Wales Rally GB 2008

Normandy Rescue and Wales Rally GB

We were asked by Charlie a few months ago to supply our Land Rover and an LDV for the rally, which concentrated the mind as the Land Rover needed a re-spray and new livery. Having taken it to the paint shop 6 weeks before the rally (loads of time I thought) we got it back on the 23rd Nov. It still had to have a new fuel tank, new exhaust, service, liveried up and kitted out and me out of the Island at Goodwood Training and West Midlands Fire and Rescue Trauma Conference for the next 2 weekends prior to the Rally.

Luckily I had holiday left and spent most of it stuck under the bonnet or lying under the Land Rover sorting things out, some of the livery was done by myself and Steve on Tuesday 2nd the evening before the boat on the 3rd at 21:00, we went home thinking sorted good job done. On the Wednesday I kitted it out went for test drive only to find the fuel gauge to be leaking. After refuelling back in the garage and many tools thrown around I cut a plate to fill the gauge's hole and removed the level sender, so no fuel gauge for the 1000 mile trip.

Finally finished that at 18:15 straight home to put my personal kit into LDV and run round to collect crew to be at boat for 20:00.  By this time I had calmed down and we were all in good spirits looking forward to a good weekend of top class rallying.

Spent Thursday driving to Wales. We stayed in Rhyader which was 30 mins from Hafren, our first stage. Woke up to snow and ice, got on stage and waited and waited while the decision was made to cancel the first stage due to ice, so on went the kettle again and more bacon rolls cooked by our Paramedic. After a walk to the start line and a chat, we waited for the afternoon stage only to be told that has now been cancelled as well.  We were told that our Land Rover was required at Myherin due to the unit there having used it’s medical kit at an incident, we finally got to see some rally cars doing what they do best.

We got run through to a possible car on fire but 1 unit was already there with a safety unit and what was thought to be fire was actually steam. We finished the stage, met up with the LDV to find different accommodation for the next 2 nights near Resolfen and Rheola, both of these stages went well with neither of our units having to do anything apart from provide cover for the hard working recovery units which were kept busy all weekend.

It was good to see Gavin, James and the guys from Hawk out there, with our 2 units that meant SRG had 4 units attending Wales Rally GB.