Land Rover Life - Issue 4 2024

LAND ROVER LIFE 51 DORSET GREENLANING LIFE

52 LAND ROVER LIFE Winter seems to have dragged on forever, and with persistent rain deluging areas we’ve done a bit less greenlaning than normal, staying off the lanes while they’re wet to help ensure they’re good to drive when they’re dry. I’ve heard reports that despite the wet conditions, people have been out onto some of the softer lanes and chewed up surfaces with the result that councils have no option to apply temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to them to prevent use have also caused me headaches when trying to plan this issue’s greenlaning. Greenlaning considerations I’ve arranged to meet up with Jim Welch and Jon Cooper from the Dorset Land Rover Club. Jim’s driving his nicely kitted Td5 Defender 110 station wagon while Jon navigates. I’m in my 300Tdi Defender. Jim used to be the club’s greenlaning officer and Jon arranges trips for club members, so knows the lanes. I proposed a route for us to drive and Jim and Jon tweaked it a bit for the conditions. ‘We have some cracking greenlanes all over this county, but please remember that other people will want to use them too,’ explains Jim. The farms have enough to deal with at the moment, and the last thing they want is people damaging their field, equipment and fencing. ‘A lot of the lanes are through fields and with the conditions you can’t drive them half of the time,’ adds Jon. ‘And because of other things that have happened lately, where people have been swept away in their vehicles, we have a couple of fords that can get quite deep and fast-flowing, so should be avoided.’ I had originally included a ford at the beginning of the trip, but after the recent rain there was no chance of it being driveable. ‘I had a look at the ford at Moreton the other day,’ Jim says. ‘It was 2½ feet (0.76m) deep – but it Our meet point is near Dorchester fire station – Jim was a London firefighter – and the two red Defenders fit right in. We head north, avoiding the ford I originally suggested The villages of Piddlehinton and Piddletrenthide that flank the B3143 typify the architecture of the area, and we pass a thatcher busy replacing the roof of a thatched cottage as we turn down towards our first greenlane. Woodsmoke from fires trying to keep the damp out of houses lingers in the air. This greenlane is a firm, well-used track. ‘The hedges have recently been cut back, improving the views,’ explains Jon. The farmers have to get it done before nesting season, and we meet more during our journey. Towards the end of the lane, some hedgelaying has recently taken place. That’s one of the countryside Climbing out of Piddletrenthide OS grid ref: ST 698006 The Cerne Abbas Giant stands proud Thatching in progress in Piddletrenthide Jon gets blown about while on gate duty Jim’s storage doubles as a tea-making table

jobs that I have actually done, but is nothing compared to what Jon does. ‘I do ecological restorations,’ he explains. ‘Recently I’ve been working on Brownsea Island removing trees to reduce the fire risk and allow the heather to grow, and I’ve also been involved in creating better habitats for beavers in Devon – the work inspired an award-winning garden at the Chelsea Flower Show.’ Roadbuilding We turn south and indicate to turn right onto a gated unclassified county road (UCR), but the gate is too close to the road for us to get into, so indicate left and pull over – much to the annoyance of the drivers following. Jon jumps out and opens the gates and Jim and I drive onto the lane. Although grassy, the path of the road is obvious, as is often the case in the south of England; roads across arable fields often have a loose stone surface. People working the land would pick up any stones in the field that would hinder ploughing and used them to make a more durable road surface – a double win. The views from the lane are good and although Jim says we should be able to see the Hardy Monument eight miles SSW of us, I can’t. It’s entirely possible that I’m just looking in the wrong direction, though. The firm lane takes us down to a copse, where signs warn people off poaching animals. LAND ROVER LIFE 53 DORSET GREENLANING LIFE GREENLANE 2 Gate at the start, so you will need to pull over and open it. Good view – on a clear day you can see the Hardy Monument. Firm track. 0.7 MILE ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ©Crown copyright 2024 Ordnance Survey. Media 016/24 #1 HIGHLIGHT OF THE TRIP START SY 678983 FINISH SY 668984 NEIL’S MADE-UP FACTS While guitarist Steve Hackett may have found fame and fortune with the prog-rock giant Genesis, his brother Beer had a hamlet near Yetminster named after him. Water accumulates on the well- used lane near Milborne Wick OS grid ref: ST 662200 On the sunken road section near Coombe Farm OS grid ref: ST 621187 Well-defined greenlane to Nether Cerne OS grid ref: SY 677983

54 LAND ROVER LIFE I’ve been through Cerne Abbas loads of times, and I’m sure I must have stopped at the car park beside the A352 to look at the giant – probably first constructed in the late Saxon period – cut into the chalk hill before, but my memory obviously remembers pictures taken from the air; it’s not as clear from down here on the ground. We continue north through the pretty village of Minterne Magna and past Minterne House, with its gardens landscaped in the manner of Lancelot “Capability” Brown. It’s a touch too early for the rhododendrons and azaleas to be in flower, but the snowdrops are out. next greenlane Jon is straight out and looking at the plants growing beside the lane. ‘The wild garlic is coming along nicely,’ he beams – soon it will be filling the lane with its distinct aroma. The firm UCR takes Minterne House and we stop for a chat. Jon has a Discovery 2 as a do-it-all vehicle, and it’s used for trialling and overlanding as well as greenlaning. He’s been to Portugal in it, meeting members of a Land Rover club for a day, and plans on going to Bosnia this year. ‘I’m really aiming for Athens,’ he says, ‘but if the driving is good, I may not make it that far.’ Jim will be closer to home. ‘I’ve worked at the Glastonbury Festival since 2013. I started off in the fire team, but moved onto doing all of the extinguishers on the site – there were 1100. Now I help Wessex 4x4 Response with car parking duties and also emergency logistics for the festival. If there’s inclement weather we help to get cars out of the car parks.’ A bit of tarmac work We saddle back up and return to the tarmac road network, weaving along twisty lanes to Milborne Port where we pick up a relatively steep, wellused lane from Milborne Wick, before dropping into Sherborne for a spot of lunch near the old castle – we would normally have stopped on a lane, but the last one wasn’t really wide enough and we’re hungry! When we reach the next greenlane we find that it would have been wide enough to stop on. And the sun is shining. The only downside is the cutting wind, but we could have lived with that. Tall hedges flank the lane above the tops of the Defenders. A short, grassy UCR takes us in to the hamlet of Trent and then we head south, crossing the A30 dual the roads are starting to get busier and the bridge crossing the River Yeo near the village is heaving with traffic. After pulling over numerous times to let parents on the school run by, we pass through the pretty Yetminster and pick up a UCR to Leigh. This one’s a deteriorating tarmac road with plenty of potholes and is obviously in regular use – signs at each end give directions to the house halfway along the lane. Dangerous fords We turn toward Chetnole. There is a greenlane to the east of the village that Jim helped repair some years ago, but we feel it’s too wet to drive today. We do, however, drive the tarmac ford at the north of the village. The Wriggle ©Crown copyright 2024 Ordnance Survey. Media 016/24 GREENLANE 3 Starts at crossroads on corner. Water pools at the beginning of the lane, but is mostly firm. Good views over Minterne House and grounds. 1.3 MILES ★ ★ ★ ★★ #2 HIGHLIGHT OF THE TRIP START ST 655052 FINISH ST 674044 GREENLANING LIFE DORSET Jon and Jim Grassy lane near Trent OS grid ref: ST 602188 Sunken sections are features of quite a few Dorset lanes OS grid ref: ST 620187 The lane to Leigh is deteriorating tarmac OS grid ref: ST 609095 Jim’s Td5 Defender is well kitted out

River isn’t that deep, and I chat to a local while we double-check the depth of the water. ‘We’ve had to recover a couple of people from that ford,’ he tells me. ‘One was a lady with a child in the car and the other was an off-roader with others from their club – the Land Rover was washed down the river a bit. Often you get a build-up of stones in the middle, but they’ve all been washed away.’ It’s only axle-deep and the flow isn’t too strong, so we cross without incident, but I’m really not prepared for what happens later, after a couple of miles on tarmac. I’m building up speed when my sunroof explodes, showering me with glass. I call Jim and Jon over the radio and they pull into a layby to wait for me. ‘Oh, I thought you said a tyre had exploded,’ says Jon as I alight, shaking glass fragments from my clothes. ‘That must have been some bang!’ Too right it was, and after clearing the glass that is an immediate hazard, we realise there’s not much else we can do about it now – Jim has some plastic at his house I can use to cover the hole later – so we continue along to the last lane of the trip. It’s a greenlane that I drove last year, and it had recently received a gravel surface. Last year we had to winch a tree out of the way, and this LAND ROVER LIFE 55 GREENLANE 5 Initial rock-based climb followed by flatter hedge-lined section before it becomes a sunken lane. Good views. 0.9 MILE ★ ★ ★ ★★ ©Crown copyright 2024 Ordnance Survey. Media 016/24 START ST 627191 #3 HIGHLIGHT OF THE TRIP FINISH ST 616184 Greenlane routes The full map containing all the routes on the trip can be seen on the next page, ready for you to cut out and use. DORSET GREENLANING LIFE …except for Land Rovers time I’m distracted by how to resolve the sunroof issue. Most of the lane is fine, but it narrows right down to an interference fit right at the end. And as I’m not paying sufficient attention, I miss the thick branch semi-hidden within the hedge. ‘Bang’ goes the mushroom top on the raised air intake as the steel, weakened by 20 years of exposure to the elements, lets go and folds back on itself. There had been another exit to the lane – maybe we should have gone that way instead… It’s too late now. It’s the first time my 110 has sustained damage on a greenlane in more than a decade – and I can’t remember the last time any of my others have. It goes to show that you do need to pay attention all of the time; at least it’s a cheap fix. We’ve reached the end of the trip and although it’s not an epic by any means, we’ve had some fantastic views, some good driving and seen some interesting sights. And with the greenlanes all having a firm base, we’ve left them in the condition they were when we arrived, so the next time someone else wants to drive these lanes, they will be able to. Sustainable greenlaning – that’s what it’s all about. Looking down towards Corcombe, before the raised air intake incident OS grid ref: ST 520055 The resurfaced lane between Halstock and Corscombe OS grid ref: ST 529071 Jim dips his tyres in the ford at Hamlet OS grid ref: ST 602084

Greenlane Routes GREENLANE 1 ST 701006-681009 Firm, well-used farm track with reasonable views. 1.3 MILES +++++ GREENLANE 2 SY 678983-668984 Gate at start, so you will need to pull over and open it. Good view, firm track. 0.7 MILE +++++ GREENLANE 3 ST 655052-674044 Starts at crossroads on corner. Water pools at the beginning of the lane, but is mostly firm. Good views over Minterne House and grounds. 1.3 MILES +++++ GREENLANE 4 ST 664205-664197 Climb to start with and well-used firm hedgelined track. Reasonable views. 0.8 MILE +++++ GREENLANE 5 ST 627191-616184 Initial rock-based climb followed by flatter hedge-lined section before it becomes a sunken lane. Good views. 0.9 MILE +++++ GREENLANE 6 ST 604188-599189 Short grassy lane. 0.3 MILE +++++ GREENLANE 7 ST 609100-611085 Deteriorating tarmac road with plenty of potholes. 1 MILE +++++ FORD ST602084 Firm ford on tarmac road. Even if the depth isn’t too bad, the current can be strong, so if in doubt use a different route. GREENLANE 8 ST 535076-520053 Firm tree-lined lane. Overgrown towards the end, so is scratchy. Alternative route via ST 516055 looks like a better option. 2 MILES +++++ The greenlanes we drove – we rate the greenlanes based on scenery, driving interest, features and length GREENLANE CODE Please follow these guidelines when driving byways open to all traffic or unclassified county roads (UCRs). · Only drive those greenlanes that have known vehicle rights. · Never drive restricted byways, bridleways or footpaths. · Avoid greenlanes that are badly rutted or sodden. · Stick to the defined track. · Stay under 12mph and stop for walkers and horses; switch engines off for the latter. · Keep to a maximum of five vehicles (or just four when on greenlanes within National Parks and on Salisbury Plain). · Leave gates as you find them, closed or open. · Avoid damage to trees and hedgerows, except to cut back branches to allow you to drive the lane. · Take recovery gear and a spade; have a means of keeping your mobile phone charged and ensure you have the necessary maps for the area. · Take your litter back home with you. · Supervise dogs and children, especially when near livestock or in the vicinity of water. · Stick to the right of way on water crossings and check the current isn’t too strong to cross. If you’re in any doubt, turn back. USEFUL CONTACTS Green Lane Association: glass-uk.org Greenlanes: trailwise2.co.uk Fords: wetroads.co.uk All Terrain UK: allterrainuk.com Tourist info: visit-dorset.com Dorset County Council rights of way: dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Dorset Land Rover Club: dorsetrover.co.uk Cerne Abbas Giant: nationaltrust.org.uk Minterne House: minterne.co.uk Sherborne Old Castle: english-heritage.org.uk Sherborne Castle: sherbornecastle.com 1 2 3 4 5 8 6 7 FORD Greenlanes are on OS Landranger 183 and 194 CUT OUT AND KEEP 56 LAND ROVER LIFE GREENLANING LIFE DORSET START FINISH

