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SlotCarMAG
FOR RACERS, COLLECTORS AND BUILDERS FESTIVAL SPECIAL EDITION 3
O F F I C I A L
www.slotcarmag.co.uk
B R O C H U R E
&
G U I D E
UK SLOT CAR FESTIVAL Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, Warwickshire
SATURDAY 17th – SUNDAY 18th MAY 2014 www.ukslotcarfestival.co.uk
SlotCarMAG
Contents www.slotcarmag.co.uk FOR RACERS, COLLECTORS AND BUILDERS
FESTIVAL SPECIAL EDITION 2 • 17/18th MAY 2014
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Welcome – from Roger Barker
Welcome to the 5th UK Slot Car Festival from Roger Barker, one of the magnificent team who have organised this weekend’s event.
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NSCC– The National Scalextric Collectors Club
The National Scalextric Collectors Club will again have a strong presence at the show. Why not pay them a visit and join up to this long-established club.
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Micro Scalextric – 1/64 Scale Scalextric
SlotCarMAG HO stalwart Andy Player looks back at 20 years of Scalextric in its smallest form. You can visit Andy and his team at the Festival.
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Restoration – Restoring Used Scalextric Cars
Time to dig those old cars out of the loft... Mark Scale shows how to bring those battered battlers back to life.
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Slot Drag – Blink And They’re Gone
Watch the lights! Split-second reaction, traction and a scale quarter-mile blast. Mr D introduces the straightline thrills of slot drag racing.
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Lofty England’s Flying Circus: – A slice of history:
Brett Jürmann brings us the history behind those racing Jaguars of the 1950s that look so good in slot car form.
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Keeping Track– A Race For All Men
OK, spare a thought for the “professional” club racer’s dicing wheel-to-wheel with each other in the various staged events throughout this weekend.
SlotCarMAG is an independent magazine for the Slot Car enthusiast. It is produced bi-monthly and available to purchase from either: www.pendleslotracing.co.uk (hard-copy, hi res digital) www.lulu.com/uk (hard-copy, print-to-order hi res digital with laminated cover) www.slotcarmag.co.uk (hi-res pdf download) For further information, please contact the publisher via email. Address opposite.
SlotRallyGB – Yes, YOU Can Take Part Too
The SlotRallyGB area has been a great favourite at the Festival, and it’s here again. Gareth Jex gives us the lowdown on this successful series.
Festival Map – You Know It’s Around Here Somewhere There’s plenty to see and plenty to try... So make sure you don’t get lost and, more importantly, make sure you don’t miss anything!
PCS 32– A Plastic Chassis Sensation
This is a neat little nearly-fit-all chassis. It’s a simple concept that might breathe life into some tired old cars you thought were past their sell-by date.
Viva España / Forza Italia – Continental Drift
Terry Smith from Gaugemaster takes a look at the huge slot scene in Spain, then and now, followed by Italy, home of the high-end competition giants.
Scaleauto – Interview with Ivan Basas
Scaleauto are striving to establish themselves among the top competition manufacturers. SlotCarMag’s Ric Woods caught up with Ivan Basas, the CEO.
DiSCA – Into the Digital Age
Gary Skipp describes the ideals and vision of the Digital Slot Car Association, which is designed to bring together and carry forward all forms of digital racing.
UK Club Listing – Yes, It’s A BIG Hobby
So you live in a small village with only the dog for company... surely there’s a club with like-minded people closer than you think?
PUBLISHING / WEB: Wayne Tooke: info@slotcarmag.co.uk EDITORIAL: Ric Woods: ric-woods@slotcarmag.co.uk ART & DESIGN: Marc Abbott: marc-abbott@slotcarmag.co.uk SlotCarMAG is printed digitally by LDP Ltd
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Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to accurately compile the information contained herein, SlotCarMAG or any of its contributors or advertisers accepts no liability for any errors and omissions or any inadvertent disclosure of any information not meant for publication. SlotCarMAG neither endorses or accepts responsibility for the reproduction of material supplied that is of sub-standard quality, such as photocopies, laser prints, pre-printed photographs, low resolution digital images etc, and reserve the right to refuse the use of such material, products or services of advertisers in this publication. Opinions expressed shall not necessarily be that of the SlotCarMAG. All information should be verified before being acted upon. Copyright: Contents of this magazine or our web site, cannot be reproduced in any way, shape or form without the written permission of the publishers.
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UK SLOT CAR FESTIVAL Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, Warwickshire
SATURDAY 17th – SUNDAY 18th MAY 2014
The 5th UK Slot Car Festival, sponsored by Scalextric Dear All, May I take this opportunity on behalf of the organisers to personally welcome you to the 5th UK Slot Car Festival. This year we are proud to announce that it has not only gained a principal sponsor in brand leader Scalextric, but has also grown to become a two-day event, now acknowledged as the biggest of its kind in Europe, and arguably the world. In 2013 around 2500 people flocked to the Heritage Motor Centre to enjoy the day. This is a far cry from a bar somewhere in Holland, where in 2009 a small group of enthusiasts sat round a table and during a discussion over the odd glass of beer decided that it would be a good idea to bring all elements of our wonderful hobby under one roof…from racers to collectors, scratch builders to scenery makers, major manufacturers to bespoke builders, all showcasing their own aspect from the world of slot cars.
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The first Festival took place in 2010 at Donington Park Formula One museum, which for those who don’t know was partly outdoors! The weather was extremely kind that day. Over a thousand people came…we knew then we were on to something! We also knew from the public reaction we needed to move the event indoors to bigger premises to allow it to grow. This led to a nationwide search for a suitable venue, with a motoring pedigree, which could host our event. That search brought us here to the Heritage Motor Centre, which is a world-renowned museum in a superb location. Here at the 5th UK Slot Car Festival, we have manufacturers and traders from the UK, Europe and the rest of the world to bring to you the very best on offer, from the smallest obsolete spare part to the biggest sets available… and just about everything in between. There is so much to see, do and enjoy here… so, as they say, please relax, and enjoy the greatest slot car show on earth. Roger Barker
The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
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“Live” at the Festival!
W
elcome to the 2014 Slot Car Festival, being held at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, and organised by Slot Car Promotions. We, the NSCC – or National Scalextric Collectors Club – are pleased to support the event with “NSCC Live”, a series of interviews and presentations with those important people in the slot car world of today. We have, of course, supported similar events in the past in our capacity as the only UK-based slot car collectors club, a position we have held for over thirty years. Indeed we are now in to our 32nd year as a slot car club. The club came about from very simple beginnings; it was originally formed in 1980 by a small number of collectors, with a common aim of promoting the hobby of slot cars generally, although back then it was largely Scalextric as the dominant manufacturer in the market. From the early days, and indeed now, the backbone of the club is the NSCC Journal, a monthly publication which now includes up-to-the-minute news from all the major manufacturers on new and forthcoming releases, information on kit and scratch building, eBay watch and, of course, members’ articles which can include anything from detail on their own collection to track building, scenery and car reviews. In the early days, the Journal was a more simple affair, the first one being produced in June 1981 by Dale Tremble (one of the founding members of the Club), all by hand on an old-fashioned typewriter. It was largely produced as a basis for members to buy, sell and swap cars – remember the internet didn’t exist back then! With the advance in technology and information availability, the Journal has expanded to the current full-colour, 48-page, A5-size magazine you receive as a member. However, even if you are not a member, you can still visit our room here where we have numerous old back copies, free to take over and read. Of course the Club has also moved on from just providing a Journal to its members. Very early on it was realised that the members expect and deserve more, so limited-edition cars were produced for members only and these have continued to this day. These have become very collectable and do indeed fetch some high prices when appearing for sale on the open market. Through the course of the years we have also developed a very close relationship with Hornby. This
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has included the exclusive production of club cars and also the annual NSCC/ Hornby Ramsgate weekend, where a very limited number of members gather for a weekend of racing and socialising, as well as receiving a very limitededition Scalextric Car, generously provided by Hornby. We have also involved ourselves over the years in other aspects of promoting the slot car hobby to the general public by attending events with tracks – not only slot car events such as this but also at general events related to the real world of cars. We also organise swapmeets for members and the public alike. Recently we have also secured a Patron for the Club, Lord Drayson of Drayson Racing Technologies, who is a successful racing driver and businessman, and with whom we hope to liase and build up a relationship further in the years to come. All of our activities would not be possible without the support of our members, so if you are interested in the NSCC please do come along to our stand for a chat, to listen to one of the “NSCC Live” interviews, or to have a go on one of the tracks we have. We will only be too pleased to discuss more of what we do and hopefully welcome you to the Club in the future.
www.nscc.co.uk The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
This year marks the twentieth birthday of Micro Scalextric, the UK's most popular 1/64 scale slot car system. The anniversary will be celebrated at the Festival, in the HO Zone.
