[Samurai]

As Land Rover completes its 70th year, they took an interesting way to celebrate the milestone.

The Land Rover has had a very interesting history. It was inspired by the success of WWII Jeeps, but was created for agricultural use initially. In fact, the very first prototypes were built using a Jeep chassis and Rover engine, but with lighter body panels using alloys.

When Land Rover was first launched in 1948, it became a sensation. Although the original purpose was agriculture, people around the world discovered that it can be used in every off-road condition.

This was the original Land Rover with the famous registration HUE 166. It had the same wheelbase as the WWII Jeep, which is 2032 mm. What makes this variant conspicuous is the placement of lights behind the grill, placement of turn lights below the windshield and the flat doors with no handle. In order to open the door, one had to poke their hand through a gap and open it from the inside.

The first Land Rover Series I:

Image by DeFacto [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Around this time, India had just attained independence. However, there were lots of British plantation owners/managers who were content with staying back in India. The last of the British expats stuck around until the early 70s. Check out this 30-year-old article describing the life of those British owners/managers of that period.

While most of the plantations and farms around India quickly adopted the Mahindra-made Willys Jeeps, the British expats preferred the British-made Land Rovers. But that was not the only reason. One can guess that the Indian made Willys Jeep must have been cheaper than the imported Land Rovers. However, the tea plantations that lined the Himalayas discovered that Land Rovers were unbelievably reliable and rugged in that punishing terrain. That started the love affair between the Himalayan tea plantations and the Land Rovers.

For the next 25 years, these tea plantations kept buying and using Land Rovers. As the British started selling the plantations to Indian owners, they also auctioned or sold off their aging Land Rovers (Series I and II) to locals, who immediately put them into taxi and goods transport duties. Most of those 50 to 70-year-old Land Rovers are still around, doing daily goods/passenger runs on the hill roads between Maneybhanjang (6600 ft), Sandakphu (12000 ft) and Phalut (11800 ft).

Of course, these vehicles are maintained by local FNGs. Since parts are hard to come by, there is a local cottage industry that makes parts for the old Landys by modifying Mahindra Jeep parts. Most of these Landys are running Mahindra engines too. Only a few are still using the original engine.

It is not odd to see an occasional Mahindra Bolero or Thar on these roads. But the only ancient car model on these roads is the Landy. The Land Rovers of Maneybhanjang have become an important legacy in the history of Land Rover.

As part of the 70th anniversary celebrations, Land Rover India decided to highlight this love story between the ancient Landy and the people of this hilly area. They did that by arranging a media drive, where a convoy consisting of ancient Landys and modern descendants like the Discovery and the Discovery Sport tackle the hilly roads between Maneybhanjang and Sandakphu.

We landed at Bagdogra Airport (Siliguri) and took off towards Chamong, riding in modern Land Rover Discovery and Discovery Sport models.

Land Rover Discovery Sport HSE:


Land Rover Discovery HSE:


The views along the way were just awesome:






Our convoy:




The hotel in Chamong was fully geared up for the 70th birthday celebrations:




The entire Land Rover model line-up was described on the wall:


There was also a wall full of great moments over the last few decades. Click on it for the high-resolution view:


There was a newly restored Land Rover Series I (1955 model) parked near the reception:

[Samurai]

Next morning, we left for Maneybhanjang at around 7 am. It is an interesting town. It falls literally along the India-Nepal border! Left side of the street is Nepal and right side of the street is India. If you get down from the passenger side, you are in Nepal . I had never been to Nepal before, but that day I wandered in and out of Nepal at least a dozen times.

I got into the driver's seat of a Discovery Sport at Maneybhanjang. Our plan was to drive from Maneybhanjang (6600 ft) to Sandakphu (12000 ft) covering 31 kms in 5 hours, although Google Maps says it takes only 1.5 hours . Notice how the route goes along the India-Nepal border all the way:


And this is how the terrain starts from Maneybhanjang:


A more zoomed out view of the route from Maneybhanjang. Although Google shows the whole route in blue, I think we re-routed via the red path to avoid going into Nepal too much:

[Samurai]

Since I was driving on a very narrow and wildly hilly terrain, there was hardly any opportunity for me to shoot photographs on the way. I decided to shoot on my return trip instead. The day was also very dull thanks to the fog. Fortunately for us, the Land Rover official photographer was taking photographs from the best vantages as we drove. You will see some photographs from that collection. They are watermarked on the right bottom corner.

Most of the path was either tarmac or concrete, with a barrier on the side. About 25% of it was either mud trails or cobblestones. This is the part where it gets scary because there were no barriers along the road edge bordering a 100-1000 ft drop down the mountain. While driving up, I would regularly encounter a left turn with a dropping trail. Trying to look over the huge hood of the Discovery Sport, I couldn’t see the right-side road edge. I would just see a steep valley beyond the hood. In a Jeep or older Landy, one can just lean out of the window and see the road edge. But that is not possible in an SUV. So, I tended to keep to the left, and the instructor kept telling me to move to the center all the time. I guess once you get used to those roads, one can confidently drive in the middle. But this was my first experience driving an SUV on very narrow Himalayan trails and those sheer drops were downright scary to me.

