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FIRST OVERLAND NEWSLETTER 18The latest news of the 'First Overland' DVD, based on Antony Barrington-Brown's original film footage of the 1955 Oxford & Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition from London to Singapore. |
A much abbreviated (and very overdue) Newsletter, rushed onto site to mark Land-Rover's 60th Anniversary on April 30th 2008, and to bring you news from two of the Celebration..
This is taking place at the Heritage Motor Centre (www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk) at Gaydon, in Warwickshire, this Saturday and Sunday, May 2nd/3rd. It'll not only be almost certainly the biggest celebration of 60 years of the World's Best 4x4 By Far, but there's an excellent programme of Expedition Talks.
They'll be hosted in the Centre by many well known faces, and include:
1 — Iceland Experience Presented by David Sneath with some of the rest of the Experience team, about the behind the scenes work to launch a new vehicle in Iceland
2 — Camel Trophy An insight into the Camel trophy
3 — Trans-Americas Presented by Geoff Miller
I'll be especially trying to make the Trans-Americas one, having once ridden in one of the two Range Rovers, driven by John Blashford-Snell... it's a long story!
But the most important event is scheduled for Saturday afternoon, from 1430 to 1530. An enthusiast from Cambridgeshire, Michael Geary, has created a replica of the Oxford car, and will be exhibiting it at the weekend. He and I have been given an Expedition Talks spot — he'll talk about his replica, and then I'll introduce a presentation based on my 'First Overland Roadshow'.
And also with us will be Tim Slessor, who enthusiastically offered to bring along some of his books to sign. We're honoured to accept, and I look forward very much to meeting him again.
So, if you're coming to Gaydon, make sure to visit Michael's replica, and to catch our presentation on Saturday afternoon, and meet Tim. For the rest of the time, I'd be delighted to greet you on the Land-Rover Series One Club Stand — who knows, if you buy a DVD from them, I might even sign it for you!
This is the Land-Rover Series One Club's celebration of the 60th Anniversary, and will be at Chepstow Racecourse on June 28th-29th. For more details, see the Club Website. I hope to be alongside the Club stand, with my 'First Overland Roadshow', and once again look forward to meeting you.
Of far lesser significance, 'Fido' (my wife's white Series One that appears on the 'extra' in the DVD, and provided the correct engine sound for the scene transitions) is now back on the road, looking sparking and magnificent after a restoration, the cost of which we do not talk about (but thanks to you all for buying the DVD!)
In the video I tried to sit in front of the rusty bits. It would have been nice to have come to Gaydon or Chepstow in her, but we still have a slight compression problem in the engine, and both events are too far from Yorkshire to contemplate in a 51-year-old vehicle that's not in 100% good fettle. So it'll have to be the Freelander, but I'll hide it round the back!
I hope after all this is over to be able to return to a proper newsletter, with all the things I promised you in Issue 17. So much to do, so little time.
GRAEME ALDOUS
Previous Newsletters are available here
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