RBRR 23 Post Run Report - Andy and Glynn GT6 KMX433K

 

The Route, checkpoints are the red markers

So having fully prepped the GT6 I left on Friday at about 10:15 for the start point at Knebwoth and picked up co-driver Glynn on the way through, he had travelled down to Kings Langley Station just of the M25 so it was on my route.

Car all Prepared

Car Packed with Tools and Spares

As we were a little early we went and had lunch near to Knebworth at a TGI Fridays in Stevenage.

We arrived at the start just about when it was opening at 2pm and spent the next few hours watching everyone line up and talking to friends in the other crews until the event start took place at 6pm.

GT6 lined up ready for the start

Cars lined up ready at Knebworth

Cars lined up ready at Knebworth

We and made our way out of Knebwoth park to the A1M and we were within the first 10 cars to leave.

Then we cruised up the A1M and A1 to the first control point at Wetherby Services. Refuelling on the way a few miles south.

Then it was up the A1M to the A68 and along the A68 through Northumbria into Scotland. Andy drove this section . We stopped at Jedburgh for a driver change and refuel. At Knebworth it had been a beautiful sunny afternoon but up in Scotland the weather was awful with heavy rain which would continue right through the night and until we got back into England on Saturday evening.

Refuelling at Jedburgh

Glynn then drove up to the second check point, Kinross Services between Edinburgh and Perth and on to Perth Tesco Express for a refuel and driver change.

Andy then drove the next section up through the Scottish highlands to the next checkpoint at Skiach Services North of Inverness arriving at around 5am. Part way through the section the Speedo stopped working so we had to rely on the SatNav, just as well we had that as there are around 70 miles of average speed cameras on the A9 between Perth and Inverness. We changed drivers and refuelled at Skiach.

Glynn then drove the next section along the Eastern coast of Scotland up to John O’Groats for a full English breakfast with the other crews at the Seaview Hotel which is also a checkpoint.

Parked near the Seaview Hotel John O'Groats

After breakfast we went for the obligatory photo shoot at the first and last house John O’Groats posing by the iconic signpost. 

At the Famous Sign Post

Andy then dove the next leg, across the North coast of Scotland and down through the remote single track roads along Loch Naver to the next checkpoint the Falls of Shin near Lairg. It was pretty desolate at the Falls of Shin as the café has closed down so no tea or coffee break or burgers from the café like in previous runs. We were there over an hour early  so had to hang around for the control to open and allow our signed roadbook to be returned. While we were there we heard from Glynn’s wife Anne Marie that there was a road closure near Glen Coe due to flooding and a landslide , reports also came through of a further road closure due to a fallen tree near Loch Ness. The route in the roadbook is however only advisory so we took a decision to go back down the A9 rather than along Loch Ness, through Fort William and Glen Coe. A few of the crews did go down the advised route with diversions around the closures but with the heavy rain we thought it best not to risk getting stuck. Several other crews did the same.

Picture Falls of Shin Checkpoint

At a very Soggy Falls of Shin Checkpoint

Glynn drove the next section, we called in at Skiach services again for a refuel and headed South along the A9. We decided we would stop off part way and pulled off the A9 into Pitlochry to find a tea and Coffee stop. In Pitlochry we saw a sign for Lochside Hotel and Café so decided to check them out. Having driven down a narrow road we could see a very posh Hotel but no café so assumed the café must be part of the hotel and went into the Green Park Hotel. The guy behind the reception said the café was further down the narrow road but said that the hotel guests have complimentary Tea and Coffee and asked his boss if he could let us have some which she agreed to. So we had a very nice free Tea and Coffee in a posh hotel lounge. We were really impressed with their hospitality.

The Green Park Hotel, Pitlochry, it was rather wetter than this when we visited!

Andy then took over the driving onto the next checkpoint. The SatNav picked up that there was  a large traffic jam on the M9 the most direct route so we went a little further East to the M90 in order to miss out the issue.  We then arrived at the next checkpoint, Gartosh Social Club on the outskirts of Glasgow. A rather dodgy looking working men’s type social club, the type of place where you expect to see Rab C Nesbit an a string vest at the bar! Anyway we checked in and local Scottish Club Triumph member, Jim, had laid on a very welcome feast  of Scotch Pies, Sausage Rolls and Sandwiches with Tea and Coffee.

In the Car Park at Gartosh Social Club Checkpoint

Glynn then took over the driving and we headed South and back across the border into England, once in England the torrential rain that we had experienced through out Scotland  actually stopped!

The next checkpoint was on the M6 at Tebay Services on the M6. It was nice to be greeted by East Berks TSSC member and GT6 owner Malcolm Thomas who was up in the area for the weekend as he also has a house up there.

Tebay Services Checkpoint

Andy then took over the next Stint to Gledrid Services near Oswestry, always busy and a place for a refuel and driver change before going through the twisty welsh section across the Brecon Beacons during the night.

