Tynemouth VW Rally

A couple of friends organised a VW rally in Tynemouth, giving a unique slice of Vee Dub culture to the region. It all took place down The Haven, with Tynemouth Priory on one side and the mouth of The Tyne on the other, it proved to be the perfect setting. Not only did they manage to organise an amazing event, that grew and grew over its 2 year, 3 rally existence, the weather was always fantastic too.

I must admit I’m not really into cars, it’s old motorbikes for me, I used to hang out down The Haven on one as a youth. So I didn’t really know what to expect, I just took my camera and looked forward to taking a few photos. The cars and vans on display were absolutely breathtaking and if I was ever going to have a mid life crisis, it would be a Karmann Ghia. What really struck me was the sense of community and how welcoming and friendly it was, it not only made for a lovely and relaxed day, but also made you feel part of something special. I was really only finding my way that day, taking photos of the cars and vans, a very enjoyable dog show, another first. Towards the end of the rally, I began to take photographs that would inspire my photography at the next rally. The cars and vans became a bit more of a backdrop, I was looking to capture moments that conveyed what a great family day out the rally had quickly become, peoples interaction and that sense of community that initially drew me in.

I didn’t want to wait another year, so I started photographing other events and shows in Northumberland. It gave me some much needed experience, confidence and quite a few ideas for photographs. For the third rally, I decided to try and document the show. I loved the whole social aspect, everybody having a great and enjoyable day, including me, my friends and the many dogs too. I would take quick, candid photographs and continue looking, it’s how I still work today. The photographs were posted online and the response was amazing, they ended up in print, local papers and beyond. They still appear from time to time.

The third rally would sadly be the last one at The Haven. The amount of work, restrictions and difficulties in organising these rallies all became a bit too much. A final scaled down version would later take place on Tynemouth Front Street. Tynemouth always played a big part in the VW rally, with it’s mix of shops, cafes, bars and quirky independent retailers, it was a popular location before, after and often during the day.