Club Triumph Round Britain Runs

2023 was my sixteenth RBRR, 39 years after the first one. Where did the time go? See below.

My previous runs were:

1984

Mk1 2.5PI saloon DPA 120H "Mark" (the first Mk1 PI to do the run). My co-driver was Roddy Pratt.

1986

Mk2 2.5PI saloon LPG 292K "Fizz" (we were planning to take the factory prototype Mk1 PI KWK 546F but failed to get it ready in time). My co-driver was Roddy Pratt again.

1988

Mk2 2.5PI saloon LPG 292K "Fizz". Roddy Pratt was my co-driver for the third time.

1990

Mk2 2000 estate LPB 424K "Holly" (holed a piston near Penzance but still finished).

This time my co-driver was my wife, Maggie Roberts.

1996

Mk2 2000 estate LPB 424K "Holly" again (by this time it had a 2500 engine).

My co-driver was Adrian Ayres.

1998

Del Lines Stag Estate TNH 10. Friends and relatives also did the 1998 run, in LPB 424K. The six drivers were Andy Roberts, Maggie Roberts, Chris Roberts, Brian Stone, Adrian Ayres and Roddy Pratt.

Having three drivers was so much better than two that I decided that I would always have a crew of three from then on.

2002

Mk2 'facelift' 2.5PI saloon GHX 273N "Freddie", seen here alongside Tim Hunt's TR4A at Land's End. My co-drivers were Phil Gibbons and Chris Roberts.

 

2004

Mk2 'facelift' 2.5PI saloon GHX 273N "Freddie" again.

The same drivers as 2002 (me, Chris Roberts and Phil Gibbons).

2008

Del Lines Stag Saloon JNY 590N "Janey", seen here after the run with some of my work colleagues (including Phil, one of my co-drivers) who sponsored us. The other co-driver was Chris Roberts, my son.

We only just got her finished in time to take part, and I foolishly did what I always tell everyone else not to do; I did not plan things properly and was left with too much to do in too little time as the date of the run approached. Without the help of friends such as Adrian, Alan, Bill and Phil we wouldn't have made it. And if I hadn't been so exhausted, we wouldn't have had the ignition troubles that plagued us during the run. But at least we finished!

2010

Del Lines Stag Saloon JNY 590N "Janey" again.

This time my co-drivers were Phil Gibbons and Peter Clapp.

At John O'Groats ...

 

... and overlooking Dornoch Firth

2012

Del Lines Stag Saloon JNY 590N "Janey".

The crew was the same as 2010, namely me, Phil Gibbons and Peter Clapp.

At the Plough before the start, in very good company with Matt George's 2000 (2500) and Amanda Johnson's lovely early 2500S Estate.

Another photo at John O'Groats, but at a different "First and Last" establishment from the one in the 2010 photo.

Janey now has the correct "blue top tint" windscreen fitted, and the chrome trims are on too! Perhaps I'll manage to fit the sill trims in time for the next run. (Note: Sill trims still not fitted in 2023.)

 

2014

Del Lines Stag Saloon JNY 590N "Janey".

My co-drivers were once again Phil Gibbons and Peter Clapp.

2016

Del Lines Stag Saloon JNY 590N "Janey".

 My co-drivers were Phil Gibbons and Peter Clapp again.

2018

Del Lines Stag Saloon JNY 590N "Janey".

My co-drivers this time were Phil Gibbons and Richard Eaton.

2021

Del Lines Stag Saloon JNY 590N "Janey".

My co-drivers this time were Phil Gibbons and Linsey Martin.

This was my fifteenth RBRR, Phil's ninth and Linsey's fourth (although her first with Phil and me). We got on really well as a crew and I think all three of us are looking forward to doing the next RBRR together. Janey has now completed seven runs (the last seven).

Relaxing - just for a moment - at the viewpoint overlooking Dornoch Firth during the 2021 run. This is a location where we always seem to stop to admire the view!

All did not go quite as smoothly as planned, though; the viscous fan coupling gave way just as we were arriving at the Land's End breakfast stop. The plan was to remove the fan assembly and continue without an engine-driven fan. It was, however, raining rather hard, so we decided to limp to the next stop at Bude and seek assistance there.

At Bude, Malcolm Warren came up trumps and his friend Colin provided a garage with a ramp no less!

Not having a spare viscous coupling to hand, we were able to drain the cooling system, remove the radiator, replace the fan assembly with a spacer and put it all back together again in much more comfort than in the pouring rain in Penzance.

 

Thanks Malcolm and Colin, showing the true spirit of the event and the friendly nature of the classic car community.

2023

Del Lines Stag Saloon JNY 590N "Janey" again.

My co-drivers were Phil Gibbons and Linsey Martin, the same as last time. This was my sixteenth RBRR, Phil's tenth, Linsey's fifth (second one with us) and Janey's eighth.