S
calextric Micro MR1, as it was originally called, was launched at the 1994 London Toy and Hobby Fair at Olympia with some considerable razzamatazz. The addition of a new entry-level system to the Scalextric range had the toy trade very interested. Those who attended the toy fair remember retailers grouped around the Micro MR1 display while the main Scalextric stand was largely ignored. One reason for the interest in the new range was the price. The basic figure-of-eight World Championship set would retail for £25 and included a pair of Formula One cars - a Benetton and a Ferrari. Additional cars would be available from just £8. Scalextric's new venture had come out of the blue for both HO slot car
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enthusiasts and the retailers. The speed of the release had a lot to do with Hornby having tied up a deal with Marchon - an ailing American manufacturer - to utilise their MR1 system. Many of the early Micro releases were re-badged Marchon cars, but the new Formula One body
was a Scalextric-designed model. For the small band of HO racers in Britain, the arrival of a new UKproduced 1/64 scale range was an exciting event that would raise the profile of their hobby. The UK-based HO Slot Racing Association said at the time, "Just like Hoover and vacuum cleaning, the brand name of Scalextric is synonymous with slot
The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
by ANDY PLAYER
Main pic opposite: Part of Andrew Rose's collection – photo Andrew Rose Catalogues opposite: The 1994 Scalextric MR1 catalogue – photo Willie McCauley) and The Turbo Power set – photo Andrew Rose Above top: Minardi and Ligier F1 cars – photo Andy Player
racing... congratulations to Hornby for injecting what I suspect will be a massive boost in the arm for our hobby." There was a longer than expected wait for the first Scalextric Micro sets to arrive in the shops. A summer 1994 release date was put back to October, which was in plenty of time for Christmas. The World Championship set was joined by the Porsche 911 'Turbo Power' set, the 'USA Raceway' Indy Car set and the massive 'Endurance 7000' set with two Sauber Mercedes cars. However, the individual cars were missing from Christmas stockings. Marchon also produced Power Rangers toys - the big thing in 1994. Import restrictions meant Power Rangers were prioritised over everything else produced in
Above left: Andrew Rose's Micro Scalextric collection – photo Andrew Rose Above top: Micro Scalextric Championship racing in Worthing – photo Andy Player Above: The 2012-13 Micro Scalextric champions – photo Andy Player
Marchon's Chinese factories. While racers were waiting to add the individual cars to their new sets, Scalextric were planning a completely new range for 1995. There would be significant design changes to both the Micro chassis and the track system, which was re-branded ‘Micro Scalextric’ and launched at the 1995 London Toy Fair. The MR1 cars announced the year before remained an important part of the Micro range and could be found on the shelves of Beatties and other shops for years to come. The chassis and track have stayed more or less the same since the 1995 re-design. Over the past twenty years, we've seen nearly a hundred Micro Scalextric sets released and 168 different car liveries. From Formula One Ferraris to Bart Simpson
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
skateboards, it has been an eclectic mix. Micro Scalextric continues to be a popular first step into the world of slot car racing, with some exciting new sets planned for 2014. Of course, some people decide to stick with Micro and some of them race their Micro cars at HO slot racing clubs around the country. There is a lot more to Micro than meets the eye. The twentieth birthday of Scalextric Micro MR1 will be celebrated in the HO Zone at the UK Slot Car Festival with plenty of Micro Scalextric racing, a Micro GB Rally stage, plus a complete collection of 168 Micro cars on display. And a birthday cake, of course. Andy races at Worthing HO Racing (www.whoracing.org.uk).
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d e s U g n i Restor s r a C c i r t x e Scal by Mark Scale
I was asked to write an article about how I would go about restoring a Scalextric car – something I have done on an almost daily basis for 24 years. I felt it would be easiest if it related to a specific model, but most of the tips that follow will relate to a lot of the models you come across.
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irst of all, take a look at the model. Body damage is really hard to do anything with, and if possible check inside and look at the body pegs, motor and axle mounts. If these are all intact then restoration is straightforward.
The first thing to do is strip your chosen car down, taking off any broken parts. Remove the motor, axles and guide. Stripped back. I have removed the broken screen and broken air intake, and the remains of the driver’s head! I have also carefully removed the original number roundels and put to one side for later.
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The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
Besides years of ground-in dirt and oil, etc. the bodies of early cars often have a white residue, which even when washed off with soap and water reappears as the model dries. This is actually the mould release oil left on the plastic in the manufacturing process – I have found that the best way to remove this is to use a strong concentrate of clothes washing liquid. I use an old Scalextric perspex lid and leave the body to soak for a couple of hours. Next wash it really well with washing up liquid and a toothbrush. (From experience, best to have one for the job and not use the wife’s!) I left our example body in to soak for 24 hours, which resulted in paint on the driver coming off – this is worth noting, because if you soak a body with chrome parts for too long the chrome with come off. 2-4 hours and it will be nice and shiny and clean. At this stage, check for scratches. They can be removed with T-Cut and a soft cloth, then you will have to re-wash and use a toothbrush to ensure no T-Cut residue is left in any grooves, as this will dry white. Next step was to repaint – touch up the driver – using Humbrol matt white paint. Once the paint is dry, we can rebuild the car. First fit or refit the driver’s head, which pushes in and is heat welded inside the body using a soldering iron. I then fitted a RUSC screen, air intake and exhausts, again heat welded into place as with the driver’s head. The vinyl numbers were then reapplied; they are often sticky enough to just re-stick. If not, use a contact adhesive, not superglue, as this will burn the plastic.
Next we have to restore the running gear. Start with the RX motor. With a sharp blade, scratch the motor brush spring, the motor brushes and the eyelet on the wiring harness, to remove dirt and oxidization which stops conductivity. With a light oil (3in1) and a fine brush, oil the felt pads at each end of the motor. The motor should now run – and can be refitted to the car. The round pin guide pushes into place, and two pieces of braid are threaded into the slots. Finally the plug needs to be pushed into place from the inside, and only then can you trim the braid. Note the metal contacts on the plug will also need to be scratched clean. Repro round pin guides are also produced by RUSC. The axles on our example were very dirty, so these were washed with soap and water using the faithful toothbrush again. Once dry the tyres are rubbed with Pendle Slot Racing tyre dressing, which softens the rubber for better traction. The brass/nylon bearings need a drop of oil to ensure they run smoothly, and they can then be pushed back into place and the body and chassis reassembled. RUSC parts are manufactured in the UK by the Really Useful Spares Company, and are available from MarkScaleModels on eBay, from Pendle Slot Racing, at toy fairs and here today from Roger Barker. Pinions, braids, aerofoils etc. are all available from Slot City.