Gledrid Services Checkpoint, Oswestry

Gledrid Services Checkpoint, Oswestry

Gledrid Services Checkpoint, Oswestry

Glynn drove through the challenging Welsh Section and we avoided an accident with some sharp braking after he went straight on at a hairpin bend, no damage done but it was a worrying moment. At the next Check point, Monmouth Services, Mark Smith our friend, previous RBRR co-driver and serial Triumph collector was there to greet us. He had made the journey across from Warwickshire just to see us in the early hours of the night, that’s dedication for you.

Andy then took over the driving over the Severn bridge back into England. Then it was along the M5 through Somerset and A30 through Devon to the next check point at Okehampton. Andy was pretty tired and  getting drowsy so got Glynn to take over at around Taunton.

Glynn continued the driving after Oakhampton down along the A30 all the way to Lands End for our next breakfast stop. Our mate Paul Bodiam who lives in my town, Fleet was marshalling at the checkpoint so it was good to see a friendly face.

Lands End Breakfast Stop and Check Point

Lands End Breakfast Stop and Check Point

Andy drove the next section up to the control point at Bude Castle, after refuelling at Penzance the car conked out seemed to be an ignition switch issue and wriggling the switch got it going. We did miss a turn on the section and ended up going through Andy’s  Mum’s old home town of Bodmin which was nice! Andy was careful on this section as on the last RBRR he had got a speeding ticket on the A30 so certainly didn’t want a repeat!

We then got to Bude checkpoint in the Castle Grounds which are quite Picturesque.

Bude Castle Checkpoint

After Bude Glynn took over the driving and the car conked out again in Bude by a fuel station. Andy got the car going again but it conked out a couple of miles later. Having investigated the issue was definitely the ignition switch so Andy used some cable and crimp connectors from the spares stash and hot wired the car bypassing the switch to allow us to continue the journey. The only issue with this fix was that the car would continue running after the key was taken out and we had to open the bonnet and disconnect the hotwire to stop it!

The Green wire is a Hotwire to bypass the ignition switch

The Green wire is a Hotwire to bypass the ignition switch

The Green wire is a Hotwire to bypass the ignition switch

We then continued the picturesque drive across Dartmoor to the next checkpoint at Dartmeet.

Dartmeet Checkpoint, bonnet is open to remove the hotwire to stop the engine!

Andy took over the driving for the next bit and unfortunately missed a turn off for the A30 at Exeter on the M5, it was a long way to the next junction. Also by now the SatNav was playing up so Andy strapped his phone to the SatNav and used the Waze App to turn the phone into a SatNav. To get back on track we had to head North to Taunton on the M5 and then across on the A358 to get back on track to the A303. When Andy checked on Google maps though it hadn’t really added any distance and we were soon amongst the other crews on the A303.

We were snapped as we drove along the A303

The next checkpoint was quite close to home at Popham Airfield and it was good to be greeted by friends Dave Lucas and Geoff Heskins who had turned out to support us.

Popham Airfield Checkpoint

Leaving Popham Airfield

Glynn then drove the last section back to Knebworth that went up the M3 to within a couple of miles of Andy’s house in Fleet, no time to stop though and we continued up to the M25 and got stuck in the usual heavy traffic jams near Heathrow. We arrived at the final finish checkpoint at 8pm, 50 hours after leaving and well within 48 hours on the road.

Andy and Glynn "Triumphant at the Finish

Andy used google maps to work out distances with our diversions and we did 1999 miles so near as dammit the 2000, we used £445.41 of fuel, 256L. We averaged 34.74 mpg.

Table of Fuel usage, mileage is estimated from Google Maps due to faulty Speedo

RBRR 23 Fuel
Location	Cost	Mileage (Est)	Total from start	Day	Litres
Esso Garage A1 Skellow (inc 5L can)	£45.42	298	298	Friday	25.53
Shell Jedburgh	£36.53	100	398.48	Saturday	21.5
Perth Tesco	£20.18	96	494.48	Saturday	12.39
Skiach Services	£29.95	128	622.48	Saturday	17.54
Wick Tesco	£13.66	86	708.48	Saturday	8.76
Skiach Services	£36.10	140	848.48	Saturday	21.5
Roadchef Annandale Water Services	£63.35	243	1091.48	Saturday	32.67
Gledrid	£37.42	197	1288.48	Saturday	21.77
Monmouth Services	£34.81	110	1398.48	Sunday	19.35
Tesco Penzance	£47.06	257	1655.48	Sunday	28.71
Esso Halden Hill A38	£40.83	139	1794.48	Sunday	23.21
BP Stevange (plus the 5L can)	£40.10	205	1999.48	Monday	23.19
Totals	£445.41	1,999			256.1
MPG	34.74