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PHOTOGRAPHY IAN SHAW, BRIAN JAMES TRAILERS, LAND ROVER, NEIL WATTERSON 58 LAND ROVER LIFE On the ball Towing unleashes your Land Rover’s full potential, says Ian Shaw LIFE SKILLS TOWING The National Trailer and Towing Association (ntta.co.uk) has an app you can download and complete each time you check over a trailer – it’s an aidememoir, as well as a maintenance record. Tyre condition and pressure (inc spare). You can also check for date (ideally sub-10-years old). Tyres must be rated for the weight. Wheel bearings – listen for rumbling Brakes – are the cables/rods adjusted correctly? Hitch – does it move freely? Service checks any Land Rovers are bought specifically for the purpose of towing. If you are new to towing it can be quite a daunting prospect, perhaps more so now with the abolition of the trailer towing test. Drivers who passed the car test since January 1997 were only allowed to tow a trailer up to 750kg maximum authorised mass (MAM), or a heavier trailer provided that the gross train weight (GTW) – the total weight of the vehicle and trailer – did not exceed 3500kg, nor that the trailer’s MAM exceeded the towing vehicle’s kerbmass. To tow trailers up to 3500kg MAM or one heavier than the car’s kerb mass, a further test to acquire B+E on their licence was required. That was scrapped in December 2021 to free up more examiners for HGV tests and alleviate the lorry driver shortage, so trailer allowances on a car licence reverted to pre1997 levels. This means the legal limit for GTW is 8250kg, (created by the old car licence’s 7.5 tonne truck plus 750kg trailer) which would be impossible to reach anyhow with a Land Rover and trailer. We are interested in the trailer’s MAM at 3500kg, the vehicle’s towing capacity and its GTW, which are shown on the chassis/ VIN plate. The maximum dimensions for trailers up to 3500kg MAM are 7 metres long (plus drawbar) and 2.55 metres wide.

LAND ROVER LIFE 59 TOWING LIFE SKILLS Both Range Rovers have the same towing capacity Range Rover and Airstream: great combo Category 01 Trailer – up to 750kg MAM (see below), no brakes required. Category 02 Trailer – 750kg to 3500kg MAM, all-wheel braking required. Licence Category B – car Licence Category +E – trailer MAM (Maximum Authorised Mass) – laden or gross weight of vehicle or trailer. GTW (Gross Train Weight) – limit to total MAM of vehicle and trailer Kerbmass – unladen mass of vehicle or trailer. Towing capacity – the highest trailer MAM the vehicle can tow. Noseweight limit – maximum vertical load a trailer places onto the towbar. The caravan industry has its own descriptions which serve no real purpose. MIRO (Mass In Running Order) – kerbmass of caravan MTPLM (Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass) – MAM of caravan Know your terms

60 LAND ROVER LIFE LIFE SKILLS TOWING Weighting game Firstly check your Land Rover’s towing capacity and its GTW. Most large models – Defender, Range Rover and Discovery – can tow a 3500kg trailer (except for the plug-in hybrid) whilst Freelander, Discovery Sport and Evoque are less, around 2000kg. However, you must also remember the GTW. Let’s consider a hypothetical vehicle with a towing capacity of 2500kg, a kerbmass of 2000kg, a MAM of 2500kg and a GTW of 4750kg. It can handle its maximum towing capacity of 2500kg when unladen, but when laden can only tow 2250kg, within its GTW. Most Land Rover models do simply add the vehicle and trailer MAM for their GTW, but make sure to check that yours does. Finally the noseweight, measured with a proprietary gauge (or a cut broom handle and bathroom scales) – it must be no greater than that stated on your towbar or in your Land Rover’s handbook. Legally it must be at least four per cent of the trailer’s actual operating mass at the time, and at least 25kg. Ideally it should be between five and ten per cent of the trailer’s operating mass, if the vehicle allows – which can be as much as 150kg for some Land Rovers. When towing, increase your tyre pressures to the laden recommendations. You must reduce the maximum payload allowance by the amount of noseweight or you will overload the rear axle. That’s a lot to consider, but the authorities take overloading seriously and you can be prosecuted for exceeding each limit of trailer MAM, GTW and vehicle rear axle weight, simultaneously. Bear in mind models with air-suspension will selflevel, giving little visual clue to overloading. When loading the trailer think balance. All Category 02 trailers (trailers with a MAM of 750kg-3500kg) are ‘centre-bogie’ designs, essentially a see-saw; even with three axles always centralise the load. In a caravan, cramming cupboards with tins and jars is not a good idea; buy local food when you get there. Always carry gas cylinders in the correct locker on the caravan, not in the vehicle’s boot, but don’t place more than just the hook-up cable in the gas bottle locker either; you’ll exceed the noseweight. Caravans with rear-mounted cycle carriers can have the opposite effect, which is also to be avoided. Underslung spare wheels are best, if harder to get at. Usually the only thing that has to go in the caravan is the awning. Place it on the floor, over the axle. Often that means it will be up to the forward end of the lounge, so cannot fly forward under hard braking. Anything else, place in Double-check removable hitch security Always keep cables off the ground Green collar shows correct connection LIFE hack Models with Deployable Towbar will display trailer noseweight on the centre screen Drive at appropriate speeds if you’re hauling livestock

LAND ROVER LIFE 61 TOWING LIFE SKILLS the lowest cupboards and drawers, closest to the axle. Weigh and list significant items using bathroom scales – it’s surprising how it can all add up. The caravanning fraternity promotes the 85 per cent rule – particularly for newcomers. This states that you should aim for the caravan’s MAM to be just 85 per cent of the towing vehicle’s kerbmass. It is much easier to achieve with a Land Rover than a family hatchback For commercial users, when loading a mini digger or mower, put the trailer’s rear steady legs and jockey wheel down – even when hitched to the vehicle – for better stability, and place the machine over the trailer’s axles, not all the way to the front. Likewise don’t load all the paving slabs up against the headboard – though that seems safest – think balance and centralisation. Secure well with ratchet straps, crossed over the main load and check them after the first few miles. Ditto loading packing cases into a box trailer. For a car trailer, load a front-engined car on forwards, but reverse a rear or mid-engined machine onto the trailer up to the adjustable chocks for correct slight nose-heaviness. Lash it down by all its wheels, not chassis or towing eyes, and disable the ‘towaway’ function of the alarm. Check the straps after a few miles. For a boat, ensure it is up to the bow support, (correctly adjusted) and secure with bow and stern eye transom straps. We’ll assume anyone with a horse trailer knows far more about loading horses than we do and leave it there. Coupling without a hitch Check a removable swan-neck towbar is fully inserted and locked, keeping the keys on your person, not left in the vehicle, unattended. Most caravans and many car and plant trailers have an AL-KO AKStype friction stabiliser, so the towball must be thoroughly de-greased. The stabiliser uses brakepad material which is easily contaminated, rendering it useless. For a conventional coupling apply grease to the towball and fit a cap when not in use. Deployable towbars will not retract correctly with a cap fitted. The next task is to couple the trailer, best done with an assistant, though recent Land Rover models have some great hitching-up aids. The assistant should stand at one side of the drawbar – not between the hitch and the vehicle – for safety’s sake. Wave the driver slowly back, indicating through the rear □ Tow hitch is secure, especially removable ones like that on the Discovery 3; any securing clips are fitted □ Trailer is correctly coupled □ Any stabiliser legs are fully stowed □ Breakaway cable/chain is correctly attached □ Electrical cable is routed to avoid dropping on floor/being pulled too tight □ Lights work, numberplate is fitted □ Jockey-wheel raised fully and correctly stowed Pre-moving away checklists Modern Land Rovers offer remote light testing Loads of different locks on hitches Manoeuvring trailers in confined locations is a real art form that comes with practice – and a towing expert can make it look easy. But while it’s a useful skill to learn, a motor mover takes the faff out of getting your caravan to where you want it, and out again. Many are available, and the Towsure MoveMaster pictured (£599, towsure.com) will handle an 1800kg caravan, reducing the need to manhandle the ’van into position. These units use coarse rollers to push on the tyre and allow you to drive the caravan by remote control, or even via an app on your phone. Is it cheating? Not really – as caravan thefts are an issue, you’ll be able to move it into a position where a thief can’t just attach a vehicle and drag it away. Also, you can rotate the ’van almost in its own length, and it can save a lot of shunting and clutch wear trying to position your tow vehicle. They weigh around 30kg, so you’ll need to subtract that from the caravan’s load capacity, but the weight is low down. Just remember to disconnect the roller before driving down the road. De-faff manoeuvring LIFE hack A LWB model is more stable for heavy towing, a SWB easier for trailer reversing r De-faff manoeuvring

62 LAND ROVER LIFE LIFE SKILLS TOWING window, or hold a fist with forearm vertical above the coupling head to show its position. With a rear-door mounted spare wheel this can be an issue, so resort to shouting. Once in place, parking brake on, engine off. Unlatch the trailer’s coupling head, wind the jockey-wheel to lower it onto the towball and lock into place. Most couplings have an indicator to show if it is correctly attached, but don’t trust the green hitch indicator ‘button’ as gospel; they stay raised if packed with dirty grease. Slightly wind the jockey handle the other way, attempting to lift the vehicle’s rear; then you know it’s coupled. Now attach the breakaway cable – which applies the trailer’s brakes if the coupling fails – to the eye or loop somewhere on the towbar bracket, not around the towball stem. Only now release the trailer’s parking brake, then wind up and securely stow the jockey-wheel. Check electrical sockets and plugs are clean (not clogged with mud) and dry, connect with the ignition off and ensure the electrics cable has enough slack for a tight turn, but cannot rub on the road. If excessively long, loop around the jockey-wheel column. If it has to cross left or right, pass it over the drawbar, not beneath. Check the lights; for the indicators, operate each side, don’t just use the hazard warning switch. You can pass the test to drive a 44-tonne artic this way, without knowing a bad electrical repair is causing the trailer to indicate on the opposite side… Now, memorise visual indicators from the driver’s seat, as it’ll help you couple-up next time. With the combination in a perfectly straight line, set your door mirrors (or additional towing mirrors) to show a small and equal amount of trailer in each one. Vertical format towing mirrors are best as they allow a Everything inside stowed correctly Windows and skylight locked shut All ancillaries (aerial/solar panels) stowed correctly Gas switched off Cover on the front (if fitted) secured correctly Door locked, and key on tow vehicle’s keyring Caravan checklist Adapter converts 7- to 13-pin electrics Attach breakaway cable to the correct point Remove any security devices fitted Ensure jockey-wheel is raised and secure Don’t overload the front storage LIFE hack Use ‘sport’ mode on automatic transmissions when towing Car transporter trailers can be tricky to get the balance right. Normal front-engined cars should be driven on forwards; rear- and mid-engined ones backwards Regular servicing is essential for this sort of use

LAND ROVER LIFE 63 TOWING LIFE SKILLS decent view of the trailer wheels proximity to kerbs. Finally, fit the registration plate. Once out on the road, the increase in vehicle width will be a concern, but most drivers new to towing concentrate on the length. Truth is that the trailer cuts in very little on bends; with good mirror work you will easily account for it. In tight turns, the length becomes more relevant. When turning very tight left into a side road, consider the ‘opposite swing’ as a caravan or flatbed trailer’s rear moves toward oncoming traffic, or toward street furniture on the nearside when turning right. Mostly it’s the width and weight that are critical. The maximum width for Category-02 trailers was recently increased from 2.3 to 2.55 metres and many new caravans have embraced that with eight-foot wide models. Sure, your towing mirrors are a little wider still, but they pass above low walls and high verges, which the trailer will strike, so you must be vigilant. Weight is the biggest change. Even a caravan at 85 per cent of the Land Rover’s kerb mass means the combination has just 54 per cent of its solo power-toweight ratio – pull 3.5 tonnes with a classic Defender 110 TDCi and it’s less than 40 per cent. Consider how that affects progress out of junctions and entering roundabouts. Stopping distance is another major consideration. Overrun brakes are very effective, but the trailer must be slowed initially, so double your braking distance. Descend hills in a lower gear than with the solo vehicle to increase engine braking – your off-road driving techniques apply to towing. Mirror image, left is right If possible, take the empty trailer on quiet roads before taking a long, laden trip. Similarly, LIFE hack Use ‘towball view’ on a reversing camera to couple-up Advanced Tow Assist for reversing. Needs the trailer calibrated. Pull the rotary Terrain Response gear selector upwards and the display will illuminate. You can then reverse using the Terrain Response selector as a steering wheel. Modern towing aids With the trailer dimensions input, lines showing where the trailer wheels will be are overlaid on the image. Simply select the feature to check lights; the system scrolls through all the lights so you can spot issues. Reversing up to the trailer is easy. A guide line appears on the screen and you line up with the tow hitch. You can set up your trailer(s) on the Land Rover’s touchscreen, so when it’s connected it will show you where the trailer will be relative to the vehicle. Land Rovers are perfect for towing trailers like this Brian James race transporter