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
www.scalemodels.co.uk www.rusc.me www.pendleslotracing.co.uk www.slotcity.co.uk
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The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
by MrD
I
believe slot car drag racing began in the UK in the mid ’60s. I have seen copies of reports in ‘Model Cars’ and ‘Miniature Auto’ magazines of meetings held in the Bromley area and run by ECRA. The cars were more 'projectiles' than replicas of actual drag cars and I believe the track ran at 36volts. In the 1970s there must have been racing, but historic information is hard to come by. A group in the Hull area raced throughout the ’80s and linked up with three other groups to hold race meetings at various locations around the UK. The British Hot Rod Association (BHRA) car club built a 1/24th scale slot car drag strip in 1998 and the track appeared at many shows, including the Xtreme Wheels car shows in London during 2005 and 2006. In 2005 the Medway Rod and Custom (MrC) car club was formed, with some members from the BHRA, and a new drag strip was built. The track was made from lightweight triple ply polycarbonate roofing sheets with a custom-built electronic interface for the sensors and computer, which controlled the lights and timing. Meetings were held every month until 2012, when the club hall was unfortunately closed. This is the track which featured as
one of the stages at the Slot Rally in 2006. The MrD track (which is at this event) was built using the same base features as the MrC track and uses a Trackmate timing system, from Canada. We started racing in Chelmsford, Essex in 2011 and continue to do so every three weeks, during the winter months. Other drag tracks in the UK include those at the Four Lane Blacktop Club in Swindon, Pendle Slot Car Club in Nelson, Scale Models in Stockport, NERCS Newcastle and HellFire Hot Rod Club High Wycombe. While circuit slot car racing is as popular as ever, slot drag racing is still very much a minority class in the UK. I have been actively promoting this form of slot car racing for some time in the UK in a bid to improve this situation. I’ve been involved in organising drag races at many of our most recent Slot Car Festivals, including Gaydon, Brooklands, Haynes Motor Museum and at the Donington race circuit. Drag racing is all about getting from the start line to the finish line in the quickest possible time, known as the ET (elapsed time), and car setup is crucial in achieving this. If you spin the tyres, you’ve lost it, if you de-slot you’ve lost it. A lot of people ask “Do they really need wheelie bars?” The
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
simple answer is yes, just try running one without and you’ll see. We also use traction glue to stop the tyres from spinning, another necessity if you want a good ET. In the US and Europe there are many classes for slot drag racing, based on the type of motor used. These include the base class which uses a D can, such as the Parma or Pro Slot 16D. There are also classes for Super 16D (typically using Best of West armatures), Group 12, Group 20 and Open/Strap motors. The later achieving ETs of mid 0.4 of a second at over 100mph on a scale ¼ mile track. At present, especially on my track, we run the standard 16D class motor. The cars mainly use the RTR (ready to run) style Parma Edge or the more adaptable Parma Holeshot chassis. These can be tuned, to reduce weight and aid a better ET. A typical 16D motor car weighing around 100g can run 0.9 second at 40mph+. Other chassis types used are those from WRP and JDS, which are normally used for the more powerful motor-based classes. Please try and visit the drag strip during your visit to the Slot Festival. Pop by and have a chat. Run your new car, or one of mine down the strip. I’m sure, like I did, you will find this is a very interesting and exciting form of slot car racing. MrD
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Lofty England’ (*Our apologies in advance. The title of this article could be quite misleading!)
This is not a reference to some imitation of the comedy routine, but a very proper gent, a man who helped lead England (the country) and Jaguar (the racing team) to motor racing greatness. England, (the man) was born Frank England, but due to his 196cm (6'5") eventual height, he inevitably became known as ‘Lofty’ England.
Brett Jürmann shows that you
can stage virtually any race from history with the huge diversity of slot cars available!
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The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
s Flying Circus
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B
efore the Second World War, his interest in cars and competition saw him working for various racing teams on Bentleys, ERAs and Maseratis. At the time war broke out, he was a service manager with the Alvis car company, and although that was a reserved occupation, he eventually joined the RAF and became a Lancaster bomber pilot. After returning to civilian life, an old contact from his racing days at Brooklands, Walter Hassan, got him a job at Jaguar. By 1949, the firm’s XK120 sports car was proving suitable for competition events. Cautiously, Jaguar held to a policy of no direct involvement, but provided engineering support to ensure the company’s products were appropriately prepared. This was a role for which England was eminently suited, both in terms of technical nous and the nurturing of Jaguar’s reputation. The company supplied lightweight-bodied XK120s to suitable customers for racing, three of which raced at Le Mans in 1950 with unofficial assistance from England and John Eason-Gibson, the former Aston Martin team manager. The cars performed so well that Jaguar could see a full competition version winning Le Mans outright. Under intense secrecy, development took place at Jaguar’s Coventry factory, with a lightweight tubular chassis, an aluminium body designed by Bristol aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer and 40 more horsepower from
tuning wiz Harry Weslake. Under the management of Lofty England, the works sent a team of the new competition, or ‘C Type’, XK120s to Le Mans in 1951. Running to England’s strict instructions, the C type won, and did it again in 1953. For 1954, more development was required and so a new D type was produced, with a lighter monocoque chassis and a lower, sleeker body. At Le Mans they raced neck-and-neck with the Ferraris, right up until the last pit stops. The leading Ferrari had an electrical failure and in the ensuing Italian panic, had too many mechanics working on it. The Ferrari went on to win and although England could have protested this breach of the rules, it was not considered the right thing to do, especially as far as Jaguar’s sporting conduct was concerned. In 1955 England was again at the helm at Le Mans, where tragedy struck and one of his drivers, Mike Hawthorn was involved in an incident where 80 spectators and a Mercedes works driver died. The Mercedes team eventually withdrew while the race went on, eventually being won by the D type of Hawthorn/Bueb. England later faced criticism from some quarters for continuing to race, but maintained that his driver was not responsible for what happened and had no reason to also withdraw. In addition to running works cars, England was also supporting customer race cars. So not only did we see British Racing Green D types of the
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
works team, but also the yellow colours of the Belgian Ecurie Francorchamps, the white and blue of American Briggs Cunningham and the blue of the Scottish Ecurie Ecosse. Like the World War I fighters of von Richthofen’s Flying Circus, Jaguars were now attacking in a multiple of hues. This strategy of works support paid immediate dividends in front of potential American customers in 1955, when Cunningham’s car won the Sebring 12 Hours. Similarly, in 1956 when the works cars had a disastrous run at Le Mans, the Ecurie Ecosse cars went on to win. When Jaguar officially withdrew from racing, England continued to support worthy privateers and race car constructors such as Brian Lister and John Tojeiro. The Ecurie Ecosse Jaguars won Le Mans again in 1957, but from then on England found himself more involved in the road car business, eventually retiring as CEO of the company in 1974. Over the years, various slot car makers have produced some of these racing Jaguars. Most recently the range of D Types faithfully reproduced by Scalextric allow us to race our own versions of the wonderfully-led Jaguar works programme, as well as a host of colourful customer racers. As you walk around the show, take a look at them and appreciate that England’s efforts were much like von Richthofen’s Flying Circus, not those other silly fellows.
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EVENTS:
. Jaguar cars from this era usual Rover/BMC or the ing be are re ion the tat to sen ion n addit If the standards of pre nstration n at great number of demo anything like those see u to yo for g itin wa t (mostly jus se ts layou Wolverhampton, the t be os alm uld wo it d light the (dare (an de l have a go scratchbuilt) cars wil hosting is l va sti Fe the , st. to) sia t rude no we say) ‘older’ enthu pionship and is again the some interesting cham The same Slotfire track : too ve to be a es pro ttl ba uld one-off venue for what sho sh, using cla b clu ervery interesting int ating cin fas a ared by see l rep wil e-p AY rac SATURD Carrera DTM saloons, Saloons ssic Cla cars will tish Bri ese 6 Th -’8 S. PR pre battle of maso Melioli of Tom ck, tra e tfir ane Slo n at Gaydon taking place on the 3-l utilise the PRS chassis see races might ese Th . on no engineering d of un ce aro starting last year, a lovely pie various the for ase s the wc sho orm a nsf as be seen which absolutely tra the by run of the s ce ng an eti rm me ‘classic’ handling and perfo out the gh ou thr b clu ton mp Wolverha Carrera cars. Austinyear, and are for any BL/
I
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bs from across Drivers representing clu ewing old rivalries the UK will also be ren ships in the and maybe even friend e, a three-hour ng alle Ch Scaleauto Team s race-prepared endurance race using car uld ensure the by Scaleauto, which sho This battle will closest possible racing. ntrisant six-lane take place on the ex-Lla which, having wood and copper track, e six years, has been in storage for som by new owners been carefully restored Pendle Slot Racing.
