Birtles and the Bean

Follow Warren Brown and Matthew Benns from The Daily Telegraph as they recreate Francis Birtles' 1927 journey from London to Melbourne in the Bean open-top sports car.

Birtles and Bean, the trip from London to Sydney with Daily Telegraph journalists Warren Brown and Matthew Benns. The pair are in Saudi Arabia crossing the desert.

NSW

‘Astonished to see’: Why roadster tackled Saudi Arabian desert

More than 100 years ago Lawence of Arabia crossed the uncharted Nafud desert by camel over months. Now a vintage roadster has taken on the same task. Here’s why.

Birtles and Bean Round the world trip with Daily Telegraph Cartoonist, Warren Brown and Journalist, Matthew Benns. Greeted by groups of school kids as guests of the Greco Roman Museum Alexandria . Picture: Supplied

Lifestyle

Crossing the Red Sea – and a sea of bureaucracy

The Bean team were welcomed with open arms by the roadster-loving public of Egypt, but when they attempted get to their 100-year-old motor car through customs they were met with hours of mind-numbing checks and inspections.

, Birtles and Bean Round the world trip with Daily Telegraph Cartoonist, Warren Brown and Journalist, Matthew Benns. The pair have made it to Cairo, Egypt. Picture: Supplied.,

NSW

‘Bit chaotic’: Inside the mission to push a roadster to the pyramids

It had been a long wait and a mountain of paperwork for this red Bean 14 roadster to hit the road to the Egyptian capital in the name of charity. Here’s how it played out.

Birtles and Bean Warren Brown and Matthew Benns round the world feature.Warren Brown with an ww2 allied truck retrieved from the Wattana Depression from the 1942 Battle of El Alamein

NSW

When an unexpected delay turns into a privilege

The war in Gaza has delayed the arrival of the Bean to Alexandria, leaving our intrepid travellers stranded. But in true pioneering form, they used the time to go exploring.