End of an extraordinary adventure!

30th-31st May 1970 50 years ago. Timeline: Mexico City – England

Daily Mirror London-Mexico WCR Tish and Bron’s last adventure

At last we were ready to go home, so onto the pre-booked flight to England with British Caledonia. British Caledonia served real food in those days. I remember a lovely fillet steak as one of the meals it was absolutely delicious after so many weeks of bananas and biscuits. But it had been a great weight loss campaign. We had to fly via Montreal – very long-haul flights were not available back then.

After the last drop-off in Lima the aircraft, sometimes called “Brownings Bomber” returned to UK. After the finish in Mexico City the crews and mechanics were due to travel home in the Britannia.However, inboard to USA the aircraft suffered a bird-strike damaging the wind-screen and was diverted to Montreal.All those due to fly were now booked on a Brannif DC8 to Montreal to connect with the Britannia which was having a new windscreen fitted.

Bill Price, Comps Manager for BL recalled:
Caledonian Ticket
Caledonian Ticket
British Caledonian Plane
British Caledonian Plane

My memory was that we were delayed in Montreal and had to sit in the aircraft for some time while the repairs were going on. At last, onto England, arriving in Gatwick (a very simple airport then – just a tin shed really) at about 8 in the morning. Rob came to meet me and had borrowed a DB5 from a friend – well he wanted to impress after our fabulous adventure, but I was just thrilled to see him again. I remember, when coming in to land and on the way home, thinking just how wonderfully “green” England looked after all the hot and dry countryside we had been travelling in. Said a very emotional farewell to my travel companion Tish, what adventures we had together, with promises that we would catch up soon, and off we went….home at last.

Aston Martin DB5
Aston Martin DB5

Back to Hindhead and my family safely with so many stories to tell. I had spoken to them back in Buenos Aires when we were out of the rally (with no mobile phones in those days – you had to rely on the transatlantic cable and operators), and as far as they knew then we were ‘missing’. I hadn’t been able to speak to them again until safely arriving in Mexico City. In those days, no news was “good news”.

Duke of Cumberland pub
Duke of Cumberland pub

Went for a meal that night at one of my then favourite places, the Duke of Cumberland pub at Henley near Fernhurst. I could not wait. I wanted a fresh trout, followed by a medium rare steak and then would decide what pudding to have. But oh dear!!! Once I had finished the trout that had been caught in their little pond, I started the steak and just could not finish it. Sacrilege. It was wonderful, but my stomach had shrunk over the past 6 or so weeks and I just could not eat it all, let alone the chips. And there are friends who know how awful that would be for me today!!!

Footnote – I believe when Puff finally arrived back at the docks at Harwich in September, having been delayed by yet another of the 70’s dock strikes, Peter Baldwin went to collect her and, knowing the problem, fitted a new rotor arm. Puff, bless her, fired up on the first turn of the starter motor and ran as sweetly as ever! Sadly, I was not to see her again until August in 2013, nor indeed Tina. That is another story.

Later that year, whilst in Harrogate on the 1970 RAC Rally of Great Britain, someone told me that there was a film showing of the World Cup Rally and that I was in it, but I have never seen this ‘film’ if it still exists.

It was all such an amazing and fantastic adventure, though, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. THE END!


This post is a part of a series of posts in which Bron Burrell recalls her 1970 World Cup Rally. See all Brons posts in this series.

28th May in Mexico City

Well, nearly at the end of the saga….a little bit more to say….just waffle really, but here goes

28-30th May 1970 50 years ago. Timeline: Mexico City

Daily Mirror London-Mexico World Cup Rally – Tish and Bron’s last adventure

The next few days were full of events, celebrations, a visit to the British Embassy for a reception with all the British drivers, and our first taste of empanadas – wow!

Tish and I did the cultural bit too, and visited the archaeological museum and the National library, did a little bit of shopping (well, we did not have much money left most certainly, and shopping per se has never been my ‘thing’). And boy, did we enjoy some lovely, lovely, delicious meals – proper food! All capped with a big celebration party in a nice Mexican restaurant. We were certainly making up for the time ‘lost’ on those difficult roads!

Our luggage from Rio turned up safely, although I know now that Tina lost her luggage somewhere on the way and was never to retrieve it – so sad to lose our ‘lovely’ catsuits and all the stuff we had been given in Rio.

There was a great rooftop swimming pool at the hotel, and we managed to find time to use it a couple of times. Such a treat. And best of all, we did manage to sleep in those beautifully soft sheets and beds when we eventually got to our room each night.

Now all we had to do was relax – only the flight home on 30-31 May to come!!!


This post is a part of a series of posts in which Bron Burrell recalls her 1970 World Cup Rally. See all Brons posts in this series.

27th May 1970 Mexico City

27th May 1970 50 years ago. Timeline: Mexico City – our goal

Daily Mirror London-Mexico WCR Tish and Bron’s adventures

We had to drive slowly into Mexico city amongst so much traffic – what a noisy sprawling place it was after all our adventures on the open roads of Latin America. It was early evening and we had missed the Aztec Stadium celebrations. We finally found our way to the Rally HQ in the Hotel Isabella-Sheraton and said our goodbyes to Victor who was going on to stay somewhere else with some of his team.

Tish and I were overjoyed that we had finally made it, in spite of our tribulations, and hugged each other and little Victor too. After all he was instrumental in getting us there! We were not to see him again (not sure Tish minded that). We checked into the hotel and finally slumped into our room. Sheer luxury a static bed! We had made it to Mexico – even if not still in the rally – and we were temporarily shattered! We were quite sad that we didn’t have Tina or Puff, but we had finally, finally done it!