SUNDAY will see the runnin
g of
l bring another event which wil to many more ck ba ing memories flood
The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
different aspects you can also try many h wit n ow wd sho nd. There’s the eliminators to a final of slot racing this weeke the Heart Of en wh ’t , ers esn do rac it if ced , en experi B special stages, the BSCRA stars which 0s drag strip, the SlotRallyG 197 for p o shi tw se ion the mp of cha ich England Stox, Hy-Speed actually establish wh the oval tracks of Slot wcased on the possesses the y bb ho Scalextric F1 cars is sho the l layout and the of ita es Dig nch bra Racing’s Scalextric run by the a , e ies vid ser pro is Th nly ck. tai tra cer l e Slotfir nd-boggling array most driving skill, wil BSCRA track, plus a mi is for the b, Clu tric e! lex com Sca d to oo rs Bearw ts, including talking point for yea of manufacturers’ layou cars, modified in ane wood track, a 6-l much-loved Scalextric the d Sillage Racing. an on e ck tfir Ba track builders Slo of rules that set ict GT str er a h Sup wit st ce We an & accord r’s Festival round of the Wales The two days of this yea retain the spirit place. This ing tak is have been designed to p shi portunity to op ion d mp alle provide an unriv dels and has cha mo lar d pu 2n po 1/3 se 75 the st-’ of po and fun horizons and successful series is for expand your slot racing d from the cke nd plu h-e ing hig be al s usu car ny the seen ma tain! scale sports cars from experience, that’s for cer tions and raced ‘in l give anyone wil d an , dusty corners of collec ers tur fac nu ma e in years. iliar with club anger’ for the first tim b: who is perhaps unfam the in e, tiv tia that On the we ini g stin ere int y A ver nce to see cars in action cha a rhamptonscalextricclub.com, olve ing rac w.w ww Drivers’ Top uto b lea clu l Sca ica the typ of form www.slotfire.de, have been built to a ce on Sunday. Challenge, also takes pla ndard. sta www.prsslot.it, d’ ifie od ‘m ing and ply sup dly d an kin ing are nd uto sta www.scaleauto-slot.com, Scalea Of course, simply rwoodscalextricclub/, 1/24th scale ir on t the ou m it fro ng s ttli car ba g le https://sites.google.com/site/bea rin peop prepa er oth ing tch wa ad between the www.walesandwestgt.co.uk, bly only serve to range for this head-to-he various tracks will proba top the d an arracing.org.uk (BSCRA site) ers tite for some track action www.slotc best ‘hard body’ club rac pe ap r you et tiesovalslotclub wh , www.facebook.com/threecoun Nominated club have already mentioned BSCRA slot car drivers. we As lf. rse you ough a series of drivers will progress thr
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
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B G y l l a R t o Sl by Gareth Jex
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lotRallyGB is in fact a bit of a catch-all for several things, all based around racing and collecting rally slot cars.
We also manufacture limited-edition slot rally cars that mainstream manufacturers don’t. The latest release (2014) is the Toyota Celica GT1600 MK1 TA22, previous models are (2013) the Toyota Corolla TE27, (2012) the Skoda Fabia S2000. The next model in the series will be the Skoda 130LR Group B rally car, the prototype of which will be on display at the show. Following a major one-off event in 2006 where people came from around the UK and Europe to compete in a two-day slot rally event, we decided to hold an annual national championship. Eight clubs around the UK hold one-day slot rallies, where competitors run to a common set of rules with six different classes of rally car types. We are now in our 5th year of the championship. The basic concept is a simple one; each club makes around eight stages (or tracks) and entrants can run up to a maximum of four classes at each event. Cars are checked in at the start of the day and then run on each stage in small groups travelling from stage to stage. At the end of the day the times are added up for all the stages/classes and the fastest time wins. Points are awarded for the event and championship points are added for those entered into the championship. Prizes are awarded at each event and prizes awarded at the end of the championship to the overall winner. One of the reasons for the success of the championship is the friendly nature of the competition. In most cases cars are run ‘box stock’ with minimal alterations allowed from standard, and those that do wish to build the ultimate rally cars can do so in the ‘Modified’ rally class. Previous events have been well attended with most full to capacity (we restrict the maximum number per event to around 200 entries – 50 entrants running 4 classes). We have regular competitors at all the events but always manage to have new faces young, old, male and female - and the experienced racers are always happy to advise and encourage. The choice of cars and classes is massive and allows for a diverse range of entries to suit your favourite type of car and/or manufacturer. The stages (or tracks) at each event vary considerably, ranging from simple made-on-the-day-before layouts using plexi track from SCX, Scalextric or Ninco, to routed MDF stages and fully-scenic layouts. Traction magnets are banned.
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Classic Rally – Sponsored by SCX ’80s Rally – Sponsored by Teamslot 2WD Modern Rally – Sponsored by Avant Slot 4x4 Modern Rally – Sponsored by Ninco Modified Rally (incorporating scratchbuilt ‘Derek Cooper Challenge’ ) – Sponsored by MSC • Scalextric Production Class – Sponsored by Scalextric • Official timing – Sponsored by DS Timing • Championship Sponsors – NSR & SlotCarMAG For the Slot Car Festival 2014 we have brought along a selection of stages typical of those used at our events. You have the chance to compete on these stages for free and win prizes! Just like a real SlotRallyGB you have to compete on each stage, but you don’t need to do them in any particular order. Come to the SlotRallyGB area and collect your time card, fill in your details and then visit the first stage available. A car and hand controller will be provided at each stage for you to use and a regular SlotRallyGB competitor will explain what to do and, if you ask nicely, give you a few tips! Your stage time will be recorded on your time sheet. Complete all the stages and then return the sheet to our display. Total times will be displayed on a screen for you to see how you are doing. There will be prizes for the top three on each day – you must be at the show at 16.00 hours to collect your prize – no prizes will be posted after the event. Coming along to a slot race event can, occasionally, be a daunting prospect for anyone new to the hobby, but with small stages, good company, a friendly atmosphere and events across the UK we urge you to pop along to an event and give it a try. All the events are listed on the official championship web site (www.slotrallygb.com) and applications for entry and discussions are held on www.slotforum.com. Scale Models Slot Rally – Scale Models - Cheshire – 15th June 2014 Rockingham Slot Rally – Rockingham Slot Car Club - Northamptonshire – 27th July 2014 Farnham Slot Rally – Farnham Scalextric Club - Surrey – 28th September AEC Slot Rally - Staffordshire – 19th October. Wales Winter Slot Rally – Wye Valley Slot Car Club – Monmouthshire – 2nd November 2014
Every Second Counts!
