Motorists journeying through the north-east may do a double take this week, when they see a piece of automobile history passing in the other direction.
A group of car enthusiasts have travelled from Perthshire to Aberdeenshire in a vehicle with a difference – an original Model T Ford.
Since Tuesday, 20 of the iconic cars have been parked up outside the Strathburn Hotel, Inverurie, where their owners have been staying.
The group, which consists of about 40 people, is made up of Model T enthusiasts from across the UK.
Neil Tuckett, from Buckinghamshire, has been driving an “unreconstructed” model which dates back to 1911.
He said the area proved the perfect arena to explore in the “Tin Lizzies”.
“We love the scenery here and the lack of traffic on the back roads, in fact the quality of the roads in general.
“If you come to the south of England and see how bad the standard is, these are motorways in comparison.
“It’s the perfect way to enjoy the countryside here, the sights and the smells.”
The group’s next pit stop will be in Fraserburgh, where they will be taken a trip on a trawler and will be given a tour around trailer firm Gray and Adams’ headquarters.
And, despite the cars being collectively more than 2,000 years old, Mr Tuckett says they can still clock up hundreds of miles over a few days without the engines facing any issues.
“They are 100-year-old cars that you can still confidently use and repair if required,” he said.
“Over the last 100 years the car hasn’t really changed that much except from comfort – the modern car is just a bit faster.
“I still use this to get around and have gone round the clock three times since I bought it 20 odd years ago.”
In 2011, Mr Tuckett drove the Model T halfway up Ben Nevis, before it was lifted to the top, recreating the feat of Henry Alexander a century before.
In February, approval was given for a bronze sculpture of the car in Fort William to commemorate the original achievement.
