THROUGH RAIN AND FLOODS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21387, 1 February 1935, Page 18

THROUGH RAIN AND FLOODS

MELBOURNE TO SYDNEY IN DAY GOOD PERFORMANCE BY LIGHT CAR Emphatic testimony of the reliability and stamina of the Morris Eight has been received in England from Australia, in a letter from the resident representative of Morris Industries Exports, Ltd., Mr G. A. Lloyd. Immediately after taking delivery of a two-seater model, Mr Lloyd left Melbourne, for Sydney, and on his arrival sent the following comments: — "I feel you will be interested to know the performance of this little car, which is a remarkable unit for its size. I left Melbourne at 6.50 a.m. in very heavy rain, and arrived in Sydney at 11.55 p.m., on the same night, after covering a distance of 579 miles. On arriving at Wangaratta, the river was in flood, and it covered the main Hume highway for a distance of thr.ee-quarters of a mile at a depth of 17 inches, and it was necessary to drive through this. It was successfully negotiated without the slightest trouble, and Albury was finally reached without any further incident. Twenty-three miles from Gundagai, the Murrumbidgee river, which was in very high flood, submerged the road at a depth of 2ft 7in and extended for 100 yards through which it was impossible to drive a car.

Breasting the Flood "There were 15 cars on the Melbourne side of the flood, and 11 on the Sydney side, and the drivers were having a great discussion as to how they would negotiate this 100 yards to reach dry land again. Although I was the last to arrive I suggested that they might permit me to go first, with the help of two horses that were there. You will no doubt be surprised to hear that the water came nearly up to the top of the cushion on which I was sitting. I naturally took the precaution of seeing that the carburetter air intake was plugged as well as possible. To the surprise of all the motorists congregated, immediately after reaching the dry land I gave one pull to the starter and away the car went. "The following are the facts about the performance of the car: J?rom Melbourne to Sydney in one day. .)7J miles; actual driving time, 15hr lOmin: average speed, 38 miles an hour; petrol consumption, 38 miles a gallon; oil consumption, practically nil, although I had the oil changed at Goulburn, the sump being still full when checked before refilling. There is no question that the car has caused a lot of comment. Considering the journey was done in the rain, and under such wretched conditions, it speaks volumes for the unit, and would have been an excellent performance if accomplished in dry weather."