Just over a year ago, my husband David and I were sitting in our dining room where this picture hangs and said "Do you realise it will be exactly 100 years in August 2012 from when your maternal Great Grandfather did his non-stop engine run to John O'Groats.  We should recreate it in modern times and use an electric car."  Having another friend called David, an absolute purist, he insisted this trip should be undertaken in as close to the original car as possible.  So here we are, 100 years to the month about to set off.  Thanks goes to Barry Paine for advertising the prospects of this trip and to Ian North who answered the call and whose valiant 1907 Singer 12 - 14HP car will attempt the journey.

THE PROTAGONISTS

IAN NORTH - Vehicle owner & driver, car enthusiast and always up for a challenge
MARY NORTH - Car enthusiast, driver, motor home support and voice of reason
STEPHEN WOOD  - Mechanic, support and able to mend anything
GILL  WOOD  - Car enthusiast and support
FRANK, CRAIG & HEIDI CLAPP - Great grandchildren of William Warn
DAVID LILLEY - Conceptualizer, planner and general factotum
HEIDI CLAPP - Blog writer and costumier
OLIVER - the dog.

THE JOURNEY

SINGER END TO END CENTINNIAL

August Date

Day        Number

Start

Semi Goal/ Desination

miles

Activity

Overnight Camp

Sunday 19

Norden farm

Monday 20

-1

Corfe Mullen

Poole

Poole Photo Stop

Norden farm

Tuesday 21

0

prepare

Penzance TR19 7BE

Wednesday 22

1

Lands End

Okehampton

106

Thursday 23

2

Okehampton

Bath

105

Friday 24

3

Bath

Leamington Spa

88

Saturday 25

4

Leamington

Howden/Hull

115

Coventry Roots photo stop

Sunday 26

5

Spare Day

Monday 27

6

Howden

Durham

93

Tuesday 28

7

Durham

Dunbar

108

Wednesday 29

8

Dunbar

Pitlochory

103

Thursday 30

9

Pitlochory

Dingwall

95

Friday 31

10

Dingwall

John O Groats

104

The route we have selected is as shown above. As you will appreciate given the

age of the vehicle and contemporary road conditions we can't re create the

non stop run safely so we are undertaking the journey in 100 mile stints.

We plan two photo opportunities one in Poole (My Great Grandfather's home

town) and one in Coventry, home of Singer Cars.

Normally David will use Lilley599@btinternet.com for e mail which works from his phone.

The mobile number is 07850795139

I will update the blog (internet access permitting) every night so you will be able to monitor our progress as we follow the plan shown above.

Clearly for mechanical reasons we may fall behind the schedule or even ahead.

Last minute arrangements for rendezvous’s can be made by calling us on our mobile. The plan is to set off each morning and cover about half the target mileage in time for lunch.

I believe Ian will be trying to avoid any unnecessary stopping and starting to save the mechanicals !

The first photo is being arranged in the Wimbourne Road in Poole mid morning on 20th August to replicate as near as can, the first picture of my G-Grandfather's trip outside his garage before setting off to Lands End.

We have the shop owners permission and there is off road parking just in front of the art shop.

Whilst this has all been going on down south Steve, Ian and Mary have been preparing the car in their home town of Hedon:-  soaking the wooden wheels, having a hood made to protect us from the inclement weather, and of course servicing the 1800 cc engine.

 So, it's all ready........................................... 

We look forward to meeting some of you.