MEASHAM NIGHT RALLY 2020

[Robert Leigh]

Gosh! I haven't really thought about the Measham for years, but this thread has certainly started bringing back the memories.

I think the first one I did was in 1970 in probably the heaviest snow conditions in which it has ever been run. Having read up previous reports I recall being somewhat in awe of the event, and on the way to the start I asked Tony if we should just aim for a finish, or go for the win. Stupid question! OK win or bust it is!

We started from the Long Mynd Hotel in Church Stretton, which is accessed by a relatively steep hill with several sharp bends. Immediately after the start, descending the hill, I saw Derek Fearnley and Richard Procter standing on the outside of one of the bends. I learned afterwards that Richard had taken a step back at our approach, and disappeared down a thirty foot drop...

Into the rally, and at one point we approached a check point at the top of a hill; the only problem was the hill was blocked with Vintage cars trying to make the ascent. I was about to bail out and climb the hill on foot to get our card stamped, but Tony had other ideas, swung the steering wheel to the left, climbed the verge and overtook everybody - mud and snow everywhere!

I had just been to see the film Monte Carlo or Bust, and had not been impressed with the cars in the film having their wire wheels looking like solid discs of snow; but come the halfway halt, that's exactly how our wheels looked!

Then there was the occasion when I called a right turn at a junction, only for Tony to turn right before the junction into someone's driveway. A quick circuit of the garden, over the rockery and back down the driveway saw us back onto the route.

In thick snow the route is usually fairly well defined for later cars by the tracks of the pioneers; at one point we were well behind time so I decided to cut a loop of the route out. I can still recall Tony's 'Are you sure?' - I was directing him down a lane of virgin snow - but bless him he obeyed without further question, and at the next control we were back on time.

And then there was another occasion when we were following my brother Tony in his Riley Lincock; coming up to a bend I called to Tony 'I don't think he's going to make the corner', and sure enough he mounted the bank briefly, but more spectacularly all his lights went out as he caught the light switch with his hand. But most memorable was Tony's response to my call - 'Neither are we!' - and sure enough we visited the bank too!

Some years back Fenella and I did the Measham in hard frosty weather. One of the casualties was a broken leg, after the driver had stopped the car. He needed a pee and slipped over on the sheet ice as he got out!
Robert Leigh