1954 Round Australia Trial

The 1954 Round Australia Trial, officially the Redex Trial was the second running of the Round Australia Trial. The rally took place between 3 and 20 July 1954 over 9,600 miles (15,400 km), and had a first prize of £2,000. The route was truly "round (mainland) Australia", beginning in Sydney on 3 July 1954, passing through Brisbane, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Mount Isa, Darwin, Broome, Meekatharra, Madura, Adelaide and Melbourne,[1] finishing at Moore Park on 20 July.

1954 Round Australia Trial
Redex Trial
 Previous eventNext event 
Host countryAustralia Australia
Rally baseSydney
Dates run3 20 July 1954
Stages16
Stage surfaceTarmac and Gravel
Overall distance15,450 km (9,600 miles)
Results
Overall winnerAustralia Jack 'Gelignite' Murray
Australia Bill Murray
Crews246 at start, 120 at finish

246 cars took part and 127 finished within the times allowed, though many doggedly completed the course in the following week. One forced to drop out was the celebrated radio personality Jack Davey. The winner was a Ford 1948 V8, an ex-taxi dubbed the "Grey Ghost", driven by John Eric "Gelignite Jack" Murray (1907–1983) and navigated by the unrelated Bill Murray, losing no points on the trip. It was on this trial that Murray gained his nickname, from his occasional celebratory detonation of sticks of explosive, a custom that delighted some and infuriated others.[2] "Secret" intermediate checkpoints were an innovation this year in an attempt to curb speeding.[3]

Results

Pos No Entrant Drivers Car Penalties (Points)
1 256 Australia J.E. Murray Australia Jack 'Gelignite' Murray
Australia Bill Murray
Ford 1948 V8 0
2 29 Australia G.W. Patterson Australia Bill Patterson
Australia Harry Russell
Peugeot 203 8
3 176 Australia A.A.C. Anderson Australia 'Duck' Anderson
Australia Tony Anthony
Australia Vergel Zaccour
Holden FJ 14
4 30 Australia E.A. Nelson Australia Eric Nelson
Australia Brian Simpson
Standard Vanguard Phase II 19
5 31 Australia Rootes (Australia) Limited Australia Tom Sulman
Australia T. Dowse
Australia Norman Hutchison
Humber Super Snipe Mark IV 22
6 260 Australia Preston Motors Pty Ltd Australia Stan Jones
Australia Don Thomson
Australia Ern Seeliger
Holden FJ 22
7 22 Australia J.E. Roberts Australia Don Roberts
Australia Bill Edmonds
Standard Vanguard Phase II 25
8 33 Australia T.H. Farrell Australia Tom Farrell
Australia Frank Denlay
Australia John Jones
Ford 1954 Customline 25
9 96 Australia Team Gibson and Vale Australia Alex Gibson
Australia Neville Vale
Mercedes-Benz 170 D 25
10 52 Australia R.B. Walker Australia Bruce Walker
Australia Reginald Hall
Standard Vanguard Phase II 26
11 262 Australia F.A. Johnson Australia Fred Johnson
Australia Ray Johnson
Holden 48-215 27
12 20 Australia H.C. Cape Australia Harry Cape
Australia George Scales
Holden FJ 28
13 27 Australia Sandy Rayward Australia Sandy Rayward
Australia Harvey Roy
Peugeot 203 29
14 54 Australia Regent Motors Pty Ltd Australia Laurie Whitehead
Australia Ian Barns
Volkswagen 1100 29
15 136 Australia Team Westren and Kennedy Australia Les Westren
Australia Carl Kennedy
Peugeot 203 30
16 126 Australia NSW Country Holden Dealers Australia Ken Miller
Australia Alan Miller
Australia Norman Colless
Holden FJ 31
17 213 Australia Rootes (Australia) Limited Australia Russell Lane
