Mick WALSH

'The Allard family has a remarkable rallying history, from Sydney's 1949 Monte debut to Alan's '60s sorties'

The Allard Archives, based at Gloucestershire Technology & Science Park on the Severn Estuary, has long been on my list of 'must-visits'. Founder Sydney Allard would be amused that the impressive family collection, curated by grandson Gavin, is close to a decommissioned nuclear power station. From clockwork toys to trophies, the diversity of artefacts is amazing.

For me, road trips with pals are always relished, and the run down the M4 flashed by in the company of Colin Mullan and Aussie mate Kerry Horan. We're all fans of Clapham's finest, with different links to the marque. In his drag-racing years, Colin's immaculate tangerine Vauxhall Invader ran against Alan Allard's supercharged Ford Anglia 'Dragon' at various airfield strips. Kerry's enthusiasm runs deeper, including racing his 520bhp Chrysler Hemi-powered K2 all over Europe in the 1990s. Kerry has been a generous patron of the Allard Archives, sourcing rare items for the display. Stories were relayed with much banter, but we all went quiet as we arrived at the old Berkeley powerplant site, which was built in 1956 just as Allard went into administration.