[Iain MacIlleathain - Preseantair] Nise, tha càraid à Leòdhas air dùbhlan mòr a chur romhpa fhèin. Feuchaidh Anndra Twort agus Claudine Bloom ri siubhail còmhla ri mòran eile, air railidh chàraichean cho ainmeil 's a th' ann - Beijing gu Paris. Tha an càr a bhios iad a' cleachdadh 50 bliadhna a dh'aois. Chaidh Eilidh NicLeòid ga fhaicinn nuair a fhuair sgoilearan Sgoil MhicNeacail cothrom sùil a thoirt oirre.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Seo ‘Amy Amazon.’ Bhon taobh a-muigh cha tàinig cus atharrachaidh oir’, on a chaidh a togail ann an 1975. Ach na broinn, chaidh obair luach còrr agus £3000 not a dhèanamh airson a dèanamh deiseil son turas 9,000 mìle tro chuid de na h-àitichean as iomallaiche san t-saoghal.
[Tormod Mac a’Ghobhainn] ‘S e an neartachadh as motha chanainn, tha rud ris an can iad roll cage na bhroinn, rud a chì thu air a h-uile càr a bhios a’ dèanamh railidh mar sin. Ach chuir iad cuideachd barrachd stàilinn na bhroinn, sìos air fad a’ chàir agus dol gu gach oisean dhen chàr airson mar a bha sinn ag ràdh, chan e ròidean a bhios ann am pàirt dheth. Tha na ròidean againne dona gu leòr le na tuill a th’annta, bithear a’ briseadh springs is eile ach nuair a smaoinicheas thu a bhith dol a-mach rathad mònach no rudeigin mar sin son na mìltean mòra, cha sheasadh càr àbhaisteach ris.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] ‘S ann le Anndra Twort a tha an carbad. Bidh e fhèin ‘s a chompanach Claudine Bloom a’ dràibheadh tro 11 dùthaich, ochd latha ann am fàsach Gobi, ‘s feumaidh iad a h-uile càil a dh’ fheumas iad a’ ghiùlain, eadar stuth campachaidh agus càraidh. Bidh e cho teth ri 40 Celsius tron latha agus -15 air an oidhche. Ach chan e sin an dùbhlan as duilghe a bhios romhpa tha e coltach, ach a mhì-chinnt phoilitigeach.
[Anndra Twort] The political situation every time you turn the news on, there’s some story about Russia. And they’re not always good stories. How true they are we have no idea. So the political situation – not necessarily in that country but in other countries – causes some concern. That might be the biggest issue and biggest problem.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Thèid airgead a thogail do charthannas air an t-slighe - ospais chloinne ann an Sasainn agus Stòras Leanne - an cuimhne nighean òg à Leòdhas a bhàsaich air sgàth Cystic Fibrosis. Chan fhaigh an fheadhainn a bhuannaicheas an rèis ach an t-urram agus magnum champagne agus turas nach dìochuimhnich iad. Bidh ‘Amy Amazon’ agus 60 càr eile a’ fàgail Beijing air an 10mh dhen Ògmhios agus air an rathad airson còig seachdainean, mus ruig i deireadh an railidh ann am Paris air an 17mh den Iuchar.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] ‘S cinnteach gur e fìor dhùbhlan a tha gu bhith romhpa. An còrdadh e ribhse bhith còmhla riutha?
[Tormod Mac a’ Ghobhainn] Bhiodh e mìorbhaileach. Tha mi smaoineachadh ma tha ùidh agad ann an càraichean na dol air astair sam bith tha mi smaoineachadh gum biodh e mìorbhaileach.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Eilidh NicLeòid, BBC An Là.
[Iain MacLean – Presenter] Now, a couple from Lewis have set themselves a big challenge. Andrew Twort and Claudine Bloom, along with many others, will attempt one of the most famous rallies – Beijing to Paris. The car they will be using is 50 years old. Eilidh MacLeod went to see it when pupils of The Nicolson Institute were given the chance to take a look at it.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] This is ‘Amy Amazon.’ From the outside it hasn’t changed much since it was built in 1965. But inside, more than £3000 worth of work has been carried out to make it ready for the 9,000 mile trek through some of the world’s most remote areas.
[Norman Smith] The biggest modification I would say is, something they call a roll cage, something you see in every car that takes part in a rally like that. But they’ve also reinforced it with more steel on the inside, down the length of the car extending to each corner of the car, because as we were saying, parts off it will be off-road. Our roads here are bad enough with pot holes, enough to break springs and cause damage but if you imagine driving on peat roads or something similar for many miles, a regular car just wouldn’t stand up to that.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Andrew Twort owns the vehicle. He and his partner Claudine Bloom will be driving through 11 countries, 8 days in the Gobi desert and they must carry everything they will need, between camping and repair equipment. Temperatures will rise to 40 Celsius throughout the day and -15 at night. But apparently that is not the toughest challenge they will face, it’s the political uncertainty.
[Andrew Twort] The political situation every time you turn the news on, there’s some story about Russia. And they’re not always good stories. How true they are we have no idea. So the political situation – not necessarily in that country but in other countries – causes some concern. That might be the biggest issue and biggest problem.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Money will be raised for charity en route – for a children’s hospice in England and The Leanne Fund – in memory of a young girl from Lewis who died from Cystic Fibrosis. Those who win the race will simply be awarded the honour and receive a magnum of champagne, and a journey they will never forget. ‘Amy Amazon’ and 60 other cars will leave Beijing on the 10th June and will be on the road for five weeks before reaching the rally finish line in Paris on 17th July.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] They certainly face a real challenge. Would you like to be going along with them?
[Norman Smith] It would be wonderful. I think for anybody with an interest in driving cars long distance it would be amazing.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Eilidh MacLeod, BBC An Là.