The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
by Steve Cannon
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ention the name to a collector of vintage Scalextric and it will most likely have them beaming with nostalgia at the connection with their prized models. That’s because the original birthplace of Scalextric was at New Road, Havant, Hampshire in 1958. And on the 28th September 2014 the Scalextric swapmeet circuit will start an annual residency in the town, ‘bringing Scalextric home again’. The Scalextric story starts with Minimodels, a company originally based in Mill Hill, North London, where it had produced tinplate toys and models since shortly after World War II. Amongst those early products were the Startex car range and, from 1952, the more popular Scalex with its clockwork motor, wound by pulling out the steering wheel. 7000 models a week were being produced at the height of Scalex popularity and work began on a new factory in New Road, Havant in January 1954. The factory opened a few months later and ultimately the entire production was transferred from Mill Hill. By early 1956 extensions had been completed, increasing the floor space by 50%. However these ambitious plans were thwarted when the novelty of clockwork racing cars started to wear off and sales began to fall. In an attempt to revive his company’s fortunes, Mr Francis began to look at evolving his product. He experimented by putting electric motors into Scalex cars and developing a rubber slot track system. Power was collected from a gimbal
wheel running between rails on either side of the slot. In those days power was from batteries only, cleverly disguised in a small cardboard building. There were no hand throttles then, players had an on/off button only. Scalextric was born and was duly unveiled at the Harrogate Toy Fair in 1957 to immediate acclaim. Demand for the toy was immense and the Minimodels factory flourished once more, struggling to keep up with the orders. In 1958 Fred Francis sold Minimodels to Tri-ang, owned by the three Lines Brothers (3 lines make a triang(le)…). With Tri-ang came injection moulding technology and the tinplate was replaced by plastic bodies in 1960. In 1961 production moved to a new factory in Fulflood Road in the Leigh Park area of Havant, where it continued until the early 1970s, when the acquisition of
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
Tri-ang by Rovex completed the Havant chapter… That was until swapmeet organizers Steve Cannon (UK Slot Car Festival) and Robert Learmouth (Swindon Scalextric Swapmeet) decided to make Havant the home of their new event. The venue, just a stone’s throw from the Fulflood Road factory, is Havant Leisure Centre – a bright, modern building just five minutes from the M27/A27/A3 and a short walk from the railway station. The first event on the 28th September 2014 promises to have a special feel about it and who knows, perhaps some of those workers who assembled the cars back in the 1960s will come back for a nostalgic look! Further details of the event can be found at... facebook.com/HavantScalextric or pick up one of the flyers around the Slot Car Festival.
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The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
floor where the Slot Car Festival is located.
escalators which lead to the main exhibition
way through the car museum to the lift /
On entering the main entrance make your
Where am I?
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ª º ❽
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∑ ∏ π
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Club Race Zone – 6 Lane Routed Track & 3 Lane Slotfire for club competitions HO Zone – Selection of HO tracks, Drag Strip etc Race Zone – Array of different track layouts & displays NSCC Club Room – Hosting NSCC 'Live' discussions & Live Interviews with movers & shakers from the slot car scene Slot Rally GB – Try your hand and set a time on the various special stages Drag Strip – Steve D & his drag strip competition BRSCA – 6 Lane track & Slot Stox circuit Manufacturers Area – Displays & trade stands by various Slot Car manufacturers Scalextric – Manufacturers Stand & Digital track layout Swapmeet Zone – Traders from the UK & Europe buy, sell & swap
FESTIVAL MAP
PCS 32 Plastic Chassis Sensation by Ric Woods
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he PCS 32 chassis from Pendle Slot Racing (www.pendleslotracing.co.uk) has very quietly been one of slot racing’s great success stories over the last number of years. It has become the obvious choice for the turning of classic car shells into slot cars, which in turn means that there must be more old Airfix kits than ever before being thrashed round slot car tracks up and down the land! Simplicity and flexibility are behind the PCS 32’s success, and very probably the fact that you can have basic one for only £6.75, or £9.95 for the ‘Step 2’ version, of which more anon. In the basic chassis pack you get the chassis main frame (motor mount and axle bearing holders), the sliding guide holder/ front axle mount (this adjusts the wheelbase) and front axle spacers. The ‘Step 2’
components comprise side outriggers for the chassis (these glue to the existing chassis sides and can provide a location for lead, or can be drilled and used for body mounting – a couple of the cars in the photographs have this), there’s a longer front element (ideal for cars with a longer wheelbase and with a greater guide
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
‘lead’ in front of the axle) and some additional front axle locators. While we’re on the subject of body mounting, this often-tricky process is steadily becoming simpler because more and more body manufacturers are adopting the PCS 32 front and rear body mount spacing – you might as well cater for the most popular
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chassis after all! In the absence of made-to-fit mounts, body posts from old shells can be used, epoxied into place, or more commonly balsa wood. Where the contours of the body might make a conventional front-andrear mounting fragile, then drilling the outriggers and screwing to balsa that has been epoxied or velcroed to the body sides works well. Untreated balsa doesn’t take too kindly to repeated screwing and unscrewing of the body, so I have found it’s a good idea to ‘paint’ the balsa with Superglue (CA) or Johnson’s ‘Klear’. This soaks into the wood, so that when it’s dry you are left with a very light and durable mounting block.
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Alternatively, the Slot.it HRS2 mounts (SICH57b) can be used. Pendle can also supply kits containing all the parts needed to make the chassis into a runner, so all you need to do is find a suitable victim for the conversion. And the victim can be anything within a vast range of measurements – my own efforts run from a Triumph TR4 to a 1959 Chevrolet Impala, for instance. Actual measurements are: Minimum width – 25mm. Maximum width ≠ 43mm Minimum wheelbase – 67mm. (It is possible to reduce the overall wheelbase to 48mm long by cutting the chassis and front parts)
Maximum wheelbase –101mm using Step 2 parts (axle centre to axle centre) The kits available vary chiefly according to wheel type, and I should point out that a kit will cost you less than the sum of its parts if they were purchased separately – handy if your spares box can’t come up with everything you need. You get a standard Mabuchi ‘S’ motor, but I have run Slot.it V12s in the chassis perfectly happily, and a faster, more torquey motor may be worth considering if you like to use a lot of lead to help sort out any handling misdemeanours. Also included are plastic wheels from a very large range (and there’s the
The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
option of the rather fab PCS metal wire wheels for a bit extra), plastic gears, guide, motor leads, braids, bearings and axles, and there is a magnet available for those who like those 9g hairpins. Assembly is as easy as it gets, so I would recommend the PCS 32 to anyone setting out on their first motorisation project. Now, the famously eagle-eyed SlotCarMAG readers will have spotted the picture of some saloons being ‘leant on’ round a club track, indeed the Pendle club has had a class for PCS-chassised touring cars for quite some time now, and very popular it is too. Very little is permitted in the way of chassis modifications, just some stiffening of the front axle location, a tiny amount of motor lowering and the addition of weight up to a maximum of 90g. And note the variety of bodies… It occurs to me that this is a good way of gently nudging a resolutely ‘box standard’ club membership towards something a little more involving and quite possibly a lot more rewarding, and which should require very little initial outlay. So that’s the PCS 32: cheap, versatile and fun. Much like myself, in fact, except that it’s versatile and fun. Oh yes, in case you’re wondering – it stands for Pendle Classic Slot.
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
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S
pain seems to have become the commercial home of slot car racing products, with more companies specializing in the hobby than anywhere else in the world. If you are after anything slot car, chances are that it originates from the Iberian country. It goes back many years, to when Scalextric started production in Spain under an agreement with Exin in the early 1960s. At first the local company just produced the same models as were available in the UK but often in different colours, but by 1966, however, they had produced their first domestic slot car, the pretty Seat (Fiat) 600. Today a whole industry based around slot car racing exists, with brands such as Ninco, Flyslot and SRC, to name but a few, and with smaller companies, such as Cartrix, with their range of iconic classic Grand Prix cars, also in the mix supplying niche markets. To many it was the introduction of Ninco twenty
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years ago that rejuvenated people’s interest in the slot car hobby with their range of then-current DTM cars being remembered fondly and still raced today. The Barcelona-based company then took the huge leap forward in producing its own track system, and by doing so it addressed some of the issues being encountered from existing track manufacturers. A testament to Ninco’s track is the huge amount of clubs and event organisers that use it at race meetings and events around the world. We were still in for one final attack from the Spanish which no one predicted, and that was from the super-detailed manufacturer Fly Car Model of Madrid. Introduced in 1996 with initially just a handful of designs, this company re-wrote the rule book when it came to paint finish and tampo printing, and the host of small, detailed components set Fly on a higher level to what had been available before.