Australia Claude Turner
Australia Donald Boynton
Humber Super Snipe Mark IV 32
18 53 Australia S.W. Hecker Australia Sam Hecker
Australia Jack Oliver
Australia Norwood Warry
Holden FJ 32
19 199 Australia J.F. Crouch Australia John Crouch
Australia Keith Jones
Australia Gordon Stewart
Morris Oxford Series II 33
20 253 Australia Standard Motor Company Australia Harry Firth
Australia Max Newbold
Australia Reg Sparks
Standard Vanguard Phase II 33
21 46 Australia D.H. Antill Australia Peter Antill
Australia George Reed
Australia Max Winkless
Mercedes-Benz 220 34
22 135 Australia Claridge Motors Australia Fred Claridge
Australia Jim Claridge
Holden FJ 34
23 19 Australia Reno Auto Sales Australia Reg Smith
Australia Robert Whyte
Australia Harley Mehegan
Austin A70 Hereford 35
24 127 Australia A.L. Kipling Australia 'Possum' Kipling
Australia Ken Walker
Holden FJ 35
25 47 Australia J.F. McCaffery Australia John McCaffery
Australia Thomas Leonard
Holden FJ 37
26 156 Australia Walton and Gardner Australia Ted Walton
Australia Flo Gardner
Australia John Gardner
Holden FJ 37
27 202 Australia Noel Worland Australia Noel Worland
Australia Michael Malouf
Australia John Burton
Dodge 1954 Kingsway 38
28 78 Australia Frank Kleinig Australia Frank Kleinig
Australia Clive Gibson
Peugeot 203 38
29 10 Australia Marshalls Motors Australia John Lefoe
Australia Evan Green
Standard Vanguard Phase II 40
30 197 Australia Preston Motors Pty Ltd Australia Reg Nutt
Australia John Joyce
Australia Lou Molina
Holden FJ 41
31 205 Australia H.A. Hines Australia Bert Hines
Australia Arthur Scholtz
Holden FJ 41
32 219 Australia Orrman's Service Station Australia Kenneth Orrman
Australia Ian Mountain
Peugeot 203 41
33 48 Australia S.M. Miller Australia Sam Miller
Australia Patrick Kelly
Australia Albert Griffiths
Ford 1953 Customline 45
34 95 Australia E.A. Gibson Australia Eric Gibson
Australia Leonard McGill
Australia Allan Robshaw
Australia John Roberts
Chevrolet 1951 Deluxe 46
35 101 Australia Rootes (Australia) Limited Australia Anthony Peck
Australia John Trowell
Australia Robert Callander
Humber Super Snipe Mark IV 46
36 231 Australia Parade Motors Australia Cecil Dix
Australia Ronald Dix
Australia Alec Dealtry
Plymouth 1947 De Luxe 47
37 110 Australia G.N. Horner Australia George Horner
Australia Len Reay
Australia Ken Worrall
Ford 1953 Customline 48
38 150 Australia J.E. Pedley Australia Joe Pedley
Australia Stan Hill
Austin A70 Hereford 48
39 172 Australia Standard Motor Company Australia Alan Pilkington
Australia Wal Gillespie
Australia Llyn Evans
Standard Vanguard Phase II 48
40 129 Australia P.E. Benson Australia Peter Benson
Australia Greg Percival
Australia Bert Watson
Holden FJ 49
41 148 Australia Parker Brothers Auto Company Australia Arthur Parker
Australia Ron Tandy
Australia John Parker
Holden FJ 49
42 181 Australia Rootes (Australia) Limited Australia Gilbert Graydon
Australia Ian Logan
Australia Ken Harper
Humber Super Snipe Mark IV 49
43 79 Australia C.M. McArdle Australia Colin McArdle
Australia Frank Sexton
Australia Ray McNamara
Standard Vanguard Phase II 50
44 38 Australia Team Cox,Mackenzie and Smith Australia Rowl Cox
Australia Blyth Mackenzie
Australia Clem Smith
Standard Vanguard Phase II 50
45 194 Australia M.D. Lawrence Australia Michael Lawrence