Here are a couple of examples:


This is a snapshot from the Overdrive video of the same event:


Let’s look at some of the photographs of the drive:

[Samurai]

The last 3 kms to Sandakphu were the most treacherous. In fact, at this point, the instructors were asked to take over unless the driver was very confident. After driving the Discovery Sport for 4 hours, I was super confident. Heck, even my mother would have been confident.

Those of you who are familiar with the Sandakphu trail may want to know how difficult it is to drive an SUV on such a narrow trail with insane inclines and never-ending hairpin curves. Well, it was ridiculously easy. As a former Jeeper, I knew the planning it takes to conquer those inclines. Since I live close to Agumbe Ghats, I am no stranger to hairpin curves either. One has to be in the right gear, right momentum, and the right line to hit the apex of the curve. However, I soon discovered that the Discovery Sport didn’t demand much from me. All I had to do was take a wide turn and hit the apex. Since the SUV has a 9-speed auto-transmission, I didn’t have to pick the gear. The momentum didn’t matter because it had enough electronic wizardry to get you out of any situation. I could stop in the middle of a very steep hairpin curve and then resume as if I am on a flat road.

Some of the tech onboard:


Currently, only high-end SUVs (>35L) have these capabilities. In another 10-15 years, I suspect any 4WD SUV will have these as standard (just like ABS & Airbags have filtered down). Once that happens, I guess offroad driving skills will be as obsolete as stage-coach driving skills.

I used to think that these high-end SUVs are only good for mall-crawling, and real hard-core offroad trail driving is still the domain for old school Jeeps, Gypsies and Landys. Well, I stand corrected. This drive proved that modern SUVs are as capable as the old girls, and some even more. You can drive it without needing any offroad driving skills, and in sheer luxury to boot. Even the larger Discovery HSE, which costs more than Rs. 1 crore OTR performed wonderfully on the same terrain. I was only driving a pesky Rs. 60 lakhs OTR SUV. Of course, with old & basic offroaders, you aren't worried about damage. In expensive SUVs, you will be (e.g. headlamps cost well into the 6 figures).

The last 3 kms were full of insane hairpin curves, sometimes 2-3 of them were back to back. Those driving the completely manual 4WD vehicles had to be very focused to keep their act together in order to avoid stalling, not lose momentum nor their nerve. But those of us driving the modern Land Rovers didn’t have to stress ourselves. We practically yawned our way up that stretch.

When we finally reached Sandakphu, the visibility was less than 50 feet. While driving those 5 hours, one thought kept coming to my mind. Although the trail is much improved now with 75% tarmac and concrete, it was a lot harsher in the earlier days when only Landys used to roam around. Why did people travel to these places everyday? Why did people live in such unforgiving remote places? I mean, really.

Then, I entered a guest house that appeared out of the foggy haze. The temperature was down to 5C, and I needed to escape the wind that was pushing the windchill down to negative numbers. Inside the guest house, I see this photograph:


Turns out, this is what you can see from Sandakphu on a clear day, if that ever happens. I guess unless you live there for a year, you might never get so lucky. Since I had trekked in Sikkim back in 2005, I could recognise certain names like Bakhim & Dzongri where I have spent nights. In fact, you can see 3 of the top 4 tallest mountains in the world from Sandakphu.

#1 - Everest
#3 - Kangchenjunga
#4 - Lhotse

I have obtained some 3D terrain views from Google Maps to give you all an idea. Please see these in full size to get the full effect.

This image shows Kangchenjunga on the extreme left and Sandakphu on the extreme right. The names Pelling and Yuksom were again places where I have stayed during my 2005 trek:


The following images show Everest/Lhotse on the top left, and Kangchenjunga on the top right, while Sandakphu is marked below:




It was disappointing that we couldn’t see such a spectacle after coming up here with so much effort. Such is the nature of mother nature. After having a lunch of fruits, pastries and coffee, we turned back.

The heritage Land Rovers that were part of our convoy. The middle one is a Series II and the rest are Series I:


The modern Land Rovers that were part of the convoy:

[Samurai]

While going back we had the option of driving one of the heritage vehicles. At first, I was planning to. However, after seeing the narrow margin of error allowed by the terrain, I started having second thoughts. Unlike the modern Land Rovers, the old Landys are entirely mechanical. They have drum brakes all around, no power steering, possible steering play, and will be in 2WD mode while driving downhill. As a former Jeeper, I was aware of how much time it takes to get used to a mechanical 4WD vehicle, and how many mistakes can be committed during the initial period. Considering the unforgiving terrain, that is narrow trails with 1000 feet drops on one side, there is no room for mistakes here. Then I noticed that none of those heritage vehicles had seatbelts. Heck, both my old Jeeps had seatbelts. That was the only safety feature they had. That kind of sealed it for me. So I chickened out.

