Off at last! First route check Evesham: I think it is the same one that was used two years ago. Do you know your way out of Wolverhampton? Yes, leave that to me, where is control X ? It's at a service station 9 miles south of Shrewsbury.....that must be the cafe at Leebotwood, so it seems to be Map 129 after all. So, on through Evesham, Worcester and Ludlow, and the heavy rainstorm between Ludlow and Church Stretton.
Looks as if there are a few doing a recce on the Long Mynd by the number of headlights up there; do you want to have a look before going on? We have plenty of time, although I don't think that it will be of much help.
First car has just gone now, Arthur; hurry up with your sandwiches, it will soon be our turn. Seems they are all taking the first left, let's have a look at the map. That will probably take us up through that three gate section, to the top of the hill. Now comes our turn; first left it is, Arthur, what's this? That's Graham Robson waving us down. "Sorry, you will have to go round, there's a broken car blocking the road, you can't get past." Damn; Get crackin' Arthur, next left about ½mile further on, here goes a clean sheet in the first ¼mile. Watch it! You should be approaching a gate soon...here it is, it's shut. Why don't those blokes open it for us? Maybe they are a secret check to see that we shut it. Well, if they are put there as marshalls, why aren't they better employed? Why don't they open it for us? Here's the control.. .how much have we lost? Three minutes down here...it can't be helped; keep going, this next bit looks tight, and keep a look out for gates. What's the next section like? Appears to be okay, mostly yellow roads; it's over by the Bog about 8 miles, so we should be okay. Control 4 and we just lose a minute! Control 7, and we are a few minutes early! Gabriel Mohr's Control, and we think the best run control so far.
The competition for best run control is very dependent upon where controls are situated. In the middle of tight sections no control is quick enough, whereas if it is an easy section leading up to a control, most people will be early and will have time to have their windscreens and lights cleaned, or even a drink if it is offered. Then on to Control 25.....we are coming in about on time, a seemingly very efficient marshal grabs the watch and card, and books us a minute early. No use arguing, we are only wasting time, we only hope that that control does not win the prize for the most efficient control!
From Control 24 to Control 31 the route, although practically all on yellow roads, was very tight; we did not lose any time, but had no time at all to spare. If four controls had been put in here, about 1½- to 2 miles apart, there would have been little possibility of a clean sheet.
Control 32 to 33; you should know the next section, Arthur.....takes us past your Dunstans Lane, wonder if anyone will try it. What's this?....Barrier, "ROAD BLOCKED" it says; must be trouble down by the river, which is another ¾ mile further on. Not much use trying... the notice says 'Road Blocked'..agreed? Yes! Well, we shall have to go round, but it's quite a way, puts on about an extra four miles. Here's the Control,..how many minutes have we dropped here? About 8 if you hurry up.....and so on to Control X. How many clean? Three so far. So the road to Control 35 went after all! Yes, but about half the competitors have gone round.....suppose they'll scrub that section then.
Where to now? Oh, back to Wolverhampton with a control near Shipley. The rally is virtually over now then, how much have we lost? Well, with the Road Blocked section 16 minutes, without it 8 to my reckoning. Want to drive it back? No thanks, I've still got my gumboots on, and I'm hungry, haven't had a bite since we started from Control X at the start of the rally. So ended our 1961 Express and Star. We see that the 'Road Blocked' section has been quite rightly scrubbed. Pity this was the result of a protest. The organisers could have used their authority and cancelled this section in the first place. This section would not have made much difference in any case if the road had been open, as it was an easy section, and the majority of competitors would have made it on time. To date, we still don't know the final positions, but congratulations to Brian Harper/Ron Crellin and Pete Astbury/Keith Binns on getting round clean, and Thank-you Organisers! We had a very enjoyable Rally.