Although the cars were quick on the track, the brand also possibly started the trend towards slot car collecting, and with every release being from a real event and with a named driver, lovers of the 1:1 cars could now own a miniature piece of motorsport history. Our course Fly’s competitors could not let them have it all their own way, and so the quality and detail of most slot car products on the market improved over time due to this Spanish company’s pioneering approach. Flyslot, as they are now known, are not about to roll over and let this happen, and have announced, under their Slotwings brand, the ambitious target of producing a model of every Grand Prix car that was driven by Ayrton Senna. Alongside the fact that new kids on the block SRC will this year be introducing a range of turbo era F1 cars, the Spanish slot car companies’ commitment to the hobby will ensure their success for many years to come.
The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
S
ince the invention of the motor car, Italy has been at the forefront of motorsport technology, a passion it now shares with its miniature counterpart of slot car racing. Undisputed in its field is NSR, whose factory is based in the town of Salerno, some 30 miles south of Naples, on Italy’s western coast. Although a relatively new player in the field of slot racing, it has quickly established itself as the number one supplier of plastic high-performance slot cars. One look at the spares inventory will show how seriously these guys take the hobby, with not only every kind of motor spec on offer but also the various hardnesses of chassis to compensate for different track variations. I once had a discussion with NSR’s late founder and multi world champion slot racer Salvatore Noviello over something as simple as a guide blade! He said that there was nothing simple about a guide blade and that his company had spent hours researching not only ideal profiles but
also what type of material would be best suited for the purpose. NSR’s Mosler MT900R has won an unprecedented five Italian National GT championships and NSR’s products are used by racers all over the world. The company is proud that nearly everything is produced in-house or comes from Italian suppliers and that Salvatore’s legacy is sustained by his widow who continues at the helm. Of course the other side of the Italian motor industry is craftsmanship and beauty, and again we can look at a slot car company mirroring its country’s 1 to 1 counterparts. Racer Slot cars are handbuilt resin masterpieces which adorn many serious slot car collections. The detail of these models is nothing short of staggering, and was topped by last year’s Fiat Bartoletti Ferrari car transporter. Mindful that many could not afford their products, Racer introduced a more affordable range labelled as Silverline, which are also handmade but use a revolutionary resin hybrid material
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
that allows longer production runs to be made. The Silverline 250GTO must stand alongside its full-sized counterpart as one of the most beautiful slot cars ever produced. The final piece in Racer’s threepronged attack on the slot car market is their highly successful Sideways range. These plastic cars were originally of an inline chassis design and featured body shapes not seen outside US Daytona Prototypes. However, sales have rocketed since they changed over to producing models of the fire-breathing Group 5 prototypes from the 1970s and ʼ80s which terrorised the world’s top circuits. These cars feature adjustable chassis set up with an anglewinder design and use the well-regarded Slot.it range of motors, gears and axles. Italy may not jump first into your mind when you think of slot cars but these two manufacturers of high-quality models will soon change your perception.
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Every racer of 1/32 cars at club level will have become increasingly aware of the Scaleauto brand over the last few years. From initially offering a range of high performance, good value replacement motors and an expanding range of spares, Scaleauto are now moving towards becoming a major contender in the RTR competition car market. We asked Ivan Basas, the CEO, about the company’s past, present and future…
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The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
When did Scaleauto begin, and how did the company come about? Scaleauto began in 1996 in co-operation with MRRC Limited, and from 2011 on its own. Scaleauto belongs to IBB Auto Racing S.L., the company from Spain. The majority of slot racers in the UK will have first been aware of the Scaleauto name in relation to, primarily, value-for-money replacement motors. Was this something that you consciously saw as a way of quickly establishing the company name? Each company is known for different things; this introduced our brand to customers, and after that we hoped they would know us for the quality of our range and nice models. Had you always intended to move into RTR car production once the company was established? Initially it was not our intention to manufacture RTR cars, but we saw the opportunity to grow international sales by doing it, so we went ahead. We are always trying not to coincide with other ranges in the race market, offering a different option for the customers. Can you tell us how the first car, the Toyota GTOne, came about? We purchased the bodies from Proslot in a special deal, and we did the chassis tool ourselves. This was our first market test to see if we could reach new markets and open up a large number of customers to us. Whereas Slot.it and NSR have stayed with 1/32 scale, Scaleauto also have a substantial 1/24 range. Is the 1/24 market an important one to you? We are actually the only 1/24 manufacturer focused on the competition market. It is a new market, even for us, but acceptance is growing. Time will tell if it was the right choice, but at the moment we are very happy and proud of our range.
Do you see Scaleauto as the market leader in 1/24 RTR cars now, in value, quality and available range? We can say that we have a large sales share in the 1/24 market, but there is still some way to go yet. With a number of interesting ‘classic’ cars coming out, for example the Pantera, can we expect more of this kind of car from you in the future? Yes of course. We need to release at least one new car in each of our car ‘families’ each year. I have to say that some of your choices of car are very original and interesting! How do you go about choosing a car to make? We try not to match other manufacturers’ choices sometimes we are lucky and sometimes not but we plan cars with the idea to be first on the market, based on our enthusiast collector and race expertise. With the latest developments in your chassis and running gear, do you now see Scaleauto as being amongst the best RTR cars you can buy? We are close, but we haven’t reached there yet. Unfortunately, we had to change factories and the new ones are not yet up to the standards we expect. So delivery of new cars was slower than expected due to quality control checks. But for sure our target is still there and we will keep improving until we reach it. It’s going to be quite difficult to move club racers away from the ‘default’ Slot.it and NSR state of mind. You must be confident of achieving this in time? Yes, I think that upcoming cars are exciting and the market is changing continuously, so we are working to be positioned close to the market leaders in a couple of years. Finally, what can we look forward to from Scaleauto over the coming months? Very interesting news : Spyker GT2-R, Porsche 935, Dodge Viper and Porsche 991!
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
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by Gary Skipp The Digital Slot Car Association
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igital slot car racing is still in its infancy compared with the wider hobby. For most people, the introduction of SCX Digital and Carrera Pro-X in 2004 would be the first glimpse of a new way to go racing. Scalextric Sport Digital (SSD) would follow immediately, with all three systems offering multi-car-perlane (MCPL) racing. One year later, the Ninco N-Digital system appeared with support for 8 cars. Outside of the mass market, the French system, DAVIC, facilitates up to 15 cars and has been instrumental in showing the potential of MCPL racing.
