Friday, July 1, 2011

London to Sydney Marathon - December 1968 - Leaving from Crystal Palace, South London on 24th November 1968.

Below are Penny Plummer and Lord Montagu in a 1913 Vauxhall 30/98.  Penny Plummer, an Australian, was Miss World 1968-9 and beside them is Grahame Hill in Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang.
This was the before the race entertainment, neither car entered the race.
 London to Sydney Marathon    Do click on that link it's very interesting, especially about the Australian Police when the participants arrived in Perth!
A Hillman Hunter won this race, nobody expected it to win and I, as an owner of a real lemon of a Hillman Hunter in the 1980's have, along with my four children and David,  first hand knowledge and wonderment that such a car could even drive that far!  But there again if you click on the above link it was darn lucky to have won.

Above -  Holden Monaro GTS which did not finish the race.

 The famous (to Aussies anyway)  Jack Murray who finished 54th.

In the 1950's both David and I had waited beside the roads the Redex Trials drove through hoping to catch a glance of "Gelignite Jack" who let off crackers (sticks of gelignite, actually- David) the year he won, or of Jack Davey a popular radio identity at the time.

I've just had so much fun checking Wiki for the above :-)   I do remember the Peugeot coming First in the First Redex Trial, I don't know if I will ever come first in anything but I do love my Peugeots and have owned 4 so far.

Below is Jack Murray's autograph, the only paper I had on me was my little address book.  I can't believe I found this, I thought I'd thrown out all my old address books... but no!  I'm wondering what else I will find as I continue on my journey and research with this Blog.

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