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 , 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, finishing at Moore Park on 20 July.

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. "Secret" intermediate checkpoints were an innovation this year in an attempt to curb speeding.

1954 Redex Trial newsreel

Results Entrant Drivers Car Penalties (Points) 1 256 J.E. Murray Jack 'Gelignite' Murray Bill Murray 1948 Ford V8 0 2 29 G.W. Patterson Bill Patterson Harry Russell Peugeot 203 8 3 176 A.A.C. Anderson 'Duck' Anderson Tony Anthony Vergel Zaccour Holden FJ 14 4 30 E.A. Nelson Eric Nelson Brian Simpson Standard Vanguard Phase II 19 5 31 Rootes (Australia) Limited Tom Sulman T. Dowse Norman Hutchison Humber Super Snipe Mark IV 22 6 260 Preston Motors Pty Ltd Stan Jones Don Thomson Ern Seeliger Holden FJ 22 7 22 J.E. Roberts Don Roberts Bill Edmonds Standard Vanguard Phase II 25 8 33 T.H. Farrell Tom Farrell Frank Denlay John Jones 1954 Ford Customline 25 9 96 Team Gibson and Vale Alex Gibson Neville Vale Mercedes-Benz 170 D 25 10 52 R.B. Walker Bruce Walker Reginald Hall Standard Vanguard Phase II 26 11 262 F.A. Johnson Fred Johnson Ray Johnson Holden 48-215 27 12 20 H.C. Cape Harry Cape George Scales Holden FJ 28 13 27 Sandy Rayward Sandy Rayward Harvey Roy Peugeot 203 29 14 54 Regent Motors Pty Ltd Laurie Whitehead Ian Barns Volkswagen 1100 29 15 136 Team Westren and Kennedy Les Westren Carl Kennedy Peugeot 203 30 16 126 NSW Country Holden Dealers Ken Miller Alan Miller Norman Colless Holden FJ 31 17 213 Rootes (Australia) Limited Russell Lane Claude Turner Donald Boynton Humber Super Snipe Mark IV 32 18 53 S.W. Hecker Sam Hecker Jack Oliver Norwood Warry Holden FJ 32 19 199 J.F. Crouch John Crouch Keith Jones Gordon Stewart Morris Oxford Series II 33 20 253 Standard Motor Company Harry Firth Max Newbold Reg Sparks Standard Vanguard Phase II 33 21 46 D.H. Antill Peter Antill George Reed Max Winkless Mercedes-Benz 220 34 22 135 Claridge Motors Fred Claridge Jim Claridge Holden FJ 34 23 19 Reno Auto Sales Reg Smith Robert Whyte Harley Mehegan Austin A70 Hereford 35 24 127 A.L. Kipling 'Possum' Kipling Ken Walker Holden FJ 35 25 47 J.F. McCaffery John McCaffery Thomas Leonard Holden FJ 37 26 156 Walton and Gardner Ted Walton Flo Gardner John Gardner Holden FJ 37 27 202 Noel Worland Noel Worland Michael Malouf John Burton Dodge 1954 Kingsway 38 28 78 Frank Kleinig Frank Kleinig Clive Gibson Peugeot 203 38 29 10 Marshalls Motors John Lefoe Evan Green Standard Vanguard Phase II 40 30 197 Preston Motors Pty Ltd Reg Nutt John Joyce Lou Molina Holden FJ 41 31 205 H.A. Hines Bert Hines Arthur Scholtz Holden FJ 41 32 219 Orrman's Service Station Kenneth Orrman Ian Mountain Peugeot 203 41 33 48 S.M. Miller Sam Miller Patrick Kelly Albert Griffiths 1953 Ford Customline 45 34 95 E.A. Gibson Eric Gibson Leonard McGill Allan Robshaw John Roberts 1951 Chevrolet Deluxe 46 35 101 Rootes (Australia) Limited Anthony Peck John Trowell Robert Callander Humber Super Snipe Mark IV 46 36 231 Parade Motors Cecil Dix Ronald Dix Alec Dealtry 1947 Plymouth De Luxe 47 37 110 G.N. Horner George Horner Len Reay Ken Worrall 1953 Ford Customline 48 38 150 J.E. Pedley Joe Pedley Stan Hill Austin A70 Hereford 48 39 172 Standard Motor Company Alan Pilkington Wal Gillespie Llyn Evans Standard Vanguard Phase II 48 40 129 P.E. Benson Peter Benson Greg