by Stuart Knox
On a lovely hot July Sunday, I climbed into my pride and joy, my Morgan Aero8 and with my dog Murphy; dropped my partner Jan at the airport and cruised down the M2 motorway towards Belfast. My mind was still rejoicing on the previous two weeks of driving in France.
I was in the middle lane of the motorway, just following the drifting traffic into town with the soft wind blowing my hair and listening to R5 Live and Rory MacIroy trying to win the Open.
I was following a maroon Mini. In an instant he swerved into the outside lane and there to replace him in the same lane, 15 metres away was a silver car at speed facing ME.
No time. No alternatives. No escape.
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TWO WEEKS EARLIER ——-
Jan and I, all packed up in our two-year-old Morgan Aero8 series 5, headed down Ireland to Cork in 28 degrees.
A pleasant tour of the city and on to the overnight ferry to Roscoff.
We arrived at the French port next day and headed for Nantes to stay with French friends, Jan’s business colleague Jacques Soignon and his wife Regine
Jacques is a European leader on urban Green Space planning and creating Nature Cities. Anyone passing this area must stop and see how a city can morph its environment from an once struggling Atlantic port city to the most successful inward investment area in Europe, along with bike and pedestrian friendly tourism. Creative stars are the giant puppets (30 foot high wooden elephant, human figures and a new heron tree of life). All this new art construction using the old shipbuilding hangers and warehouses.
Off again to Le Mans 24 Classic Race with a hotel on the Mulsanne Straight for four great and noisy days and nights. One big fiesta with lots of great Morgan people and their cars dominating the hotel.
Off again to the sea onto the peninsular of Noirmoutier-en-l’Ile, across a two mile causeway, only open a few houses every 12 when the tide is low. See the high tide picture !
Five relaxing and quiet days followed, cycling and on the beach, eating local mussels and oysters watching the closing chapters for England at the World Cup amidst the jubilant French. What a journey of three contrasting places! We drifted home via Normandy and D Day areas, took the ferry and back up Ireland. Through 1,700 miles we had the roof down every minute and never put it up at night either, thanks to a neat storm cover from Kit- Kat. .
Home a few days basking in the memories and my perfect car. I have been a Morgan driver for 34 years, with a first order for one in 1977. This one was the best. And now…………..
BUT there is a flash of a car coming through between two cars and the wrong way at probably 60 /70 MPH matching my 65 MPH .
Noise and glass..pain..smoke and metal everywhere. Some other cars caught in the collateral damage.
The Morgan had nothing left in front but the V8 engine block; doors crumpled; cars everywhere. The engine and gearbox of the other car was up the road!
Miraculously, I unclipped and slid up out of the seat. People came up to help and were astonished I was alive. Also Murphy is in the passenger footwell and was alive; the golf commentary was still going.
The cockpit stayed solid through all this with the big engine not giving in to the compression.
I was off to Hospital for the day and released with unbelievably no injuries to me.
Murphy was checked by the vet and released too.
Thanks to Morgan for the strong build, you saved my life. The police and Fire brigade agreed
Very sadly the oncoming driver did not survive.
Maybe it was fate that the Aero8 was hit. The police said any small engine car and I would not be here.
Engine of the other car on the far left
Better not to dwell, but my first call Monday morning was to Morgan..