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Two new, wireless, systems really raised the profile of what digital is capable of doing for slot racing. Slot.it’s oXigen system, and Scorpius, from Australian engineer Rick Field, would expand to over 20 cars, offer chip-anycar compatibility and the option to use existing plastic lane changers from current manufacturers. After the first trial of oXigen in the United Kingdom in 2011, it became clear that here was a high performance digital system that could take MCPL out of the domestic setting and into competitive racing events. Following a brief conversation with Slot.it, two racers from the Midlands decided to embark on creating the Le Mans 24 hours – in 1:32 scale, digital! The Slot.it oXigen Le Mans 24 hours enjoyed its third successful year in 2014, with teams from all over Europe travelling to compete. With Scorpius also establishing a loyal customer base, competitive digital slot racing is on the rise. Already, digital racers are finding that a whole new set of rules and requirements are needed to enjoy a successful and enjoyable meeting. What digital racing would benefit from is a set of standards and regulations which anyone could refer to, use, adopt and adapt for their digital racing activity. Enter DiSCA – The Digital Slot Car Association. After the positive reception of the Le Mans 24 hours, the same organising team have set up a group that makes the most of what digital slot car racing has to offer. We
The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
believe that digital slots give the driver every chance to replicate the racing he or she sees on the TV or at the track. A traditional club track can often resemble an 8lane motorway, covered in coloured markings and numbers, which even if fully landscaped can detract from the realism. Digital offers the chance to run on fewer lanes, to do away with lane IDs and be much more faithful in representing a real circuit. We also have the opportunity to establish workable, practical standards for cars, tracks, and driving conduct. One of our goals is to establish a system modelled on club motorsport, where a new driver can progress within a club, racing entry level models and ultimately fully developed racers. He or she can also visit other clubs where the same kinds of cars are raced, and, when they are ready for national competition, they will know the steps to get there. With several international events already underway in 2014, that final step beyond even national competition is not far away! First to follow in the footsteps of the oXigen Le Mans 24 hours will be a national GT championship in the UK. This will incorporate stock (standard) and modified categories, with endurance and sprint racing all part of the day’s schedule. By standardising regulations, any driver aspiring to the British GT title can begin racing at a local club and learn their craft with cars built to the same specification as official DiSCA series. For this to happen, every DiSCAaffiliated club will have the chance to run cars built to a certain standard, on tracks to a certain specification, and drive within certain expectations, with the competition run and administered to best practice. All DiSCA standards will remain as guidelines, and clubs will still be free to put ‘house rules’ in place. Most DiSCA car standards will be broad, but there are some categories which make a sensible basis for car standards. Within certain manufacturers it is possible to be more specific – for example, with SSD, DiSCA members could develop standards for impact resistant cars, V8 Supercars, classics, or DPR Formula One. DiSCA track standards will focus on two avenues: one, performance and application; the other, realism and presentation. Of the latter, only circuits hosting official DiSCA events need take any notice. For official DiSCA series, we will apply certain standards to both cars and
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
circuits to ensure that we have a fantastic-looking grid on a fantastic-looking track. We wish to showcase our hobby at its very best. Avenues of promotion remain untapped for slot car racing, and social media is one way we can share our hobby with the masses. Another important remit held by the association will be to support retailers. DiSCA formulae will focus largely around in-production models, rather than obsolete stock. This will make it as easy as possible for anyone outside of the hobby to see a race on TV, find out about digital slots, and come and have a go. If the cars are on in the shop window, starting out will seem much less of a daunting prospect for the aspiring newcomer. To help prospective racers, DiSCA also aims to offer sales and service for digital racing cars, and rental of cars and equipment including complete ‘arrive and drive’ packages for DiSCA competitions. Digital racing gear can represent a serious investment, and a risk, to the unacquainted. Our member services will remove that risk, and allow you to concentrate on enjoying your racing. DiSCA standards will not be specific to any one digital protocol. We aim to be a central body for all users of SSD, SCX, D132, N-Digital, oXigen, Scorpius, DAVIC, AC2CAR; whatever you use for MCPL racing, DiSCA will support you. There will be some necessity to differentiate on some standards, but only where the specific technology dictates. If it’s digital, DiSCA will be here to support and regulate your racing. If all of this sounds good to you, then you may be wondering when all this will happen! DiSCA will be offering affiliate memberships to clubs and individuals from 2015. The Digital British GT championship will also launch that year, with an allinclusive bill for several categories of car. At the Festival you can speak to us about British GT, and we will have some demo cars available for you to see what it’s all about. If 2015 sounds too distant, an exhibition race to DiSCA British GT standards is planned for later on this year. Announcements will be made on www.slotforum.com and our official DiSCA website, to be launched September 2014. Come and see us, we’ll be pleased to see you!
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The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
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The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
UK SLOT CAR CLUB WEB DIRECTORY – IN MEMORY OF DEREK COOPER –
Last July saw the passing of Derek Cooper, one of the great competitors, contributors and characters on the UK slot racing scene. From the late ’60s and early ’70s, when this very rapid racer would be seen at events wearing a cape and carrying his cars in a violin case, to more recent years as an extremely knowledgeable vendor of the rare and/or interesting, Derek was a pillar of the hobby. He will be much missed. ENGLAND (N), SCOTLAND & ISLE OF MAN Tyneside Slot Car Club pfletcherx@aol.com Newcastle-upon-Tyne 07950838008 Raceway 81 raceway81@btinternet.com Birtley, Tyne & Wear, DH3 1QT 01434-682475 South Manchester Slot Racing Club secretary@smsrc.org.uk Marple, Cheshire 0161 442 1461 Hawthorne Park Slot Car Club jk_68@talktalk.net Bootle, Merseyside 07971539694 NorthEast Restoration Club Slots janice@jowens.wanadoo.co.uk Washington, Tyne&Wear 0191 4190972 nic@pendleslotracing.co.uk Pendle Slot Racing Club Nelson, Lancs. 01282 612418 Dundee Slot Car Club philip_hall1@hotmail.com 0131 228 1796 Maryfield, Dundee Manx Slot Car Club slotcarmann@gmail.com Isle of Man 07624-450017 Wirral Slot Car Club L.wyatt@ntlworld.com Wirral, Merseyside 0151 9441423 Ecurie Barnton Model Car Racing Club alan.lucas@talktalk.net Edinburgh 0131-334-1848 ENGLAND (S) Nascot Wood Slot Car Club Watford, Herts. WD17 4YS Middlesex & Herts Scalextric Club Watford, Herts. Eastcote Scalex Club Watford, Herts. The London Scalextric Club Wood Green, London Colchester Scalex Club Colchester, Essex Alton & Winchester Slot Car Club Alresford, Hampshire G T Raceway Benfleet, Essex East Devon Slot Racing Club Honiton, Devon Viking Slot Car Club Nr Canterbury, Kent South Downs Slot Car Club Brackelsham Bay, W.Sussex Molesey Scalextric Club West Molesey, Surrey Oxford Scalextric Club Witney, Oxfordshire Luton Slot Car Club Luton, Beds. Bournemouth Slot Car Club Bournemouth, Dorset Retro@ N.L.S.M.E Finchley, London Balance Raceway Hedge End, Southampton Southend Slot Racing Club Bowers Gifford, Essex MrD Raceway Slot Drag Racing Club Chelmsford, Essex Croydon Scalextric Club Croydon Falcon Raceway Basildon, Essex Solent Slot Car Club Gosport, Hants. Worthing HO Racing Goring-by-Sea, W. Sussex Farnham Scalextric Club Farnham, Surrey Epic Racing Fulham, London
