Team CCW hit the road for the Croxley Green Classic Car Show

The CCW team take their classics to a huge summer gathering – but do they all make it trouble-free?

‘With the promise of thousands of classics to admire, team CCW needed no convincing to bring one of their own classics into work’

It’s been a couple of months since the team took their cars along to the Greetham Gathering, a local monthly mid-week meet in Rutland. Suffice to say that it very much whetted our appetite for what is one of the UK’s largest mid-week meetings – Classics on the Green, organised by the Watford and District Classic Vehicle Club.

With the promise of thousands of classic cars to admire, staff needed no convincing to bring one of their classics into work for the drive down south. In the interests of keeping things straightforward – previous drives to this event have seen contributors who shall remain nameless (Nick Larkin) inexplicably separating themselves from the convoy of classics only to find themselves hopelessly lost – we

agreed on the direct route. From Peterborough, we would head down the A1, on to the A41, before joining the M25 for a brief motorway stint, then turning off at the town of Rickmansworth.

The gates were due to open at 2pm, so the team assembled at Towers at midday to allow plenty of time for the 80-mile drive to Croxley Green (plus a break for lunch). The sun was shining and everyone was in good spirits. David and Mike threw back the hoods of their respective steeds, while Charlie revelled in the fact that his BMW’s air-conditioning would do a far better job of keeping him cool than the Webasto roof on Chris’ Triumph would.

With Chris at the front adopting a steady 60mph cruise, all six cars arrived at Baldock Services without a hitch. The second half of the drive was similarly uneventful, save for the inevitable classic car-spotting as we neared Croxley Green. A stunningly restored yellow Ford Cortina MkIV was one car in particular that everyone commented on after parking up.

The last time we travelled down to this event (in 2017) we found ourselves utterly drenched and leaving disappointingly early. There was a downpour this time too, though it only briefly interrupted our fun as we each went off in separate directions having spotted something rare and exciting to ogle.

The event is free to attend – organisers simply ask for a small donation to aid the local and national charities it supports, including Alzheimer’s Research UK and Prostate Cancer UK – and pre-booking isn’t required. As such, there’s a steady stream of arrivals throughout the day, as those who’ve spent the day at work make their way to the event.

This year marks the Watford and District Classic Vehicle Club’s 25th anniversary, so organisers were hoping for a strong turn-out and club chairman Chris Hardey reported after the event that more than 1500 classics had come and gone throughout the day, with over £4500 raised for charity.

Chris Hardey added: ‘It was our best event ever with vehicles queuing to get in when we opened the doors and hundreds on the green when we eventually had to shut down.’

The club will once again be inviting classics to join them at Croxley Green next month; this time on Sunday 16 September between 10am and 5pm.