3 days ago
Real range anxiety: Driving London to Land's End in 1921
Indeed, many competitors floundered, but there were several impressive performances too, like that by VG Lloyd, who 'astounded everyone with his speed' in his two-cylinder Carden.
Notably, Lionel Martin 'romped up the hill' in his new production Aston Martin (he had co-founded the company in 1913 to build hillclimb specials; Aston was a course in Buckinghamshire).
Several had to shed passengers to reach the top, while others fouled the hill by hitting the wall at the hairpin. Some even managed to clear it while avoiding a comrade's stricken car. One did it on a flat tyre.
From there on to Land's End, there was little to really concern the drivers.
Forty-two made it to the finish – and we were surprised to see among them HJG Smith's 10hp Eric-Campbell (a small firm that briefly made cars at the Handley Page aircraft factory in London), as he had broken a tie rod on Porlock so effectively was steering with one wheel. He won a gold medal along with 22 other worthy competitors.
We concluded: 'The general consensus of opinion was that a better trial had never been, or one to which more merit was attached to a reward, while, as to sport, no man could wish for better.'
Since then, more notoriously difficult sections have been added, most famously Beggars Roost (in 1922) and Blue Hills (in 1936), and the Land's End Trial continues to challenge the best trials drivers and cars.
Long may it continue.
