Infrequently Asked Questions - With Answers
What do you know about Historic karting? What qualifies you to undertake this project?
Not as much as many others, but I have been an avid karting enthusiast for over 60 years, and raced between 1967 and 1983 before racing cars and then officiating.
My motorsport background is summarised on the website.
Qualifications? Knowledge, passion, enthusiasm, experience, content writing, web, and design capabilities, research skills and a worldwide network of karting contacts … oh and did I mention I’m a published author with a collection of 1200+karting magazines.
If you are so concerned about karting history – why don’t you pay for the project yourself?
If I could – I would – but I can’t!
Why haven’t you explored grant funding to raise the money needed?
I have and I have already made a couple of preliminary applications for heritage focused grants, but the feedback received so far is that an online project such as this apparently does not meet the funding criteria for environmental protection, sustainability, equality and diversification.
Applying for grant funding is a time consuming and bureaucratic process, but further applications are not being ruled out at this time.
Won’t this project be competing with other historic / vintage / classic kart groups, associations and clubs?
I don’t see why it would! If anything it should complement their organisations and objectives and I look forward to working hand-in-hand with anybody that wants to.
Unfortunately, I am of an age where the organisation of historic kart races, shows and other events are beyond me! I am not interested in memberships or the like. My sole interest is in promoting the narrative of British Karting Heritage from my own online resources - for my own interest and pleasure and hopefully for the benefit of future generations of karting enthusiasts - nothing more and nothing less - definitely no hidden agendas or politics here!
Why don’t you just get the magazines scanned by a specialist scanning company?
Cost! I thoroughly researched all scanning options and I solicited formal quotations from several such specialist companies – and the quotations ran into tens of thousands of pounds.
When will be the website be available?
The timeline for the project is entirely dependent on the results of the fund raising campaign. On the assumption that the scanners will be funded by the end of March, it is envisaged that scanning will take about 2 months.
The website proposals have indicated that it would take 6- 8 weeks to build the website.
So strictly subject to funding - it is planned to ‘launch’ the website at the Kart Mania exhibition at Silverstone on the 23rd November 2025.
I’ve donated – but I’ve changed my mind – can I get a refund?
Yes, simply contact me within 30 days of making a donation and I will refund your donation.
OK - so you’ve raised a few thousand pounds so far – How do you expect to raise the balance needed for the website?
It was always planned that funding would be solicited in two distinct stages – 1 Scanners 2 Website Development, with funding also coming from distinctly different sources.
It was hoped that the cost of the scanners could be largely funded by donations from individuals within the karting community – and with a few exceptions this has proven to be the case. From the outset, it was always the intention that the funding needed to pay for the greater cost of website development, would be solicited from corporate donations – across the karting, motorsports and automotive sectors.
To this end, potential corporate donors has been researched and a target short-list compiled. These companies will be approached as soon as the scanners have been acquired.
How do I know the donations are being used for the advertised purposes?
You have to trust me for now – but as I have stated elsewhere in this NFAQ – the account and project will have the professional oversight of a chartered accountancy firm and financial statements showing income and expenditure will be made available.
Are donations being directed to your personal or company account?
No, a separate business bank account has been established solely for this project.
Is the project a registered company or charity?
No, not at this time - but the matter has been referred to my solicitor / accountant for further guidance.
Will the project be audited?
Yes, I have already arranged for my personal / business accountancy firm [details available upon request] to provide professional oversight of the project’s account and all financial transactions. They will also produce a formal financial statement.
Can I see financial statements for the project?
Yes. Formal financial statements will be published on the website at key milestones and on project completion.
You say the project will also be publishing books – who will be paying for their publication and will you benefit from the book sale profits?
As with all my publications – I pay for their entire production and printing costs. Any profits from these book sales will at my sole discretion - be allocated to the BKH project.
There are already some scanned collections of these magazines online – why don’t you just use them?
Firstly, to do that without the permission of the original legal copyright holder is against the law; Secondly, I don’t have the permission of those that have posted these collections online; Thirdly, many of these collections are incomplete; Finally, the page ordering and quality of many of these scans do not meet my own publishing requirements and standards.
In short – If I can’t do this properly, legally, and professionally, I don’t want to do it at all!
Where is the archive? Can I visit?
The archive is based at my home in the rural Scottish Borders. Donors and bona fide visitors are welcome to visit but by prior agreement and appointment only.
Given the importance of the “Scottish Clubman / Motorscot” magazine to karting North of the Border - why haven’t these magazines been included in the project?
I would have absolutely loved to have included these magazines! I have repeatedly tried to acquire the rights to the magazines [or even just the karting content] for many years now, but the family involved continue to shun any involvement with online republication whatsoever, although I do now have their tacit agreement to publish the magazine’s karting content in my Scottish karting history book.