 

Here we are relaxing at the start, just pleased to see each other again, enjoying the company of friends (many of whom we hadn't seen for two years) and completely unaware of the horrific weather that was to follow.

Janey didn't miss a beat this time, despite the torrential rain and accompanying standing water in Scotland.

The picture above (thanks, Jen Bradford) whows us on our way along the A303 to the final control at Popham Airfield. You can perhaps tell from all the dirt that we've been though some weather!

We averaged 26.45 mpg, which ain't bad I reckon, especially as we weren't at all light on the throttle.

The sound of the V8 and the power that it delivers made sure we made rapid progress where possible and sensible. I particularly enjoyed driving from Kinross all the way to John O'Groats, along mainly empty roads, and it wasn't raining all that hard either.

2025

The "dream team" of Andy, Linsey and Phil are already looking forward to the next one. I think we must be mad, but we all really enjoyed this year's event and want to go round again!

Runs missed

I unfortunately missed some of the runs, for a variety of reasons:
1992 We had just moved to Devon and were setting up a garage business.
1994 Our garage (Lake Garage, Sourton, Devon) was one of the stops on the 1994 run.
2000 I was away in the USA on business (very bad planning, I know).
2006 The PI developed engine trouble during a continental trip 2 weeks before the event and I didn't have time to fix it before the run.

Big 6 models NOT owned

After boasting last week that I had owned at least one of every 'big six' model, it seems that I was mistaken.

I don't seem to have owned either a 2500TC estate or a 2500S estate!

Triumph 2000s I have owned

Most of these have long since gone to the great scrapyard in the sky. Those known to survive are marked with an asterisk. I'm sure I will have forgotten some, because there were so many - and my memory is not what it used to be, even for registration numbers! As and when I remember more of them, I'll edit this post. I'll also try to find some photos.

FPC 83B 1964 Mk1 2000 saloon, manual o/d, olive / cactus, "Bee".

FBL 489C 1965 Mk1 2000 saloon, manual o/d, conifer / red.
My first big saloon, bought in 1974. Extremely unreliable, but I still loved it!

MPG 207D 1966 Mk1 pre-facelift 2000 estate, auto, white / black, "Jasper". In the background here behind "The Pumpkin" (see below).

HEB 692F 1967 Mk1 2000 estate, manual o/d, Valencia / tan.

SPD 509F 1967 Mk1 2000 estate, manual o/d, gunmetal / light tan.

KWK 546F 1967 Mk1 2.5 PI estate, manual o/d, conifer / red, pre-production (X769 / CP29E). *

PCR 493G 1968 Mk1 2000 saloon, auto, Wedgwood / light blue.

VLL 645G 1968 Mk1 2000 saloon, manual o/d, damson / black, "Humphrey" (Racing car, to 1990s CSCC spec.) Written off in a racing incident at Pembrey on 18 April 1998. Seen here with the magnesium Minilite wheels originally fitted to TNH10 (see below).

VLR 364G 1968 Mk1 2000 saloon, auto, Valencia / black.

DPA 120H 1969 Mk1 2.5 PI saloon, manual o/d, jasmine / black, "Mark". I did the 1984 Club Triumph Round Britain Run in this car, the first Mk1 2.5PI to take part.

REL 616H 1969 Mk1 2.5 PI estate, manual o/d, jasmine / black, "The Relic".
Scrapped in 1992 due to rust - it was really bad! Its roof is visible behind LPG 292K (see below).

APF 459H 1969 Mk1 2.5 PI estate, manual o/d, Valencia / tan. *

CPH 737H 1969 Mk2 2.5 PI estate, auto, Valencia / tan.
Broken for spares. Many parts, including the entire interior, found their way onto Holly - see below.

VCV 734H 1970 Mk2 2000 saloon, auto, damson (now 2.5 manual o/d).

LPB 424K 1972 Mk2 2000 estate, manual o/d, emerald / black, "Holly".

LPG 292K 1972 Mk2 2.5 PI saloon, manual o/d (originally auto), mallard / black, "Fizz". The picture also shows a much younger Andy and the roof of REL 616H, my Mk1 PI estate (see above). The MK1 2000 saloon behind me belonged to a visitor.

XLJ 683K 1972 Mk2 2000 saloon, damson / tan.

OPH 189L 1972 Mk2 2.5 PI saloon, auto, pimento / black, "Baby".

DEE 540L 1972 Mk2 2.5 PI saloon, manual o/d, honeysuckle / chestnut, "Pumpkin". "Jasper", the pre-facelift Mk1 estate is in the background.

JHO 939N 1974 Mk2 2000 TC estate, manual o/d, carmine / new tan, "The Jolly Green Giant".

SAD 971N 1974 Mk2 2000 saloon, manual o/d, pimento / chestnut, "Sadie". * Owned since August 2021. The photo shows the car as found; it had been in this barn for 29 years. Although it has a facelift grille and rubber inserts in the bumpers, it is in fact a pre-facelift car, just not registered until August 1974. See my separate blog post "A rather sad 2000".