Instead, I sat in the passenger seat and watched a local lady driver drive it like a boss. It was her grandfather’s Series II Lightweight, smaller than most other models running around the area. This model was specifically built for British military for air dropping into combat areas via helicopters:


This is Samantha Dong, the 3rd-generation owner of the Landy she is driving. It was driven by her father and grandfather before her. Her childhood and now her livelihood has been around the old Land Rovers. She probably knew every curve and every tree on this route, and it showed:

https://youtu.be/FmErLKCJVbg

https://youtu.be/v44grj7cHYA

It was very hard to talk in this vehicle because of the loud engine noise. I suspect it was probably running a Mahindra DI engine. But one doesn’t need to talk, the scenery makes up for it. A couple of other journalists who didn't carry my Jeep baggage, drove the heritage vehicle without falling over the edge. Next day, one of them told me that the steering was quite precise and the vehicle was easy to drive. Aaah, maybe I should have driven it.

On the way down, I spent roughly half the time in the Discovery Sport and the remaining in the Series II Lightweight. My primary goal was to shoot photos and catch the majesty of the mountains & vehicles in action.

Some shots from the final 3 kms to Sandakphu:












While the intense fog killed the distance views for us, it also created a surreal view of the hills. I felt like clicking at every turn:




















On the way back, we had a lot less interruptions. But I did jump out a few times to shoot the cars with the scenery. Since the trails were so narrow, it was hard to get a wider shot without pre-planning:












I have to say, Land Rover successfully drove home one point via this drive. When it comes to trail driving, the modern Rs. 1 crore Land Rover Discovery is as capable as the good old Landy, if not more. And not only that, unlike the old Landy, you don’t need any offroad driving skills. The modern Land Rovers are not just mall crawlers. On the other hand, if you have only driven to malls, you can drive up to Sandakphu in a Discovery without a sweat. The vehicle does everything for you.

The New and the Old:


Disclaimer: Land Rover invited Team-BHP for the 70th anniversary celebrations. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

[Aditya]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues Section. Thanks for sharing!

[Akshitsi]

A beautifully written post and seems like the whole experience as as thrilling as it was fun! I wish i could be a part of such an experience.
What comes as a surprise is that the old Land Rovers do not fall behind in terms of off-road performance even after so much electronic wizardry being introduced in the modern day vehicles. Guess it is rightly said that old is gold!
Cheers!

[Turbanator]

What a wonderful thread, Samurai. Absolutely enjoyed every picture and your description.

So, what about the famous sayings about Land Rovers

"If you want to reach the top of the mountain bring a Land Rover, if you want to make it back down bring a Land Cruiser.”

[adg_andy]

Fantastic article . You stirred up old memories. My dad was in the state electricity board and I accompanied him and his colleagues many times in those landies , to attend to power outages

[BlackPearl]

Lovely narration and pictures! I have been to this place so many times, still want to go back if I get the opportunity.
I was pleasantly surprised to read that the Discovery Sport without the low ratio GB did the last 3 kilometers easily. The first Duster AWD that went with us on this route in 2016 had struggled a lot.

[SJM1214]

I was eagerly waiting for this report/travelogue after this thread:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intern...ebrations.html

& GTO's comment:

They're celebrating the 70th in India too, with a drive somewhere in West Bengal. Moderator Samurai is going for the same.

Thank you very Much, Samurai, for this excellent write-up with amazing pictures.

[Unavowed_X9]

Originally Posted by Samurai

The last 3 kms to Sandakphu were the most treacherous. In fact, at this point, the instructors were asked to take over unless the driver was very confident. After driving the Discovery Sport for 4 hours, I was super confident. Heck, even my mother would have been confident.

Those of you who are familiar with the Sandakphu trail may want to know how difficult it is to drive an SUV on such a narrow trail with insane inclines and never-ending hairpin curves.
The modern Land Rovers that were part of the convoy:

@Samurai
This is a section so very close to my heart after having done that stretch in pitch darkness in May 2016. I did it in my Pajero GLX (Travelogue post as Pajero, Duster & Thar: Zero visibility raid on Sandakphu!).

Link to travelogue : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...sandakphu.html

Yes, the last 3 km is sensationally tricky.
The LRs are the basic mode of transport there, albeit their transplanted powertrains just having their shell and transmission intact.
Im really amazed how long they have managed to keep going, and hope they retain their charm for eternity.
Great thread by the way!
Congratulations on scaling Sandakphu, considering I do rate this as one of the technically challenging trails of the country.

Unavowed_X9

[sparky@home]

@Samurai,
Simply awesome, the sights are out of this world, nice write up.
Cheers.

[mi2n]

Super occasion, super adventure and super pictures! Many congratulations on completing the S'phu trail. Thanks for sharing.

[nvldvr]

Wow. Thanks for sharing this experience with us. Almost felt myself going up to Sandakphu and back in those Rovers. And also, amazing panoramic coverage of the Himalayan ranges around Sandakphu in those Google Earth shots.