Hi, I’m Roy Locock, born 1947 in the city of Winchester, England. Trained as radio communications engineer and was with the Philips Group for over 20 years before joining Cellnet (now 02). Finally setting-up a successful computer software and outsourcing company before retiring in 2006.
My only relevant qualifications for this project are a driving license and the love of travel. I do not speak any languages other than English and I am not a motor mechanic.
As a child I always had a wanderlust but being brought-up during the 1950’s and 60’s foreign travel was very limited for the average person. So as an adult I have always accepted every opportunity that came my way to see the world and now that I have retired I can make my own opportunities.
Pit Crew
As with any project of this magnitude it is not the result of the effort of just one person. I have received magnificent support, both in the restoration of the car and in maintaining my enthusiasm, from my neighbour and great friend of 30 years, Alan Lines. Alan is now holding the fort at mission control.
This web site has been created and maintained, without cost to the venture, by Financial Private Clients Ltd.
Technical assistance on the engine has been forthcoming from Range Rover Services of Oxford and the supply of parts and technical advice came from Summit MG Motors of Maidenhead.
23 responses so far ↓
1 Jean and John King // Jun 21, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Good Luck! We will be travelling along with you through your diary reports, and look forward to welcoming you at the Oxfordshire MG Owers Club on your return.
2 darren green // Jun 26, 2008 at 5:00 am
hi roy
darren here just like to wish you and bridget the midget good luck and all the best from the green family here in thailand.. takecare and have a great and safe journey mate darren green
3 allan stoddon // Jul 1, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Hi Roy,
This is the first i have heard of this amazing journey. May i and gill wish you and bridgett the midget every success in what has to be everyones dream come true. Keep flying the flag, be in touch soon.
4 Tim Hobin // Jul 15, 2008 at 3:09 am
Hey john…..fair play….great idea, great car, great adventure….
So youre in turkey…fabulous went thru in my4×4 a couple of years ago….wait till you get to iran…one of the best kept secrets in travelling and never a problem….Bridget will feel at home with all the Hillman Hunters around.
Im heading home {uk} from Australia on my motorbike and leave for east Timor on thursday…ill keep an eye out for you…maybe we could have a beer together….
Later tim
5 oguzhan // Jul 26, 2008 at 1:25 pm
merhaba. sizinle samsun yolunda karşılaşmıştık. yolculuk nasıl gidiyor.selamlar
6 Gill and Myrick // Nov 4, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Glad all is still going well, we read all your diary entries with great interest, enjoy Australia, and a safe and peaceful onward journey.
Gill and Myrick
xxxxx
Hi Gill and Myrick, thanks. Hope you’re keeping your neighbour in line. See you next year! - Roy
7 Wollongong HWP // Nov 29, 2008 at 3:35 am
Roy,
It was nice to meet you at Batemans Bay 2008. We can not believe that Bridget outran us on the quater mile.
Adam and Adrian Wollongong Police
PS we still think that Bridget would fit in the back of the SS
Thanks guys. You do a great job, albeit slowly. - Roy
8 Mark Thomas // Dec 19, 2008 at 2:02 am
Hi Roy,
Just read about your trip, may be able to help.
I’m on the Gold coast at the moment so if you can get in touch a.s.a.p we can talk further
All good wishes
Mark Thomas
9 Pauline Hayward // Jan 25, 2009 at 2:01 pm
My husband, who is Chief Engineer abaord the customs vessel ‘Triton’ in Darwin harbour phoned me this morning, Sunday 25th January to tell me he was looking at Bridget outside the Holiday Inn in Darwin. he wanted me to look up your website as he was intrigued what your MG was doing there. he was attracted by the UK number plate. i am in South Wales in the UK. just shows what a small world this is with modern communications!
Good luck with the rest of your trip.
Hi Pauline, thanks and if your Hubby wants to pop in for a chat next time he passes I’d be delighted - Roy
10 Sandra Stancliffe // Mar 12, 2009 at 1:11 am
Hello Roy
I enjoyed our chat outside the bottle shop in Perth ,what an amazing journey you are on. I will read your diary with great interest from now on. Enjoy your trip to see your Grand Children.