LIFE SKILLS TOWING Security is a big issue with trailers. Alarms, immobilisers, and trackers have increased Land Rover security immensely, but trailers are a different challenge. Most factory-fitted towbar and electrics packages will sound the vehicle’s alarm if the trailer is unplugged, but when parked, physical security is still the best option. Hitch locks and wheel clamps are a start. If the trailer is used infrequently, put it on axle stands and remove its wheels – you can even add locks to prevent a thief fitting their own wheels. If possible take a mini-digger off the trailer, and park it with the arm down through the trailer’s drawbar A-frame, or park the Bobcat halfway up the ramps, bucket dug into the ground, and a chain lock around it and the trailer’s chassis. Datatag your trailer or caravan, and consider a secure caravan storage facility instead of your driveway. Remove the trailer’s number plate too, as the police should be more inclined to pull it over – and if it goes past a speed camera, you won’t have to prove it wasn’t you. Safe and secure don’t make the first drive with your new caravan the annual holiday. Your first destination should be the local industrial estate on a Sunday morning, to practice reversing. Get the combination in a perfectly straight line with the same amount of trailer visible in each mirror. Reverse at a quarter of the speed you would normally and as the trailer fills more of one mirror, steer slightly toward that side; as it moves through the straight ahead to fill the other mirror, now steer in that direction, gradually and frequently, until you can reverse in a straight line. Then do the same into a side road or wide gateway – on your right (UK) is easier to begin with. Use corrections to the steering, little and often. Some people prefer to hold the bottom of the steering wheel, then whichever way you move your hand is where the trailer’s rear goes. If it starts to get away from you, pull forwards to the point where it went wrong and start again. Some industrial premises will only allow you to reverse with a banksman. Ask them to stand where they’re visible on your blind side – usually the left mirror. Current model Defenders and Range Rovers can have the Clearsight system, where a rooftop camera projects an image in the interior mirror. It is wide angle and looks over a flatbed or plant trailer. Early versions of Land Rover’s Advanced Tow Assist option use a target decal on the trailer’s headboard or caravan’s front panel. You program in the trailer’s dimensions and then steer your intended path with the Terrain Response dial on the fascia or on the touchscreen. The steering wheel then acts like a self-parking system. Very clever and quite spooky! Advantage Land Rover Land Rover’s core values give an edge when towing. Some commercial users tow off-road on a daily basis, while the prime spot in the corner of that Caravan Club Certified Location field may be the sole preserve of the Land Rover-owning caravanner. Firstly, always use low-range gears and lock the centre differential or select the Terrain Response mode for the surface (you should do this for loading the trailer as well, in case the rear wheels lift). The trailer is pure resistance to progress now. It is heavy and has road tyres so even the mildest side-slope is a no-no. Stick to pre-formed tracks and ruts if you have to reverse, the trailer will selfsteer in them. Only come to a halt on level ground; not only may the vehicle be unable to hold the weight of the combination on a slippery hill, the restart may prove impossible. Towing is similar to driving offroad. Assess well ahead, take your time, and use your Land Rover’s attributes to the full. Like all good life skills, it takes practice. LRL LIFE hack Stick a note of the trailer or caravan’s width and height in the top corner of the windscreen Ex-military trailers make great bases to build overlanding trailers; with wheel sizes and track matching the tow vehicle, they can go where it goes and the towing pintle allows them to fully articulate relative to the Land Rover. They are heavy for their load capacity. 64 LAND ROVER LIFE Land Rover has used its vehicles’ towing capability as a promotional tool almost since the start. Several stunts have been used over the years – at the dealer launch of the Discovery 1, a police-liveried version pulled train carriages, while a Defender has towed a container ship into port. Even the Discovery Sport got in on the act!

Shock Absorbers RTC4230GIRLING Front Series 1 - 1954-1958, Series 2, Series 2A & Series 3 - Short wheel base RTC4483GIRLING Front Series 2, Series 2A & Series 3 - Long wheel base RTC4484GIRLING Front Series 3 with heavy-duty suspension - Long wheel base RTC4232GIRLING Rear Series 1, Series 2, Series 2A & Series 3 - Short wheel base RTC4442GIRLING Rear Series 2, Series 2A & Series 3 - Long wheel base STC3703GIRLING Front Discovery 1 STC3941GIRLING Rear Discovery 1 - up to HA472849 STC3939GIRLING Rear Discovery 1 - up to LA081991 STC3704GIRLING Rear Discovery 1 - from MA081992 STC3766GIRLING Front Defender 90 - up to WA159806 STC3769GIRLING Front Defender 110 & 130 - up to WA15906 STC3767GIRLING Rear Defender 90 - up to XA159806 STC3770GIRLING Rear Defender 110 with self levelling suspension - up to WA159806 STC3771GIRLING Rear Defender 110 with normal duty suspension less self levelling suspension - up to WA159806 STC3772GIRLING Rear Defender 110 with heavy-duty suspension less self levelling suspension - up to WA159806 Defender 130 - up to WA159806 STC2829GIRLING Front Range Rover Classic - from MA660164 STC3941GIRLING Rear Range Rover Classic - up to GA417084 STC2831GIRLING Rear Range Rover Classic from MA660164 STC3672GIRLING Front Range Rover P38 with air suspension - from VA348054 STC3671GIRLING Rear Range Rover P38 with air suspension - from VA348054 These traditional hydraulic shock absorbers come with fl uid and seal technology designed to keep your Land Rover suspension under control.

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY JÉRÔME ANDRÉ 66 LAND ROVER LIFE The Sultan’s Choice RETRO LIFE GLENFROME SIX-DOOR CLASSIC RANGE ROVER Companies have upgraded Range Rovers for decades, but this Glenfrome Portway ultra-long wheelbase six-door defined early 1990s style

LAND ROVER LIFE 67 GLENFROME SIX-DOOR CLASSIC RANGE ROVER RETRO LIFE

68 LAND ROVER LIFE rom beneath the cerulean skies of Brunei to the snowy lanes of Gstaad, one vehicle has traversed worlds and woven a tapestry of stories that most machines can only aspire to in their lifespans. This is the tale of a 1990 Range Rover; not just any Range Rover, but one of the fabled Glenfrome Portway conversions – a six-door, 5.4-metre-long leviathan with a lavish interior and pretty much all the in-car tech of the era. The Portway was born in the workshops of Glenfrome Engineering of Bristol, a company founded by Ken Evans and Vivian Hunt in the late 1970s to produce a sports car called the Delta. Although the Delta was well received at its launch at the 1977 London Motorfair, Glenfrome found itself entering the world of bespoke conversions, primarily based upon the ever-popular Range Rover. The company’s portfolio burgeoned with six-wheelers, convertibles and hunting cars. But among these, the Portway stood as a paragon of its craftsmanship – a six-door marvel sitting on a 136-inch wheelbase, catering to those who demanded grandeur and room on their travels. Crafting the Portway The Portway was commissioned by the Sultan of Brunei in 1990. Its design was a daring foray into what a luxury vehicle could embody, with a stretched chassis to accommodate an extra row of seats, and an extra pair of doors for the occupants to access the middle row. You might expect these extra doors to be standard fronts simply modified with revised window frames, but they’re slightly shorter, helping keep the proportions RETRO LIFE GLENFROME SIX-DOOR CLASSIC RANGE ROVER ‘With standard steering, wide turns are the order of the day’ Four headlight grille was a Glenfrome upgrade Handle for the one-piece tailgate means registration plate had to move

LAND ROVER LIFE 69 GLENFROME SIX-DOOR CLASSIC RANGE ROVER RETRO LIFE Model: Glenfrome Portway Range Rover six-door Year: 1990 Engine: 3.9-litre V8 Efi Gearbox: Four-speed automatic/two-speed transfer ’box Battery: Twin set-up Height: 1.85 metres Length: 5.36 metres Wheelbase: 136-inch (100 originally) Restoration specialist: Range Rover World (rangeroverworld.co.uk) Exterior: • Chassis and body stretched 36 inches to accommodate two extra doors and a bench seat • Body-coloured vinyl roof covering and D-pillar cover • Custom four round light grille (may be a later addition) • Single-piece luggage compartment opening with window frame bolted to the tailgate • Custom full-length wide steps for easy ingress and egress • Discovery 1-style rear bumper anti-slip pad • Two-tone Vogue alloy wheels • Colour-coded door mirrors • Tinted windows for privacy. Electric window with remote switches in the centre console • Boomerang telephone antenna with additional antennas for communications • Cobra alarm system Interior: • Three-row seating: front seats standard, second-row bench seat, third-row bench seat, tailored around the rear wheelarch intrusions • Two Discovery 1-style jump seats in the luggage compartment • Full leather interior in cream with blue piping, blue leather steering wheel • Custom dashboard with glovebox and radio, all leather upholstered • Wood veneer trim inserts throughout the cabin • Full leather headlining with aircraft-style air vents and individual spotlights • Folding tables on the second and third rows • Electrically adjustable front seats Entertainment system: • Sony Trinitron TV/Video-8 tape VCR combo and full-size tape VCR • Pioneer CD audio system • In-car telephone system and exterior speaker option TECH SPEC Centre doors are shorter than the fronts but longer than the rears, to keep the proportions right A rolling restoration; inner wings will need attention soon Passengers get bench seats; and tables for the front row

70 LAND ROVER LIFE RETRO LIFE GLENFROME SIX-DOOR CLASSIC RANGE ROVER visually acceptable. The length of these doors helped dictate the increase in wheelbase and push the overall length to 5.36 metres – massive for its time, but only four inches longer than the current longwheelbase Range Rover. That length made sense for the wide open spaces available to its original purchaser, less so for the UK’s streets; with standard Range Rover steering, wide turns are the order of the day. Despite its formidable size, the Portway is powered by the standard 3.9-litre Efi V8, mated to the standard four-speed automatic of the time, while a two-piece rear propshaft sends power to the rear wheels. There are also twin batteries to cope with the plethora of electronic amenities aboard. While the extra length and additional doors are unmissable, Glenfrome’s modifications also included a four-light grille, possibly a later addition, that gives the vehicle a distinctive face, and a blue vinyl roof and D-pillar. Full-length side steps offered convenient entry for its distinguished occupants. The Range Rover’s appearance was further enhanced by two-tone Vogue alloys, colour-coded exterior mirrors, and tinted windows for privacy. The presence of multiple antennas, including the distinctive boomerang telephone unit on the roof, hint at the Portway’s advanced (for the era) audio and visual communication technology. Sitting comfortably Inside the Range Rover, Glenfrome’s artistry is richly evident with a sea of cream leather, accented with blue piping. The notion of bench seats doesn’t often equate to luxury, but these ones are beautifully crafted and upholstered – the rearmost row is thoughtfully designed to account for the intrusion of the rear wheelarches. The cream leather upholstery extends even to the dashboard, while there’s an abundance of high quality wood veneer accents throughout the cabin, (including the surrounds of the overhead air vents), very much in the grand English coachmaker’s tradition. Only the placing of the Alpine radio-cassette in the centre dash looks out of place: nobody’s certain, but this may well be a later addition to keep the chauffeur entertained. The interior is a sanctuary of cream leather and wood veneer Top-of-the-line Sony Trinitron Video-8 tape VCR combo Rear jump seats for extra passengers

72 LAND ROVER LIFE RETRO LIFE GLENFROME SIX-DOOR CLASSIC RANGE ROVER The original high-end Pioneer headunit is located in the towering centre console between the front seats, accessible by passengers in the first bench. The VCR player and screen are mounted above the head unit, while the in-car phone’s chunky handset sits below. The one-piece top-hinged tailgate replaces the original two-piece arrangement to make it easier to access the luggage compartment’s – a Discovery 1-style anti-slip foot pad on the rear bumper is another nod to practicality for boot-bound passengers. These days we’re accustomed to our cars being fourplatforms, but back in 1990 the array of electronic equipment installed in this Portway was the stuff of dreams for the average motorist. A top-of-the-line Sony Trinitron TV, Video-8 tape and VCR combo, Pioneer CD audio system, wired-in car phone: these were the preserves of the super-rich. There’s also an exterior speaker system that allows for the audio entertainment to be broadcast outside the vehicle. This Portway’s history isn’t confined to royal duties; it has enjoyed its own celebrity providing upmarket transport at Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s wedding. It was then sold to original Homes under the Hammer presenter, Clive Emson, before embarking on its current owner’s yearly European adventures, chauffeuring ‘The Boys’, (eight of them) to their alpine escapades in Gstaad. of this Range Rover’s life is being written by Range Rover World under the care of Michelle Taylor. Based in Grantham, restoration, keeping the vehicle in peak condition without erasing the patina of its storied past. It’s not mint, by any means, as you can see by the corrosion on the front inner wings and around the upper section of the tailgate, but this approach ensures the Range Rover retains its original charm while remaining a functional testament to Glenfrome’s craftsmanship. LRL It looks huge, but is only marginally longer than the current long- wheelbase Range Rover The price of fuel wouldn’t have much concerned the Sultan of Brunei Rear bumper gets Discovery- style tread plate How many electric window switches?

