Originally Posted by
wigz
My recollection is that it stemmed from when the Navy EFT pilots were accommodated at Linton-on-Ouse but would drive daily to Topcliffe to go up-diddly-up-up in their puddle jumpers. The challenge for the budding dark blue Top Guns, as they returned to the Mess to celebrate their daily heroics, was to get between the bridge and village limits as fast as possible. While others took on the challenge, it was started by the RN students, hence the ‘Navy run.’ Needless to say, my 1256cc Vauxhall Viva didn’t feature towards the top of the rankings!!
Wigz, thanks (and thanks everyone for the stories). I guess that would have started mid to late '70s, maybe early '80s? Much though I like Mog's story (which such a fine upstanding citizen clearly couldn't have been responsible for) and crab's inverse speed record, I think you win the 'most plausible explanation' award.
When I learned of it (mid '80s), it was said to be (standing?) start with the back wheels on the bridge, finish at the village limits, with the record said to be held by some fire breathing monster (911 Turbo or similar) in a ludicrously fast time. I suspect my 1256 Viva probably wasn't significantly more competitive than your 1256 Viva ...