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www.tynesideslotcarclub.com www.raceway81.com www.smsrc.org.uk http://www.hawthorneclub.org.uk/index.html www.northeastrestorationclubslots.freeforums.org www.pendleslotracingclub.co.uk www.facebook.com/pendleslotracingclub www.dundeeslotcarclub.com www.slotforum.com/forums/index.php?showforum=152
marc_abbott60@hotmail.com 07426 060877 ken.webb@zen.co.uk 07907 923915 roland.brooks@sky.com 0771 819 3434 07961542697 or 07814005252 rinoruocco@btinternet.com alfredino@btinternet.com 07838971951 circuitstoscale@hotmail.co.uk 07854043642 fw14b@sky.com 07789764950 steve@stblackmore.plus.com 07587 185251 Adrian 01843 582259 bigtone9@hotmail.co.uk. 07815 655679 pbdupton@virginmedia.com Neil 07767 850488 contact@oxonscalextricclub.co.uk 07973 502269 lutonslotcars@btinternet.com 07729 043886 slot_racing@yahoo.co.uk 01202 309872 oneofwos@gmail.com 0203 5900164 skylinedragonr32@yahoo.co.uk 07980 729356 clpnicholls@btinternet.com 07895 110084 steven.dudley2@btopenworld.com 07512 554333 motty.d@tiscali.co.uk 01342 832850 leethorndike@yahoo.co.uk 07956443086 thatcedric@gmail.com 07951566686 whoracing@hotmail.co.uk 07818 027408 alec.del-boy@ntlworld.com 01252 650530 chiplondon@hotmail.com 07794274452
www.facebook/wirralslotcarclub www.ecuriebarnton.co.uk
www.nascotwoodslotcarclub.co.uk www.facebook.com/NascotWoodSlotCarClub www.mhsc.co.uk See MHSC above lonscalextricclub@virginmedia.com www.slotcar.moonfruit.com www.altonandwinchesterslotcarclub.co.uk www.proscalextricexperience.com www.edsrc.co.uk www.vikingslotcarclub.co.uk website under development www.molesey-scalextric-club.co.uk www.oxfordscalextricclub.co.uk www.lutonslotcars.com www.slotcar.org.uk/bmth www.nlsme.co.uk www.balanceraceway.co.uk www.southendslotracing.com http://slotdragracing.weebly.com/index.html http://croydonscalextricclub.weebly.com www.frscc.moonfruit.com http://www.solentslotcarclub.co.uk/ www.whoracing.org.uk www.farnhamscalextricclub.co.uk http://www.EpicRacing.co.uk
The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG
UK SLOT CAR CLUB WEB DIRECTORY CONTINUED All Saints Scalextric Club Windsor, Berks. Four Lane Blacktop Marlborough, Wilts English Association of HO Racing Clubs Shotgate, Essex Pinewood Raceway Wokingham, Berkshire Bolwextric Waterlooville, Hampshire HO North Kent Chatham, Kent West London Scalextric Club Hillingdon, West London Whitmore Raceway Horley, Surrey Croydon Scalextric Club Scout Hall, St James Rd. CR9 2RT
ContactMe@AllSaintsScalextricClub.co.uk www.AllSaintsScalextricClub.co.uk 07545 373631 rob9lees@yahoo.com www.flbt.co.uk 07785 111999 dw@eahorc.com www.eahorc.com 07754 655761 barrown@btconnect.com www.pinewoodraceway.com 07711075096 tony@bolwextric.co.uk www.bolwextric.co.uk 07850 187566 h11dave@hotmail.com http://h0nk.weebly.com/ 07411533535 01895470773 or 07903254364 www.westlondonscalextric.co.uk russell345@hotmail.co.uk 07753815825 adrian.shrimpton@gmail.com motty.d@tiscali.co.uk Mick Potter 0208 224 0950 or David Mott 01342 832 850
ENGLAND (E) & MIDLANDS Derby HO Racing Club nick.sismey@rolls-royce.com Allenton, Derby 07968 906 491 Rockingham Slot Car Club Matthew.tucker1@virgin.net Corby, Northants 07825 115038 Quorn Slot Car Club andrew@quornslotcarclub.co.uk Loughborough, Leicestershire Leicester Slot Car Club kev@kevgray.com Enderby, Leicestershire 01283 546272 Melton & District Model Club chris.savidge@ntlworld.com Melton Mowbray, Leics. 01664 859080 The Racing Room race@theracingroom.co.uk Nottingham 07505 954 398 C.H.O.R.C. Chesterfield HO Racing Club doug@passell.plus.com Alfreton, Derbyshire 01246 862929 Phoenix Scalextric Circuit 07949 656577 Studley, Warwickshire North Staffs Scalextric Racing Club rob.lyons1@sky.com Stoke on Trent 01782 311106 Bearwood Scalextric Club graham@psjcoltd.co.uk Bearwood, West Midlands 01384 561532 Oaklands Park Model Car Club o_cooper@yahoo.com Birmingham, West Midlands 07790 808534 Dudley Parkway Scalextric & Slot Racing Club slotsdudley@aol.com Dudley, West Midlands 07711 000795 Great Barr Slot Car simon@greatbarrslotcar.co.uk Great Barr, Birmingham Gainsborough & Lincoln Slot Car Club www.g-slot.co.uk Gainsborough, Lincs Norwich Slot Racing norwichslotracing@hotmail.co.uk Norwich, Norfolk 07557 012476 Mussel Bay Raceway info@musselbay.co.uk RAF Marham, Norfolk 01553 813090 Presto Park Slot Car Club averilandmike@btinternet.com Hevingham, Norfolk 07771560275 Bury St Edmunds Slot Car Club trackplan@hotmail.com Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 01284 723539 Huntingdonshire Slot Car Club huntsslotcarclub@gmail.com Offord Darcy, St. Neots 07832138989 South Cambridgeshire HO Racing Club info@schorc.com Yelling, Cambridgeshire 07813 919086 ENGLAND (W) & WALES Demon Slot Racing Hereford Hy-Speed Cheltenham, Gloucs. Woverhampton Scalextric Club Aldersley Stadium WV6 9NP Pantyffynnon Slot Car Club Ammanford, Carmarthenshire North Wales Slot Car Club Rhuddlan, Denbighshire Wye Valley Slot Car Club Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 7EG Castle Raceway Rhuddlan Dowty Slot Car Club Staverton, Gloucester GL2 9QH
www.dhorc.co.uk www.rockinghamslotcarclub.co.uk http://www.quornslotcarclub.co.uk/ www.lslots.co.uk www.mdmc.co.uk www.theracingroom.co.uk www.chorc.co.uk www.phoenixscalextriccircuit.com http://www.nssrc.co.uk https://sites.google.com/site/bearwoodscalextricclub/ http://tinyurl.com/ct523hj www.slotracing.org.uk/dudley www.greatbarrslotcar.co.uk http://www.g-slot.co.uk
www.musselbay.co.uk www.prestopark.co.uk www.bsescc.org.uk http://tinyurl.com/huntsscc www.schorc.com
kclements@btconnect.com website under construction 07850 268881 enquiries@hy-speed.co.uk www.hy-speed.co.uk 01242 518876 mscotto@blueyonder.co.uk www.wolverhamptonscalextricclub.com 01902 497270 or 07740 717140 richard@pantyffynnonslotcarclub.org.uk www.pantyffynnonslotcarclub.org.uk 07985 202772 nwscc@topmodels.org.uk www.northwalesslotcarclub.co.uk 01745 592111 (available shortly) phil.field30@btopenworld.com http://aberstone.webs.com/ 01432 269301 (Phil Field) or 01873 852429 (Phil Barry) cndbellavista@alice.it www.castleraceway.co.uk 0744 3497317 deecyslot@gmail.com www.bscra.org.uk/dowty/index.html 07770 338885
Slot Car MAG – The magazine for racers, collectors and builders
37
Steve Cannon Aka ‘Triplex’
WANTED • WANTED • WANTED • WANTED
New / Used SCALEXTRIC, Fly, Ninco, SCX, Slot.it, Racer, Cartrix Slot Cars
Vintage or New Top prices paid for all types of slot cars Anything from a single car to a thousand car collection Can collect from anywhere within the UK and mainland Europe
Email me at steve@8sc.co.uk Or call me on
07966 227701
Also, for peace of mind Insurance valuations available.
phil smith’s scale slot racing
International specialist in all electric slot cars 1000’s of new and obsolete slot cars in stock from all manufacturers and in all scales. Please visit the website which is updated on a daily basis
www.scaleslotcars.com
WANTED
All slotcars and slotcar collections wanted best prices paid and will collect from almost anywhere in the world LONDON INTERNATIONAL SLOT CAR SHOW at the Crofton Halls, York Rise, Orpington, Kent, BR6 8PR
Held twice a year on the third Sundays of April and November
www.slotcarevents.info
40
Roger Barker is waiting…
TO BUY YOUR UNWANTED
SCALEXTRIC ITEMS OR COLLECTION Please phone
07779 642235 or email roger.barker2@btopenworld.com
The magazine for racers, collectors and builders – Slot Car MAG