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WORDS: HELEN TAIT WRIGHT PHOTOS: JOHNNY PAPAS AND EDDIE SANTANA Johnny Papas and Eddie Santana embarked on an incredible adventure 28 years ago – and one that’s not over yet, as Helen Tait Wright discovers 74 LAND ROVER LIFE PAST LIFE AFRICAN ADVENTURE Never-ending journey Johnny (left) and Eddie (right) are ready for the off chool friends Eddie and Johnny had talked about driving from their home in South Africa right to the top of the continent, ever since they were children. When they reached their 20s, seeing the smoke rising through the bush from fires in remote settlements during a flight back from a European holiday, Johnny was motivated to make it happen. Once home, he and Eddie took over the loft in Eddie’s parents’ house and started planning the trip on a table tennis table. ‘In fact, after we left, the plan only lasted until about day two,’ laughs Johnny, ‘then we just made it up as we went along.’ At the start, four friends were going to make the trip but the other two faded out of the equation as time went on, as did the initial idea to do it on Yamaha XT500 motorbikes. It was the mid-1990s and Land Rovers were big in South Africa, helped in part by the Camel Trophy being run in Africa in 1991, and from military use of Land Rovers. There was a competition being run to win an ex-Camel Trophy Disco 1 at the time they were making their plans and they filled in nearly 500 entries in the hope of securing the vehicle for their trip. Sadly luck wasn’t in their favour.

LAND ROVER LIFE 75 AFRICAN ADVENTURE PAST LIFE Instead, they bought a knackered One Ten for 4000 rand (approx £750), which they trailered back to Eddie’s house and they used to sit in it and dream. Unfortunately, the task of making it expedition-worthy was too big, but after removing the winch they managed to sell it on for a profit, and the lads then approached South African Land Rover legend, Rob Leimers, for help. The result was the purchase of a 1973 petrol-engined Series III 88-inch. They fabricated their own roof rack for the vehicle and devised a sleeping system for the interior, commissioning Eddie’s mum to make curtains from his childhood bedroom curtains, complete with colourful giraffe motifs! Loaded with gear, much of which was sold during the nine-month trip to raise funds to continue, the pair set off, grinding to a halt only 12 miles later when they realised they had left the tool kit behind. Bumping into an elephant Their route took them out of South Africa to Zimbabwe and the Hwange National Park, where the first memorable incident of the trip took place. They were driving through the park looking at a majestic female elephant on their right and were so transfixed that they didn’t notice the juvenile elephant crossing in front of them, and hit its back leg. The jolt from the impact caused the handbrake to stick on, but when the female turned to charge them they drove hell for leather for six miles to safety. The front wing was dented, but they used the winch and a handy tree to pull it back into some sort of shape. After that, when driving through the National Parks, one or other would sit in the spare wheel on the bonnet as a look out. Beware the tsetse flies After skirting the impressive Victoria Falls, the pair stopped in Livingstone, Zambia, where they had to repair a leaf spring at a local farmstead, before going into the massive Kafue National Park. Johnny remembers the Tsetse fly patrols on the roads, where the patrolmen swat any of the flies stuck on the vehicle to try to contain the spread of these blood-sucking insects. The flies were only one of the dangerous life forms encountered on the trip. The next country on the itinerary was Malawi, after 500 miles on ‘boring’ tarmac roads, and they came across a local mechanics’ school, high up on a hill, in Livingstonia, where students were being trained on Land Rovers and the car enjoyed a good service. Fully loaded – not all of the kit made it to the end of the trip Bikes were handy initially – but were soon sold Rare night sleeping in a tent Repairs after the elephant incident

76 LAND ROVER LIFE PAST LIFE AFRICAN ADVENTURE Livingstonia is named after David Livingstone, the famous Scottish explorer, who is also renowned for his medical work in establishing the causes of, and cures for, malaria. Taking time to find out about his work was beneficial as mosquitoes and malaria were a real threat and the pair contracted the disease multiple times on their journey. Thanks to Livingstone, they knew to take the bitter quinine, and found that drinking lots of water and walking it out alongside the Land Rover worked. However light they make of it now, in 1995 five million children a year were dying from malaria, so it was a serious concern. On arriving in Monkey Bay, Malawi, they camped on the beach and remember watching acrobats performing on the sands and being given pizzas to eat which were laced with marijuana… In 1995, South Africa hosted the Rugby World Cup and the boys found themselves in a bar in Monkey Bay watching the game against New Zealand on 24 June. There weren’t that many South Africans in the bar as their team took a famous victory, but one of them turned out to be Johnny’s future brother-inlaw – what a small world. Continuing on, Tanzania was the next destination, and the Ngorongoro Crater where they saw the wildebeest migration, and then to Dar Es Salaam on the west coast. Taking a ferry they crossed over to Zanzibar and spent a week there. It was there that Johnny contracted his first bout of malaria, and he recalls that they managed little sleep during that time as they spent most of the nights slapping the mosquitos that buzzed around. Staying at Mama Roche’s In Kenya, the pair stopped at the legendary Mama Roche’s in Nairobi to do some rewiring on the Land Rover. Mama Roche was a Polish Second World War refugee who opened her house to travellers. It seemed to be the place to see and be seen. ‘In Mama Roche’s garden dreams sprouted, adventures blossomed and roots of new friendships intertwined.’ During their stay the pair slept in their tent next to the car. She was partial to a drink and had been out one night and returned drunk and drove right into their tent. Another traveller recalls ‘Her yard was full of old Land Rovers and Kombis and her house was full of back packers, some of whom she collected their rent from “in kind” with great and noisy enthusiasm!’ Eddie purifies water at a bush camp Eddie and Johnny pose for the camera At the African coast

Turning west across the centre of Africa brought some of the most difficult driving of the trip as the pair negotiated the dense rainforests. Through Uganda, the Congo, Central Republic of Africa Cameroon and Nigeria, the going was tough. One particular two-mile stretch of road took three days to cover because of the deep, sticky mud. They’d given up wearing shoes and went barefoot like the locals, their toes and fingers permanently wrinkled from the wet mud. Eddie and Johnny worked like troopers to dig through the mud to advance, a task made more challenging because they were trying to pass lorries sunk in the mud, as well as attempting to negotiate ruts created by the trucks which were too wide for the Land Rover. Some of the trucks had been stranded in the mud for two months. Everyone worked together to try finding a way through and sometimes they had to lean the Land Rover almost on its side against the mud wall to get enough traction in the deep holes. Another hazard in the Congo (Zaire) was a fly that would lay eggs inside your skin. Locals showed them how to remove them with some grass, with a scalpel and squeezing them out was better, if a little gruesome. Tiny rainforest villages with a handful of mud huts where the on the lads. Eddie remembers where the priests were trying to the local Bantu tribes. They stayed hunting for monkeys at night with the pygmies, using the traditional supplemented the mission diet of pasta and was washed down with Johnny Walker whisky. Simple pleasures Eddie also walked through the rainforest to a Belgian mission that had the only hard standing for miles around, to get help when they drained their battery trying to escape the mud. He was offered a cold Coca Cola when he got there, a simple but very welcome, pleasure. AFRICAN ADVENTURE PAST LIFE Replacing the rear leaf spring Johnny makes dinner in the back of the 88in LAND ROVER LIFE 77 Rewiring the dash at Mama Roche’s

78 LAND ROVER LIFE Meanwhile, Johnny stayed with the Land Rover and was offered a fresh leopard hide for 1000 dollars which had just been shot by some military guys. He declined the offer, and was very grumpy when he heard that he’d missed out on the fizzy beverage. Crossing from Zaire to the Central African Republic presented another challenge with their one remaining car battery, the first having been burnt out trying to help a truck. The border crossing was over a river and the ferry was at the opposite bank when they arrived, but couldn’t move as it had no battery to run the engine. They had to disconnect the battery from the Land Rover, row across the river in a small boat with it, connect it to the ferry and get the ferry back across the river. Then the battery had to be refitted into the Land Rover to drive it on board, before being reconnected to the ferry to make the return journey. Finally the battery was put back into the Land Rover so they could disembark – a bit of a palaver. Damp getting into the distributor cap on their petrol engine was a major concern during this part of the journey, so the duo fashioned a bush fix protective cover for it out of a plastic bottle and silicone, which worked and stayed in place for the rest of the trip. ‘The wading depth advised by Land Rover could not always be respected,’ laughs Eddie. More jeopardy occurred in the mud near the Cameroon/Nigerian border when a deadly black snake was spotted lurking in a bush by the side of the track. The locals warned them that a bite from the snake would have resulted in instant death and they would have buried them in the mud; a sobering thought. Mechanical breakdowns added to the challenges. In Cameroon they broke a brake line, but managed to effect a repair. However, they had no brake fluid and filling the system with water was the only option: they had to work with that for two weeks until they reached a town where they could purchase the correct fluid. PAST LIFE AFRICAN ADVENTURE Roadside photo with locals Typical African beach bar of the time Johnny creates a delicious rice dish

AFRICAN ADVENTURE PAST LIFE Pay it forward The kindness of strangers and respect for life were highlights of the trip. Money was getting tight as the duo reached Togo, a small country just 37 miles wide, and they stopped at a hotel, asking if they could camp on the hotel’s beach. With permission granted, Eddie went back to the bar to buy cigarettes. A guest in the bar invited him to have a drink, but Eddie knew they had no money for beer. The man picked up the bill and invited them to be his guests for the next three nights. This incredible kindness is something neither of them have forgotten and now they always try to pay it forward if they meet travellers. In Ghana, the pair once again camped on the beach and watched men climbing trees to get coconuts. They bought a dollar’s worth of crayfish from a fisherman and cooked it with the coconut; a memorable meal, considering that their staple diet for the adventure had been rice cooked with tomatoes and onions, supplemented now and then with bananas, cassava root and mopane worms. Mechanical breakdowns and bush fixes are also part of the adventure of driving, and a propshaft universal joint failed while in the Ivory Coast. They couldn’t find anywhere that had Land Rover spares, but a local had a UJ of the right profile, just a bit too short. Using coins as spacers, they were able to continue, and drove through the vast open Saharan desert in Mali with it in place, as far as the border with Senegal, the country where their fabulous adventure would come to an end. In 1996, Laurent Gueguen died after the truck he was driving hit a landmine in the Western Sahara while competing in the Paris-Dakar rally. These mines, planted during the 1976-78 conflict in the Western Sahara, littered Mauritania and southern Morocco at the time, the next countries on the boys’ itinerary. But by this time the funds had run out and their families were loath to send any more to aid crossing such a dangerous area. The duo had both lost between 10 to 15 kilos and hadn’t eaten properly for some time. On arrival at the South African ambassador’s house in Dakar, they had their first baths for many months and managed to properly wash their clothes which were starting to get quite tatty. They parked the Land Rover, which had been their home for the previous nine months, in a warehouse full of old Paris-Dakar rally cars, with the intention of returning at some point to finish the adventure, but 28 years on they never have. What were the most important things Eddie and Johnny took away from the trip? Humility, respect for life and being kind to people, no matter how little you have. The contact is what left the biggest imprint on them both. Meeting the African tribes of the Maasai Mara, as well as the rainforest pygmies, will stay with them forever and is something that can be missing from modern travel. You get on an aeroplane and go to a foreign country without experiencing the journey. Often you don’t even really meet the real grassroots people of the country. Travelling overland gives you a deeper experience and I can’t help wondering if the current trend for such travel will enrich and enlighten more people in this very fundamental way. And while this may sound like the end of their adventure, Eddie and Johnny plan on returning to Senegal to search for their battered old Land Rover – who knows where that journey will take them. LRL A milestone on the journey Some sections took longer to drive than others Not your typical warning sign After traversing muddy tracks LAND ROVER LIFE 79