In Mexico City that night there were huge celebrations for the eventual winners, our new good friends Hannu Mikkola and Gunnar Palm. According to all thoughts before the rally, Hannu had been considered an unknown, sensationally fast but slightly short of self control. Would he last the distance? But the wily Gunnar read him the riot act after one slight mishap, and they finished first in one of the epic drives in motor sport history. They had completed this rally nearly 1 hour and 25 mins faster than anyone else – an extraordinary time. What a well deserved win, albeit Ford after careful planning had pretty well rebuilt their Escorts several times on the trip.

And fellow Maxi drivers, Rosemary Smith and her girls, a fantastic overall 10th place plus the Ladies Prize. The Red Arrows team’s overall 22nd had done a great job for the reputation of the very new Maxi – 2 out of 4 of the Maxis entered had finished! A high percentage for the marque.

Jean Denton and her team did brilliantly in the BL sister car, a Landcrab, getting 18th overall.. In fact 6 of the 12 women who entered the rally finished – 50%. More than could be said of the men!

John Sprinzel was heard to say that he had one regret – that they could not schedule any Prime at a target average of 100mph, albeit several teams had achieved more than that on Primes in Argentina and Uruguay! Tough indeed! And Stuart Turner is reputed to have said, “After this little lot, the London-Sydney Marathon becomes just another rally!”

Tish and I just looked at each other and grinned, like Cheshire cats. We were sooo happy that night.

(But not much more, folks. Thanks for your patience…..just 4 days now to get home again)


This post is a part of a series of posts in which Bron Burrell recalls her 1970 World Cup Rally. See all Brons posts in this series.

12 May 1970 dried our tears

12th May 1970 50 years ago. Timeline: Buenos Aires 0700
Daily Mirror London-Mexico World Cup Rally.

Buenos Aires back in 1970

We dried our tears and set off back to Buenos Aires…we are now out of the rally, but decide we have to go back to Buenos Aires as there is absolutely no chance of catching up with the rally through Argentina and on to Santiago.

6 hours and c 400 miles later we arrive in BA and find our British Leyland dealership. The lovely rep Mateo booked us into a hotel in the centre. We settled into the hotel and now had to decide what to do next. As Puff seemed to be running so well still, Tish and I were keen to catch up with the rally, but Tina wanted to go home as she was desperately missing her two children. She was helped and advised by some of the guys in the army and navy teams who said they could get her back on a service flight – little did we know then how circuitous that would be – but that is a story for Tina to tell.
Eh, Katrina Kerridge-Reynolds??

Now officially out of the rally, I rang England to let my family know I was safe. The newspapers were already reporting that we were missing apparently. Tina was busy getting ready to leave, but Tish and I sat down to discuss what we would do next. We did not want to go home – yet! And Puff seemed to be running so well now that the manifold issue had been sorted. After all, we already had flights home booked from Mexico City, so “ c’mon – let’s get there”

Touring Automobile Club of Peru folder
Touring Automobile Club of Peru folder
Touring Club of Peru Map

Tish and I poured over our maps, and decided we could catch up with the rally as it crossed back into the north of Argentina on its way to Bolivia, and then we could drive over the Andes to the Pan American highway with that ‘easy’ run up to Lima. Now we had a chance to follow the rally route all the way to Mexico City. Decision made, we would leave tomorrow……no time to lose if we were to catch up……

Pics x various cine films & stock pics


This post is a part of a series of posts in which Bron Burrell recalls her 1970 World Cup Rally. See all Brons posts in this series.

11 May 1970 Montevideo to Buenos Aires

Day 4-5 Route Card
Day 4-5 Route Card

11th May 1970 50 years ago. Timeline: Montevideo-Buenos Aires Day 4 x restart – 2000 miles from Rio
Daily Mirror London-Mexico World Cup Rally

A not-too-early start thank goodness as we only had to reach the ferry at Colonia by midday some 110miles away. We noticed on the way that Puff was not sounding quite on-song, but knew there will be a British Leyland service point before the next Prime at Saladillo – only some 250 miles driving. The ferry crossing would take 3 hours roughly- gosh the River Plate is vast, and it took longer than crossing the Channel!!

Ferry across the River Plate
Ferry across the River Plate
Loading onto the ferry
Loading onto the ferry

We arrived into BA with a band playing and thousands of people lining the pier to greet us – great excitement in the air with the rally about to get serious. Such a long way still to go. We got police motorcycle escorts through Buenos Aires and again hundreds waved us on our way.

Drove 100 miles to the service point in Saladillo, some 12 miles from the start of the Pampas Prime – first car due away at 2100 so enough time for servicing. This was going to be a 200 mile blast through the huge paddocks of the virtually treeless pampas on domed roads (deep drainage ditches either side). 200 miles in 3 hrs 30m (57.14 mph!). It would be easily cleaned by nearly 20 of the survivors.

Puff coming off the ferry - MarkHeathCollection
Puff coming off the ferry – MarkHeathCollection
Getting onto the ferry
Getting onto the ferry
Band to welcome us to Buenos Aires - Mark Heath Collection
Band to welcome us to Buenos Aires – Mark Heath Collection
On the ferry
On the ferry

Pics x various cine films – stock pics – pics newly discovered


This post is a part of a series of posts in which Bron Burrell recalls her 1970 World Cup Rally. See all Brons posts in this series.