A field of 103 starters assembled at Netherdale car park for the Sunday morning start to compete over special stages run over the roads at Easter Housebyres, Bluecairn, Birkenside, West Morrison, Upper Huntlywood, Bield, Sisterpath, Charterhall and Harcarse Hill. The rally then returned to the finish at the Waverley Castle Hotel, Melrose via the same stages run in the reverse direction.
Led away from the Netherdale start by 1972 winner Alan McInroy, partnered by Ron Wilson in their Ford Escort Twin-Cam, the field headed for the first test at Easter Housebyres. They were followed by car 2 John Patterson and Maxwell Horne in the ex-works Ford Escort RS1600, REV120K. They were destined to be the first retirement, the Escort breaking a half-shaft on the first stage. This also saw the end of the event for C.Steele who rolled his Hillman Imp into retirement. Another to retire by stage four was Alistair Brearley. Alistair had been well placed when his Ford Escort Mexico succumbed to engine failure. Another local crew who were doing well, till an “off” on Harcarse Hill saw them drop down the field, were Scott Dalgleish and
Wally Hunter in their Datsun 1200 Coupe.
Keith McCleary with Ivor Clark claimed victory in their Ford Escort Twin-Cam over the Sunbeam Stiletto of Brian Coyle and Willie McGregor by the slim margin of five seconds while in third place were Bob Watson and Hugh McNeill, 1971 Scottish Rally Champions, in a Ford Escort RS. Peter Knowles and Geoffrey Donkin from Durham finished 4th in their Ford Escort Twin-Cam followed home in 5th by Alistair MacKay in his Vauxhall Viva GT.
The Vauxhall Viva GT of Charles Samson, a future Scottish Rally Champion winning the title in 1975 and 1977, finished 7th whilst Dom Buckley and Bobby Smart in another Escort Twin-Cam finished 8th.
Fred Almond and Hugo Kennedy, Escort Twin Cam, finished 10th. Hugo would be the winning co-driver in 1978 when partnering Willie Rutherford, from Hexham, in his unique Mazda 323.
Having forsaken his trusted Mini Cooper ‘S’, LKS5J, for British Leyland’s new rally machine, Ken Wood and Alan Barron were 12th in their Triumph Dolomite Sprint, tying with Ian Fairbairn and George Anderson in an Escort Mexico. Ken would go on to become Scottish Rally Champion in 1982, Triumph TR7V8, 1984, Rover Vitesse SD1 and 1986 in a MG Metro 6R4. Previous winner Alan McInroy came home 14th, whilst Hawick crew Peter Tokely and David Elsdon, Mini Cooper S, finished 3rd in class 1 and 16th overall.
Results (top three)
| 1st overall | Keith McCleary / Ivor Clark, Escort Twin-Cam 23min 47sec |
| 2nd overall | Brian Coyle / Willie McGregor, Sunbeam Stiletto 23min 52sec |
| 3rd overall | Bob Watson / Hugh McNeill, Escort RS 24min 05sec |
Acknowledgements
- Our thanks go to Lawrence Johnston and Doug Niven of the Jim Clark Trust for their permission to access the Eric Bryce Photographic archive. Without their help, we would have been unable to share many of these photographic gems.
- Pictures courtesy of Jim Clark Trust /Eric Bryce Archive.
Additional information
- Southern Reporter
- Border Telegraph
- John Fife Author and Motorsport Journalist
- Ronnie Sandham, for contacting Malcolm Wilson
- Dave Robson, who found the entry list
©Rodger MacFarlane 20 August 2024
