Club of the Month

This year’s meet, held at the new venue of Tanfield Railway, attracted 115 Landys

Who are the North East Rovers Owners Club?

Vehicle meets aren’t anything new, I’m guessing since the car was first on the roads meets have been organised by owners right down the years. Car meets are normally thought of as something classic car or single marque car enthusiasts hold. Or when it comes to Land Rovers mostly for Series models or even more specialist models. But of late they seem to have become more popular with enthusiasts of all makes and models of Land Rover, from the older to the newer ones: they are all turning up together. I must admit I do like these meets – they are a great way to spend a relaxing day. Talk green oval with other like-minded enthusiasts and look at Land Rovers. What is there not to like? And as a bonus you often find they are held at venues with other interesting attractions as well.

For a couple of years now the North East Rover Owners club have organised an annual Brass Monkeys at the Station Land Rover Meet. Last year’s meet attracted some 123 Land Rovers of all types with many vehicles from local clubs attending. This year the meet moved to a new venue at the Tanfield Railway, which along with steam trains and other railway-related stuff, also has the world’s oldest working railway shed dating from 1854. Land Rovers and old trains it was a day out that’s hard to fault.

This year’s Brass Monkeys at the Station attracted 115 Land Rovers of all types and ages too, from the latest Discovery to a couple of early Series I 80-inches and just about every model in between. Several clubs attended the meet to support NERO, with solid line-ups of vehicles from the Yorkshire LROC club members, the Lake District Meet Group, Series II Club, OLLR, NE4X4 and Cumbria Classic Land Rovers. With a few hardy solos even camping over on the Saturday night, taking the real Brass Monkey approach to a cold January Land Rover Meet. Brave indeed.

I must admit I thought I was going to feel out of place arriving in the Freelander 2, but as I was welcomed into the railway yard by one of NERO’S organisers Paul Walton, I was quickly made to feel right at home as there were several Freelanders already lined-up along with even newer Land Rovers. In fact, I parked the Freelander 2 next to a Discovery 4 and opposite a new Evoque, then a soft-top 90 came in and lined-up next me.

First order of the day was a walk round looking at the various Land Rovers and catch-up with friends I’d not seen for some time. It was a good collection of vehicles with Land Rovers still arriving right up until the early afternoon. And once you had enjoyed all the Land Rovers, you just had to go and look round the collection of railway stuff including several trains undergoing restoration. Or take a six mile round trip rail journey pulled by a steam loco over the country’s oldest railway bridge. Old railways and Land Rovers just seem to mix together so well. It was a great day out and a big thank you to everyone involved from NERO – it’s definitely another event that’s on my calendar of must-do events for next year.

Details of the Brass Monkeys at the Station Land Rover Meet can be found on its Facebook page and information of the Tanfield Railway can be found on its website tanfield-railway.co.uk.