Australia William Gee
Australia John Place
Australia Bob Crewdson
Ford Zephyr Six 50
46 32 Australia C.A. Fulton Australia Cecil Fulton
Australia Neil Stewart
Australia Norman Newton
Australia Lester Minchin
Austin A70 Hereford 51
47 112 Australia Team Theil and Billing Australia Ard Theil
Australia Angus Billing
Holden FJ 51
48 252 Australia N.Q. Klingner Australia Neville Klingner
Australia Thomas Lonergan
Standard Vanguard Phase II 51
49 132 Australia R.K. Osmond Australia Ron Osmond
Australia Norman Smith
Australia Ray Harvey
Holden FJ 52
50 154 Australia G.S. Onto Australia Joe Kent
Australia Kevin Mooney
Australia Geoff Robbins
Lagonda 3-Litre 52
51 106 Australia Team Macmillan and Murray Australia Joe Macmillan
Australia Harry Murray
Peugeot 203 53
52 165 Australia Advanx (Gosford) Motor Service Australia Robert Burgin
Australia Roy Francis
Australia Rob Boddenberg
Peugeot 203 56
53 214 Australia L.J. Coppock Australia Launce Coppock
Australia Neil Long
Holden FJ 56
54 173 Australia John Welsh Australia John Welsh
Australia Theodore Irwin
Australia Alfred Rabone
Humber Super Snipe Mark IV 57
55 76 Australia Team Johnston, Rosevear and Lambert Australia Ronald Johnston
Australia Helen Rosevear
Australia John Lambert
Standard Vanguard Phase II 58
56 162 Australia Preston Motors Pty Ltd Australia Lex Davison
Australia Peter Ward
Australia Otto Stone
Holden FJ 58
57 68 Australia Jack Hay Australia Jack Hay
Australia Jack Thornton
Australia Frank Heyward
Humber Super Snipe Mark IV 63
58 103 Australia C.V. Cresswell Australia Charles Cresswell
Australia Douglas Marshall
Australia Neville Sutton
Plymouth 1947 De Luxe 67
59 109 Australia Team Welinski and Wardell Australia Andre Welinski
Australia Laurence Ward
Australia Taroslaw Tablonski
Holden FJ 67
60 125 Australia R.J. Williams Australia Robert Williams
Australia Milford Johnson
Australia Ian Robertson
Holden FJ 67
61 177 Australia G.J. Perrignon Australia George Perrignon
Australia Bruce Hall
Australia Roy Glenn
Ford 1953 Customline 67
62 224 Australia Team Robinson, Brooks and McLeish Australia Keith Robinson
Australia William Brooks
Australia Alan McLeish
Standard Vanguard Phase II 67
63 43 Australia Albert Correy Australia Albert Correy
Australia Arthur Anshaw
Ford 1946 V8 68
64 56 Australia E.J. Ahren Australia Eric Ahren
Australia Hector Gray
Australia Phillip Hancox
Holden 48-215 69
65 145 Australia Courtney and Patterson Australia Leslie Courtney
Australia Dennis Carroll
Ford Zephyr Six 70
66 121 Australia G.A. Birmingham Australia George Birmingham
Australia Ronald Callow
Australia Ronald Hall
DeSoto 1954 Powermaster 73
67 134 Australia R.H. Clarke Australia Reg Clarke
Australia Norman Neindorf
Australia Harry Westcott
Australia Ray Clarke
Holden 48-215 75
68 11 Australia Les Burrows Australia Les Burrows
Australia James Allen
Standard Vanguard Phase II 76
69 143 Australia Team Watt and Peniston Australia Neil Watt
Australia Arthur Peniston
Peugeot 203 78
70 208 Australia Malcolm Parr Australia Malcolm Parr
Australia Graeme Parr
Australia James Costello
Standard Vanguard Phase II 81
71 105 Australia Miss S.E. Thorpe Australia Sybil Thorpe
Australia John Diamond
Australia Douglas Evans
Holden FJ 82
72 113 Australia Reg and Francis Thomas Australia Reg Thomas
Australia Francis Thomas
