie Stewart had arranged a private track session at Oulton Park. He recalls that he drove down from Scotland with three friends – a local golf champion, a motor trader and ‘Scotland’s newest motoring journalist’. On that day, Jackie decided to become a professional racing driver and the journalist was set to launch a career that showed him to be among the very best in his profession. His name was Eric Dymock.

Eric died on 18th January at the age of 91. It is fitting that only a year ago, his own publishing company should produce a new edition of the book that he co-wrote in 1970: Jackie Stewart World Champion. Eric’s journalism started with The Hamilton Advertiser – the Jaguar E-Type was one of his first road tests – but not long after the Oulton track day he moved to London to join The Motor. 

After three years on the road test staff, with weekends assisting the sports department, Eric took the bold step (for the 1960s) of leaving to become freelance. He travelled around Europe with the Grand Prix circus, reporting for The Guardian and others. His friendship with fellow Scots Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart gave him a head start with the racing community and his stories benefitted from a greater insight than his Fleet Street rivals.

In the following years Eric’s portfolio widened, with a general motoring column in The Observerand, subsequently, News International’s Sunday newspapers. He wrote scripts for TV motoring programmes from Thames TV, Australian Broadcasting and the BBC, including the first version of Top Gear, and was a regular contributor to Going Places on BBC Radio 4. 

While motoring editor of The Sunday Times, he revived and chaired the Fleet Street Motoring Group, an exclusive luncheon club which hosted captains of industry and the movers and shakers of the motoring scene.

Books of motoring history were a sideline at this busy time but in 1990, Eric and his wife Ruth established Dove Publishing to produce Eric Dymock Motor Books, a series of comprehensive marque histories, and other titles. He was awarded the Guild’s Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy in 1997 for Saab – Half a Century of Achievement and in 2008 for The Complete Bentley. 

Eric was particularly proud of Jim Clark, a biographical tribute published in 1997, so it seems appropriate that, in 2004, he was awarded the Jim Clark Memorial Award by the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers honouring Scots who have achieved excellence in the field of motoring.

Eric had a healthy scepticism of politicians and environmentalists and was never afraid to speak his mind. Always well informed, his writing combined the clarity of a good journalist with the friendly conversation of a true enthusiast. 

He was a precise and skilful driver, fast whenever the opportunity arose, and the perfect companion for those long-distance test drives that the more adventurous manufacturers staged in the 1980s and 1990s. I know, because he and I chatted and laughed our way to the ends of the earth – well actually, to the Arctic North Cape and across deserts in North Africa. Good times with one of the finest motoring writers of the era.”

Eric’s funeral will be geld on Thursday 26th February at Lea Fields Crematorium, Gainsborough Road, Gainsborough, Lincs DN21 5PL, starting at 12.30. The service will be followed by a gathering at The White Swan, Newark Road, Torksey Lock, Lincoln LN1 2EJ. Eric’s wife Ruth says that all are welcome – she can be contacted here. 

Click here if you’d like to donate in Eric’s memory

Jeff Bloxham kindly forwarded the excellent image below, showing Eric at the centre of a jovial gathering of colleagues at the Guild dinner in 2009.

Entries open for Big Day Out 2026

Yes, it’s that time again – the Big Day Out is ready to roll (writes John Griffiths). This year’s day of track action at Castle Combe circuit near Chippenham will be held on Wednesday 15th April and a link to the entry form can be found here. When completed please return the form either via email or by post to John Griffiths, 18 Old Ferry Drive, Wraysbury TW19 5EW.

The day has a new principal sponsor for 2026 – following many years of stalwart support from Alun Parry and Suzuki, for which we offer huge thanks, new to the UK brand Geely Auto has taken up the baton, its PR operation now led by another major supporter of the Guild, Simon Branney.

Thanks greatly to Geely, entry fees are unchanged from last year despite the circuit fees having almost doubled. So it’s £75 for Guild members, £125 for their guest drivers and £15 for passengers. These fees remain at an exceptionally low level compared with commercial track days – the Big Day Out is a strictly non-profit event, with any surplus that may arise being directed to the Guild Benevolent Fund.

Because of his extensive overseas commitments with his band A Saucerful of Secrets, we don’t yet know whether our President, Nick Mason, will be able once again to host another of his greatly-enjoyed end-of-play teas at his nearby home – a highlight of the day for us all (huge thanks Nick). What we are pretty sure of is that if our greatly-respected President can, he will.

As regulars know, Castle Combe allows a maximum of 12 cars on track in any one session. In order for all participants to have adequate track time (2 x 15 mins in the morning, 2 x 15 mins in the afternoon plus 2 ‘free’ sessions at end of play) the total number of drivers is limited to 60. 

