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FIRST OVERLAND NEWSLETTER 45The 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, and the subsequent 'After Overland' adventures of the two cars. |
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Well, they're all nominees for the 2020 Historic Motoring Car of the Year Awards, and we all have a chance to vote for our favourite. To my mind, of course, there's no contest, but in the interest of fairness I suppose I'd better give you the whole list. There's 10 cars in all... a couple of Ferraris (one of them a special police car to catch baddies on the autostrada), Mussolini's Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 racer, and a Porsche. A recreation of a Mercedes Streamliner racing car, and a Bertone Stratos Zero are also in the list, along with (to me) a rather surprising Nissan Skyline racer named ‘Godzilla’. But the tenth car in the list is the only one that seriously challenges SNX891 'Oxford' — the veteran Itala, which took part in the first global epic, the 10,000-mile 1907 Peking to Paris Rally. Quoting from the Motoring Awards website, "it not only finished first, but rather than rest on its laurels in the French capital, immediately headed on to Milan. It then lay dormant for decades (compare St.Helena?) until Fiat decided to revive it in 1989 to recreate its defining achievement. It did, of course, and it has since completed the raid a third time, but that time from west to east. Remarkably preserved, it still has its original engine and, understandably, is rarely permitted to be driven by all but the chosen few. |
And that, surely, is where 'Oxford ' scores — although built half a century later than the Itala, SNX891 is still daily on the road, and with a variety of drivers. Unfortunately the voting doesn't allow you to make points like that, and is purely on voting numbers, but the place to visit is the Historic Motoring Awards page, which has a few words about all of the cars, and a chance to vote (with your name and email address) at the bottom. Don't be alarmed that the top of the page says that voting closes on September 23rd — Adam Bennett's been assured that votes can still be submitted, although you need to be quick because it will close very soon. Last year's winner was a 1939 Bugatti Type 59/50b... I'm sure that 'Oxford' can beat that.
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And beat it, 'Oxford' did! The Historic Motoring Awards CAR OF THE YEAR 2020 has been officially declared as Land Rover Series I Station Wagon ‘Oxford’. This is wonderful news, and a great tribute to Adam Bennett for all his incredible efforts to rescue, restore and share what must now be one of the Top 5 iconic vehicles to come out of Lode Lane. Congratulations, Adam, and many thanks to all of those who voted. There have been many emails to me expressing delight at the result. One I will quote — Patrick Murphy, one of the orginal 'First Overland' team, wrote: Although back on our 1955-56 OXCAM Far Eastern Expedition I was mostly in the Cambridge car, which sadly later suffered her Persian demise at the bottom of a ravine between Tabriz and Turkey, I did travel in "Oxford" from time to time, and have since done so in her renovated form in York, London and Singapore. A tribute indeed to Yorkshireman Adam Bennett, who found her in St. Helena, brought her back, restored her, shipped her to Singapore for her second return drive and then to the USA, where she is now crossing yet another continent. Forgive the enthusiasm... but this is the culmination of what was the most fascinating year of my life — unless, and until, Adam brings back "Cambridge" from the dead. Salaams to you all, Patrick (Navigator OXCAM FEEX) |
And from Tim Slessor:
For me, there's only one "phrase" that comes anywhere near being appropriate: BLOODY MARVELLOUS! And, for any/all US Land Rover nuts/aficionados/friends, it's BLOODY MARVELOUS - with only the single "l". If congrats are in order (which they are 100fold), they must go to Adam Bennett who had the faith to bring the old thing back from St Helena (truly amazing) and then saw to (and paid for!) the restoration. Oh, and one must not forget Alex B. and the Last Overland team; they had enough faith to think that they could re-run all those trans-continental miles. I gather that they have now caught the interest of National Geographic TV for the film of their journey.
So, I reckon that it's CONGRATS all round - even including the original 1955/56 OxCam crew. And, lastly, we must not forget Graeme Aldous who, down the years, has helped to keep the story alive. As I say, absolutely Marvellous/marvelous!
Tim
PS Any reaction from JaguarLandRover?
Not as far as I've heard, Tim.
And, of course, 'Oxford' is currently "still daily on the road" in the USA, travelling 'From Sea To Shining Sea' in the custody of the Rover Owners Association of Vermont (ROAV). A couple of weeks ago they held their Mid-Atlantic Rally honouring SNX891, and you can see pictures and comment from there on the ROAV Facebook page. And there have been some stunning pictures of 'Oxford's journey across America — I'm going to fill the rest of this Newsletter with some of them, at full size. Forgive me if they're not in geographical order... I've never been over the Herring Pond to know! I can't give credit to the photographers, and hope they won't mind me including their photos. |
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Entering Virginia
Lynchburg — SNX891 marked its territory in the traditional Land-Rover way... with a drip of oil! (not visible here, but there is other photo evidence!)
David Short, President of the Rover Owners Association of Virginia, has written to explain:
Lynchburg, Tennessee is the home of the Jack Daniels distillery. Oxford met members of the Tennessee Rover Enthusiast Club (TREC) there and we had a small meet and greet. TREC members are seen in the photo you have posted. (Yes — Oxford continues to leak about 2 quarts of 90w out of the Overdrive, daily, but I think I may be on to a cure - more to come).
Oxford is currently still in Virginia. (We just did a quick run to North Carolina last weekend to meet some folks and a Camel Trophy truck). We might be featured on a local television motoring program called MotorWeek in November. We are definitely going to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on Nov 14 to touch the Atlantic Ocean. Oxford will be delivered to New Jersey that next week to begin her trip to New Zealand.
New Zealand? That's news to me! Meanwhile, back in the USA...
The text for this one, in the Ophir Pass, said:
Oxford peaked at 12,500 feet today — she complained the last thousand feet or so but she made it. This evening, completely dumped everything out of Oxford and gave it a scrubbing inside and out with the power washer and garden hose. The dust was getting unbearable inside. We also did an engine oil change as we are closing in on 3,000 miles since we left Ike in Oregon and this is our last night where we will have access to a garage/shop/house.
Photo by Judson Pryanovich
Oxford at Speed
The road goes through there?!
... and somewhat inevitably, Graceland!
Beat that, the 1907 Peking to Paris Itala!
From Gunnar in Germany, I also have the information that
For those who use The Facebook, there is a public page and a public group chronicling their drive across America on side roads and back on dirt, with lots of photos. I found another one as well.
Wherever you are in the world, I hope all goes well for you too in these troublesome times. The current watchword in the UK is 'Keep Safe'. I wish you that.
GRAEME ALDOUS.
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Previous 'First Overland' Newsletters are available here.
To subscribe to this Newsletter, and receive notice of updates, please visit my Subscribe Page.
The 'After Overland' web page is afteroverland.co.uk, and 'First Overland' is teeafit.co.uk/firstoverland.
And a reminder of my DVD titles still on sale, priced at £22 (including postage) worldwide — you can order them via the DVD sales page, where you'll also find the Vimeo download details, and of the Photobook of original 1955 expedition photos, put together by Adam Bennett.