80 LAND ROVER LIFE PAST LIFE ROVERPHILE Weird and wonderful items from the archives of the world’s leading Land Rover historian James Taylor ‘Oh, look,’ you’re thinking, ‘some more pictures of Road-Rovers (yawn).’ Yes, but just hang on a minute and take a closer look. There’s something a bit special about these, which have just come direct from the Wilks family and are used with kind permission. And in case you don’t recognise where they were taken, that’s Street Ashton House at Monks Kirby where Rover’s managing director SB Wilks used to live. Unfortunately, they aren’t dated, but they were stored with a small number of other pictures that seem to date from 1952 and 1953. Judging by what we know of the other Road-Rover prototypes, this is either the second one (RR2) or the third (RR3), both of which were probably built in mid-1952 or later the same year. Instinct tells me that it’s RR2, but I have no proof. As a quick recap, the Road-Rover was intended to be a rugged estatetype vehicle built on a shortened Rover P4 saloon chassis with a 97-inch wheelbase. The very first one had a remarkably flimsy-looking body that earned it the nickname of the Greenhouse. This one went in the opposite direction, and borrowed design elements from the Land Rover. What’s most interesting is that if this prototype was built in the second half of 1952, its body design must pre-date the 86-inch Station Wagon that it closely resembles by somewhere between six months and a year. It has Land Rover-type doors of the 1953 pattern, with recessed door handles. It has a cab roof that is basically the one used on truck cab models. It has Land Rover-style upper and lower rear side panels, with a glazed window inserted. And the tail door design and tail windows are once again pure Land Rover in style. The only thing it doesn’t have is Alpine lights in the roof, which has the plain hardtop design as introduced for Land Rovers in 1951, but without the ribs or the tropical panel. Rethinking the story Particularly interesting, to my mind, is that the rectangular, glazed windows on either side of the tail door were tried on the 86 Station Wagon prototype in summer 1953. I’ve added a picture of that, which shows one rectangular window and one smaller one with an angled top corner to fit around a group of rivets. The picture was taken in June 1953 when the final design clearly had not been settled. The larger window clearly shows the influence of the Road-Rover design, and the next stage (in August 1953) was to the radiused corners of the production Station Wagon design. I don’t think we can blame coincidence for any of this. I think – and I hope I’m not letting my imagination go too far – that these pictures suggest the early Station Wagon body style actually originated on the Road-Rover (which subsequently went on to a rather plainer style). Somebody, and most probably that somebody was Maurice Wilks, realised that the design that had just been prototyped would make an excellent Station Wagon for the forthcoming 86-inch chassis. All of which means that we can trace the ancestry of those lovely early short-wheelbase Station Wagons to the Road-Rover. Funny old world. Alternative theories, rants, and general objections will be welcome, as always. Roverphile

LAND ROVER LIFE 81 ROVERPHILE PAST LIFE Sign of the (earlier) times In our first issue, I called for pictures of signwritten Land Rovers. Here’s a good one, sent in by Duncan Learmonth. He says the signwriting on the door of his Series III 88-inch was actually done by the previous owner, but he liked it so much that he decided to keep it. Love the picture, too, which was taken on one of those bright and crisp winter days that we get all too rarely. Sold (in Uruguay) In August 2023, the Uruguayan Army auctioned off 24 of its fleet of Defender 110s (which was believed to have consisted of 40 at one stage). The ones sold were delivered in 2012 with the 2.2-litre TDCi engine, and consisted of five soft tops (weapons carriers), three station wagons (personnel carriers) and 16 ‘tactical’ models, some of which were in rather better condition than others to judge from the prices being asked. It’s always good to see pictures of military Land Rovers from overseas, even if we have to wait until they are sold off. Land Rover certainly wouldn’t talk about them when they were new, for obvious reasons. When Land Rover announced the millionth Land Rover in 1976, Mettoy followed up with a supportive press release pointing out that its Corgi division had already made more than 10 million model Land Rovers! Sales of (classic) Defenders in Argentina ended on 31 December 2013, because new regulations for 2014 required air bags, which it didn’t have. As the Defender was sold as a passenger vehicle rather than a commercial, it no longer complied. Importer, Ditecar, commemorated the occasion in November 2013 with a special Collector’s Edition of twenty-five Defender 110 station wagons. Half of them were said to have been sold before they even reached the country, at a price of US$85,900 (approx £53,378 at the time). For the record, they had the 2.2-litre TDCi engine, and came with a white contrast-colour roof, a Defender-branded spare wheel cover, a raised air intake, a reinforced skid plate, and a front A-bar (long time since we saw one of those on a Defender). Apparently there was a numbered special edition plate as well, but it wasn’t attached to the vehicle; the importers thought some buyers would like to keep it safely at home. Did I see a new slogan representing the latest JLR philosophy? Sounds like what we’ve been doing in the classic Land Rover movement for a very long time. Get social Keep up to date with James on Facebook (James Taylor Roverphile), where his posts cover both Land Rover and Rover car history. Got a question? Ask James... Drop James Taylor a line at [email protected] if you can add to something you’ve read in Roverphile, or want to know more about obscure pieces of Land Rover history. ‘Use Less, Use Longer, Use Again’ Big sales eclipsed by little sales

The passion driving our Land Rover world Brian Hartley muses on parts availability and homemade creations Elsewhere in this august publication you will find an account of a young lady being born into the Land Rover life, which led to her involvement in offroading in all its forms, that led to meeting her future husband in that same circle and now the inevitable has happened; the cycle has recommenced with her own daughter. If anyone has to say mea culpa for this state of affairs, it’s me, for this is my eldest daughter’s story. I take no responsibility for her husband; he came along fully converted. It cannot be hereditary, for her sister has no such affliction and we, as good parents do, tried to mess them both up equally. That’s the now, let’s go back to the time of dinosaurs – May 1982 to be precise. Britain’s armed forces were liberating the Falklands, the Ford Sierra was replacing the Cortina and the very first factory fourdoor Range Rovers had left Solihull the previous year. May 1982 saw the launch of Britain’s first ever dedicated 4x4 magazine, Overlander 4x4. I had the good fortune to be one of the trio who got it started. Given this is Land Rover Life magazine, there is immense irony that my main insistence at that time – directly opposed to the views of the main instigator of the magazine, David Bowyer – was that our new venture should not, under ANY circumstances, be solely a Land Rover magazine. Forty-two years later, and that all-makes publication, under several different titles, owners and editors, has survived. What’s more, it has just changed its name back to ‘our’ original title, Overlander 4x4. Vindication of that obstinance has been a long time coming, but all the sweeter for its maturity and my thanks to that current magazine’s editor, Alan Kidd, for acknowledging Messrs Hallet, Hartley and Bowyer’s part in what was, at that time, a risky, groundbreaking foray into 4x4 journalism. Happy marriages For the record, despite being a lifelong Land Rover owner and user, the real and abiding attraction to me has always been what a 4x4 is capable of as much as the car itself. A Land Rover product has always been my choice due to so many factors: price, made in Britain, availability, cost of repairs and parts, looks, ability. Obviously back in the late sixties there was also a much simpler reality – there was no real other choice in this country. There were other makes, but their rarity made them impossible to own for someone impecunious. And, of course, I did love the looks; isn’t that what most lengthy marriages start with? However, that was decades ago when Land Rovers were just another model made by Rover. Land Rover is still hugely successful and innovative, though much of that innovation leaves me entirely cold, but, where Land Rover’s legacy is concerned (Series, Ninety, classic Defender), that is surely more down to other people than to Land Rover the company. Without the vast network of skilled, knowledgeable, independent Land Rover specialists this country enjoys, the LIVING LIFE BRIAN HARTLEY 82 LAND ROVER LIFE BRIAN HARTLEY Brian’s history with Land Rovers is long and, occasionally, illustrious. He still runs off-road events No, it’s not a Cybertruck – this was built 35 years ago

older models, or indeed the newer ‘old’ models, simply would not exist. Similarly, there’s an outstanding network of engineers, craftsmen and enthusiasts, that ensure spares and accessories in abundance. The wonderful ‘better than new’ rebuilds we read about in these pages are only possible because of those companies that are sourcing, designing, commissioning and selling the necessary parts, even for 70-year old vehicles. The fact that Land Rover’s own refurbishment programme for old Series motors must surely (and no, I don’t know for a fact) rely just as heavily on those same, independent suppliers, is ironic. I walked in to a local parts supplier the other day and saw a brand-new pair of Defender front wings. All steel, said the label: crikey, said I. All steel, but, according to my internet research, they provide a saving of more than £1000 a pair over the ‘proper’ aluminium ones – sub-£500 as opposed to near £1500. That’s a saving no one can ignore, ferrous oxide or not. The choice is yours. I bought a new, £10 accelerator cable for my 1985 V8 Ninety and left musing on what you’re currently reading. There are now aftermarket coil-sprung suspension units to replace the air suspension system of the later Land Rover models. Air suspension is very useful (lowering and raising) and offers a magic carpet ride when working, but is a money pit when not – I have a recent four-figure invoice for our 171,000-mile Range Rover Sport to prove that latter statement. A similar amount of money could have fitted the latest aftermarket coil spring suspension units to replace the entire air suspension and get rid of those problems. Choice. Of course, the reverse is now equally true. There are full kits available to turn your coil-sprung Defender or Discovery into full air suspension. Choice – it truly is a double-edged weapon is it not? Surprisingly, Monroe TAS (Total Air Suspension) was launched in 1984. It employed a one-piece air suspension and shock absorber strut to replace conventional coil springs and came complete with compressor and electronic module. History shows it was ahead of its time, and yet it never caught on. Back to the future Professional (as in a way of making a living) writing has never figured in my 50-year working lifetime. Writing has always been in the background of a lifetime in the haulage industry. What with full time employment, involvement with both the ARC (Association of Rover Clubs) and RAC (Royal Automobile Club) Trials and Autotest Committee, marriage and a fine family (no real credit to me on that front it, must be said) creating (with a lot of help) a rather fine off-road organisation, Club Off Road, and a fair amount of 4x4 writing, it is perhaps as well that midnight oil was much cheaper in those halcyon days, because gallons of it were burned at the Hartley house. Back to the fine body of men and women who just ‘do’ things with, for, and about Land Rovers. In 1988 two young Leeds brothers, the Cullingworths, designed and built this stunningly futuristic Forward Control to fulfil their specific needs. It was, and I hope you’ll agree still is, a stunner. Simplistic, yet stylish and so, so different, almost a Thunderbirds rescue vehicle, if that isn’t too archaic an analogy. It was a 101 Land Rover-sized vehicle made more elegant and user-friendly, especially as it sat on a 1975 Range Rover chassis and mechanicals so was far more comfortable than any 101 Land Rover. I was quite smitten. It was strong. Hollow square-section tubing for the frame, no reinforcement required for the roof rack, and the lower downward-facing glass was a revelation when off-road. They designed and built it themselves in a lock-up garage doing all their own welding and panel work; just the glazing and upholstery done elsewhere. Finished in dark grey it was understated and, at the time, their svelte creation hadn’t even been named. The DVLA website tells me it has been on a SORN since 2012 so is possibly still in existence– I, for one, certainly hope so. More up-to-date is the 2018 Rotodama, once again using a Land Rover chassis, this time the Discovery 1. Now this is a utilitarian beast of burden of the highest order, which is perhaps as well, for its looks are the sort that only a mother would love. But again it makes sensible use of an otherwise redundant chassis and has all the Land Rover attributes for off-road use as well as excellent spare parts provision. The engineers, craftsmen and enthusiasts are still hard at work! LRL LAND ROVER LIFE 83 BRIAN HARTLEY LIVING LIFE Everything about the build was functional The definition of homemade; chassis is prepared Drawings on the garage wall show the vision Part Thunderbirds, part Land Rover – a great combo