VML 3M (was TNH 10) 1974 Del Lines Stag Estate, manual o/d, Jaguar azure blue / light tan. *
Owned from 1990 to 2000, then 2013 to date. (Was registered JJH 818N between 2000 and 2020.) This car is currently mostly black, thanks to the previous owner, but will be all blue again one day! Back on the road in 2023 after a 10-year restoration; still work in progress, sun roof and most of the interior trim still to be fitted. And it needs painting in the correct colour too, of course! The picture below was taken when it was brand new.

JNY 590N 1975 Del Lines Stag Saloon, manual o/d, mimosa / black, "Janey". Owned since 1986. *

GHX 273N 1975 Mk2 2500 PI saloon, auto, carmine / chestnut, "Freddie". Owned from 2002 to 2008. Was probably the best handling big Triumph that I have had.

NNH 414P 1976 2500 S saloon, manual o/d, honeysuckle / chestnut, "Charlie". Written off after being rear-ended on the M4. Very sad, it was a nice car to drive.

RFX 711R 1977 2500 S saloon, automatic, honeysuckle / chestnut, "Honey". This car actually belonged to Maggie. Owned from October 2019 to October 2022. *

UVU 205S 1977 2500 S saloon, auto, Inca / black.
Bought for scrap in 1991 - it was extremely rusty!

EUD 109S 1977 2500 S saloon, Tahiti blue / black.
This car was the last big saloon off the production line, MP10228DLO. It had serious damage to the nearside, inflicted by a Sainsbury's lorry, but was otherwise in good condition. We broke it for spares before we realised what it was... today we would definitely have repaired it.  

Janey

This is Janey after completing the 2008 Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run. We only just got her finished in time to take part, and I foolishly did what I always tell everyone else not to do; I did not plan things properly and was left with too much to do in too little time as the date of the run approached. Without the help of friends such as Adrian, Alan, Bill and Phil we wouldn't have made it. And if I hadn't been so exhausted, we wouldn't have had the ignition troubles that plagued us during the run!

I am only the second owner of this car; it was built for Michael Hooper, who was Del Lines' rally navigator. He wanted a Stag but was too tall to fit into one - he hit his head on the roll-over bar, even when the seat was as low as it would go. So Del built him a "Stag Saloon". I bought the car in 1986 with about 70,000 miles on the clock and proceeded to do another 90,000 miles in the next three years! Then the dreaded rust caused an MoT failure, and she was taken off the road.

As Janey was, and still is, such a special car, scrapping her was not an option; she followed us around whenever we moved and even had the indignity of having to watch while we bought and restored a Del Lines Stag Estate, while she languished in the background getting even rustier.

While it would have been fantastic to have kept both the saloon and the estate - what a classic pair that would have been - reality and limited finances meant that we had to choose one of the two and we chose Janey. So the estate was sold ** and the restoration began - very, very slowly at first.

Taking part in the 2008 Round Britain Reliability Run was the culmination of a restoration that took over five years to complete and cost a truly embarrassing amount of money. The car passed its first MoT for 19 years just two days before the run.

But do as I say, not as I do - don't cut things that fine. It really isn't a good idea and I most certainly won't do it again. I can feel all the stress coming back just writing this! I think I'll go away and wash the car for a bit of relaxation. She might even get polished too - but perhaps that might be going too far.

** I now own the estate car again. I was able to buy it back in 2013 after the person to whom I sold it sadly died. It was again in need of restoration; as I write this update in 2021 it's still not finished, but it's nearly there. No doubt there will be a blog about that in due course! (Note: the estate car is now finally back on the road, but certainly not finished. Its first real run since 2009 was to the 2023 Practical Classics Restoration Show at the NEC.)

Scary

After being in the computer industry for nearly 40 years I have finally taken the plunge and started a blog. This really is scary! What took me so long? Just getting round to it, I suppose. And perhaps the fear that it might take up too much time in my already extremely busy life.

This is supposed to be a Triumph-related blog, and I will try to keep to that theme.

I am a fan of the Triumph 2000 range of cars, made by Standard-Triumph Ltd. in the UK between 1963 and 1977. I first came into contact with these fine cars in 1972, when a friend bought a 1965 2000 saloon from another friend's father. Being mechanically minded, I got to look after this car, and even got to drive it occasionally. When he got a company car in 1974, my friend offered me the Triumph - and the rest, as they say, is history.

In the next post I will try to list all the Triumph 2000 range cars that I have owned. There are quite a few of them; I think I have owned at least one example of every single model!

My current car is "Janey", a 2000 saloon with a Stag V8 engine, built by Ian "Del" Lines of Atlantic Garage, Weston-super-Mare in 1975, which I have owned since 1986. I expect I'll be writing quite a lot about that car in future posts.