God speed and take care.
Sandra
The bottle shop!! That’s my reputation down the drain. Thanks anyway Sandra, and it was good talking to you. - Roy
11 Azim Bhatia // Apr 16, 2009 at 4:24 am
Hello Roy,
I have just read about you in Enjoying MG and am very interested in finding out a bit more about your plans to visit Canada. I am in Calgary, Alberta and our local MG Club is celebrating our 30th Anniversary this June 19, 20 and 21st in Fairmont, British Columbia. It would be wonderful if these dates happen to coincide with your drive through Canada. I’m sure all the people who are planning on attanding our event would be very interested in meeting you and hearing about your travels. I know it must be pretty difficult to answer every person’s e-mails, but if at all possible, I would love to hear from you and about your plans in Canada.
Best of luck to you. A very noble cause…
Azim
Hi Azim, thanks you are very kind. The ship carrying Bridget to Argentina is two weeks late and I won’t be starting out again until around the 20th May. I will e-mail you direct regarding my ETA in Canada. - Roy
12 erica // May 29, 2009 at 2:08 am
hi Roy, I’ve just met you in Laboulaye , Cordoba , Argentina…and as all good things in life , this happens by chance ! I was asked by some journalists from town to be the interpreter in an interview . of course I had to translate what they told me to , but I would have loved to continue talking to you , to know more about your daring adventure !I want to congratulate you …and to wish you all the best !
love from , erica
Hi Erica, thank you, you are too kind. Best of luck with the book shop, everyone should pop-in to buy one! - love Roy
13 Dave // Jun 2, 2009 at 7:25 am
G’day Roy
Dave here from the Cattlemans Rest in Charters Towers, Aust. Good to see you’ve made it over that side of the Pacific. Enjoyed catching up on your diary and I will be keepin an eye on your progress. Good luck, have a ball….P.s. my golf has gone to shit.
Hey Dave, great to hear from you. Trust the floods have all gone. - Roy
14 Don Scott // Jul 25, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Roy - Welcome to the States! It has been fascinating to follow you on your travels - what an undertaking. If your route will take you throught the northwest of the US, I have some suggestions for great MG roads. Plus, if you are passing through the Portland, Oregon area I would love to offer a pint. Best of luck on you continued travels.
Hi Don and thanks you for your welcome. I will let you know about visiting Portland, as last time I did was just a week before Mt St Helens blew her top. - Roy
15 Derek & Cheryl // Jul 29, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Hi, Roy,
Today we passed you & waved in our severely hail stone dented Honda minivan on I-35 near Waco, Texas. What a fantastic journey for a very worthy cause! We are on our way to Asheville, North Carolina, with our 5-year-old-daughter. We’re very happy to be getting out of Austin, the capital city of Texas where we live, and its now month long wave of 100+-degree (F) days! Have to go back in August, but a bit of a break is lovely.
Our sunhats are off to you, Sir! Best wishes on the rest if your odyssey.
–Cheryl & Derek
Hi Cheryl and Derek, thanks for the comments. It has been a wee bit warm down here but we’re used to it.
16 Steve // Aug 1, 2009 at 4:29 am
What an inspiring adventure–thanks for sharing it with all of us! My one request is that in your photos we’d really like to see more of the car itself! We can see pics of some of those places pretty easily, but not with an LBC in them!
Hi Steve, will do what I can, but many of the places can’t be seen by all of our followers, as they account for 54 different countries. - Roy
17 Wendy and Larry Mills // Aug 6, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Just spotted Bridget in Las Vegas, NV. Good luck on your great adventure. Above all…Drive safe.
Thank yo Wendy and Larry. Enjoy the site. - Roy
18 john Leonard // Sep 3, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Roy….Just heard you arrived in Regina after so many many miles of travel….following the compass north….Hope your stay in Canada is enjoyable…many roads to follow here in any direction….You picked a good time to travel here as the fall is drawing near and cold weather can play havoc on machines and spirits. Good luck in your sojourns. I was one of the fortunate ones who, in my youth got to travel via ship and train to India and back to Canada.
Again, all the best!