[Iain MacIlleathain - Preseantair] Nise, tha càraid à Leòdhas air dùbhlan mòr a chur romhpa fhèin. Feuchaidh Anndra Twort agus Claudine Bloom ri siubhail còmhla ri mòran eile, air railidh chàraichean cho ainmeil 's a th' ann - Beijing gu Paris. Tha an càr a bhios iad a' cleachdadh 50 bliadhna a dh'aois. Chaidh Eilidh NicLeòid ga fhaicinn nuair a fhuair sgoilearan Sgoil MhicNeacail cothrom sùil a thoirt oirre.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Seo ‘Amy Amazon.’ Bhon taobh a-muigh cha tàinig cus atharrachaidh oir’, on a chaidh a togail ann an 1975. Ach na broinn, chaidh obair luach còrr agus £3000 not a dhèanamh airson a dèanamh deiseil son turas 9,000 mìle tro chuid de na h-àitichean as iomallaiche san t-saoghal.
[Tormod Mac a’Ghobhainn] ‘S e an neartachadh as motha chanainn, tha rud ris an can iad roll cage na bhroinn, rud a chì thu air a h-uile càr a bhios a’ dèanamh railidh mar sin. Ach chuir iad cuideachd barrachd stàilinn na bhroinn, sìos air fad a’ chàir agus dol gu gach oisean dhen chàr airson mar a bha sinn ag ràdh, chan e ròidean a bhios ann am pàirt dheth. Tha na ròidean againne dona gu leòr le na tuill a th’annta, bithear a’ briseadh springs is eile ach nuair a smaoinicheas thu a bhith dol a-mach rathad mònach no rudeigin mar sin son na mìltean mòra, cha sheasadh càr àbhaisteach ris.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] ‘S ann le Anndra Twort a tha an carbad. Bidh e fhèin ‘s a chompanach Claudine Bloom a’ dràibheadh tro 11 dùthaich, ochd latha ann am fàsach Gobi, ‘s feumaidh iad a h-uile càil a dh’ fheumas iad a’ ghiùlain, eadar stuth campachaidh agus càraidh. Bidh e cho teth ri 40 Celsius tron latha agus -15 air an oidhche. Ach chan e sin an dùbhlan as duilghe a bhios romhpa tha e coltach, ach a mhì-chinnt phoilitigeach.
[Anndra Twort] The political situation every time you turn the news on, there’s some story about Russia. And they’re not always good stories. How true they are we have no idea. So the political situation – not necessarily in that country but in other countries – causes some concern. That might be the biggest issue and biggest problem.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Thèid airgead a thogail do charthannas air an t-slighe - ospais chloinne ann an Sasainn agus Stòras Leanne - an cuimhne nighean òg à Leòdhas a bhàsaich air sgàth Cystic Fibrosis. Chan fhaigh an fheadhainn a bhuannaicheas an rèis ach an t-urram agus magnum champagne agus turas nach dìochuimhnich iad. Bidh ‘Amy Amazon’ agus 60 càr eile a’ fàgail Beijing air an 10mh dhen Ògmhios agus air an rathad airson còig seachdainean, mus ruig i deireadh an railidh ann am Paris air an 17mh den Iuchar.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] ‘S cinnteach gur e fìor dhùbhlan a tha gu bhith romhpa. An còrdadh e ribhse bhith còmhla riutha?
[Tormod Mac a’ Ghobhainn] Bhiodh e mìorbhaileach. Tha mi smaoineachadh ma tha ùidh agad ann an càraichean na dol air astair sam bith tha mi smaoineachadh gum biodh e mìorbhaileach.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Eilidh NicLeòid, BBC An Là.
[Iain MacLean – Presenter] Now, a couple from Lewis have set themselves a big challenge. Andrew Twort and Claudine Bloom, along with many others, will attempt one of the most famous rallies – Beijing to Paris. The car they will be using is 50 years old. Eilidh MacLeod went to see it when pupils of The Nicolson Institute were given the chance to take a look at it.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] This is ‘Amy Amazon.’ From the outside it hasn’t changed much since it was built in 1965. But inside, more than £3000 worth of work has been carried out to make it ready for the 9,000 mile trek through some of the world’s most remote areas.
[Norman Smith] The biggest modification I would say is, something they call a roll cage, something you see in every car that takes part in a rally like that. But they’ve also reinforced it with more steel on the inside, down the length of the car extending to each corner of the car, because as we were saying, parts off it will be off-road. Our roads here are bad enough with pot holes, enough to break springs and cause damage but if you imagine driving on peat roads or something similar for many miles, a regular car just wouldn’t stand up to that.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Andrew Twort owns the vehicle. He and his partner Claudine Bloom will be driving through 11 countries, 8 days in the Gobi desert and they must carry everything they will need, between camping and repair equipment. Temperatures will rise to 40 Celsius throughout the day and -15 at night. But apparently that is not the toughest challenge they will face, it’s the political uncertainty.
[Andrew Twort] The political situation every time you turn the news on, there’s some story about Russia. And they’re not always good stories. How true they are we have no idea. So the political situation – not necessarily in that country but in other countries – causes some concern. That might be the biggest issue and biggest problem.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Money will be raised for charity en route – for a children’s hospice in England and The Leanne Fund – in memory of a young girl from Lewis who died from Cystic Fibrosis. Those who win the race will simply be awarded the honour and receive a magnum of champagne, and a journey they will never forget. ‘Amy Amazon’ and 60 other cars will leave Beijing on the 10th June and will be on the road for five weeks before reaching the rally finish line in Paris on 17th July.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] They certainly face a real challenge. Would you like to be going along with them?
[Norman Smith] It would be wonderful. I think for anybody with an interest in driving cars long distance it would be amazing.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Eilidh MacLeod, BBC An Là.