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FIRST OVERLAND NEWSLETTER 24The 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. |
Michael Geary's replica cars and expedition get a main magazine feature; more examples of how Tim Slessor drove a generation towards Solihull, and Arabian Hospitality in 'Operation Enterprise'.
This Newsletter has been a little long in coming because I was waiting for something special to happen — the appearance in Land Rover Owner International magazine of an article that I knew Peter Galilee was writing. It's about Michael Geary's wonderful efforts to get a team together to try to recreate the original 'First Overland' expedition in the two authentic Series 1s that he's lovingly restored as replicas of 'Oxford' and 'Cambridge'. Readers of this Newsletter are already well aware of Michael's ambitious plans, but now they would be getting a further 'seal of approval' by appearing in one of the world's leading LR magazines.
Peter had interviewed me as well, and I was itching to tell you, but knew that LRO wanted to keep the lid on it until publication date. But now it's in the shops, I can 'spill the beans'!
And I must say that Peter's done a smashing job, backed up by some brilliant photos — not only are the cars looking magnificent, but some of the team (Lucy Guile, Jamie Innes and Theo Ford-Sagers) could also join in, along with Michael's long-suffering boss Jon Littlechild, whose yard near Cambridge has been 'home' to the cars while Michael has been stripping them down and rebuilding them.
Peter describes how Michael first began with just a 'simple' Series 1 restoration, but the 2005 publicity for the Signal Books reprint of Tim's book (and the subsequent release of the DVD) led to him having the idea of making an 'Oxford' replica. (You may wonder why someone living near Cambridge would want to recreate the 'opposition' car, but the fact is that 'BB' the photographer travelled in 'Oxford', and so there are more reference photos and film in existence of that car than of its light blue companion.)
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Modesty prevents me from dwelling too much on the third page of the article. Michael had obviously said some very flattering things about my reaction to the email he sent me in the early days of the project, asking for help with determining the correct wording on the side of 'Oxford's' hard top, and a host of other questions that relied on me being able to freeze individual colour stills of 'BB's' film on the edit computer. Michael – I was very happy to do it, especially once the project began to take on a life of its own. We've already detailed in a previous Newsletter how it was after one of my Roadshow talks at the Series 1 Club's Chepstow Rally that Steve Kerss came out of the crowd and offered Michael a second 86" Station Wagon to turn into what we now know as the 'Cambridge' replica. Incidentally, you may recognise my mugshot on the page on the left — you'll have to buy LRO to find out why my wife is making hollow jokes about being 'Married to the Mob'! |
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The Replica Expedition still has a very long way to go before their plans to set out from London on September 1st 2010 with Singapore as the destination can become a reality. In many ways, the building of the vehicles will probably have been the easy bit (although after the thousands of workshop hours that Michael has already put in, he'll probably disagree.) But Peter reveals that they now have the official support of Cambridge University, which significantly raises their profile, and hopefully will go a long way towards smoothing paths through sponsorship and paperwork, just as David Attenborough's commission to show 'BB's' film on the BBC did for the original team half a century ago. LRO will be following their progress (as obviously we will be on this Newsletter), and we wish them all well. |  |
So, for all the details, look out for the September edition of Land Rover Owner, in the shops now.
The response to the DVD (and this Newsletter) has produced some wonderful personal memories, and tributes to the original 'First Overland' team. I was especially pleased to get an email from the man often called 'Mr Land Rover', Roger Crathorne, the Technical Communications Manager in the Land Rover Press Office. Roger has already paid homage to Tim's book in his own 'Born In Lode Lane', and now he says:
Thanks for this news letter — they all make fascinating reading. Just for info, it was the 'First Overland' film shown on TV that gave me the interest in expeditions and to go on adventurous drives. Best wishes, Roger
So it was also 'BB' and David Attenborough 'wot started it', with the 1956 405-line black & white programmes... but the pictures are even better in colour, aren't they, Roger?