John Leonard
Hello John, thanks very much. Canada so far is great. - Roy
19 Swaroop // Sep 4, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Roy,
You are my absolute Hero, I am a 27 year old from (Bangalore) India and some day when I can muster enough courage I would like to go on a journey in a manner similar to your adventure. You must have lot of courage and adventure in your heart to do something of this sort, something most of us just fantasize about. I will pray for your safe journey and may you enjoy your amazing adventure.
You Rock,
Regards,
Swaroop
Hi Swaroop and thanks for you message. This is just the sort of thing that makes the whole journey worthwhile. Follow your heart and good luck, don’t let anyone tell you “You can’t do it”. - Roy
20 Jack Lee // Sep 5, 2009 at 12:42 am
Hi Roy
You seem just the kind of lunatic I like.
I considered something similar myself with my Midget a few years back. I’d left mine in someone’s front garden while I went to work in Spain, came home and returned with the Midget.
Broke down just as I was getting on the ferry to Santander - did a repair on board the boat (small hose) and went with a VERY unreliable car to Spain.
Needless to say, a lot went wrong with the car while I was travelling. It looked like a wreck, but I knew the car well, and took all my tools. Alternator went first. Replaced bushes. But the clutch went when I hit a rock up a mountain near Granada.
Drove back to England with no light, and no clutch. Had to do no clutch gear changes as I drove round the perepherique in Paris on a friday rush hour. Ended up having to push the car onto the ferry from Calais.
But I would have taken that car anywhere. Only reason I came back was because I saw a really bad car crash near Madrid. Shook me up, and I just had to go back to UK
Now in America, and driving a Miata. Came here without a car, but without anything else either - just the clothes I stood in, and a small suitcase and guitar. Not even any money!
Life has to be an adventure, eh?
You should put it to music Jack, sounds good to me. I take it your now a Billionaire, regards - Roy
21 Kendra D // Sep 9, 2009 at 1:33 am
Good evening,
Just wanted to say while driving on highway 17 in Ontario, we passed you and bridget, we were heading towards Sudbury, ON, northern ontario, where were you heading at that time? I think its absolutely great your doing this, it definately caught my eye as I saw bridget with an english plate. I actually remembered the website, so I was able to get on and see what you were all about. Good luck with your travels and congrats. My mom had an a car like bridget and now she drives a 1970 lotus elan.
Hi Kendra, thanks for the message and glad you enjoyed the site. I was on route to Ottawa where I am tonight. Lotus is a fun car. Best wishes - Roy
22 Jim Tew // Sep 22, 2009 at 2:18 am
Roy
We chatted briefly at a pull-over near Perce, Quebec. Your trip is inspirational and looks like you will pull it out ! I met a fellow from Toronto later that day who had spent a half-hour talking with you before you came around the tip of the peninsula. I will make a contribution to UNICEF and look forward to reading the entire account.’
my best to Bridget.
Hi Jim, thanks very much for your kind message and contribution. Hope you enjoy the site. - Roy
Jim Tew
Rockport, MA usa
23 ADIL BHAMGARA // Mar 20, 2010 at 9:47 am
HI ROY
HAVING MET U IN AGRA INDIA AT THE HOTEL NOW I HAVE FORGOTTEN THE HOTEL NAME ALSO ,YOU WERE IN BRIDGET THE MIDGET AROUND THE WORLD ,WAS THEN FOLLOWING U ON NET ,ITS REALLY GREAT TO HAVE MET U ,ALSO YOU HAD CLICKED MY SMALL DAUGHTER JIA IN THE PORCH OF THE HOTEL IN YOUR CAR ,I DONT SEE HER SNAP ANYWERE,IN YOUR COLLECTION, IF YOU SO HAVE IT I WILL BE VERY HAPPY IF U WOULD EMAIL IT TO ME ,
BIG REGARDS
ADIL
Hello Adil, how nice to hear from you. I hope you and your family are well and yes, I do remember snapping Jia. She is gorgeous but I am afraid many of the photos I took around the hotel that day were poorly focused and I deleted them. I’m so sorry. Glad you like the site, we’re off again in June after the UK tour. - Roy
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