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FIRST OVERLAND NEWSLETTER 23The 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. |
Tim, 'BB' and the replicas at Gaydon; more LR owners inspired by 'First Overland', and we set off for Africa behind a 3-cylinder diesel engine.
This year the Weekend was back to the single day that it used to be — the 2-day event last year was specially to mark the 60th Anniversary of Land Rover. Not that the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon was empty of 'green oval' vehicles on Saturday May 2nd, because there was a 'sort-out' held in the car park which attracted a lot of enthusiasts. I managed to find a starting handle for 'Fido' (after the 'restorer' managed to lose the original!), a pedal rubber, and a pair of inertia reel seat belts, which will require some ingenuity to fit.
But I wasn't primarily there for the bits, but to give visitors the opportunity to see the 'First Overland Roadshow'. Emma Rawlinson of the HMC had very helpfully allowed me to use an area of The Gallery, on the first floor immediately outside the cafeteria where the video screen caught the eye of diners as they left. And many people did look my way... but probably because the LRX prototype was parked between the cafe and me!
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I forgot to take a picture of my own, so I've had to crib one. As someone who tends to the view that something of the purity of the Land-Rover (with the hyphen) was lost when they started rounding-out the sides in 1958, it was very interesting to see how people reacted to this undeniably dramatic vehicle. Many people were drooling over it, and I even heard a few (of the ladies, at least) squealing in delight. Undoubtedly it attracted a lot of attention, and there's no denying that Solihull will need every bit of attention-attracting it can get over the next few years. Vehicles like the LRX will certainly be needed in the line-up if the company is to survive the future. But I just can't see myself rolling up to Ruswarp Mart in one, with an Ivor Williams full of sheep on the back! |
But for those who prefer their Land Rovers to have flat sides, the Roadshow was a good opportunity to see the original Land-Rover working in its proper element. There were three reasonable audiences on the Saturday (considering that this wasn't the Heritage Day proper), and we got some good chat going. But the real day was Sunday May 3rd, with the traditional Heritage Run from Lode Lane to Gaydon, with 150 vehicles taking part, and covering every different model of Land Rover (and virtually every different modification!).
Most important from our point of view was the arrival towards the end of the cavalcade of Michael Geary and Martin Lawrie, with the team of 'First Overland Second' explorers, towing the two trailers with the 'Oxford' and 'Cambridge' replicas on them. They drove round the site with the cavalcade, and then moved away to one end of the car park, where they could unload the cars and pose them together. |
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Look closely at the spectators on the left side of the picture — yes, wearing his grey Malaysia Land Rover Owners Club T-shirt (and carrying a copy of the 'FO' reprint) is 'BB', who I'm delighted to say was able to come along to Gaydon with Tim Slessor, and see how things are progressing with the replicas.
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Four members of the 'First Overland Second' team were able to join Michael, and be photographed with Tim & 'BB'. They were (l to r) Jamie Innes (Cook/camping), Michael Geary, Steve Kerss (Cambridge Owner), Abi Williams (PR), Theo Sagers (Writer/Camera 2), Lucy Guile (Financial), Tim Slessor, 'BB'. Other team members not at Gaydon were Lisa O'Conner (Visas/borders), Matthew Courtman (Medic) and Sophie Pickford (Camera 1) |
As usual, Michael had been working until the early hours of the morning getting the Cambridge replica ready, and it's definitely still 'work in progress'. But Steve Kerss (who offered the 86" Station Wagon to Michael after hearing me mention his plans during a Roadshow at Chepstow last year) was delighted to come along and see how things were going. Inevitably there was discussion with Tim and 'BB' about whether it's the exact shade of Cambridge Blue, and whether the logos are spot-on — all things that can be tinkered-with as time goes on. Steve and Tim were also seen discussing the Turner drum winch, which Michael admits is not 100% correct — in fact, he's very anxious to get hold of a proper Koenig one. But all in all, the two replicas made a magnificent show in the car park, and engendered a lot of interest. Michael in particular must be congratulated (again!) for all the time and painstaking effort he's putting into this. |
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For the Heritage Day itself, the museum had organised a programme of talks in the gallery — I'd set the day off with a Roadshow, and then we all came together at three in the afternoon for the big presentation. With a very respectable audience (and my thanks to Lynn Bowles and Richard Beddall for allowing me to keep popping up on the public address outside to let people know what we were doing) I gave the Roadshow presentation again and introduced Tim and 'BB'. Then Michael led his fellow explorers in presenting their plans to recreate the 'First Overland' journey, leaving London on September 1st 2010 — the 55th anniversary of the original venture. They are not unaware of the difficulties (and particularly the political ones) that the intervening half-century has brought, but seem to be facing them in a responsible and adventurous manner. I've already put the date in my diary to be in London to film them setting off. I may even try to recreate that memorable day in 1955 when, as a 12-year-old kid, I watched 'Cambridge' go through Lee Green on the A20 Dover Road — a moment in my life which has led to so many things. |
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I have every faith in their ability to pull this off, and I wish them all well. |
Of course, I'm not the only person on whom the 'FO' book had a considerable influence. Every time I send out a Newsletter Update, I receive emails in reply which show how many current Land Rover owners were inspired by Tim's book. I'm always delighted to read these... and even more delighted when you give me permission to pass them on.
