By Nikita Finnigan Club Chronicles: A Night with Glasgow RC Club, East Kilbride
As part of our Club Chronicles series, where we shine a spotlight on the incredible local clubs that make up the backbone of the BRCA, last Wednesday, 16th April, we had the pleasure of visiting Glasgow RC Club in East Kilbride.
Tucked away in a vibrant pocket of Scotland's RC scene, Glasgow RC Club welcomed us with open arms for one of their popular weekly socials. From the moment we arrived, the energy was unmistakable - a shared passion for radio-controlled racing, matched by a strong sense of community spirit.
We spoke with long-time members and newcomers alike, each with their own story to tell. For some, the club has been a lifelong hobby and a space to build lasting friendships; for others, it's a recent discovery that quickly became a weekly highlight.
"It's not just about the racing," one member told us. "It's about the people. Everyone here supports each other."
The evening was a fantastic showcase of everything that makes local RC clubs so special: hands-on support, friendly competition, and a space where generations mix effortlessly.
Glasgow RC Club's commitment to inclusivity, learning, and fun, captures exactly what the BRCA is proud to support and celebrate.
We're incredibly grateful to the club for having us and sharing their stories. If you're ever in the area and want to experience grassroots RC culture at its finest, this club is a must-visit!
The club has also invested in a fleet of eight RC cars available for free public hire - perfect for anyone curious about the hobby. Whether you want to try it out for just 15 minutes or spend the whole day on the track, it's a fun, no-commitment way to experience RC racing before diving in. Simply book online and take one for a spin...
Check out Glasgow RC's website here - https://glasgowrc.com
... and check them out on Facebook. Keep your eyes peeled for some member spotlight videos coming soon to our socials too..
... And, of course, stay tuned for more stops in our Club Chronicles series and drop us an email -
*We finished up by asking these little legends to pull the best faces they could! …
By Nikita Finnigan Honouring the Legends of Our Sport - A Tribute at Robin Hood
At the British Radio Car Association, we recognise that the growth of our sport has been shaped by the passion, dedication, and contributions of many incredible individuals. Sadly, over the years, we have lost several of these legends who played a pivotal role in nurturing our love for radio-controlled racing.
To honour their memories and celebrate the legacy they have left behind, we are excited to announce the creation of a special tribute area at the iconic Robin Hood venue. This will be a space where we can gather with friends and family, share stories, laugh, and create new memories around the warmth of a fire.
The tribute area will feature:
- A permanent wooden shelter
- Comfortable seating
- A gas burner for warmth
- Speakers to set the mood
- Brass plaques dedicated to those we’ve lost
This area will serve as a lasting reminder of the impact made by those like YORCC Chairman Derek Bradby, Mick Cragg, and Phil Booth - of whom left an indelible mark on our community.
But this is just the beginning. As part of our long-term vision for Robin Hood, we are planning additional improvements, including resurfacing both tracks and upgrading the toilets and cafe, ensuring the venue continues to serve generations of radio-controlled enthusiasts.
Join us as we celebrate the past, cherish the present, and look forward to a bright future for our beloved sport.
To donate to the cause, please visit the link below:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/legends-area-at-robin-hood-raceway
By Nikita Finnigan HUNCOTE VIPERS MODEL CAR CLUB CELEBRATES 35 YEARS OF RACING
On 27th March 2025 Huncote Vipers Model Car Club will be celebrating 35 years of racing.
The club was formed by David Quemby along with Charles and Paul Dunkley, Rob Norwell and Colin Watts.
The first meeting was held in the school hall of Huncote Primary School in Leicestershireon Tuesday 27th March 1990.
The main aim of the club was to promote the sport of radio control model car racing, providing a safe environment for youngsters to use their cars and a place for them to learn how to tune and maintain them. The club still maintains this aim & has club cars that can be used by anyone wanting to try the sport.
The original track was laid out on a carpet base with old esculator handrail being used to mark out the track.
Lap timing at that time was done using a manual pushbutton counting system.
In the early days there were up to 40 members & most of the cars were 1:10th scale buggies.
The club is affiliated to the British Radio Car Association which is the governing body of the sport in this country.
Over the years the types of cars being raced have gone through a number of phases from four wheel drive 1:10th scale saloon cars, 1:12th scale GT12 & LMP’s to the latest phase which is the Battcave mini’s.
The electronics have also changed over the years with motors changing from brushed to brushless, batteries changing from NiCad’s to NiMH’s then to LiPo’s.
The radio transmitters also changed from predominatley sticks to wheel type & the frequencies used from 27MHz to 40MHz & now 2.4GHz.
The clubs system for lap timing also changed from the original mechanical system to using handout transponders & computer software to the now dedicated personnal transponders with results being displayed live on a website.
Club membership has changed quite a bit from the early 40 members dropping down to mid teens around 2010. Numbers picked up to low 20’s in 2013 before dropping down to around 10 members just before covid stopped play.
The club took a while to recover once we were allowed to start racing again & this year we have around 17 members so far.
The club still meets on a Tuesday night during term time (6:30pm to 10pm) & once the adjacent Community Centre hall became available the club hired that as well as a pit area.
Racing is still done on a carpet based track with the track marking been done using drainpipe tubing. The circuit is changed once a month to allow drivers time to test different car set-ups.
One of the clubs founder members, Rob Norwell, left the club in the 90’s & rejoined the club over 10 years ago & is now a regular member again.
The club can be found online at our website www.vipersrc.co.uk or our Facebook page under Huncote Vipers Model Car Club.
Race results are published on the rc-results.com under Huncote Vipers MCC.
John Richardson
By Nikita Finnigan Here's some exciting news about a British manufacturer producing innovative tools tailored to our hobby. We've had the chance to check them out in person and are thoroughly impressed and happy to recommend them to all of you!
Perma-Grit ® Tools specialise in designing, manufacturing, and supplying Tungsten Carbide grit abrasive tools. These tools are perfect for the high-performance car, boat, aircraft, prototype design, hobby, DIY, and home improvement markets. Known for their exceptional durability, Perma-Grit ® tools are ideal for working with modern composite materials such as carbon fibre, Kevlar, glass fibre, Perspex, Plexiglas, PCB, Lexan, acrylics, plastics, and polystyrene. They also work brilliantly with more traditional materials like wood, ceramics, stone, marble, glass, and metal.
Their tools are engineered to last significantly longer than traditional abrasives, with Tungsten Carbide grit offering superior wear resistance. Whether you're shaping, sanding, or cutting, these tools provide high performance across a wide range of applications. Perma-Grit ® offer a wide range of products, including sanding blocks, files, cutters, and blades, designed to meet the needs of professionals and hobbyists alike.
The tools are designed for precision and efficiency, ensuring excellent results while reducing the amount of time and effort required. They also offer a cleaner working environment with less dust, thanks to the superior grit technology.
Let's support British manufacturers and keep the local industry thriving!
Tried, tested, and BRCA recommended!