Percival Bert Watson Holden FJ 49 41 148 Parker Brothers Auto Company Arthur Parker Ron Tandy John Parker Holden FJ 49 42 181 Rootes (Australia) Limited Gilbert Graydon Ian Logan Ken Harper Humber Super Snipe Mark IV 49 43 79 C.M. McArdle Colin McArdle Frank Sexton Ray McNamara Standard Vanguard Phase II 50 44 38 Team Cox, Mackenzie and Smith Rowl Cox Blyth Mackenzie Clem Smith Standard Vanguard Phase II 50 45 194 M.D. Lawrence Michael Lawrence William Gee John Place Bob Crewdson Ford Zephyr Six 50 46 32 C.A. Fulton Cecil Fulton Neil Stewart Norman Newton Lester Minchin Austin A70 Hereford 51 47 112 Team Theil and Billing Ard Theil Angus Billing Holden FJ 51 48 252 N.Q. Klingner Neville Klingner Thomas Lonergan Standard Vanguard Phase II 51 49 132 R.K. Osmond Ron Osmond Norman Smith Ray Harvey Holden FJ 52 50 154 G.S. Onto Joe Kent Kevin Mooney Geoff Robbins Lagonda 3-Litre 52 51 106 Team Macmillan and Murray Joe Macmillan Harry Murray Peugeot 203 53 52 165 Advanx (Gosford) Motor Service Robert Burgin Roy Francis Rob Boddenberg Peugeot 203 56 53 214 L.J. Coppock Launce Coppock Neil Long Holden FJ 56 54 173 John Welsh John Welsh Theodore Irwin Alfred Rabone Humber Super Snipe Mark IV 57 55 76 Team Johnston, Rosevear and Lambert Ronald Johnston Helen Rosevear John Lambert Standard Vanguard Phase II 58 56 162 Preston Motors Pty Ltd Lex Davison Peter Ward Otto Stone Holden FJ 58 57 68 Jack Hay Jack Hay Jack Thornton Frank Heyward Humber Super Snipe Mark IV 63 58 103 C.V. Cresswell Charles Cresswell Douglas Marshall Neville Sutton 1947 Plymouth De Luxe 67 59 109 Team Welinski and Wardell Andre Welinski Laurence Ward Taroslaw Tablonski Holden FJ 67 60 125 R.J. Williams Robert Williams Milford Johnson Ian Robertson Holden FJ 67 61 177 G.J. Perrignon George Perrignon Bruce Hall Roy Glenn 1953 Ford Customline 67 62 224 Team Robinson, Brooks and McLeish Keith Robinson William Brooks Alan McLeish Standard Vanguard Phase II 67 63 43 Albert Correy Albert Correy Arthur Anshaw 1946 Ford V8 68 64 56 E.J. Ahren Eric Ahren Hector Gray Phillip Hancox Holden 48-215 69 65 145 Courtney and Patterson Leslie Courtney Dennis Carroll Ford Zephyr Six 70 66 121 G.A. Birmingham George Birmingham Ronald Callow Ronald Hall 1954 DeSoto Powermaster 73 67 134 R.H. Clarke Reg Clarke Norman Neindorf Harry Westcott Ray Clarke Holden 48-215 75 68 11 Les Burrows Les Burrows James Allen Standard Vanguard Phase II 76 69 143 Team Watt and Peniston Neil Watt Arthur Peniston Peugeot 203 78 70 208 Malcolm Parr Malcolm Parr Graeme Parr James Costello Standard Vanguard Phase II 81 71 105 Miss S.E. Thorpe Sybil Thorpe John Diamond Douglas Evans Holden FJ 82 72 113 Reg and Francis Thomas Reg Thomas Francis Thomas Ford Zephyr Six 83 73 35 V.R. Burton Viv Burton Wesley Burton Morris Oxford Series MO 84 74 133 Ride-Ezy Shock Absorber Specialists Harry Walker Horrie Waters George Walsh Ford Consul 86 75 40 R.F. Rothwell Roy Rothwell Hugh Rothwell Colin Mitchell Holden 48-215 89 76 257 J.T. Belling John Belling Robert Peake Forbes Cumming Ford Zephyr Six 89 77 237 H.E. Budd Harry Budd Dave Sullivan Holden 48-215 92 78 170 P.R. Williams Pty Ltd Donald Bain Les Slaughter MG TD Midget 96 79 4 Team Akers and Thallon Ron Akers Keith Thallon Citroën Light 15 100 80 138 Mick Simmons Limited Leslie Miller Arthur Green Ford Zephyr Six 103 81 163 E.B. Perkins Eddie Perkins Lance Perkins