A Rob Hughes Adventure - Rust to Rome
YSF 87S is seen at Chillingham Castle, check point 1 during Rust2Rome. Photo: Rust2Rome
July 1st 2023 sees a good friend of the Northern National Restoration Group, Rob Hughes, take on the challenge of a lifetime. Rust to Rome,The famous banger rally from Edinburgh to Rome! Although not by plane, train or boat but in fact in his 49 year old Leyland Leopard.
YSF 87S is a Leyland Leopard PSU3D/4R with Alexander AYS bodywork. New in 1977 as Alexander Fife FPE87 it later passed to Strathtay as no. 560, becoming Stagecoach 25787 when the latter group acquired Strathtay as part of the Yorkshire Traction Group. It is now part of the Rob Hughes preservation collection.
So what is Rust 2 Rome?
Well it is an adventure of a lifetime. It’s you and your vehicle taking to the road on a four and a half thousand mile journey through Europe. If you think it Sound easy, It’s not.
You’re doing it in a car that cost less than £1000in foreign countries on challenging roads. Rust 2 Rome will push you to the limits from start to finish.
Preparation at the start line!
Remember the roads from movies like the Italian Job, Casino Royale and Ronin, those twisty one’s going around the side of a mountain? That’s the roads you’ll be driving on. This isn’t for the faint hearted. If you can handle it you’ll be rewarded by the sight of the Roman Coliseum at sunset after ten days of the most breath taking driving you’ll ever do.
The rally is organised by Marko Fleming who has organised and driven on Rust to Rome since his first trip alone round Europe in 2005. In between times Marko has visited Mexico frequently where he imported muscle cars from including a ’72 Ford Mustang, a ’55 Bel Air and a ’70 Dodge Dart. The Mustang and Dart underwent extensive restoration by Marko personally and the Mustang had it’s engine rebuilt by Marko. Currently Marko has a ’65 Mustang in storage in Mexico. As well as learning Spanish when in Mexico, Marko also learned to play the guitar from Mexican Mariachi’s. Marko lived in Guadalajara for over a year and during that time participated in many muscle car rallies. Marko also spent time living in Italy and China. When he is not working on, driving in or dreaming of cars, Marko is creating 3D motion rides for Special Project simulators. Marko’s 3D work is highly acclaimed and has won several awards...
Below is a blog, wrote by Alex Willis, which is following the progress of NNRG friend Rob Hughes as he takes on his adventure over the next 10 days, before coming back up the West side of France stopping at a bus show on the journey.
Rob works on the underneath of YSF 87S
The Preparation: It has been no secret that Rob had worked his socks off over the past few months, replacing parts on the 49 year old Leppoard as well as still supporting local events and charities such as the NNRG in the meantime. Every Time you spoke to Rob about his ambition to do Rust to Rome this July his face always lit up with a huge smile as he sat there reading a book… a french translation one! From compressors to drive shafts the preparation looks to have been mammoth!
The starting point of Rust2Rome!
Running repairs - July 3rd
July 1st: On July the 1st I somewhat managed to pass Rob as he left West Auckland and headed on his travels. Thinking he must be on his way to the start point.
July 2nd: The next update from Rob's facebook was next to the Forth Rail Bridge in Edinburgh, what a beautiful place in the world that is! Photos and videos of excitement emerged across Social Media of a bus on Rust2Rome! What an experience.
Awaiting to board the ferry at Dover - July 4th
July 3rd: An update started to find its way out on Facebook from Chillingham Castle in Northumberland. All vehicles have made it to the first checkpoint. Back on the road and the next updates came from some news that Rob had developed a small issue but after some fixing the group where on the way finishing the evening at a campsite on the South Coast. A trip down the country, stopping off at some amazing places including the British Motor Museum and ACE cafe in London.
July 4th: Today the group headed over the water, some nice photos at Dover showed Rob and his Leppard behind some well rather modern looking vehicles! Bet they had a little shock, on to France and the next check point in Arras. After leaving Arras the group headed for the run down into Paris. A wrong turn saw in Robs words of Rob, ‘I made a terrible Arras of myself.
Our beloved leader took a wrong turn coming out of the square, next thing I’m jammed on a 90 in some sort of back alley, scraping the paint and a length of trim off of a historic building !!!!!
The locals were definitely not impressed, but at least I got out - then it happened again in the backstreets of the Eiffel Tower, my nerves are gone !!!’.
A little break down saw the bolt that snapped yesterday do the same as they arrived to the motorway, however, everyone rallied together and helped get back on the road, before the journey continued through rain, floods and the dark skies. They arrived to Paris late evening, where I must say the photos are amazing!
