Border car club members were a part of a recreation of history, as a 100-year-old car travelling from London made a stop in Albury. or signup to continue reading Brisbane couple Bev and Lang Kidby pulled in to the SS&A Club car park on Thursday, August 29, as they follow in the footsteps of Francis Birtles and complete a re-enactment of the first ever England to Australia drive in 1927. The pair began their more than 20,000 kilometre trip in London in April in an identical Bean 14 car, with Melbourne as their final destination.
Most of the delays throughout the four-month trip have been from transporting the car, with it taking almost three weeks for the vehicle to arrive from India to Darwin in a shipping container. "We've just kept going and all the car clubs across the world have looked after us," Mr Kidby said. "That's the main thing, in every city.
" As a 100-year-old car, small things have gone wrong along the way, including fuel blockages and a broken spring. "But you can always fix those things, the car is just wonderful," he said. "It's still going strong and no major problems, we've treated it very gently.
" Mr Kidby set the top speed for 75km/h where even in the outback they get support and courtesy from road trains overtaking them. The couple was warmly welcomed on their trek through 14 countries and supported, with the most surprising country they drove through being Iran. "We didn't spend any money the whole time we were there," Mrs Kidby said.
"They hosted us the whole way, beautiful accommodation and it's a very modern country. "The people are just exceptional and they couldn't have been nicer and more generous." There have been a few times however, where the couple almost been run off the road during their travels, as eager onlookers driving past have tried to take photos and haven't kept two hands on the wheel.
Their drives were rather noisy and the couple joke they can tell anyone where the best bitumen is and the can also get rather overbearing. "We also know when there's roadkill around or when someone's fertilising something," Mrs Kidby said with a laugh. The couple have a passion for recreating historic events.
They have driven the 1907 Peking to Paris motor race and have travelled around the world in 99 days in a Fiat 500. "We're very interested in the history and bringing these pioneers names to the fore because very few people know about Francis Birtles," she said. "But 100 years ago he did the same trip but without roads.
" Although it did take some planning, she said there is only so much you can do before the trip just doesn't happen at all. "If you just do all the sensible types of planning, you can't worry about the what ifs and you just go," Mrs Kidby said. The car will be listed for sale when the couple arrive in Melbourne on Saturday, August 31.
Francis Birtles' original Bean 14 is currently in the National Museum in Canberra. president John Hawking said it was great to have a large turnout from its own car club, Wodonga Historic Car Club and Corowa and District Car Club on short notice. "It just shows how keen all the people are here, that they've come out and said 'oh we have to with this car coming, we'll be there too'," he said.
About 80 per cent of cars at the car clubs were made before 1930, so there were checking out the Bean 14 when it rolled into the Border. "It's so good to see it," Mr Hawking said. To see more of the couple's adventures visit .
Journalist at The Border Mail.You can contact me at madilyn.mckinley@austcommunitymedia.
com.au. Journalist at The Border Mail.
You can contact me at [email protected].
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