British Trans-Americas Expedition

1971-1972 British Trans-Americas expedition, led by Major John Blashford-Snell, drove two Range-Rovers from Alaska to Cape Horn. A SWB Land Rover SIIA also helped over the Darien Gap:

Books to read:

	Russell Braddon, The Hundred Days Of Darien, 1974.
	John Blashford-Snell, Where the Trails Run Out, 1974.

The British Trans-Americas Expedition drove two Range Rovers from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in 1972. This was partly to promote the recently released Range Rover. They had numerous problems, like breaking the differentials due to overloading by the use of over-size tires on the Darien Gap section. That section was undertaken as a major expedition with British Army support.

The vehicle is exhibited at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, England

Land Rover	1972 Range Rover
Engine	8 cyl 3528 cc
Details	Front mounted capstan winch, 3,000 # capacity Reinforced bumper / cow catcher guard Petrol tank undershield Raised exhaust extension Four Quartz-Iodine spot and fog lights Two Swivel spot lights Split charge two battery system Heavy duty alternator Radiator muff Four extra towing eyes Sirens and air horns Swamp tyres Removal wing panels Roll-bar Roof mounted spare wheels Special low-temperature shock absorbers Insulated body panels Roof rack Steps on tailgate Power point in rear of vehicle for cooker, etc. Heated rear screen Wiper / washer equipment for rear screen Extra instruments: tachometer, oil pressure and temperature gauges, ammeter for split charge system Map reading and interior lights Two-way vehicle radio Stereo-tape player and radio Reclining seat with full safety harness and head rest Built-in safe Water keg Partitioned stowage lockers Inspection light, 26ft lead Fully comprehensive tool kit Medical supplies Extra equipment, hand winches, ground anchors, cable, tow ropes, etc. Coffee maker
Location	The Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon

The Hundred Days of Darien

R@nge.R0ver D@rien G@p 1971 Left: One of the two Range Rovers that led the 1971-1972 British Trans-Americas Expedition from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, including the notorious Darien Gap.

The expedition was conceived^[*] in 1968 when Tim Nicholson realized that the drive from the top of North America to the bottom of South America seemed to be the outstanding car-trip still left undone. Frank and Helen Schreiber had arguably done the trip in 1954-6 in an Amphibious Jeep, or Seep, but they had "sailed" around difficult bits such as the Darien Gap (in the Jeep). A 1961 expedition using a Jeep and a Land Rover had traversed the Darien Gap but it is not clear if the Trans-Americas team knew of this, and in any case no one seems to have gone all the way from top to bottom overland before.

^[*] The Trans-Americas Expedition is described in Russell Braddon's book The Hundred Days of Darien. (Braddon is a wide-ranging author, e.g. writing a biography of war-time resistance leader, Nancy Wake.) The expedition was led by British Army officer John Blashford-Snell with considerable army support. The Range Rover had recently been released and Rover (Leyland) gave two of the new four wheel drives to the expedition, counting on good publicity.

In fact, the Trans-Americas Expedition had more than its fair share of difficulties. Starting from Anchorage in Alaska on 3 December, to get to Central America in the "dry", they soon met trouble, one of the Range Rovers running into a truck stuck across the icy road. The other Range Rover towed its team mate into Vancouver for repairs.

The most difficult part of the trip was the Darien Gap, hence the title of Braddon's book. A path had to be surveyed and then cut by machete, and the vehicles coaxed, winched, pushed and almost carried along it. The Range Rovers turned out to be a little larger and heavier than ideal and also suffered from broken differentials - put down to overloading and attempts to use over-size swamp tires. Running behind schedule, a series 2A Land Rover was obtained and pressed into service as a "pathfinder". They did pull through, arriving in Barranquillita Colombia, 99 days after entering the Gap.

The trip through South America to a wintery Tierra del Fuego, 199 days and 16,000 miles from the start, is only briefly reported; it seems to have been relatively straightforward at least in comparison to what went before.

- Larry Stanley Š 1998