Leigh984, The creative portfolio of Leigh Spencer

  The Annual HinckleyBID⁩ Motor Show came to the town on 20th September, and with 2026, the show reached the milestone of its 15th anniversary. Welcoming over 700 vehicles, the show was a petrol heads’ paradise with much-loved cars, bikes, scooters, and more from across the decades lining Castle Street, Market Place, and more, including Argents Mead Park and the town’s leisure centre. We begin as the scooters arrive with the distinctive sound of their two-stroke engines evoking the days of the Mods, etc. Next, we see the wide selection of cars parked along the streets, including a line of very colourful VW Beatles with their mini duplicates ready to inspire the next generation of enthusiasts. Next, it’s through the gates into Argents Mead Park, or maybe that should be Jurassic Park as a 4x4 from the franchise is on display (dinosaurs not included!). As the band strike up Waterloo by ABBA in the bandstand, we take a look at a variety of big American cars from the 50s era and beyo...

  I went along to Hinckley town centre for the @hinckleybid August Classic Vintage Vehicle meet , which sees cars (pre-2000 models) on display by their owners around the town centre. We see the cars arriving and find their places with everything from more modern sports cars to a green classic Austin Martin polished to perfection in the evening sun. There’s also a Mini with a Union Flag roof and a Mustang with a selection of stickers on its back window. Down at the bottom of the hill, we find a vintage French limousine with a fun Pirate Duck as a hood ornament.  

I travelled to Mountsorrel in Leicestershire to see the start of the Measham Night Rally , an event which sees over 40 classic cars , drivers and navigators travelling around the countryside using the tried and tested map and compass method of old, no sat-navs here !. At the Stonehurst Farm and Motor Museum we start at the sign in and with the sound of engines revving and being prepped for the night ahead. Over to another farm building and a team of scrutineers check each vehicle for road worthiness and safety checking lights, steering and engine condition etc. Back in the farmyard there`s time to catch a bite to eat at the Farmers Den and consult the route maps before they are off into the dark of the night and surrounding countryside for the ultimate all righter, many tell me they wont be back till 5am on Sunday morning !.

Over two days in May 3rd - 4th the village of Desford travelled back to the 1940's with a festival of the 40's, with Vintage Cars (both civilian and Military) and themed areas across the village the wartime spirit was evident throughout. The event by the Desford Heritage group was timed to be the villages marking of 80 Year anniversary of #veday a celebration nationwide of Victory In Europe. Our Film begins with the Battlepipes rendition of Scotland the brave which cleverly is combined with the theme to Dads Army before a outdoor service in which Abide With Me is sung as Poppies are dropped from the tower of St Martin`s Church. The pipes can still be heard in the background as Sir Winston Churchill himself makes an appearance with his classic car parked in front of the church a moment so important it`s recorded by a press photographer from the 40's !. Back on the church green and visitors are given informative talks about communication both secret and otherwise in the er...

The North Leicester MG Club met for a day run through the lanes of East Leicestershire celebrating the scrapping of road tax on classic vehicles and raising money for local charity the Rainbows Hospice For Children and Young People in Loughborough. I caught up with them at the end of the run in the Gates Garden Centre car park at Cold Overton. The classic cars all maintained to a gleaming finish by their owners looked spectacular in a variety of colours lined up in the parking bays. There where more than just MG cars too with a number of Morris Minors and even a classic white Jaguar on show.

  In July 2021 Hinckley town Centre played host to BID Hinckley`s Classic Vehicle evening meet.  Gleaming polished classics from various years (pre-2000 registration) assembled on the sunlit streets and market place in the town, mirrored chrome shone brightly and owners sat beside them proud of their work. Visitors admired the artistry of yesterday's car designers as they walked socially distanced up and down castle street the main market street in the Leicestershire town. My film features a few of the cars that attended and aims to give a flavor of the event.