From Singapore, Kenn Delbridge dropped a line. He was the producer of the audio CD version of the 'First Overland' book, read by the team (available from www.firstoverland.com). Kenn said:
Always enjoy reading the newsletter — I'm still waiting patiently for another team to make a trip, even if not by the original route, and reach Singapore so we can have another celebration on this end. Best regards, Kenn
So there we are, Michael and friends — make it across the Causeway and through to Orchard Road, and Kenn will pop a champagne cork for you.
And who's this? Someone named 'Peter Galilee' (yes, him again!) mumbled into his beard:
I initially read 'First Overland' ages ago (about 1969/70), when I was on a ship crossing the Pacific. The Seafarers' Education Service used to provide a tea-chest full of books for each voyage — it was a random selection, and some (such as 'Teach Yourself Golf') were pretty pointless on a merchant ship! But on this voyage I was about halfway down the chest when I came across Tim Slessor's book.
If I hadn't read it, I wouldn't have got involved in Land Rovers. The plan then was to get a Forward Control LR and drive it to Ceylon; ship it to Australia, thence to New Zealand. I had got a NZ entry permit, and done much of the planning and documentation, when someone started shooting and borders were closed. So I ended up shipping a Transit van as cargo on a working passage to Napier. Not quite the same!
But if it hadn't been for 'First Overland' I certainly wouldn't be writing for LRO, and there wouldn't be a LR Series One Station Wagon in the garage. I've been re-reading it occasionally for years, and I've spent ages looking at those brilliant photos. Particularly, some that were printed small in the book would look great printed a bit bigger, I think.
Now, there's a thought — a travelling exhibition of 'BB's' prints, blown up. How about it, 'BB'?
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Peter Galilee captures 'BB's' re-connection with 'Oxford' at the 2008 Chepstow Rally |
In the last Newsletter, we started serialising extracts from 'Operation Enterprise' — 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.' They were driving (for reasons explained in Newsletter 23) a Turner-powered Land Rover (107" NUK952) across the Sahara to Kenya and onto Rhodesia. The leader, Ken Hill, wrote 'Operation Enterprise' as a record of the event.
In the last Newsletter, they had reached Gibraltar without any major problems, and now they set off 'Into French Morocco'...
Left Gibraltar on the Bland Line Steamer for Tangier, arriving at midday. It is a three hours crossing, but one must put back the clock one hour in Tangier, so the trip is advertised at two hours. The Rock looked very stern and forbidding on a somewhat grey morning, but conditions changed rapidly and on approaching Tangier the sunlight was dancing an the blue water and the white buildings of Tangier glistened in the clear air. It is a splendid town, and the shops are brimming with beautiful clothes, jewellery, watches and expensive American motor cars. We had a quick lunch here and pressed on to the Spanish zone.
Our old friends, the Spanish Frontier Guards, were up to their tricks again and after a long wait, during which nothing was done, we were permitted to proceed through Spanish Morocco. But the most trying hour or so was to come, at the Spanish exit into French Morocco, here we were detained for nearly one hour and a half, a sum of 150 pesetas was levied on the carnet without any explanation. Why the Spanish persist in this behaviour I do not know, but in consequence, no one has a good word to say for them. It was the same crossing from France into Spain, I then had to pay 43 pesetas on the carnet. At no other frontier posts have I been asked for a farthing. It was a great pleasure to pass into French Morocco, where we received every courtesy and consideration. I am rapidly acquiring an affection for the French that will make a lasting impression on me.
Feeling the need for a stimulant after our abortive previous few hours, we stopped at a wayside cafe for beer and changed our pesetas into francs. It was mid-evening by this time and the surrounding countryside was peaceful and contented in the closing day. The rolling terrain here is beautiful and rich and fertile. Cereals and fruit are grown in abundance and also vegetables. In the mountains are great forests. This is a very valuable and attractive part of Africa.