Would all intending participants note that Guild members have first call on these places, and that only if driving slots remain vacant can guest drivers be accommodated. Past experience, however, suggests that such places are likely to be available and guest drivers and passengers will be heartily welcomed.

It is inevitable that some entrants may wish to make changes/substitutions to cars, Guild or guest drivers or passengers as the day itself draws near. We’ll do our utmost to accommodate, as in the past, but we do request they be minimised. Entrants may also enter more than one car, subject to spaces being available.

A reminder that helmets are mandatory on circuit. Please bring your own if possible – the circuit may have some for hire, with disposable liners. 

Final instructions will be issued a couple of weeks before the day itself. Please get your entries in as early as you can. There will be no formal closing date but a flood of entries in the final week or so won’t be all that welcome! The ‘final’ will cover timings, noise testing (under 100dB), the mandatory safety briefing, refreshment arrangements and other relevant details. 

Formal proceedings will start around 9am with the driver briefing and the circuit opening for first sessions at 10am. All drivers and passengers are required to sign on at race control, with drivers also being required to show driving licences.

Should you wish to arrive during the afternoon/evening before the event, the circuit paddock will be open until 6pm (latest!) and motorhomes/trailers are welcome to occupy it overnight, as per a normal pre-race meeting evening. At 6pm, however, the circuit gates will be locked, no ifs or buts.  

For others planning to arrive the evening before, there are four hotels within easy or relatively easy reach of the circuit: Travelodge (M5 services) and Premier Inn, Chippenham (both modestly priced) plus the Castle pub/hotel and Manor House Hotel, both in Castle Combe itself (the latter two a lot more credit card-melting). The Castle has 12 bookable rooms and an excellent restaurant, with lots of parking at the Manor House golfing hotel, which also owns the Castle. If enough participants book rooms, it may be possible to have an informal pre-event social evening/dinner there or at an alternative venue elsewhere. 

Entry fee payments should be made to the bank account of the Guild of Motoring Writers Ltd, sort code 20-72-33, account no. 90429309.

The Big Day Out is always a great deal of fun – if you haven’t joined us before, why not come along this year? 

Encouragement for aspiring authors

If your New Year resolution was finally to get round to writing a book, there will be words of advice and encouragement at the ‘Meet our Authors’ event being organised by the Michael Sedgwick Memorial Trust on the afternoon of Saturday 21st March at Bicester Motion.

‘Meet our Authors’ promises to be a relaxed gathering where writers and publishers whose work has been supported by the Trust will reveal how they go about producing a book and the highs and lows of getting it printed and on to the bookshelves. The intention is that there should be informal discussion involving the whole audience, so that first-timers can benefit from the experience of established authors and anyone interested in motoring history can enjoy. 

Speakers will include Guild members Michael Edwards, who has written and published a series of books on De Dion, Paul Skilleter, who needs no introduction as the Jaguar expert, and prolific motor sport author Ian Wagstaff. They will be joined by David Knowles, whose book on Syd Enever of MG has just been published. 

Guild member and MSMT Trustee Giles Chapman, author of more than 60 motoring books, and MSMT vice-chairman Peter Card will moderate the discussion – and make sure everyone gets a good hearing!

Guild Vice President Ray Hutton, who chairs the Michael Sedgwick Memorial Trust, told News Briefs that a number of those who attended the Trust’s Self-Publishing Workshop 18 months ago had said that they especially valued the personal contact with book publishing professionals.

“So we thought to arrange a more informal get-together,” Ray added. “Meet our Authors is a Saturday afternoon gathering where intending authors and others interested in motoring history can mingle with established writers and publishers and gain from their experience. And it will be held in the Hagerty Clubhouse at Bicester Motion, the epicentre of the classic and historic car world. Come and join us!”

The attendance fee is £12. Numbers will be limited, so if you would like to reserve a place, a booking form is available on the Trust website.

Onwards and upwards for Copacetic

Guild member Daniel Bevis has been in touch with details of his plans to grow and diversify Copacetic magazine, which he launched last summer.

“The success of Copacetic has been really encouraging,” Daniel said. “The aim from the outset was to create the sort of magazine that I’d want to read, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that apparently other people want to read it too!”

The publication focuses on modified cars of all styles, marques and genres, from home-built project cars to high-end restomods and everything in between, presented with beautiful design on quality paper stock as a premium coffee-table magazine. The line-up of contributors includes Guild members Trinity Francis and Tim Pitt, Richard Porter, Alex Goy, Helen Stanley, Antony Ingram and numerous other celebrated names from across the industry.

“Issue 5 is about to go to print, and I can confidently say it’s our best one yet,” Daniel continues. “It’s been a very steep learning curve, and we’re evolving a lot with each issue. Having been a freelancer for the last 15 years or so, I had pretty much no knowledge of how the actual mechanics of running a magazine as a business works – so I jumped in with both feet, took out a loan and just made it happen. 

