Photo Gallery - 2004 Lands End to John OGroats

IN MEMORY OF MICK LEGG WHO DIED IN 2003 AFTER HIS BATTLE WITH  CANCER.
MEMBER DICK RANDELL AND HIS FRIEND ROY WILLIAMS  CONDUCTED A SPONSORED MOTOR RIDE FROM  LANDS END TO JOHN O'GROATS AND WICK  IN AID OF MACMILLAN CANCER RELIEF THEY RAISED  £30000

The Grand Tour Cape to Cape

5 October 2004

Tour date: 25th to 30th April 2004 (on behalf of Macmillan Cancer Relief)
by Roy Williams & Dick Randell

Firstly, on behalf of Roy and myself, may we thank all our sponsors very sincerely indeed for all their tremendous support, particularly those who have spent much time encouraging others to sponsor us and gathering funds from families, friends and work colleagues. These include many people in:

• Transco
• Pepsi International
• REXAM
• Underwater Maintenance Company
• HMS Phoebe Association
• Anti-Submarine Warfare Instructors Association.

The really wonderful NEWS is that by the time all 25 classic cars reached Cape Wrath we had collected almost £30,000 and by the time we reached Wick this was nearly £31,000.

For those of you who haven’t yet sent me your contributions, please send a crossed cheque to me for payee: “Macmillan Cancer Relief” and if possible a note saying that you want to GIFT AID this amount with your address + post code please.

THE GRAND TOUR

So what was the Grand Tour actually like?  Here’s an example from Dick’s diary……

Saturday 24th

It really started with a BANG, BANG, ROAR and then PUTT … PUTT … PUTT…. of a 4.2 litre 1928 Bentley engine.

Roy had spent many hours preparing his absolutely beautiful vintage car for the Grand Tour. And here we are ready to go.

Dick wasn’t quite prepared for an immediate reminder of his first car …. Roy gave a run down about what to do with choke, throttle and ignition controls and, of course, double declutching, etc. Truly mind boggling to a 1st timer. But the sound of its horn was fabulous.

We journeyed in glorious South West full sunshine from near Cardiff to Penzance with many a stare from plenty of by-standers and road/motorway travellers.

There was much laughter and enjoyment from Grand Tour participants as they met up/found old friends at the gathering of many classic cars in Queens hotel and also at the evenings reception and 1st dinner.

Sunday 25th

The next morning with clear skies we had a mad dash down very narrow lanes via St Just to where we were eventually flagged away at one minute intervals from England’s only Cape – Cape Cornwall.

Because of the Bentley’s ripe old age and engine size we were given position number 2 after Roger & Terry’s little 1932 Austin Seven.

We passed many old Cornish mine workings for a short and rather cool trip to Land’s End. After having our Control Card stamped – when we eventually found the Marshalls hidden away behind various buildings!! - we then travelled along the North cliffs of Cornwall on mainly country roads, via Porthreath and passing St Agnes, Perranporth and Crantock to one of the most classic trials sections at Bluehills Mine. We had to drive up the original hill climb and extremely rough 1 in 3 cliff-side track then on to another climb up Hustyn Hill near Wadebridge.

Unfortunately the Bentley’s gearbox decided to freeze up, just near a hairpin bend and we blocked many other participants for about an hour. We had to remove an aluminium plate covering the gearbox cover and then remove the cover itself, trying not to lose screws or bolt heads to look for the problem. After waggling various screwdrivers inside the gearbox and rocking the car with several helpers, plus a little help of Howard and Ann’s Land Rover, much to our relief, we eventually we got going again. We do want to thank the country cottage neighbours who also offered help and gave us much needed cups of coffee.

After driving through Bodmin Forest and Camelford, once again we went back along the North Cornish coast bypassing Tintagel, Widemouth Bay then inland across mainly single track roads bypassing Bideford and Barnstable.

This was very demanding for both Roy and Dick. Roy had decided to change his method of driving to accommodate the rather delicate gearbox, whilst Dick had by now many nervous mini breakdowns regarding the route we were charging along.

BUT we came to another juddering halt along a very narrow lane just stopping with another car facing us. It was then the gearbox decided enough was enough and froze once again!!

Both of us started swearing and tearing hair out (what’s left!) not simply because of the car problems but also as several families from Plymouth had asked to meet us and the car near Lynmouth at lunchtime. By now it was getting close to 1400.