Ford Zephyr Six 83
73 35 Australia V.R. Burton Australia Viv Burton
Australia Wesley Burton
Morris Oxford Series MO 84
74 133 Australia Ride-Ezy Shock Absorber Specialists Australia Harry Walker
Australia Horrie Waters
Australia George Walsh
Ford Consul 86
75 40 Australia R.F. Rothwell Australia Roy Rothwell
Australia Hugh Rothwell
Australia Colin Mitchell
Holden 48-215 89
76 257 Australia J.T. Belling Australia John Belling
Australia Robert Peake
Australia Forbes Cumming
Ford Zephyr Six 89
77 237 Australia H.E. Budd Australia Harry Budd
Australia Dave Sullivan
Holden 48-215 92
78 170 Australia P.R. Williams Pty Ltd Australia Donald Bain
Australia Les Slaughter
MG TD Midget 96
79 4 Australia Team Akers and Thallon Australia Ron Akers
Australia Keith Thallon
Citroën Light 15 100
80 138 Australia Mick Simmons Limited Australia Leslie Miller
Australia Arthur Green
Ford Zephyr Six 103
81 163 Australia E.B. Perkins Australia Eddie Perkins
Australia Lance Perkins
Rover 90 108
82 235 Australia Team Harrison and Saunders Australia Ken Harrison
Australia Gerald Saunders
Australia Allan Ward
Standard Vanguard Phase I 109
83 169 Australia F.J. Shepherd Australia Fred Shepherd
Australia Keith Johnson
Australia James Power
Holden 48-215 131
84 94 Australia Team McDonald and Schulze Australia David McDonald
Australia Robert Schulze
Ford Consul 135
85 114 Australia Stanley Carpenter Australia Stanley Carpenter
Australia Hilda Carpenter
Ford Zephyr Six 135
86 37 Australia Dan Evans Australia Dan Evans
Australia Neville Somers
Australia Snow Sefton
Ford Zephyr Six 148
87 17 Australia Team Campbell and McBride Australia George Campbell
Australia Allan Murphy
Australia Jack McBride
Ford 1947 V8 158
88 229 Australia Team Cooke and Saville Australia William Cooke
Australia Norm Saville
Peugeot 203 164
89 66 Australia J.G. Anderson Australia James Anderson
Australia Charles Anderson
Austin A70 Hereford 170
90 261 Australia Phillips Brothers Australia J. Phillips
Australia A. Phillips
Holden FJ 180
91 258 Australia J.A. Bicket Australia John Bicket
Australia John Andrew
Peugeot 203 184
92 216 Australia C.A. Edgar Australia Cec Edgar
Australia Jack Jorgensen
Austin A40 Devon 200
93 168 Australia D.G. Barnett Australia Douglas Barnett
Australia William Jones
Australia Roy Woodham
Ford 1949 Custom 210
94 144 Australia M.G. Seike Australia Maurie Seike
Australia John Knight
Australia Neville Sheppeard
Ford 1946 V8 216
95 70 Australia R.E. Wilson Australia Ralph Wilson
Australia James Wilson
Volkswagen 1100 236
96 245 Australia A.W. Standfield Australia Wes Standfield
Australia Ron Standfield
Standard Vanguard Phase II 248
97 233 Australia Christie's Motors Australia Ray Christie
Australia Ken Christie
Australia Stan Christie
Chevrolet 1952 Deluxe 273
98 80 Australia R.E. Gudgeon Australia Bob Gudgeon
Australia Alan Platt
Hudson Super Wasp 276
99 182 Australia J.H. Farrow Australia James Farrow
Australia Gary Fuller
Australia E. Grey
Australia Peter Wieland
Mercury 1947 Eight 286
100 36 Australia Christys Motor Auctions Australia Tom Mills
Australia Jack O'Hara
Australia Bert Easterbrook
Chevrolet 1946 Deluxe 315
101 221 Australia David Raven Australia David Raven
Australia Harry Tregilgas
Australia Ray Hall
Holden FJ 316
102 220 Australia W.H. Crockford Australia William Crockford