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GARAGES/WORKSHOPS Ideal for use as a garage/workshop ([WUDWRXJK triple layer cover Heavy duty powder coated steel tubing Ratchet tight tensioning Model size (LxWxH) exc.VAT inc.VAT CIG81212 3.6x3.6x2.5m £249.00 £298.80 CIG81015 4.5x3x2.4m £279.00 £334.80 CIG81216 4.9x3.7x2.5m £329.00 £394.80 CIG81020 6.1x3x2.4m £349.00 £418.80 CIG81220 6.1x3.7x2.5m £399.00 £478.80 CIG81224 7.3x3.7x2.5m £499.00 £598.80 CIG1432 9.7x4.3x3.65m £1099.00 £1318.80 CIG1640 12x4.9x4.3m £2599.00 £3118.80 HEADER exc.VAT FROM ONLY £298.80 inc.VAT £ 249 IDEAL FOR RAIN & .00 SUN PROTECTION BRIGHT WHITE INTERIOR ZIP CLOSE DOOR JUMP STARTS Model Starting Boost Peak Amps exc.VAT inc.VAT 910 400 900 £96.99 £116.39 JS1100C 500 1100 £96.99 £116.39 4000 700 1500 £164.99 £197.99 JS12/24 1000 2000 £179.98 £215.98 Provides essential home, garage and roadside assistance Integral work light ffiLQFOXGHVDLU compressor Long life battery FROM ONLY DOUBLE DOUBLE FOOTER £ 96.99 £116.39 inc.VAT exc.VAT STARTS VEHICLES UP TO 6L EXTRA LONG 1m LEADS HEAVY DUTY PETROL POWER WASHERS TIGER 3000B Honda & Diesel engine models in stock Model Pressure Bar/PSI Engine HP exc.VAT NOW inc.VAT Tiger1800B* 110/1595 3 £269.00 £322.80 Tiger2600B 180/2610 4 £379.00 £454.80 Tiger3000B 200/2900 6.5 £399.00 £478.80 PLS195B# 182/2640 5.5 £479.00 £574.80 PLS220 230/3335 9 £679.00 £814.80 PLS265B‡ 225/3263 13 £749.00 £898.80 PLS360 248/3600 13 £998.00 £1197.60 CAN DRAW OWN WATER XEV16/100 MODEL AIR. DISP CFM MOTOR (HP) AIR RCVR EXC.VAT NOW INC.VAT XEV16/100 (OL)†* 14 3 100ltr £589.00 £706.80 XEV16/150 (OL)†* 14 3 150ltr £659.00 £790.80 XEV16/200(OL)†* 14 3 200ltr £719.00 £862.80 XEV16/150(400V)† 14 3 150ltr £699.00 £838.80 XE18/200 (OL)†* 18 4 200ltr £759.00 £910.80 XE36C200†# 30 7.5HP 200Ltr £1179.00 £1414.80 XE29/270†*W 28 2X3HP 270Ltr £1349.00 £1618.80 XE37/270 (OL)†*‡ 36 2x 4 270ltr £1459.00 £1750.80 SE46C270† 40 10HP 270Ltr £2129.00 £2554.80 HOT WASHERS Model BAR Press. VOLT exc.VAT NOW inc.VAT Harry 2* 145 2100psi 230 £589.00 £706.80 KING 200# 150 2175psi 230 £1169.00 £1402.80 FROM ONLY DOUBLE DOUBLE FOOTER £ 589.00 £706.80 inc.VAT exc.VAT AMAZING LOW PRICE! INC. CONTAINER FOR DETERGENT Ideal for effective cleaning with a hot jet of up to 80°C BATTERY CHARGERS /ENGINE STARTERS Ammeter Multiposition charge regulator Overload protection on charging cycle Model Max Amps Charge/ Boost exc.VAT inc.VAT BC125 20/120 £89.98 £107.98 BC190 38/180 £104.99 £125.99 BC210C 25/200 £149.98 £179.98 WBC180 35/180 £159.98 £191.98 WBC240 45/240 £184.99 £221.99 WBC400 60/350 £219.00 £262.80 BC520P 50/510 £259.00 £310.80 FROM ONLY DOUBLE DOUBLE FOOTER £ 89.98 £107.98 inc.VAT exc.VAT BC190 Superb range ideal for DIY, hobby & semi-professional use TIGER 8/260 Top quality belt driven air compressors for industrial & commercial users inc; garages, factories, workshops DQGIDUPVEDUSVL PD[ZRUNLQJSUHVVXUH †V-Twin *9 HEADER exc.VAT FROM ONLY £706.80 inc.VAT £ 589.00 &7-/3KDVDWRQQHFDSDFLW\KDVD ORZHQWU\RIRQO\flPPDQGLQFOXGHVVRFNHWV CTJ2250LP FROM ONLY DOUBLE DOUBLE FOOTER £ 42.99 £51.59 inc.VAT exc.VAT Model Type Tonne exc.VAT NOW inc.VAT CTJ2L* Long 2 £42.99 £51.59 CTJ2250LP*# Low Profile 2.25 £49.95 £59.94 CTJ3000GB Pro Garage 3 £109.98 £131.98 CTJ3000QLB Quick Lift 3 £122.99 £147.59 CTJ2QLP Low Quick Lift 2 £159.98 £191.98 HEADER exc.VAT FROM ONLY £298.80 inc.VAT £ 249.00 MMA/TIG 120 MIG200 S-MULTI model Min-Max Amps exc.VAT inc.VAT PRO90 24-90 £249.00 £298.80 135TE Turbo 30-130 £289.98 £347.98 151TE Turbo 30-150 £345.00 £414.00 SIZES UP TO 260 AMPS IN STOCK LENGTH UP TO 40’ UP TO 7938KG CAPACITY IN STOCK INC. AIR GUN WITH PRESSURE GAUGE, TRIPLE HEAD INFLATOR & ADAPTORS IDEAL FOR CAR/ BIKE TYRES HEADER EXC.VAT FROM ONLY £263.98 inc.VAT £ 219.98 ELECTRIC PRESSURE WASHERS Makes easy work for washing vehicles, patios, stonework, etc. -(7-(7fl -(7ffi%LQFOXGH hose reel JET8500 145 Bar 2100 PSI 180 Bar 2610 PSI BEST SELLER BEST SELLER FROM ONLY DOUBLE DOUBLE FOOTER £ 59.98 £71.98 inc.VAT exc.VAT # WAS £1438.80 inc.VAT W WAS £1678.80 inc.VAT ‡ WAS £1774.80 inc.VAT Model Motor CFM Tank exc.VAT WAS inc.VAT NOW inc.VAT 8/260 2HP 7 24ltr £109.98 £143.98 £131.98 11/550 2.5HP 9.3 50ltr £169.98 £215.98 £203.98 16/550 3HP 14.5 50ltr £239.00 £298.80 £286.80 16/1050 3HP 14.5 100ltr £299.00 £370.80 £358.80 PRICE CUT NOW FROM ONLY DOUBLE WAS £143.98 inc.VAT £109.98 £131.98 inc.VAT exc.VAT * WAS £310.80 inc.VAT # WAS £478.80 inc.VAT * WAS £53.99 inc.VAT # WAS £63.59 inc.VAT JACKS ALSO IN STOCK UP TO 5 TONNE * WAS £334.80 inc.VAT # WAS £598.80 inc.VAT ‡ WAS £922.80 inc.VAT * WAS £718.80 inc.VAT # WAS £1437.60 inc.VAT PRICE CUT NOW FROM ONLY DOUBLE WAS £334.80 inc.VAT £269.00 £322.80 inc.VAT exc.VAT Model Motor Max. Pressure exc. VAT WAS inc.VAT NOW inc.VAT JS1850 1400W 1523psi £59.98 £71.98 JS1950 1600W 2030psi £94.99 £116.39 £113.99 Jet7500 1600W 2030psi £149.98 £185.99 £179.98 Jet8500 2100W 2610psi £189.98 £231.59 £227.98 JET9500B 2400W 2900psi £229.98 £275.98 PRICE CUT DOUBLE DOUBLE WAS £89.99 inc.VAT £69.98 £83.98 inc.VAT exc.VAT PRICE CUT DOUBLE DOUBLE WAS £83.98 inc.VAT £64.99 £77.99 inc.VAT exc.VAT * WAS £406.80 inc.VAT Model Min-Max Amp exc.VAT inc.VAT MMA/TIG 120 10A - 120A £96.99 £116.39 MMA/TIG 200 10A - 200A £139.98 £167.98 MIG200 S-MULTI 20A - 200A £599.00 £718.80 FROM ONLY DOUBLE DOUBLE FOOTER £96.99 £116.39 inc.VAT exc.VAT PAY Monthly EASY TO USE WEBSITE NEW 484 NOW PAGE OVER 21,000 CATALOGUE OUT NOW! Spread the cost over 12, 24, 36, 48 or 60 months Any mix of products over £300 17.9% APR PRODUCTS ONLINE! For 15,000 KDUGWRåQG items vist the section on: • IN-STORE • ONLINE • PHONE machinemart.co.uk 0844 880 1265 5 MIN APPLICATION! 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86 LAND ROVER LIFE 1968 Land Rover Series IIA Dormobile Owner Jean-Michel Cathala Owned Eight years Mileage 63,593km (39,523 miles) Work done Rebuilt On a warm summer evening in the grounds of a private Loire Valley chateau, a gathering of Series Land Rovers marked the start of the annual Bal de Series, an event organised by the French Series Land Rover Club, Le Temps des Séries. Among the stunning examples present, I found a magnificent Series IIA 109in Dormobile owned by Jean-Michel Cathala, a charming man who is also the owner of our old V8 Ninety. The gorgeous original patinated paintwork on the Dormobile is a joy to behold, and one of the many reasons why this vehicle is Jean-Michel’s favourite from his collection. Jean-Michel is only the second owner of the vehicle; the original buyer was Yves Peninou, a Parisian doctor. He wanted a vehicle in which he could travel and take his family on holiday, and a badge still attached to the grille shows he was a member of the esteemed Touring Club de France. family trip to South Africa in the Land Rover, so his choices were clearly carefully considered with this trip in mind. Indeed, another badge on the grille says simply ‘Sahara’, and we can only imagine what terrain this vehicle has crossed. After Dr Peninou’s death in 1996, the Land Rover was appraised by a car expert for inheritance purposes, and subsequently stored in a barn on a family property in the Bordeaux region, near to Jean-Michel’s home. At the time of the appraisal the odometer read 59,890km (37,214 miles), so exceptionally low for the age of the vehicle. Another interesting observation from the appraisal is that the interior supplied by Dormobile had already been partially dismantled by that time. The kitchen and the wardrobe were no longer there, and the frame for the pop-up canopy was also absent. Luckily, the original folding seats which double to form part of the sleeping area were still present. YOUR LIFE SERIES IIA DORMOBILE C’est magnifique! Helen Tait Wright meets Frenchman Jean-Michel Cathala and finds out the history of his well-travelled 109-inch Series IIA Dormobile Martin Walter Ltd, manufacturer of the Dormobile, bought the base vehicles from Land Rover and converted and installed equipment as specified by the buyer. The options list even included the cutlery and crockery, if you so desired, but Dr Peninou chose practical and functional items for his four-berth Dormobile, such as a capstan winch, extra jerry cans, mosquito netting, and a sun awning. Jean-Michel purchased the vehicle from Dr Peninou’s son who recalled a ‘I needed a name composed of two words, and Ice Tea was born’ The club holds several meets each year

LAND ROVER LIFE 87 I N AS S O C I AT I O N W I T H 1 THE ROLLING CHASSIS The body panels are removed – not the easiest job on a station wagon, let alone a Dormobile – to get to the rolling chassis. THE REBUILD 2 CHASSIS INSPECTION With the rest of the components removed, Jean-Michel inspects and repairs the chassis before protecting it with paint. 3 FRESHLY PAINTED The refurbished axles get fitted under the chassis. It’s not worth trying to fit the dampers yet – wait for the body to be on. 4 PISTONS REFRESHED The engine is stripped to components and everything is checked and parts replaced where necessary before the rebuild. 6 ENGINE IS DROPPED IN The rebuilt and repainted engine is dropped in and plumbed in, ready to propel the Land Rover on plenty more adventures. 5 GEARBOX REFITTED The Land Rover is starting to resemble a vehicle now with the bulkhead, brakes, steering and gearbox in place. 7 NEARLY DONE NOW The Aeroparts capstan winch is refitted – just the wings and the £15. 0s. 9d. jerrycan holders to finish the outside panels. 8 FINISHING TOUCHES Where would a classic be without appropriate grille badges? Now just to fill the fuel tank with fuel and head off into the wilds. Capstan winch cost £48.10s. 0d. when the Dormobile was ordered Enjoying life hors macadam The smile tells you how happy Jean-Michel is with the 109

88 LAND ROVER LIFE YOUR LIFE SERIES IIA DORMOBILE The Land Rover stayed a hidden gem for 20 years, until Jean-Michel managed to purchase it on 14 December 2016. What a barn find, and what a fantastic early Christmas present. He set about restoring the Dormobile, researching the history and trying to track down the items to reinstate the interior as it would have been at the time of purchase. Keeping it original Aside from the interior items, everything on the Dormobile is original, including all the mechanical parts and petrol engine, all with matching rims are marked with the year 1968. As he does with all of the Land Rovers he buys, Jean-Michel stripped the 109in to component parts and rebuilt it, while retaining the original patina. He didn’t want to make any changes reason, as this gives the Land Rover its unique, authentic look. After purchasing the vehicle, JeanMichel contacted Dormobile to see if it still had any of the original interior furniture in stock. As it happened, there was a complete secondhand interior from the period, but it needed restoration and unfortunately the asking price was beyond his budget. Luckily he managed to source an original wardrobe and the canopy frame. The kitchen will be remanufactured to the original design by a fabricator local to Jean-Michel, as the President of Le Temps des Séries, Jean-Luc Clair, has kindly lent his original as a pattern. When fitted, that will make the vehicle complete. This rare example of an original low mileage left-hand drive Dormobile may be worthy of a museum, but it is Jean-Michel’s daily drive and also, on occasion, goes ‘hors piste’. Exactly how many Series IIA Dormobiles ended up in France is unclear, but we know from the records at Gaydon that 143 Series IIA fourcylinder petrol left-hand drive Export Chassis vehicles were supplied to Martin Walter Ltd. It’s no secret that Jean-Michel has a Series Land Rover passion; he currently owns four examples, (plus newer models in the guide of a Ninety and a affection for this Dormobile. ‘I like all Land Rovers, especially the Series. But free dashboard. This one is also a Dormobile, which is rare in France. It is the favourite of all my Series Land Rovers because I kept its patina; the condition allowed it. That’s what gives him his personality.’ There is one little personalisation that Jean-Michel has added to his Dormobile; the jerry cans sport the words ‘Ice’ and ‘Tea’, which is also his pet name for his Land Rover. ‘Of course, it was the famous Series Is (Oxford and Cambridge) that inspired me,’ laughs Jean-Michel. ‘Gin and Tonic is taken by those Land Rovers, I don’t like whisky and soda, so I thought of the traditional drink of the English, tea, and I needed a name composed of two words, and Ice Tea was born!’ LRL Narrow candystripe fabric retains character Dash has a few upgrades Rear seats were present when Jean-Michel bought the 109in A period radio is fitted below the dash Travelling in style All set up for a great night’s kip

