1 MILE PER CC: popping out for pie.

[Andyrew]

We leave Friday morning, plan to live update as we go.

A couple of shiters know this was an idea I'd had a while back, after discussing it with @juular sometime last year a halfway point id previously visited was seen as a good place to aim for, with life taking a bit of a funky turn late last year now is the time to try it. 

a pretty simple idea, a road trip in miles of the same or more than the capacity of the engine, So no matter the car or bike the road trip miles to engine size would always be a challenge.

some may know that i drive an Astra diesel 1.7dti, bit of Google suggests a road trip of 1686 miles for that car. That's a fair trek.

However, not this time.  This trip is to be 1275 miles. . .

[Andyrew]

1275 narrows it down to one of the fleet.

So get yourself ready little blue buddy. Its Time for an adventure.

(Not the exact route we are taking)

 

[MrsJuular]

Best of luck for this epic journey!

Look forward to a good catch up. 

[SiC]

~13hr avoiding motorways. I know many pre-war owners use bicycle route on Google maps for a more pleasant, quieter routes. 

 

Good luck and god speed! 

[HMC]

Brilliant! I ended up in lochinver in 2015 after i took a wrong turn in the @RobT @bollox @mastervan @Six-cylinder @catsinthewelder @phil_lihp rover 220sli. on my highland fling. . After kylescu (unsure of spelling) bridge my instinctive sense of direction* went wrong and I found myself in Lochinver. There I checked into a pub, downed a beer and reflected on my life choices.

I had this front plate made. I want it pre 2001, MANN EGERTON and BIG damn it.

Forum stalwart @RobT and an idiot.

I had this plaque made for posterity, to commemorate the efforts of b0ll0x. The least of which was rebuilding the PG1 ‘box with metal caged, rather than oem placca caged bearings. RESPEKP

 

Here i hope the handbrake is decent

 

 

 

A marvel of engineering. And kylessukkkkuujj bridge.

[New POD]

My cousin, came to visit me on her way to Scotland some years ago in a camper van.  Her boyfriend had a map book printed in 1965, and was attempting to only use Roads that were on his map to criss cross the country up to Innverness. Where they were due to take ownership of a yurt and live permanently in it. (Fucking odd balls).

It had taken them 4 days to get from the South Coast to Miseryside.  He thought another 3 to get to Glasgow.  Basically most the A roads had been improved in some way, so it was B Roads and country lanes mostly. 

She's married to a banker now. 

[Christine]

You spelt that right ? 

[New POD]

2 minutes ago, Christine said:

You spelt that right ? 

Ben the Banker.  She drives a bus. 

[mintwth]

5 minutes ago, New POD said:

Ben the Banker.  She drives a bus. 

The bus bankers 

[Noel Tidybeard]

1 hour ago, New POD said:

My cousin, came to visit me on her way to Scotland some years ago in a camper van.  Her boyfriend had a map book printed in 1965, and was attempting to only use Roads that were on his map to criss cross the country

auto shennahigans does this with a 1920s book on yootoob

[Cavcraft]

Good luck, Andyrew!

[Andyrew]

13 hours ago, SiC said:

~13hr avoiding motorways. I know many pre-war owners use bicycle route on Google maps for a more pleasant, quieter routes. 

 

Good luck and god speed! 

My friend who's doing this with me has banned the use of Sat nav! Only physical maps. I feel this won't last the whole trip. 

[SiC]

15 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

My friend who's doing this with me has banned the use of Sat nav! Only physical maps. I feel this won't last the whole trip. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/316422245831

Maybe an old road atlas of appropriate vintage to the vehicle age?

[Metal Guru]

17 hours ago, Andyrew said:

1275 narrows it down to one of the fleet.

So get yourself ready little blue buddy. Its Time for an adventure.

(Not the exact route we are taking)

 

You’d never do that in that time. That’s Ave 53 mph assuming no stops. With road works , land hoggers, elephant racing etc , that’s probably optimistic for the motorway stretches especially as that’s the A1 , only 2 lanes for a lot of it.

North of Newcastle a lot is single carriageway, and getting past Newcastle. and Edinburgh can take ages too.

Past Perth , A9 is a mix of single and dual but with a lot of  50 mph average speed cameras. Past  Inverness you’re on scenic roads with too many camper vans  with limited overtaking.

With an old 1300, I’d allow 2 days. Hotel in Edinburgh. 

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Metal Guru said:

You’d never do that in that time. That’s Ave 53 mph assuming no stops. With road works , land hoggers, elephant racing etc , that’s probably optimistic for the motorway stretches especially as that’s the A1 , only 2 lanes for a lot of it.