Why are you undertaking this project?
Because nobody else seems the slight bit interested in preserving British karting history and if I don’t do it… who will? I believe that to date; karting history has been neglected and that there is a real danger that the origins and history of early British karting will be lost and that future generations may not have access to this history.
My motivation is further described on the website, in the project prospectus, and in the media information releases.
Is this a commercial project?
Absolutely not – this is a personal not-for-profit project.
Is this project affiliated with any other karting business or organisation?
No, this project is 100% independent of any external kart club, association or business influences whatsoever. I am however privileged to have the support of the Association of British Kart Clubs – who have also supported one of my karting publications - Racing Rules Explained.
Will there be a paywall or other charges to view the magazines on the website?
No - absolutely not. There will however be a donate link on the website, so that visitors can contribute to the ongoing costs of the website.
Will I be able to download and print the magazines?
No - there will be no functionality to download or print from the website. All online magazines will be watermarked.
It’s all very well asking for donations – but what have you personally contributed to the project?
Several thousands of pounds in expenditure, incurred wholly and necessarily in the best interests of the project; acquiring the magazine and book collections, the assets, IP and copyright acquisition, solicitors fees, website costs, banking fees, printing costs, advertising costs, travel costs, computer/office equipment, converting the building interior, storage racking, workbenches, heating and environmental control, preservation boxes and materials.
An awful lot of personal time and restless nights!
Will this project make a profit for you personally?
No, absolutely not, in fact, as mentioned above, it has cost me personally.
Who or what is Charterhall Publications?
It is my retirement, part-time, hobby, publishing business – capitalising on my proven skills as a Technical Author to provide a range of services to local small businesses and across the karting, motorsport and automotive sectors. Generally, this business has funded the project to date.
So, will Charterhall Publications benefit - by using the scanners for this business?
Possibly, but if that did happen any profits from third party non-karting business activities would be assigned back to the project.
Who will own the scanners after they have been purchased?
The scanners will be purchased by my “hobby business” Charterhall Publications – so I and my business will be the de facto owners of the scanners.
Who will own the website?
I will.
How will annual website maintenance and administration costs be funded?
It is envisaged that the costs of maintaining and administering the website in the future – estimated at about £400 p.a. – can be funded from online donations directly from the website over each year.
Is there a succession / legacy plan for project / website ownership?
Yes, as part of my personal estate planning, but it remains a work in progress. Discussions about succession planning and legacy ownership of the project’s assets are taking place with a UK motorsport organisation in relation to this matter.
What will happen to the scanners after the scanning of the magazines has been completed?
Two options exist. I will retain use of the scanners for scanning a wider range of karting magazines, publications, photos and other memorabilia from the USA after completion of the UK magazines - or;
The scanners could be sold, and the proceeds applied either to the cost of the website development or set aside to fund future annual website maintenance and administration costs.
What will happen if insufficient funds are raised for the project to proceed?
If insufficient funds or any other reason outside my control prevented the entire project from being completed, my best endeavours would be employed to return donations to known donors. [although some donors have contributed anonymously].
What will happen if you raise a surplus of funds over your actual budget requirements?
As extremely unlikely as this hypothetical outcome might be – arrangements would be made to return any surplus monies to the donor[s] concerned.
I believe that at one time, the owners of Karting Magazine, published all their magazines online for their subscribers. Why don’t you have access to these?
It is my understanding that the original owners of Karting Magazine did scan all their magazines for online publication under licence by two third-party publishers. The first publisher Netcopy Ltd. became insolvent and the company was wound up in 2016. I have been unable to contact any of the former directors to ascertain the survival of any digital files.
I did, however, trace the second online publisher, but they eventually advised that they only have files from 2008 to 2013 but they won’t release any files to me as I am not the original licensee.
Rather than incur costs engaging solicitors to prove ownership and gain access to these files, it seems simpler to just undertake the scanning of my own magazine collection.
Do you still need magazines?
Although I have complete sets of Karting Magazine, I remain eager to accept any magazines or books offered - rather than see them go to recycling.
In particular I still need certain Kart & Superkart magazines- as some in the collection are in rather poor condition. I am also specially eager to obtain Karting News and Record, Scottish Clubman,/MotorScot magazines alongwith Karting Monthly and any others from the various other short lived karting magazines.
Programmes, photos, and posters are also welcome, as are any USA materials. Thank you in advance.
Will you be attending any of the historic / classic/ vintage kart races, demonstrations, and exhibitions in 2025?
Yes, I certainly hope to attend a few selected events - [these events will probably prove a welcome break from days of scanning!] However, the cost of travelling south from Scotland while focussing on fund raising is also a consideration.