“I had a lot of excellent advice, including invaluable and ongoing support from fellow Guild member Ian Robertson, and it seems to be working… the aim for 2026 is to make it profitable. Or at least, er, maybe break even at some point.”

Plans for the near future include a line of themed quarterly bookazines, the first of which will cover modified Fords, with further issues looking at air-cooled Volkswagens, Japanese cars and various other popular niches. There’ll also be a line of merchandise, including t-shirts, hoodies, stickers and all the usual treats.

“Another fun project we tackled at the end of last year was to produce Retropower’s new club magazine – meaning that Copacetic isn’t just a magazine, it’s a publishing house,” Daniel added. “We’ll be doing this for Retropower on a quarterly basis henceforth, and hopefully this is a service we can provide for other organisations, owners’ clubs and so on.”

Details of Copacetic can be found here.

Save the date – Big Day Out 2026

Get your diaries out! The Guild of Motoring Writers Big Day Out will return to Castle Combe Circuit on Wednesday 15th April (writes Guild Chair Simon Harris), with new to the UK brand Geely Auto confirmed as sponsor for the 2026 event.

 

As in previous years, the day will give Guild members – and invited guests where space allows – the chance to drive their own vehicles on the circuit, enjoying one of the UK’s best-known motorsport venues in a relaxed and sociable setting.

 

The format will follow recent Big Day Out events, combining track time with the opportunity to catch up with fellow members and guests away from the usual pressures of the working week.

 

Further details, including timings, booking arrangements and briefing requirements, will be published shortly in News Briefs. For now, members are encouraged to save the date.

Ticket to a little Guild history…

Friend of the Guild and former Genesis Motor Europe Head of PR Jon Walsh is a fan of scouring the likes of eBay and when he finds something of Guild significance he snaps it up and donates it to us. He turned up to the Dinner on 4th December with three small items of history. 

Younger members may not be aware that before the SMMT Day, the annual event where the motor industry’s latest releases were laid on for journalists to try out was organised by the Guild – these tickets are from 1963 and ’66 events at Goodwood and the 1969 occasion at Silverstone.

Which reminds us – amongst the selection of Guild merchandise on offer to members is the DVD showing evocative footage from the very first Grand Prix of the F1 World Championship at Silverstone in 1950, but the disc also includes coverage of a Guild test day at Goodwood.

At £11 it’s a bargain – more details are on the members section of the Guild website (click on merchandise) and you can order a copy by contacting general secretary Melissa Chadderton.  

Help shape future of Roadster! magazine

For the past three years, Guild Associate member Carl Purkins from Roadster! Magazine has been quietly developing a child-led platform to engage the Alpha Generation (ages 8–14) with motoring and STEM. 

The project began when Carl’s son, Sam, then aged eight, thought there should be a motoring magazine for children of his age. Together the duo set about trying to build one themselves.

Publishing three times a year, the project has just published its 10th print magazine. While the idea continues to develop, Carl and Sam both feel they have reached the limit of what they can achieve under their own steam.

The team has identified that the future of Roadster! is to transition to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), funded by grant funding and an industry consortium. This would enable the recruitment of a proper team and provide free distribution to schools across the UK. The duo see their back issues as a proof of concept, but it needs professional leadership and industry backing to really start to make an impact. 

To help the team decide on their next steps, Carl and Sam are asking for the industry to provide vital feedback in a strategic survey. They would really appreciate it if Guild members could take part in the survey and also pass on the link to their contacts to try to reach an audience who can really help them with the future of Roadster!

The link to the survey is here.

Ken Davies has the right spirit

Guild member Ken Davies was honoured by the team at Castle Combe racing circuit recently; marking his many years as Chair of the Wiltshire track’s Racing Club, Ken received the Spirit of Castle Combe Award from renowned motorsport journalist Marcus Pye.

Ken, who has been of great assistance to the Guild’s many Big Day Out events at the circuit, is standing down from the Chair’s role in 2026. We wish him well in taking things a little easier!

Thanks to Guild member Michael Stokes for the image.

Join a car-themed festive social

Richard Postins of Prova PR has been in touch with the Guild to tell us that all members are warmly invited to the Christmas edition of ‘Wheels & Wickets’.

“Think log pits, mulled cider, delicious pizza, festive cheer, some utterly gorgeous cars – and a trophy or two!” Richard says, adding that also present will be members of the Vintage Sports Car Club, the Amilcar Register and others.

The event takes place between 2-5pm on Sunday 21st December, at Chipping Campden Cricket Club, Station Road, Chipping Campden GL55 6LB.

Richard adds; “We look forward to seeing you there.”