For instance, Myron Erickson wrote: What a pleasant surprise to get the FO newsletter and Gaydon update this morning. My young son (7) and I just watched FO last night. While I would love to come to the Gaydon event, it isn't possible for us this year. However, First Overland continues to inspire us, and this coming summer I, my wife, and son will be driving our 64 SIIA 88" on a 3-week 'expedition' around Lake Superior, starting and ending from our home in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I've been planning it since January of this year, and we're just about ready to hit the road.
Myron, we all hope you have a great time (and it's good to see you're introducing your son to the Green Oval at an early age!) Myron's promised to send some pictures and a few words about the trip.
Also from the other side of The Herring Pond, David Giguere emailed: It is always a good day when I find your newsletter in my inbox! This [Gaydon] looks to be a great gathering and I look forward to following the progress of First Overland 2 in the coming year. I only wish I wasn't quite so far away (Atlanta, Georgia USA). I very much enjoyed reading Tim Slessor's book, but being able to see the footage and watching the interview added a new dimension to the story. Have a great day and thank you for your time.
David ordered a new copy of the DVD, which Tim & 'BB' signed while we were all together at the Heritage Weekend — I can't guarantee to arrange that for everyone, though. He also wrote some very flattering things about the production of the DVD, which I'm far too modest to include here... but thanks!
Still in the New World, Chris Stewart wrote: Thanks for the update about the Gaydon weekend. It is frustrating sitting here in New Brunswick knowing that these events are going on. On a positive note, the DVD is great! I have sent it to my Dad in Ontario so that he can watch it. I have the 1958 Companion Book Club edition. It would be great to get that autographed, but I don't think I can fly over for that weekend. Keep sending the updates, I enjoy reading them.
And finally, from Sandra Strickett in Devon comes this very jolly contribution: Many thanks for the latest First Overland newsletter. Despite having virtually no interest in Land Rovers or even cars in general, (surely they get you from A to B) this 64 year old female pensioner still finds your Newsletters a joy to read!
I, too, read the book as a teenager back in the late 50’s and loved it. It has remained on my bookshelf ever since, and has somehow escaped all the culls which took place in various house moves over the years! I reread it some 8 or 9 years ago and found it even more fascinating now that so much of the world has changed. Picking it up again a couple of years ago I decided that my old blue copy (just like yours, I think) was somewhat tatty, and wondered if via the internet I could obtain a better-looking version. I was amazed to discover that it had been reissued in 2005 (possibly missed this as this was the year I was arranging my daughter’s wedding!) and discovered the link to your site with all its revelations. I informed my better half that his Christmas present to me was solved, and so the DVD was ordered and it duly arrived in time for Christmas 2008. We both very much enjoyed it one Sunday afternoon in the following January and on several occasions since then.
It is really heartening to know that there are lovely people about who take such an interest in all this FO razzamatazz!! Renews my faith in the human race. Living in Devon makes the trip to Gaydon a bit of a trek so I shall just have to wait for the Newsletter to hear all about it. Keep it up — you might even convert me in the end.
Sandra, it sounds to me as though you've already been converted!
In previous Newsletters, I've mentioned an email from John Woodroffe about the very quirky Turner Diesel engines that were fitted to some Series 1 L-Rs (in the absence then of a suitable Rover diesel). He has two of them, and for a while now has been researching this rather odd and advanced engine (for its time). He has a good contact in Turner Powertrain Systems (now part of Caterpillar), and has gathered together an archive of data which has some interesting history.
As part of this, he also introduced me to an expedition named 'Operation Enterprise', and a report described as 'An account of the gruelling 10,000 mile reliability trial over the Sahara Desert, jungles and mountains, undertaken by the Turner-Diesel Trans-African Test Team.' John says "You may know that in 1954/5 Turner Manufacturing tried to get Rover to use the engine in the Land Rover before they (Rover) designed their own 2L unit. To prove the engine, Turners came up with Operation Enterprise — to drive a Turner-powered Land Rover (107" NUK952) across the Sahara to Kenya and onto Rhodesia. I have tracked the only surviving member of the team who did the trip, the leader Mr Ken Hill, and have copies of all his notes."
