Linton 'Navy run'
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Linton 'Navy run'
Aldwark toll bridge to the edge of the village (30 mph signs) ... But why the 'Navy run' ? A particular occasion, or just one of those phrases that springs from nowhere?
I suspect that it refers to the fairly regular removal of the toll gate by certain budding RN pilots on their way back from a good run-ashore.
Not me, of course, yer 'onour!
Mog
Not me, of course, yer 'onour!
Mog
If it is the one I am thinking of, it was a regular with one of my senior courses - who had an old fiat 500 - to set the car in motion at one end of the bridge, jump out and swim the river and make it to the other side before the car got there.
This was early 80s and the Fiat 500 had a choke/ fast idle lever next to the handbrake which gave about 3 mph in first gear - who said driverless cars were new?
This was early 80s and the Fiat 500 had a choke/ fast idle lever next to the handbrake which gave about 3 mph in first gear - who said driverless cars were new?
When the breathalyser was introduced, I know of at least one RNAS where the local fuzz were invited to enjoy the customary wardroom hospitality to negotiate free travel from the nearest pub to the base. I wonder if the Linton Navy mile was based on something similar. My source of information was based there at some point.
Four of us "hijacked" the Culdrose chip waggon as it headed home through Helston in the very early hours after a rather long night out enjoying the night life of the Town!
Double win for us - free lift back to Base + freshly cooked fish and chips on arrival!!!
Quite what H&S would have made of the Chef in the back cooking whilst speeding back towards Cu who knows. Only pondered that one the next day - at the time it seemed entirely logical!
Double win for us - free lift back to Base + freshly cooked fish and chips on arrival!!!
Quite what H&S would have made of the Chef in the back cooking whilst speeding back towards Cu who knows. Only pondered that one the next day - at the time it seemed entirely logical!
Seems that on a switchback section of the Meon Valley road, said biker nearly lost the back end on first bend, just about recovered it then .... straight into the second bend where, again, the back end was all over the shop. Once control had been regained the second time, he looked round intending to express just how close they'd come to disaster to the Pax ..... only to find an empty seat behind him! Pax had been ejected on the first bend and had, literally, been flung into the hedge!
Interestingly, biker mate continued to kindly offer lifts ...... however, thereafter, the takeup of his offer was Ziltch! He left the Navy not long after - once it was realised he was, in reality, a walking disaster area! Nice guy - just rather accident-prone!
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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!!
Leeming teemed with hazards. The right turn[when coming from the south] off the A1 at 0530 in foggy winter 1964/5 was terrifying, a real ring-twitcher.. Difficulty finding turn [used dead reckoning on mileometer], Inadequate rear lights, so easily shunted, and inadequate vision of stuff trundling south. I always wound windows down, listened, and went for it. All this in a very basic and pale Beetle. Driven by a very basic and pale baby weatherman.
Leeming teemed with hazards. The right turn[when coming from the south] off the A1 at 0530 in foggy winter 1964/5 was terrifying, a real ring-twitcher.. Difficulty finding turn [used dead reckoning on mileometer], Inadequate rear lights, so easily shunted, and inadequate vision of stuff trundling south. I always wound windows down, listened, and went for it. All this in a very basic and pale Beetle. Driven by a very basic and pale baby weatherman.
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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!!
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 ...
Last edited by Addlepate; 5th Dec 2020 at 19:28. Reason: missed a bit!