On to Casablanca
We pushed on to Casablanca, and finished our journey in darkness. To reach our destination we had filled one of the roof tanks at Tangier and some sixty miles from Casablanca we attempted to refuel, but found the tank cock was jammed shut. Jock Allum then performed the bravest act of the trip so far, when he syphoned out the fuel through a rubber hose, and in doing so received the best part of a mouthful. Whether he eats Camembert, steak, ice-cream, etc., the lot is "a la Shell gas oil" at the moment. We reached Casablanca at 11.30 p.m. and found the Agent by the magnificently-arranged and illuminated showroom in town, and from there to our hotel, thankful for a comfortable bed.
We went along to Mr. Sananes and inspected his new showroom, very well done, displaying six tractors and several Turner V95 engines. Next day we cleaned up and the local press came and took photographs and various comments on the journey.
Overwhelming kindness
Yesterday, Saturday, was a fantastic day, and if ever I was near to being killed by kindness it has been during these last three days in Casablanca. We have been wined and dined at lunch and dinner in the most generous manner and the hospitality of Mr. Sananes and his wife has aroused in us our deepest appreciation. But oh, how I cry out for just one half day of solitude if only to enable me to collect my thoughts into an intelligible state.
Arabian Hospitality
Through our agents I have obtained our remaining visas without having to go to Rabat, paying 900 francs for them. Following lunch today we went out of Casablanca some 50/60 miles to see several of Comptoir Franco's sub-agents and branches. These consisted of small, whitewashed shops, each with enough room to display a tractor, and look business-like. Mr. Sananes has a good organization and is a very hard-working man. We also went to see an affluent Arab who owns a considerable amount of land and is in the market for a tractor. He invited us home for the inevitable mint tea (which, personally, I like very much). After 15-20 minutes' really rough riding we approached his house; it looked more like a small fort, and gained admittance after careful scrutiny by an evil-looking old chap with ten years' growth of beard and tattered garments. We crossed over a small yard and passed into a short hall, which in turn opened on to a pretty, walled garden, filled with geraniums. Traversing this we entered a long rectangular room hung with beautiful tapestries and carpeted with Persian rugs. Ranging the wall were low settees of red velvet with a silver pattern and in height some two feet, but most comfortable to sit on.
An Arab must always offer his guests food, and a loaf, butter and a dish of almonds and dried dates were brought and we were invited to partake, which we did without a second invitation. The tea implements were produced together with an array of glasses and cups and saucers, most beautifully decorated in red, gold, silver and blue patterns. These were contained on a low, silver table, some four feet in diameter, patterned with the finest engravings. Our host was an impressive man, of ample proportion, dressed in brownish-red robes and wearing white leather sandals, looking like Dutch clogs in design. These, of course, were left off at the door, although I regret we were probably guilty of a breach of etiquette in this respect as we kept on our own shoes. After tea, he was delighted when I took several photographs of him with his children. A most interesting day and we returned to Casablanca in the early evening, attending a cinema show with Mr. Sananes in the evening.
In the next Newsletter the Expedition heads off south again towards the Equator... and a ski resort!
Incidentally, the previous 'Operation Enterprise' prompted an email from another of the Solihull stalwarts, Geof Miller. Geof was the Development Engineer who was flown out to the Darien Gap in 1972 when the 'Trans Americas Expedition' was having such trouble with the gearboxes and diffs of the Range Rovers that were being (virtually) carried through the jungle swamps by John Blashford-Snell's army team. He wasn't put off Range Rovers in any way, and to this day proudly drives one of the 'Velar'-badged pre-production prototypes. He wrote:
I find the Turner story very interesting. I knew that Rover had looked at the Turner engine (before I arrived there in 1956) but knew nothing of "Operation Enterprise". I look forward to more of that.
He also reminded me that Oxford Diecast Models are introducing a 1:43 scale set of the Oxford and Cambridge vehicles. I've contacted Oxford Diecast, who've confirmed that they're not quite in production yet (although at least one model shop is already listing them on their web pages!), but will be available in early September from their website. In the meantime, here's a sneak preview of some pre-production models:
And that is definitely enough for now. I've just come back from a visit to the supermarket in town, and at the next till someone was putting a copy of LRO on the belt. I was sorely tempted to rush across and say "My picture's in there...", but decided it wasn't cool.
GRAEME ALDOUS
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