Warren Brown on Wide Open Road ABC tv

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by warren brown

...... no pictures of Birtles Brush car etc, but there wasn't really anything they could do by then - it was all 'in the can' as they say. ..

For those interested in the Birtles story and Warren's mention of the Brush, attached is a photo of the actual 1910 Brush Runabout that Birtles drove from Perth to Sydney. I came across it at a local rally in England about two years ago and knowing Warren was interested, sent him this photo. Apparantly the car was found on a sheep station owned by the Birtles family in the Eighties. Present owner bought it in France in 2008.

[Richard Farrant]

Just watched Episode 2 ...... and there is some military vehicle content. Some film of Len Beadell forging his way through the outback to make the Gunbarrel highway and other tracks, for the rocket testing in the 50's. They were using some Army Commer Q4 4x4 trucks and one is shown well alight, seems it was the ration truck. It still lays out in the bush, burnt out and looking like it happened yesterday, has a fence around it with a plaque !!!

[Keith Webb]

Len Beadell was quite a character, one of a number of interesting outback people from that era. There was also Reg Sprigg, founder of Arkaroola who did a lot of survey work in the desert, who didn't rate a mention possibly because the researchers couldn't find any film footage (although there is some).

Some great archival footage including a number of old TV commercials I remember from the 60s.

Is it just me, or does anyone else find the gratuitous use of celebrities a little off-putting? One or two maybe, but I felt there were too many. At least it made the interviews with 'real' people stand out. I thought Jack Nasser was excellent, particularly his admiration and appreciation for the early Holden he owned, given he became the boss of Ford.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

Len Beadell was quite a character, one of a number of interesting outback people from that era.

Hi Keith,
I was given a recording of one of Len's afterdinner speeches regarding his work, especially liked the part about about the airstrip he built near Marlinga.

The programme was very good, especially like the Jack Brabham part, last saw him about 11 years ago racing at Goodwood .......... and crashing out.

[Keith Webb]

Although Len had a fame I think he was entirely appropriate to be in the show... I was taking issue more with actors and politicians - felt this was just a bit contrived.

It's a shame not everything can be covered - I mentioned Reg Sprigg - in the first episode there was a heap of footage from Back of Beyond but I don't recall any direct reference to it, or to Tom Kruse.

I really enjoyed the Brabham story - I didn't realise he was a fighter pilot either. It would have been great to include Tony Gaze who had a major connection with Goodwood and was also one of our WW2 Aces with 12.5 victories including Arado 234 jets to his credit, but I suppose that would have got in the way of the storytelling.

The story about the HD Holden with the cheese cutter design was very interesting - I hadn't realised the styling was done in the US. It was also locally known as the 'pedestrian chopper' for obvious reasons.

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

Hi Keith,
I was given a recording of one of Len's afterdinner speeches regarding his work, especially liked the part about about the airstrip he built near Marlinga.

The programme was very good, especially like the Jack Brabham part, last saw him about 11 years ago racing at Goodwood .......... and crashing out.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Methinks that this program is tackling too big a subject too do any of it justice.
As a child who grew up through much of what was covered in Ep.2. and much of the narrated comments was not how I remembered it. I certainly was not in a "Holden TRIBE" or a "Ford TRIBE". There were considerably more brands respected and favoured than just these two, as can be seen in the REDEX part.
This program continues to fascinate and annoy me in about equal parts.
Jack Brabham: Legend
Len Beadell: Legend
Paul Keating??????

I assume everyone saw the Blitz "In the Background" in the Brabham story?
Rich.

[Keith Webb]

I missed it - must have been a tired moment!

I do remember at school there was always the Holden/Ford rivalry (which extends today to Chev/Ford CMPs to some extent), although as Rich says there were many other brands. When I got to car buying age there were plentiful supplies of British cars such as Morris Minors and Hillmans. I had 15 Minors at various stages, mostly bought for a few dollars for parts as well as Singer, Hillman and of course CMPs. It was a long while before I owned a Japanese car.

Completely agree re the comment about Keating, also Steve Bracks - these are not the sort of names I'd think of when talking about cars of the 60s or 70s.

A three part program like this naturally has to cover a lot of ground and above all be a piece of entertainment for the audience.

Originally Posted by Richard Coutts-Smith

Methinks that this program is tackling too big a subject too do any of it justice.
As a child who grew up through much of what was covered in Ep.2. and much of the narrated comments was not how I remembered it. I certainly was not in a "Holden TRIBE" or a "Ford TRIBE". There were considerably more brands respected and favoured than just these two, as can be seen in the REDEX part.
This program continues to fascinate and annoy me in about equal parts.
Jack Brabham: Legend
Len Beadell: Legend
Paul Keating??????

I assume everyone saw the Blitz "In the Background" in the Brabham story?
Rich.

[Howard]

Originally Posted by Richard Coutts-Smith

I assume everyone saw the Blitz "In the Background" in the Brabham story? Rich.

This one, Rich? Looks like the F15 is coming a close 2nd!
jack01.jpg
Actually, I have been enjoying the sound track to the show!