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90 LAND ROVER LIFE Your Land Rovers Show us your Land Rover; we’ll print a selection every issue Send your story and pics to Neil: [email protected] YOUR LIFE YOUR LAND ROVERS My love of Land Rovers started almost by chance. While on holiday in the Cayman Islands, my husband and I were fortunate enough to go on a safari tour around the island. The vehicle was a Defender 110. While the island was lovely, what really caught my imagination was how cool the super-square vehicle was and how it could just go anywhere. Since then, I’ve been after a Land Rover. Fast forward several years. I reached a milestone birthday, and was sent on an off-road experience in a Defender. Super-excited me had a wonderful time driving through lakes and mud. During this time the instructor and I got talking about Land Rovers and what I wanted. He suggested that a Discovery 2 would perhaps be a better fit. They’re almost as square, have the same engine, are a bit more comfortable to drive and a fraction of the price to buy. Considering I had no idea whether I would even like driving such a big vehicle – the car I had at the time was a miniature Hyundai i10 – I was interested. 2003 Td5 Discovery 2 GS Owner Debbie Forster Owned One year Mileage 144,287 Work done Bought and fettled for use on the road Six weeks later, I had my Discovery 2, which I named ‘Larry’. He’s a 2003 Td5 GS manual in Oslo Blue. I promised his former owner that I would take care of him, so the first thing I did was ring up Clasp, the local 4x4 garage. The conversation revealed how little I knew about Land Rovers. I asked them to give the car a checkover as it had an oil leak, to which they responded, ‘You’ve never had a Land Rover before have you?’ A few fixes later, including replacing the fuel connector which stopped diesel leaking everywhere, I was confident enough to take it on an adventure to Manchester. What could go wrong? High point’s a low point Everything was going perfectly until I started the long climb on the M62. I had just sailed passed the last exit on my side of the Pennines when the battery light came on. With 26 miles to the next exit, there was little I could do but hope I made it. I did not make it… The Discovery 2 gets a thumbs-up I reached the highest point, then the Discovery lost all power. The brakes became an immovable pedal and I knew I was done for. I rolled to the hard shoulder, stopped, swore a bit, then rang the AA. I was towed to Birch services and waited for a handy mechanic to arrive. The problem was one of the pulleys for the fan belt had come off allowing the drive belt to drop off, causing the warning light and the loss of the going and stopping ability. It was an easy fix and I was underway again very quickly. I felt as though I had passed a rite of initiation somehow; I had owned the car three weeks and now had no desire to get rid of it. From then on, it was happy motoring. Aside from an incident with the insurance company, who upon learning the suspension had been modified – from air to coil – cancelled the policy so I had to scrabble to find a more enlightened insurer.

LAND ROVER LIFE 91 YOUR LAND ROVERS YOUR LIFE I spent a good bit of time during the summer scraping off the old cracked and non-functional underseal and replacing it with Neutrarust. I have heard chassis rot is a terrible problem with Discovery 2s and although I have been informed that Larry was a ‘steal’ as his underneath was in pretty good shape, I wanted to make sure he stays that way. The problem came when I was applying the Neutrarust. I knocked a pipe and to keep an eye on the brakes next time I drove. Unfortunately, next time I drove, I had no brakes. It was another trip to Clasp, who ended up replacing three brake lines, the front discs the exhaust hanger. Deep cleaning I have also had the entire car scrubbed and cleaned, including the engine bay, which was covered in mud and who knows what else. The dirty, sagging headlining was replaced by MSJ Headliners, which did a wonderful job, as well as unclogging the sunroof drains at the same time – another common Discovery 2 issue. I have managed to do some bits myself though. Considering that I have no mechanical experience, and before Larry, all I knew was that a car had four wheels and an engine, I feel I have come a long way. I’ve undersealed the car and applied Lanoguard. I have changed a window regulator and made my front driver’s window work. I have drained the rear lights so they are no longer filling up with water. I know what is in the engine bay and where things are. I have replaced bulbs, I’ve learned how to clean a car There are still jobs to do. The radiator fins are starting to crumble so it if I can find a good template. I want to replace the rear door card for a camping table I can cook on. The third-row seats are already gone, and I want to find some storage bins to put there instead. I would also like to get Larry repainted. The Oslo blue is a good colour, but it’s chipped and faded. I am thinking about bright yellow, so I don’t end up losing him in a field. One thing certainly is true, and that is Larry is a very spoilt car! LRL Ah, yes, oil leaks Rear step no longer rises to the occasion The interior needed a thorough clean Is Debbie delighted with her Discovery? Definitely Chassis is in good shape for a Disco 2 Steering wheel only shows moderate use

92 LAND ROVER LIFE 2005 Land Rover Freelander 2 Owner James Phillips Owned for Five years Mileage 112,023 Work done Learning new recovery techniques after sliding into a ditch on a greenlane As responsible greenlaners we do not set out on trips to purposefully get stuck or to be silly – that is what pay-and-play days at off-road sites are for– the countryside and the UK lanes are not the place for that kind of shenanigans, but unfortunately on occasions things don’t always go to plan. I organise a monthly trip out for the Essex Green Laning Club, and when I planned this particular one it was no different to any other. After much desktop research I selected a nice 35- mile route around the Hertfordshire countryside. I’m not familiar with this area, but after checking various sources and with the help of All Terrain UK’s SmartTrail system and Hertfordshire County Council’s website, I was happy with the route I’d plotted. I also kept it shorter than my usual routes as I didn’t know what we would encounter and would gave us extra time to deal with it – the weather had been a bit rotten on the run up to the trip. Things started off well; after all the rubbish weather it was a perfect, fresh, Sunday morning. A couple of us met up and we picked up others along the route; all Freelander 2s, apart from a solitary Discovery 2, which I put at the back of the group, just in case. With convey now stopped it was time to assess and see what we were dealing with. The ditch had steep sides and a soft base with water trickling along it. The lane was cambered towards the ditch and had a slippery grass coating; the all-terrain tyres could only climb a little before the Freelander slipped back We cut back the to gain enough space to give the Discovery 2 access to the front and rear of mine, and Unfortunately the slippery surface was causing the Discovery to slide over, and with the track being so narrow, we were risking the bigger Land Rover sliding into the ditch too. Time for a break to re-evaluate. If we could get the front out, we may be just be able to get enough traction, with the help of the Discovery, to get the YOUR LIFE LAND ROVER SAGAS Well, that didn’t go to plan! When you do something often enough, you’re bound to get it wrong every now and then, as James Phillips found on a recent greenlaning trip in his Freelander 2 We drove the first five lanes with no issues; most of the lanes in the area have firm bases and generally the water levels appeared to be normal, so I was hoping for a lovely day out without any real concerns. Then we entered the sixth lane near Haultwick – a very narrow overgrown lane, scratchy on both sides. But the foliage on the left was hiding something which I was not aware of. As we worked our way along, gingerly pushing our way through the vegetation, I felt the Freelander slip to the left momentarily, so steered further to the right and into the vegetation and carried on. Then it slipped to the left again, but more significantly this time – and this was a bit more than just tyres sliding on wet grass. Before I could call to the rest of the group to get them to stop it went again, and both nearside tyres lost traction and I slid to the left coming to a rest with two wheels in the bottom of the ditch. Mark Pritchard inspects the broken mirror James, after his Freelander 2 is finally free A bit of a predicament

LAND ROVER LIFE 93 rear out as well, and with a combination of motor bike ramp, various logs, four traction boards and pair of track mats, we managed to create ramps for the front and rear wheels to drive up. And with the Discovery roped to the front to prevent the nose from sliding back into the ditch, I carefully drove out. In all, I think the recovery took about four-and-a-half-hours to complete, most of which was spent scratching our heads and then trying various ways to get me out. But as a team we all kept calm and solved the problem and the Freelander 2 took minimal damage from the incident which I will take as a victory. We also ensured that we cleared up any mess and damage before leaving so we wouldn’t hinder other users. As it turned out, one of the group had walked further along and found the road got progressively worse, and the end section was severely overgrown to the point of being impassable. Luckily the I N AS S O C I AT I O N W I T H mishap occurred early in the lane and we could reverse out easily. What lessons did I learn? If in doubt, or the lane is not visibly clear on the condition and is overgrown, take the time to walk it first and investigate. I have done this many times before, but I think I was a little complacent on this occasion. A short walk and check would have quickly established that it was just too narrow to drive and we would have aborted and just moved on the next one. We had a good amount of recovery and hedgecutting gear, but you can never take too much. Never go alone to unfamiliar lanes – I hate to think how long I would have been there waiting for help to arrive. Finally, keep calm and retain your sense of humour, especially when there are others with you. People may be taking the mick, but it’s all in jest and keeps the spirits up! LRL First try: backwards Clearing a route for the rescue Disco Another attempt: this time forwards Creating a ramp for the wheels Recovery is a mucky job Drone photo shows how narrow the lane is Track mats helped Freelander find traction

94 LAND ROVER LIFE 1996 Range Rover Classic Owners James and Bonnie Robb Owned One year Mileage Unknown Work done Returned to the road L ike a lot of those afflicted by enthusiasm for Land Rovers, we had always hankered after the opportunity to restore a vehicle and head for the horizon to see what lay over and beyond. However, this desire for adventure so often resulted in another wasted year of wanderlust as life simply got in the way of our dreams and the time and opportunity never seemed to materialise. In January 2023 I received a phone call from a friend telling me that he had decided to sell a number of his Land Rovers that he had in various storage sites, and was I still interested in his late left-hand drive 300Tdi Range Rover Classic? We had discussed it once over a coffee and I must have clearly demonstrated a memorable interest in it. He had bought it as a project but had never got around to the refurbishment. The last time it had been on the road was five years before and I had never seen the vehicle, but the European adventure aspiration took a big leap out of the ‘maybe one day’ pile. drive it out of the barn and reveal an eyewidening amount of surface rust to the whole underneath of the vehicle. However, on closer inspection while scrabbling around with a torch, it was clear that beneath this not so gleaming first impression there was a solid gem of a vehicle. Many of these Classics are beyond sensible economic repair but thanks to its life in a warmer climate, this one could easily be saved. I was also pleased that it was a very low-spec car with no sunroof, manual teddy bear seats, no airbags and a manual transmission. Looking through its history I could see that when imported the owner had supplied the DVLA with documentation showing a 1996 build date which explained the late, and unusual ‘P’ registration number. We agreed on a price and a few days later it was sitting in our barn, still unseen by Bonnie… It was now time to start going through it as we had set ourselves a proposed departure date of early September to head to Norway. With a busy work diary we knew that we would need to keep this project ticking over if we were ever going to make it. YOUR LIFE RANGE ROVER CLASSIC Getting road-trip ready The offer of a left-hand drive Range Rover Classic rekindled dreams of continental capers for James Robb, but first of all he needed to restore its roadworthiness My wife, Bonnie, and I were abroad at the time so it wasn’t until February that I could see the vehicle in the metal. I decided to go by myself as I suspected the Range Rover would look tired and Bonnie’s enthusiasm for the project may not match mine, which turned out to be a wise decision. Life abroad When new the vehicle was sent from Solihull to Spain and had spent the majority of its life being baked in the Spanish sun. The very tired red paintwork was burned through the lacquer across the bonnet and roof, many of the body panels had signs of damage, the tyres were a mismatch and all more than 12 years old and the upper tailgate rotten. On top of that there was clearly a significant engine oil leak, the mudflaps were homemade, the headlining had of course given up, and it looked like the radio and speakers had been removed by someone using a hammer. On turning the key the starter motor just managed to heave the engine over into a smoky start to ‘It had spent the majority of its life being baked in the Spanish sun’ Tidy enough, but not ready to go yet