Australia William Chambers
Australia Bill Huggett
Ford 1946 V8 336
103 63 Australia Team Kreig and Sanders Australia Ross Kreig
Australia Ronald Sanders
Australia Ronald Treloar
Holden FJ 338
104 89 Australia R.E. Pryer Australia Bon Pryer
Australia David Pinkard
MG Y Tourer 358
105 72 Australia Herbert Happ Australia Herbert Happ
Australia Rowan Grissi
Australia Charles Sexton
Holden 48-215 447
106 187 Australia Century Storage Battery Company Australia Keith Winstanley
Australia Cecil Curtis
Australia Frank Lewis
Holden FJ 456
107 64 Australia Stephen Gibbs Australia Stephen Gibbs
Australia Douglas Thornton
Australia Allen Nixon
Ford Zephyr Six 462
108 159 Australia M.L. Arentz Australia Martin Arentz
Australia Ray Davie
Australia Sid Cresswell
Ford 1953 Customline 480
109 190 Australia N. Shean Australia David McKay
Australia Barry Gurdon
Austin A70 Hereford 522
110 74 Australia John Perkins Australia John Perkins
Australia David White
Australia William Tennent
Holden FJ 563
111 119 Australia Consolidated Press Limited Australia Bill Buchanan
Australia John Larkin
Australia John Wawn
Austin A70 Hereford 596
112 44 Australia A.G. Melrose Australia Aubrey Melrose
Australia George Wakelin
Austin A70 Hereford 622
113 23 Australia Team Holland, Payne and Playfair Australia Allan Holland
Australia Sel Payne
Australia Bob Playfair
Holden 48-215 705
114 60 Australia 'Mac' Hicks Australia 'Mac' Hicks
Australia Eric Scott
Australia Fred Strachan
Ford 1953 Customline 722
115 91 Australia Wattle Corrie Motors Australia Patrick O'Sullivan
Australia George Davidson
Australia Victor Walters
Holden 48-215 835
116 140 Australia Manly Pacific Garage Australia Ronald Green
Australia Jack Scharkie
Australia Keith Wilson
Peugeot 203 855
117 116 Australia D.A. McLachlan Australia Bill McLachlan
Australia Marie Higgs
Australia Malcolm McKay
Ford Zephyr Six 978
118 201 Australia Team Lee and Hamilton Australia Digger Lee
Australia Richard Hamilton
Australia Doug Carle
Vauxhall Vagabond 991
119 236 Australia Mrs Edith Nielsen Australia Edith Nielsen
Australia Gwendoline Bagust
Australia John Carson
Peugeot 203 1,209
120 6 Australia G.P. Setter Australia George Setter
Australia Bernard McGrath
Australia Gerald Downing
Ford Zephyr Six 1,242
Source:[4][5][6][7]

References

  1. "Redex Trial Preview". Truth (Brisbane newspaper). No. 2832. Queensland, Australia. 4 July 1954. p. 36. Retrieved 5 June 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  2. "Across the Nullarbor — now in South Australia". Sunday Mail (Adelaide). Queensland, Australia. 18 July 1954. p. 1. Retrieved 5 June 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Huge Crowds See Finish of Reliability Car Trial". Cairns Post. No. 16, 336. Queensland, Australia. 21 July 1954. p. 5. Retrieved 5 June 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  4. Bill Tuckey & Thomas B. Floyd, From Redex To Repco: Gregory's 25 Years of Around Australia Trials, 1979, pages 52-67
  5. "Redex Draw for Positions". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 June 1954.
  6. "Murray Named Winner of Car Trial". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 July 1954.
  7. Hal Moloney, Long Distance Trials in Australia by Car, Plane & Motor Cycle, 2018, pages 181-187
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