Brian Allan, 1951 - 2014

Sad to report that Brian Allan passed away suddenly last Friday (31^st Jan). He was actually at work at the time at Whauphill near Newton Stewart, so the death came as a real shock to his family and friends.

Rallying’s old, and many not so old, timers will know him well from his early days in a Mini, a MkI and latterly a MkII.

He always regarded his rallying as a bit of fun and a good day’s sport, especially the after-rally party, which he took pretty seriously at times, as I know to my own cost! It was just a few years back at the Merrick Rally and he wasn’t competing, but when I popped into the Bladnoch Inn that evening, a shout went up from the saloon bar: “Hey Jaggy, come and join us.” I joined him, and a few other locals. Bad move.  

Brian in fact was also very highly regarded in farming circles as a cattle breeder at Glenturk Farm, exhibitor at agricultural shows and was highly regarded as a top cattle judge. Maybe that was why he played so hard.

His last event was probably the 2005 Autumn Stages Rally at Drumlanrig Castle. Brian and big Davie ‘Plod’ Reid were lying second to Ivor Clark at the start of the final stage and Ivor had nearly a minute in hand. But then on the final bend of the final stage, a wheel fell off the Avenger. Brian and Plod swept past in the MkII to take victory.

Mind you they had been even luckier than that. On the ninth stage (out of 16) Brian overshot a hairpin and was heading for a fence when he just managed to get it through a gateway, handbraked it in the field and was back on the road in a jiffy. Big sighs all round – no damage to car or gateposts, so no additional expense!

He scored his first rally win in 1973 with Plod on the Machars Rally and the pairing were a regular sight on rallies in the MkI before the MkII appeared in 2004. They never contested a full championship season (due to farming demands) but competed as and when they could. A contemporary of Drew Gallacher and Murray Grierson, there was never any doubt that Brian was quick in a rally car, and who knows what he might have achieved in his sport had it not been for his work commitments.

Our thoughts go out to wife Lynn, Carolynn and Graham, and to Paul and Fiona and the grandchildren Jack, Megan and Olivia.

The Funeral service will take place at Penninghame St John’s Church, Church Street, Newton Stewart DG8 6HG, on Monday 10th February 2014 at 12 noon.

Thereafter interment at Newton Stewart Cemetery. Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to Spinal Research on retiral from church.