MG CAR CLUB member Roy Locock completed his 39,000 mile, 17 month round-the-world journey at Kimber House on Friday afternoon. Roy and ‘Bridget’, his affectionately nicknamed 1977 MG Midget, journeyed through a total of 27 countries in a trip that saw the Oxfordshire based enthusiast dodge gunfire from the Taliban in Pakistan and narrowly avoid flash floods in Australia.
62 year old Roy was greeted in Cemetery Road Abingdon, the marque’s spiritual home, by dozens of motoring enthusiasts and an array of journalists. The Abingdon Mayor, Councillor Patricia Hobby, was also in attendance to pass on her congratulations as were plenty of former MG factory employees. The eye-watering adventure has raised over £3,000 for Unicef and donations are still pouring in.
Roy’s car, Bridget the Midget, received invaluable help from affiliated worldwide MG Car Club centres in every corner of the globe. A complete engine re-build in Western Australia prepared Bridget for the long journey through South America’s often treacherous roads.
Roy said:
“It has been an absolutely amazing experience. I had two sports bags in the passenger seat with all my clothes in, and that was it. The boot was filled with spare parts.
“One of the first things I have to do is see my two grandchildren. The youngest one, Matilda, doesn’t really know me. She was only six months old when I left. I just love travelling, and I will miss that, but it’s good to be back to see friends and family.”
Roy carried on despite an earthquake in Panama and Taliban attacks in Quetta, Pakistan.
He said: “I woke up one morning and the hotel was shaking. There was mortar fire outside, followed by small arms fire. The Taliban were firing on the army garrison next door. But the only time I was really concerned for safety was in the Northern Territories in Australia, when the area suffered the worst floods in 30 years. Over here, really bad floods are six feet deep, but over there, they are 66 feet. The extremes of weather are incredible. I was held up in Queensland for four weeks as a result.”
He added: “Bridget was absolutely amazing.” He wants to publish a book about the adventure before planning a new trip to drive the length of Africa.
To find out more or to make a donation, please visit www.bridgetthemidget.co.uk