North of Newcastle a lot is single carriageway, and getting past Newcastle. and Edinburgh can take ages too.

Past Perth , A9 is a mix of single and dual but with a lot of  50 mph average speed cameras. Past  Inverness you’re on scenic roads with too many camper vans  with limited overtaking.

With an old 1300, I’d allow 2 days. Hotel in Edinburgh. 

I think the intention with this type of trip is that the start point and end point are known, then the in-between is to go with the flow and see where the road takes in however long it takes. 

[yes oui si]

4 hours ago, Metal Guru said:

 

North of Newcastle a lot is single carriageway

Avoid most of this by turning off the a1 at Morpeth, and taking the a697 up to Lauder, then the A68 up to the Edinburgh bypass. Lovely drive as well. 

 

[Andyrew]

4 hours ago, Metal Guru said:

With an old 1300, I’d allow 2 days. Hotel in Edinburgh. 

I'm not much of a planner but first night around kendal area, 2nd night we have the offer of staying with @MrsJuular and @juular. After that just book as we go, the car will decide when and how far we go.

[Metal Guru]

3 hours ago, SiC said:

I think the intention with this type of trip is that the start point and end point are known, then the in-between is to go with the flow and see where the road takes in however long it takes. 

I was just commenting on Google maps estimate. Totally unrealistic even if you are completely oblivious to speed limits.

 

[juular]

49 minutes ago, yes oui si said:

Avoid most of this by turning off the a1 at Morpeth, and taking the a697 up to Lauder, then the A68 up to the Edinburgh bypass. Lovely drive as well. 

 

Either this, or turn off even earlier at the A696. 

Then you get the really scenic stretch all around the border, plus can stop at Carter Bar for some photos. 

Carter bar itself is interesting as it shows a fantastic view of essentially where two continents collided to form the UK.

There's also a burger van 😄

[SiC]

On 05/03/2025 at 15:28, Andyrew said:

We leave Friday morning, plan to live update as we go.

How are you getting on?

[robt100]

Sounds like it is going to be fun. I would try the same myself, but the jag is 4200cc, not sure I have the time for that length of trip! Just looked it up, that'd be from my house to the Chinese border 🤣🙈

[Andyrew]

2 hours ago, SiC said:

How are you getting on?

Duck of luck sticker added.  In Stafford services at the moment

[Andyrew]

There was no cars either side 5 mins prior. 

[robt100]

4 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

There was no cars either side 5 mins prior. 

And one of them loves the car so much its trying to get in the parking space with it 🙈

[Matty]

I've done this myself @Andyrew, cept I didn't know it was a thing so doesn't count 😄.

1298 miles (1310cc) and only one breakdown. Hope you fare better pal.

(Glencoe)

(Edinburgh)

[Three Speed]

I guess our 2000 mile round trip to Poland last year in my 1911cc Citroen counts?

One bit of unpleasantness with the starter motor threatened to spoil the fun. Otherwise all good.
But we weren’t weighed down with picnic tables like a VdP is.
Good luck @Andyrew

[SiC]

A bit different but a similar idea just in a much shorter period, is the Triumph Reliability run.

https://www.clubtriumph.co.uk/rbrr/index/

I've been quite tempted to do it, even if 1900miles over a weekend in an old Triumph is a bit of a stretch for everything and everyone. 

[Popsicle]

2 hours ago, Andyrew said:

Whatever happened to sausage rolls, pork pies, sandwiches and a bag of crisps for a road trip? That looks like the stuff you'd move to the edge of the plate and ignore 🤣.

Just teasing, looks a great idea for a road trip, hope it goes well and you have a blast.

[chaseracer]

On one of our inexplicable but excellent Eurobimbles, my esteemed co-pilot @Inspector Morose and I did Birmingham to Lübeck (720 miles) in one hit, other than the Dover-Dunkirk ferry and a fuel stop in Antwerp.  Unfortunately for the purposes of this thread, we were in the Blingo and it was five years before the Dyane got its big motor with the appropriate capacity.

Top trip, though - Volvo and Saab museums, the Oresund bridge/tunnel, and a stay in a brutalist tower block hotel overlooking the Baltic.

[Matty]

1 hour ago, SiC said:

A bit different but a similar idea just in a much shorter period, is the Triumph Reliability run.

https://www.clubtriumph.co.uk/rbrr/index/

I've been quite tempted to do it, even if 1900miles over a weekend in an old Triumph is a bit of a stretch for everything and everyone. 

Spits are comfy enough unless you hit a bump. You'd not even notice 1900 miles. Get it done 💪