Rover 90 108 82 235 Team Harrison and Saunders Ken Harrison Gerald Saunders Allan Ward Standard Vanguard Phase I 109 83 169 F.J. Shepherd Fred Shepherd Keith Johnson James Power Holden 48-215 131 84 94 Team McDonald and Schulze David McDonald Robert Schulze Ford Consul 135 85 114 Stanley Carpenter Stanley Carpenter Hilda Carpenter Ford Zephyr Six 135 86 37 Dan Evans Dan Evans Neville Somers Snow Sefton Ford Zephyr Six 148 87 17 Team Campbell and McBride George Campbell Allan Murphy Jack McBride 1947 Ford V8 158 88 229 Team Cooke and Saville William Cooke Norm Saville Peugeot 203 164 89 66 J.G. Anderson James Anderson Charles Anderson Austin A70 Hereford 170 90 261 Phillips Brothers J. Phillips A. Phillips Holden FJ 180 91 258 J.A. Bicket John Bicket John Andrew Peugeot 203 184 92 216 C.A. Edgar Cec Edgar Jack Jorgensen Austin A40 Devon 200 93 168 D.G. Barnett Douglas Barnett William Jones Roy Woodham 1949 Ford Custom 210 94 144 M.G. Seike Maurie Seike John Knight Neville Sheppeard 1946 Ford V8 216 95 70 R.E. Wilson Ralph Wilson James Wilson Volkswagen 1100 236 96 245 A.W. Standfield Wes Standfield Ron Standfield Standard Vanguard Phase II 248 97 233 Christie's Motors Ray Christie Ken Christie Stan Christie 1952 Chevrolet Deluxe 273 98 80 R.E. Gudgeon Bob Gudgeon Alan Platt Hudson Super Wasp 276 99 182 J.H. Farrow James Farrow Gary Fuller E. Grey Peter Wieland 1947 Mercury Eight 286 100 36 Christys Motor Auctions Tom Mills Jack O'Hara Bert Easterbrook 1946 Chevrolet Deluxe 315 101 221 David Raven David Raven Harry Tregilgas Ray Hall Holden FJ 316 102 220 W.H. Crockford William Crockford William Chambers Bill Huggett 1946 Ford V8 336 103 63 Team Kreig and Sanders Ross Kreig Ronald Sanders Ronald Treloar Holden FJ 338 104 89 R.E. Pryer Bon Pryer David Pinkard MG Y Tourer 358 105 72 Herbert Happ Herbert Happ Rowan Grissi Charles Sexton Holden 48-215 447 106 187 Century Storage Battery Company Keith Winstanley Cecil Curtis Frank Lewis Holden FJ 456 107 64 Stephen Gibbs Stephen Gibbs Douglas Thornton Allen Nixon Ford Zephyr Six 462 108 159 M.L. Arentz Martin Arentz Ray Davie Sid Cresswell 1953 Ford Customline 480 109 190 N. Shean David McKay Barry Gurdon Austin A70 Hereford 522 110 74 John Perkins John Perkins David White William Tennent Holden FJ 563 111 119 Consolidated Press Limited Bill Buchanan John Larkin John Wawn Austin A70 Hereford 596 112 44 A.G. Melrose Aubrey Melrose George Wakelin Austin A70 Hereford 622 113 23 Team Holland, Payne and Playfair Allan Holland Sel Payne Bob Playfair Holden 48-215 705 114 60 'Mac' Hicks 'Mac' Hicks Eric Scott Fred Strachan 1953 Ford Customline 722 115 91 Wattle Corrie Motors Patrick O'Sullivan George Davidson Victor Walters Holden 48-215 835 116 140 Manly Pacific Garage Ronald Green Jack Scharkie Keith Wilson Peugeot 203 855 117 116 D.A. McLachlan Bill McLachlan Marie Higgs Malcolm McKay Ford Zephyr Six 978 118 201 Team Lee and Hamilton Digger Lee Richard Hamilton Doug Carle Vauxhall Vagabond 991 119 236 Mrs Edith Nielsen Edith Nielsen Gwendoline Bagust John Carson Peugeot 203 1,209 120 6 G.P. Setter George Setter Bernard McGrath Gerald Downing Ford Zephyr Six 1,242 Source:Bill Tuckey & Thomas B. Floyd, From Redex To Repco: Gregory's 25 Years of Around Australia Trials, 1979, pages 52-67Hal Moloney, Long Distance Trials in Australia by Car, Plane & Motor Cycle, 2018, pages 181-187

References