Since July 2007 the Smart Torch (when I say torch I mean adapted garden furniture)has been on it's relay journey around the world. An idea started by a guy called Rik from smartissimi to take a cheep and rather cumbersome item around the world by means of the smart car and their various clubs/owners. An idea that would cause a great many headaches, confusion, arguments & misunderstanding I hear you say ! ,,,,,,,,,, Well that would be where you were right.

Finally getting over to this septic little ireland from our friends in France, through immigration, quarantine and border controls. It first went on a little tour of the less important and slightly old fashioned southern regions of the country, then made it's way to south Wales and this is where the North West Smarties part of this tour takes place.

Picked up from South Wales by NW Smarties members Sarah (Candy Pants) and Ian (Icy) who then in the true British way entered into the spirit of this auspicious occasion by taking it nowhere and bringing up to the NW Smarties Meet to pass on, it brings a tear to our eyes to know that the War time tradition of " Pass the buck " is still alive in the North West.

After much admiring, caressing& trying to take apart it was time to leave the NW Smarties meeting and travel to exciting locations with the new Torch Bearer (all hail the most gullible Phil). And I can tell you this was going to be one hell an educational route for the torch, taking it to some of it's most historical and thought provoking place yet.

First stop off place Chester, the Roman city where many of the English inhabitants were raped or murdered, the over priced walled city with rich heritage festooned with tacky Pubs and students from around the world that couldn't get into our proper Universaties.Well after such a great first stop could we to that ? Well let's see ...

Time of a bit of artistic culture, off up to Crosby Beach, where we breath in the Modern sculpture that is " Another Place " by the world renowned artist Antony Gormley, this sculpture consists of 100 life size steel moldings of the artist himself (egotistical maniac) , all in various stages of rusting embedded in the sand and facing out to see. Well if Mr Angelo was alive today I feel his crown may be for the taking.

Well ancient History and culture covered in two journeys would it be possible to top these places ? ....

Liverpool, a City recognized world wide for its Dodgy Inhabitants, it's football, it's laughable title of "City Of Culture"and the birth place of the Beetles. Of course Liverpool itself is rich with a lot more offerings and culture than that, but nobody else seems to give a crap about that so we wont dwell on it either.
So which of those many Historical buildings and world recognizable images of this great city could we take our picture of the torch against ? That's right a naff modern sculptureLambanana by Taro Chiezo, was designed in about 5 minutes using a peace of platerscene and is supposed to highlight the dangers of GM modified food.

Well that gives us ancient history, modern history and art in just three visits we surely couldn't find a place that could top this ...

No we couldn't so we took it to New Brighton instead a place that was the Wirral answer to Blackpool but nobody has used as a holiday destination since the 1930's, and all that it's known for now-a-days is the location of " The Wirral Show " and the starting point for Europe's larges charity motorcycle run " The Wirral Egg Run". The pictures with the torch were taken at New Brighton's only visually pleasing place, in front of "The Clown".

Now at last a place that relevant to Motor Manufacture Vauxhall Ellesmere Port, now smart could take a leaf out of these guy's books. their Astra is sold around the world not only under the Vauxhall brand but Opel, Chevrolet& Holden , now these cars are sold cheaply but have a build quality & reliability that's the envy of the rest of the motoring world. And don't think for one moment that because I work here and the wages pay my mortgage has influenced my opinion in anyway.

So is this the end of our tale ? Well only the end of our chapter of this historic event. We arranged to meet up with more smart owners in Manchester, where we would relinquish our responsibility and to once again "pass the buck". And I'm sure that they will take their responsibilities as serious as we did ........