LONDON TO BOMBAY AND BACK - 14,000 miles in 24 days - it was a world-record tow for a Thomson or any other caravan. In late 1969, a 12ft. Glennevis was hitched to a three-year old Vauxhall Cresta, to follow the route of the London-Sydney Marathon across Europe and Asia .
It was not only the longest tow, but the roughest and toughest, as the "before and after" pictures indicate.
The Marathon schedule was beaten over the first 1,000 miles, the Thomson being towed at up to 80 mph. Then six hours were lost in fog and broken roads across Yugoslavia , followed by a wrong turning in Turkey when the outfit found itself 8,000 ft. up on a mountain goat track.
But drivers Maurice Quick and Colin Sanders checked in at Bombay , having completed 7,128 miles in 10 days, 5 hours, 5 mins.
Then after royal enter­tainment from the Governor , and a little rest, they set off for home two days later.
After struggling through snow and ice in Iran and Turkey , the car and van stuck in a river three feet deep, to be rescued by friendly lorry drivers. But worse was to come. On the road to Belgrade a large petrol tanker practically ripped off the left side of both car and caravan.
But the outfit was still in running order, and the crew pressed on, with practically nil visibility through a plastic windscreen in heavy rain.
With its tow-horse, the crumpled, muddy but still mobile Glennevis reached London , having taken 12 days for the return leg.