LAND ROVER LIFE 95 At this point we enlisted the help of Pete, a friend and neighbour, who is extremely knowledgeable on all things mechanical with a vast experience of Land Rovers. He is also the person to whom we entrust our other classic Land Rovers when major work is required as he treats the vehicles as if his own, and is more than happy for us to get involved in his workshop. Righting wrongs I always knew that the vehicle would be hiding issues – and so it turned out. It was a sad example of the fate of so many older cars as they slip through owners, gently decreasing in value, mechanicals getting worn, maintenance being missed and eventually repairs bodged components. The engine was proving to be a very lazy starter which we deduced could be glow plugs, compression, starter motor, battery or wiring to name a few areas to look at. The glow plugs were low loose and it appeared that the cylinder had been losing compression past it, while also building up an unhealthy amount of carbon on the glow plug. Getting this plug out took persuasion and patience as a small job could be about to get a whole lot bigger if it snapped. With two of the plugs not working the starter motor had clearly been having to work a lot harder, the evidence being extreme heat discolouration. In turn, with lots of short runs to move this vehicle around a storage area when it was in the way, the battery hadn’t coped well. So for the small saving someone had made on a budget quality set of glow plugs, we now had a lot of new components to buy and fit. We had noticed that the propshaft universal joints had no grease nipples, so I N AS S O C I AT I O N W I T H it wasn’t a surprise to find that they were worn out. But it was a surprise to find the bolts on the front diff pinion were so loose that the bolts practically fell out. The damage could have been dramatic if they had let go when driving. We are all used to oil leaks but when they get serious most people decide to replace seals, but not in this case. The sump gasket clearly needed replacing, but we planned to remove the sump anyway, to see what horrors lay within. Other areas had seen an enthusiastic use of the silicon gun which hadn’t done much except make a mess bigger. This was particularly evident around the vacuum pump and the multiple oil leaks had contaminated the bushes on the front anti-roll bar which needed to be changed. sorry worried about the overall health of it. When imported the speedometer had been changed to a UK-spec one and the fuel injectors, but on inspection they were surprisingly good and we opted for a cleaning agent through the fuel system along with a tank of premium diesel which seemed to do the trick. The timing belt was extremely old and bearings within the idler gear had that gritty sound when spun. The last potential surprise lay in the cooling system where the thermostat had failed, the anti-freeze was ineffective and the plastic filler plugs collapsed as they came out so were changed for brass ones. We suspected that these plugs would have let go under pressure when climbing one of the mountains passes on our trip and would have been yet another area of mechanical fatigue where the vehicle would have left us stranded. Plastic sill cover hides horrors Looks promising, despite lacquer loss The work begins Left-hand drive – ideal for European road trip 300Tdi engine needed new belts Axles get a thorough checkover

96 LAND ROVER LIFE YOUR LIFE RANGE ROVER CLASSIC With the engine work done, including a full service and all the transmission oils changed, a short run up and down the farm track demonstrated a massive improvement but saw the rear dampers give up and start leaking. As part of the deal with its previous owner it was agreed that we could harvest some parts of another Classic he had which was on its way to the scrapyard. As this refurbishment was focused on mechanical reliability and not overall aesthetics, this was extremely useful particularly as the scrapper had an aluminium upper tailgate in great condition. Additionally we need bumper endcaps, sidelights, trim clips and other items. Buying new ones could have been patinaed bodywork. Something to work to With time slipping by, jobs building up, and all of our normal working lives extremely busy, we booked an MoT date to give us a deadline to work to. central locking fixed, but we still had issues with the electric windows and the rear wiper. We chose Michelin Latitude Cross tyres as I had experience with them and they’d be ideal for the type of journey we had planned, plus they fitted the classic Range Rover look. It is sad that so many classic Range Rovers are disappearing due to rampant rust, and the fear of the cost to make structural repairs is main reason why we had never chosen to buy one. This was one very solid but had not escaped entirely. Removing all the interior trim (which had manufacturing stickers all showing late months in 1995) we found holes in both footwells and within the sills where the rear wheelarch meets the sill. Other than that it was in great shape. As Pete would have to carry out the welding repairs using only axle stands in the workshop, it was decided to find someone with a ramp to make the job easier and safer. Our huge thanks go to Allan Crow at Over The Hill Restorations for stepping in when others unexpectedly let us down. Despite it being just before his son’s birthday party was due to start, he kindly put parenting duties on hold for a few hours and completed an excellent job! MoT day arrived and we were ready. With only a couple of advisories we made it through. We now wanted to put some test miles on to allow the vehicle to settle and reveal any other issues. After 250 miles we got it back was failing rapidly now that it had been woken up, giving an increasingly scary ride at speed. It was now late It also meant Norway was looking increasingly wet and cold, while southern Europe was enjoying a hotter than usual late summer. By chance a friend mentioned their family had a holiday home in Italy so maps out, coffee, lots of chat and a new destination of Pescara was settled on. A rapid search for our summer clothes, Bonnie still looking for accommodation for the route down and a slot on LeShuttle, we set off south from Scotland at 4am, racing Storm Agnes due to hit the UK. While I was confident in all the work that had been done to the vehicle, I was secretly concerned that our route was going to take us over the Alps and our destination lay 2700 miles away. LRL In great company Standard sagging headlining Trim replaced – getting closer Now looking ready for adventure Definitely needs more metal Giving the trim a work-out

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98 LAND ROVER LIFE YOUR LIFE LAND ROVER SAGAS When my L663 Defender 110 was approaching replacement time, it became obvious that its successor was some way off, Land Rover quoting delivery times of more than 12 months. Since I only need two seats most of the time, have a lifelong connection with commercial vehicles – both my classic Defender 90s were hard tops – I decided to go for a Defender 110 hard top, rather than another station wagon as my ‘car’. Commercial versions are just really useful vehicles, with a big load bay devoid of carpet to damage, or seats to fold, for either going (over-) equipped for a morning’s greenlaning with waffle boards and hi-lift jack on board, or simply carting home that impulse autojumble purchase. Readily available models were thin on the ground, while those which were had crashed through the parts department picking up 22-inch alloys, plastic nudge bars and the external Tupperware box during the collision. Not for me. Then, while having a quiet pint down at the Crown and Pinion, the penny dropped: Commercial sense Ian Shaw has been driving off-road for 35 years and this Discovery 5 is the tenth Land Rover he’s owned 2023 Land Rover Defender 5 SE D300 Owner Ian Shaw Owned Two weeks Mileage 528 Work done Checked all the levels Used for Hauling large items and off-roading what about a Discovery Commercial? Then a split-second later, do they still make them? You don’t see many. This is because you actually can’t tell if you’ve seen many, because externally they appear to be a station wagon with privacy glass, not a panel van. Lead times were almost Defenderlong, so back onto the ’net. Most were ‘Urban’ spec, looking more at home in downtown LA than Red Wharf Bay, but one stood out for not standing out. A cancelled order, it was a D300 SE, the same as my departed Defender 110, in Fuji White. While I will never know who configured it, we must have been separated at birth. It has the optional Advanced Off-Road Capability Pack consisting of twin-speed transfer ’box, Active Rear Locking Differential, Terrain Response 2, with ATPC (All Terrain Progress Control) and Configurable Terrain Response programs. I maybe wouldn’t have chosen 21-inch wheels, their 275 width tyres having a 45 profile, but the middling SE trim level would certainly have been my choice too, it has all you need and nothing you don’t. I’m not one for the R-Dynamic X-etera versions. So, in one of only four colours I would consider, with ‘correct’ specification, and boasting the off-road options, without which I would have ignored it, getting eyes-on was the next step. Shame the dealer was a 552-mile round-trip. So, one Sunday was spent going to see it and the next one to collect it. And that, as they say, was that. My previous Land Rovers have either been Defenders – in original and modern iterations – or Range Rovers. It’s fair to say that the Discovery 5 literally sits between the two, even if that sounds like damning with faint praise. Although I seriously coveted the original five-door Tdi I road tested in the early ’90s, it was way out of reach financially for a (then) young motoring journalist. Fast-forward and I have to confess that I was no fan at all of the Discovery 5 at launch, feeling its rear styling was too heavy and ungainly – similar to the add-on effect of a Disco 2 – but over the years the D5 has gradually grown on me, proving the integrity of its design which also lends itself to the role of cavernous commercial.

LAND ROVER LIFE 99 Compare and contrast In some respects the Discovery 5 is overshadowed in the Land Rover lineup. The Range Rover obviously has its flagship profile, then there’s the L663 Defender. For better or worse, it has probably taken up far more column inches than it should have. Owners of classic Defenders rightly point out its caricature looks and the fact that it’s bought for urban use, which is a shame as having owned both classic and modern incarnations I can tell you it’s impressively capable offDiscovery 5. They differ most in wheelbase, the 110’s 3022mm being 100mm more than the D5. The Discovery is 4956mm long, a 110 is 5018mm, but That translates, in old money, into eight inches more load length in the D5 than the 110, with a touch more bay width also. At 2220mm wide across the mirrors, the D5 has the same external girth as the Range Rover (L405) upon which it’s based, some four inches fatter than a new Defender. That’s how it feels from behind the wheel too. A bit wider to place in traffic but with a demonstrably tighter turning circle thanks to the four-inch shorter wheelbase. There’s more elbow room inside with the captain’s chairs lending a Range Rover-esque feel to the cabin, whilst dynamically it also feels very similar to an L405. I N AS S O C I AT I O N W I T H Just sittin’ on the back of the bay! Blanked-out windows, otherwise standard Discovery 5 SE trim Inner lower tailgate stops contents rolling out Suspension height control is via the touchscreen Commercial variant is visually identical to the regular seven-seater With the stubby gearlever in a better position than the Defender’s faciamounted joystick, the D5’s ergonomics feel slightly superior. However, where the Defender’s gearlever is flanked by real buttons for the ride height, the Discovery sees this control banished to the doall touchscreen. Having suffered total screen-freeze in a Range Rover where restoration requires locking and leaving for 15 minutes, it’s not ideal. However, the Terrain Response control is the saviour. One of only three actual switches related to life in the rough, it is flanked by the Hi/ modes except the road-going Eco and Comfort. In high, it only automatically lifts the ride height wading depth is the same for both at 900mm whilst the Discovery’s 283mm of ground clearance trails the Defender by just 7mm. The 110’s 40-degree departure angle beats the Discovery’s 30 degrees, the only significant analytical advantage off-piste. Eastnor, here I come… We’ll see how that translates in reality, first of all at Eastnor Castle, my choice of venue for the complimentary halfday Land Rover Experience. I was first there in 1989 for the off-road section of the extensive press launch (my first) for Land Rover’s ‘third model’, driving a three-door 200 Tdi Discovery. LRL Just three switches for off-road controls now

100 LAND ROVER LIFE OUR LIFE LAND ROVER SAGAS The next day in Finland, we woke up chilly for the first time in weeks. We had gone from swimming in the warm sun one day, to wrapping up warm for the wind and rain ahead. After a much needed egg and bacon sandwich in our traditional Finnish log cabin, we set off for the North Cape. This first leg into Norway involves a lot of driving; good thing we enjoy that… We set off early, thankfully with both vehicles being petrol, they warmed up quickly and it didn’t take long before we were comfortable. There was a big shift in landscape crossing from Finland into Norway. Especially at the first tunnel. We had rolling forests and greenery when we entered and were greeted by the towering mountains of Norway when we emerged at the other end The landscape progressively started to get more and more barren and rocky. Mist and bitter winds swept through the Land Rovers; the old Land Rover heaters doing their best to take the edge off it. It took us eight On the tourist trail Having made it to the Arctic Circle last issue, Jessica Jackson and Laurens de Smet head north before beginning their long journey back south 1993 Range Rover Ambulance Owners Jess Jackson and Laurens de Smet Owned Nine months Mileage 62,055 Job done Started the journey south hours to reach the North Cape and we were buzzing with anticipation, eager to witness the beauty of the northernmost point in Europe. We reached the huge parking lot and couldn’t see anyone else. Not because there was no one there, but because of the extremely dense fog. The all-enveloping fog was enchanting, but as it limited the view it was slightly disappointing. After a quick squint into the brooding grey and infinite shroud that swallowed up whatever view there was in front of us, we followed the road back down behind a bonny Defender 110 (@landy_nacho) which had made its way here from Germany. As we reached the junction and went our separate ways, both parties waved enthusiastically at each other. It was a true Landy moment! It had been a long day but it was not over just yet. Glancing at the map, we found the closest place to rest for the night – Scarsvåg, the most northerly fishing village in Europe, where we rented a quiet and cosy Airbnb. The trouble with Norway… Scarsvåg itself is a postcard-picturesque place, whatever the weather. Rooted in fishing history, this charming village became our retreat, with colourful houses and narrow walking roads weaving through the Arctic backdrop. Back in Sweden we had grown fond of the longer days with more light, but now the nights were beginning to draw in once again and as we watched the warm glow of little windows out in the distance, we settled in for another peaceful night’s sleep. The North Cape and Scarsvåg had left us keen to explore another beautiful part of Norway, and one place we had heard many good things about was the Lofoten Islands. The queue that had already formed for the ferry set the tone for our brief stay in Lofoten. Waiting in line alongside cars and campers, we couldn’t help but experience a similar feeling to queuing at Disneyland. So we decided to take the long way round and avoid the ferry; at least we were driving again.