Brian Pulleyn

I’ve just spent the afternoon browsing the new club website. It is clear a lot of time has been put into it. The archive section must have taken a great deal of time and effort compiling, scanning, and uploading.  

I was a club member from 1969 to 1978. In 1969 , when I was 15, I had a summer job working on Les Falkingham’s farm. Les picked up on my interest in motorsport and started to take me to the clubhouse on a Friday evening. On joining the club Mike Clarke kindly offered to show me how to navigate, introducing me to grid references, spot heights, herringbone, tulip diagrams etc. On 11/12th July  1970 I competed in my first 12 Car Rally, the Pacemaker, with Nigel Currey in his Mini Traveller. We finished 4th overall and 1st Novice. I still have the small trophy for being 1st Novice. I was hooked and would be competing as often as possible, taking any ride offered. Here’s a list of driver/car combinations I navigated for over the next 8 years: Nigel Currey, Mini Traveller; Les Falkingham VW Beetle; Dave Stead, Cortina; Pete Clark, Hillman Hunter and Escort Mexico; Ted Coult, Viva; David Carbert, Volvo 123GT; D French, Escort; Mike Smith, Mini Clubman GT; Jim Kilmartin, Rover 2000; John Coulson, Mini and Escort: and finally my brother Dave, Imp and Escort.
Reading through the Newsletters on the website brought back many good memories. My first Restricted Road Rally, the Gladstone in October 1970 with Peter Clark in his Hunter. A last minute call from Peter, who was due to navigate but the driver withdrew so Peter decided to keep the entry and have a go himself. David Carbert putting the Volvo on it’s side on a 12 Car Rally, with Robin Morgan and John Heslop appearing out of the darkness to put the car back on the wheel. David again, this time on a stage rally ripping a cattle grid out of the ground with the sump guard near Castle Howard.  I would hazard a guess Yvonne Clarke provided most of the newsletters from the period I was a member. If so, thanks Yvonne., I enjoyed my trip down memory lane.
My last event was in ’78,  navigating for my brother on the Uniband Stages, which started in Grantham. In the years since then I could be found out on the stages with my camera, bumping into Robin Morgan a few times when he was competing in the HRCR Championship. Maybe time for a revival, still have my Romer and old O.S. maps in the loft. So, anyone in need of some ballast for the Mintex or the Lombard Newcastle Rally Tours you know where I am.
It's good to see the club is still active and well done on the new website.
Tony Stace
My first navigation was with Nigel Curry in the Mini Traveller too, bless him, he has a lot to answer for. 

Brian PulleynAuthor
Hi Tony, hope you are keeping well and keeping clear of this virus. Nigel was, and still is, a good bloke. Didn't you go on to rally in David's Volvo too?

Tony Stace
Oh yes, did a few when you were not available, still suffer with a bad neck after hitting the roof, after coming out of a stage, we hit a huge pothole on a spoil heap, can't remember what event, maybe a Calderford?

Tony Stace
Bought the Volvo off David after a taking him on a test run on Harwood Dale, just before 1st car on one of the big events.