A local farmer came up with a tractor and offered a tow. He was duly thanked but the tow was not required. We knew we just had to get out, rock the car and – obviously – take the gearbox plate and cover off again, etc………….. ………..where’s that damn screw gone??????  Mobile phones do work in Devon country lanes. The families were told of our plight and we hoped to meet up later.

Thankfully Roy managed to unfreeze the car gearbox again. From then on and for the whole GRAND TOUR, Roy really had to concentrate extremely hard on changing gears very carefully indeed – a very difficult thing to do given the type of car.

We eventually got onto the top of beautiful Exmoor and worked our way towards the notorious Beggar’s Roost, prior to descending into Lynton using the cliff-side toll road at Porlock.

After this travelling became much easier and we used the motorway crossing river Severn into South Wales, then up via the Wye river into Forest of Dean to finally getting to Speech House hotel (loads of history folks!), near Coleford, Gloucs.

Amazingly, whilst travelling on the M5 in dense traffic, some people in the car alongside us started shouting and waving. It was Roy’s son and his new wife…… such are the wonderful coincidences in life.

At our second night’s dinner with great fun and much merriment, the problems of the Bentley were discussed at length, as well as the intricacies of an Austin Seven which had had a ‘U’ bend type problem with petrol supply (Don’t ask……). 

Monday 26th

Next morning we started out driving on through the Forest of Dean for a short while and then turned into the Violette Szabo, GC museum.

The museum has been dedicated to one of Britain’s most daring WWII secret agents, immortalised in the film “Carve Her Name With Pride”.

After this the route given followed mainly narrow country roads passing through wonderfully named places such as: Goodrich; Much Birch; Aconbury; Holme Lacey; Dormington; to bring us to a really beautiful drinking hole named Broadfield Court where mid-morning English wines were tasted – we had juice…...

On then ever upwards, to Ludlow and onto Wenlock Edge, Shropshire to Much Wenlock, via The Wrekin and Whitchurch eventually across country to Jodrell Bank for a lunch break.

From here we had a marvellous run across the whole High Peak District and even passed Barnard Castle (where Dick had once sung as a boy of 12 – OH what wonderful memories).

ONWARDS – without boring everyone stupid - stupid …….

From then on we travelled across South

Yorkshire, although some of the roads we travelled on were not always so safe  and upwards through Gretna Green, across the Dunoon Ferry and eventually rested wearily in Stranraer overnight, then mainly around the whole of West Scotland via Glencoe including Ben Nevis, arriving at Ullapool for another night – wonderful walk around the harbour in evening time.

We then traversed other wonderful mountain areas to reach, via Applecross road. WOWEE – the amazing Cape Wrath, where all cars assembled for final photo call and count up of funds raised so far.

By this time we had sponsorship funds of almost £30,000.

BUT DON’T LAUGH ……..NO the Grand Tour hadn’t yet finished………..After Cape Wrath we then had to journey across the whole Northern Coast of Scotland to John O’Groats, and then onto Wick, arriving on 30th May.

GALA DINNER

The last day was also Roy’s birthday (as it had been for my oldest/dearest friend who had been cared for by Macmillan Nurses to the end).

So you can imagine the Gala Dinner was great fun and we had a wonderful party…… We won a fabulous trophy from DARTINGTON GLASS who were sponsors of the Tour. And somehow (scratching my head?) I managed to acquire a very old Single Malt as the evening’s top prize.

What a great party. So much so that Roy and I had to meander down Wick streets very carefully ensuring one-another arrived safely to the Norseman Hotel.

If we didn’t say “Bye Bye” to some very dear friends at the end……. Very many apologies to you.  John & John THANKS so much for your help with working those spanners!

THE GRAND TOUR FINALLY

This was (apparently) the longest classic car Grand Tour ever attempted. It was approx. 1400 miles long plus journeys to/from home again….!!

It was really eventful every day: eg. at a petrol station in North West Scotland a serious gentleman walked up to us and said “I heard you coming round the Loch and knew what car it was. I had to see it for real. I’ve just built an Airfix model of this car (he was truly orgasmic at this point) and have just realised I’ve painted the front the wrong colour!!”

Everywhere we went people wanted to know what the car was and technical details…. ROY HELP!! The wonderful thing is that this car is not simply in a museum gathering dust.

Anyway, our travels home were almost uneventful. The ‘Overdrive’ switch which had bewitched us from beginning to end was finally removed from the circuitry by an exasperated Roy.

Roy and I thereafter relaxed for the journey to Cardiff area – notwithstanding party goers at a Wigan hotel.

AND TO OUR SPONSORS
Once again, many thanks VERY MUCH INDEED for all your wonderful support.