It was once the mini Monte Carlo at the heart of Scottish model car racing.
In its heyday, the circuit for remote control cars at Stonehaven was the biggest in Europe.
But as the pursuit has faded in popularity in years, the track – which is made out of “old fire hoses and wooden ramps” – has welcomed fewer enthusiasts.
Blast from the past in pictures:
Now, the Stonehaven and District Radio Car Club (SDRCC) has launched efforts to put their miniature motorsport group back on the map.
As well as returning the club to its former glory, members hope their plans to revamp and expand the circuit will attract more fans of the hobby to the coastal Aberdeenshire town.
SDRCC has launched a plan worth £4,000 to replace their improvised off-road track with a permanent one of a higher standard.
The new racing circuit will be laid out on an Astroturf surface to comply with all national regulations and provide more suitable conditions for modern remote control cars, which can reach up to 70mph.
Founded in 1979, the club used to be at the heart of model car racing in Scotland with hundreds of people flocking to the north-east to race their miniature vehicles on Stonehaven’s outdoor track – the biggest in Europe at the time.
However, as regulations changed significantly over the years, the group no longer had the required tracks to stage such grand competitions.
Chris Briggs, chairman of Stonehaven and District Radio Car Club, now hopes to change that.
He said: “Over time, most off-road tracks have moved from grass to Astroturf, so by us doing the same, we would be creating a modern facility that complies with national regulations.
“At the moment, there’s not really a draw for people to come up and race on a grass track that’s made out of rope, old fire hoses and the wooden ramps that we’ve made.
“The new track not only takes us to the next level, but it’s also a more attractive proposition to help get more members.
“The hopes and dreams are to try and build the club back up to the level it was in the 90s and hold national races again.”
If approved, the development would mean that the club will qualify to once again hold national and international championships.
Mr Briggs added: “We used to have on-road races and at its peak we would have at least a hundred people flying from mainland Europe to come racing in Stonehaven.
“Having all these people stay in our local bed and breakfast, visiting our restaurants and eating fish and chips in vast quantities brings money into the economy and supports all businesses in Stonehaven.
“So building a facility that appeals to that kind of people, who want to travel to race on the best tracks, will not only be good for our club, but for the community as well.”