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I'm delighted to say that not only is Ken happy for me to reproduce his notes here, but that a booklet version has now been uncovered which has made it much easier to extract the text. So, for the next few Newsletters we will be 'travelling' with Ken and his colleagues as they set out on Operation Enterprise, in 1954. |
Arrived in Dover early morning in alternate flurries of snow and flashes of sunshine. Air Vice Marshal Banting was at the dock side and had taken the precaution of bringing along the Harbour Master to smooth our progress. How nice to see a familiar face at that time; it is a pleasure to know him and we all appreciated his gesture in coming to see us off. We crossed on the channel steamer 'Lord Warden', and as we looked back to the Dover Cliffs now bathed in the promise of spring sunshine, feelings were, I think, a trifle mixed. However, the crossing was smooth and pleasant and we were ushered through the Boulogne Customs without a hitch by very efficient R.A.C. and A.A. Patrols.
On to Paris!
We re fuelled and were on our way to Paris. The countryside was tidy farm-land for the most part and a surprisingly large number of horses were being used. The villages did not look particularly prosperous and appeared sparsely populated. We arrived in Paris at 10.30 p.m. having lost ourselves for a while on the outskirts of the city. Aubry et Simonin, our agents, had booked us rooms at the Hotel Napoleon Bonaparte, and it really is magnificent. A meeting arranged for 11 a.m. the following morning, we fell into hot baths and beds – our first day's journey over.
We meet the Press
Up early on a glorious morning, breakfasted, tidied the vehicle, re fuelled and down to Aubry et Simonin. The trouble and care to which this Company went deserves every mention. M.Berge and Mme Denise Rouselot worked so hard with their charming English to smooth every obstacle. Something like 38 papers and magazines sent representatives to inspect the vehicle, questioned and photographed us, and we gave innumerable demonstrations to everyone's satisfaction. Lunch followed and terminated around six in the evening. The food and wine were delicious. Later in the evening we were shown the city, and a more enchanting and charming place I have never seen.
In Toulouse
Left Orleans early morning and drove 353 miles to Toulouse, passing through some lovely countryside and arriving late in the evening. Toulouse is an interesting city with some very pleasant squares with trees and shrubs in full leaf, giving the charming mellow buildings a cool, shaded look. It has wide avenues and colourful cafes and some very quaint cobbled streets.
Entering Spain
Left Toulouse in the morning for the Spanish frontier passing on the way the town of Perpigan. The mountainous approach to the frontier is very magnificent, and any would-be invader should think twice before attempting those twisting mountain roads and the strategically-placed low forts. We negotiated the customs, police, civil guard, etc., but with some delay. There was none of the affability of the French here.
It was now quite dark, so we pressed on to Gerona and stayed the night at a pleasant type hotel in whitewashed rooms with stone floors and old truckle beds. The Rover was safely stowed away in the stable between half a dozen wicked-looking mules. The food here was surprisingly good, with some delicious olives and a local rough, red wine, fierce, but palatable.
On the "Rock"
Crossed the border into Gibraltar at 8.30 a.m. The Customs people are a surly crowd here and kept us waiting for a long time before letting us pass, although no attempt was made to search either vehicle or luggage. They strut around with enormous pistols and automatic weapons. We drove a hundred yards or so into the British zone and felt a thrill to see the old Union Jack at the mast on the gate. The Police wear what appears to be an ordinary London policeman's uniform, and are magnificently efficient and meticulously polite. On going to the Bland Line Offices, we were unable to obtain space for the vehicle until tomorrow morning, so we will then cross to Tangier and arrive in Casablanca late on Wednesday night. Gibraltar is a quaint little town with narrow twisting streets cut out of the rock. The main street is a hive of dozens of little Indian-type dukas, bars, cafes, souvenir junk shops, barbers and hotels, all brilliantly illuminated at night with garish neon lighting.
So far, very straightforward, but in the next Newsletter, Operation Enterprise crosses into Africa, and "Into French Morocco", where things start ot get more adventurous. Incidentally, as well as Ken Hill's notes, I understand that he shot a cine film of the trip, but unfortunately nobody can find it yet......!
Regular readers will have noticed that the email informing them of a newsletter update now looks a little similar to the Newsletter itself, and has a personal greeting. This is because I have installed a new program which helps me to manage subscription requests and to comply with the increasingly tight (and necessary!) 'Anti-Spam' regulations regarding the sending of bulk emailings. It seems to be working OK, but like any program, it's involved a learning curve for me. If you have any problems at all, or comments to make, please contact me.
Finally, thanks to you Newsletter readers who came to make yourselves known at Gaydon — it's very nice to meet the faces behind the names.
GRAEME ALDOUS
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