A passion for classic cars and vintage vehicles is something which is shared widely by people across Gwent.

CAIO IWAN finds out more.

A MAJOR classic and vintage car event has been taken away from enthusiasts in Gwent this year – but there are still plenty of reasons for petrolheads in the area to get excited about.

The annual Big Welsh Classic Car Show, which helps raise funds for blood cancer charity Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, is being held at Margam County Park in Port Talbot on September 20 this year.

The Margam Park event replaces the annual Tredegar House Vintage Car Rally which ended in 2014.

It had been organised by the Gwent branch of the charity, and ran for 34 years raising more than £860,000 in the process.

But classic and vintage car lovers need not fear. A big showcase might have gone away, but the love for retro motors isn’t going anywhere in a hurry, and the obsession with old motors in the area is alive and kicking.

People may have heard of the so-called “vinyl revival”, but vintage cars are now becoming increasingly popular too among people from all over Gwent.

One man who knows of this resurgence in popularity more than most is 35-year-old Ross Thomas, who is from Newport.

The classic car enthusiast bought his first Mini aged 13 with money from his paper round. He spent hundreds of hours restoring the orange and black Mini 1000 he had bought for just £140.

But the former Bettws Comprehensive student had to wait until he had his licence before he could drive the 1980 model.

And last year, the father of one decided to share his passion for classic cars by opening a garage in Woodside Way, Cwmbran, called Thomas Classic & Modern.

“It’s been a pleasant surprise to see how many classics there are still out there,” he said. “As I initially suspected they’re growing in popularity as investments and people are either using them for their own use or keeping them before selling the cars on in a year or two.”

Mr Thomas says there is plenty of support all over Gwent, but insists the obsession is even more widespread.

“It’s the same all over the country,” he said.

“I travel across the country with classic Minis. It has started to go the other way with the modern cars now as well because some of the Minis from 14 or 15 years ago are becoming more and more popular. Although they are not seen as classics in their own right, they have a following and a cult scene surrounding them.”

So what is the appeal?

“I think it’s a combination of things,” Mr Thomas said. “Firstly, it is seen as an investment to some people like I’ve already mentioned. Secondly, you’ve got people who have aspired to have a Morgan or an Austin Healey when they were younger and they have come into an age now when they can afford one of their own.

“More and more people are now using their classic cars for their own use throughout the week and just wash and polish them on the weekend, whereas it used to be the other way around.

“It’s the same with the vinyl – anything that’s vintage and retro, whether it be clothing or cars, is beginning to come back to fashion.

“But with the cars, most people don’t view it as a trend, more as a way of life. I say it’s like you’ve got the camper vans following the surfers.”

Mr Thomas keeps some for himself, but also repairs, restores, and cares for other people's prized possession as part of his business.

And it seems the love for vintage vehicles, both large and small, is shared by many across Gwent. Only last week, hundreds of toy fans indulged their passion for miniature cars at the annual toy fair at Abergavenny's Market Hall.

The fair has become a popular event in the town in recent years among both collectors and the curious. There were full-sized vintage vehicles on display too, including decommissioned buses and a lovingly restored 1934 Austin 7 Box Saloon D.

David Lewis-Jones, who was at the fair over the May bank holiday, said plenty of people were fascinated with the Saloon.

The retired 68-year-old said: "There's just something about old classics that make people nostalgic.

"I'm not particularly knowledgeable when it comes to cars but I was speaking to people there who were saying it was the only thing they saved up for."

As Mr Thomas previously mentioned, there are some who use classic cars as financial investments. But others simply use the cars, as was their initial purpose, to drive them.

For these, simply getting their classics out on the road after the cold, wintery months is the problem.

According to research by the Daily Telegraph, it is estimated that there are more than half a million classic or historic vehicles in the UK, with around three quarters of them deemed roadworthy and licensed.

Further survey work from insurance specialist Footman James showed more than 50 per cent of such car owners drive them less than 1,500 miles a year, with another 30 per cent covering up to 3,000 miles.

But whether it is for pure practicality, or sheer enjoyment, it seems the classic cars are here for the long run.