7: Winning Ways

Another outright win!

…and so, with finances at full stretch, the ad hoc navigation continued. Drivers got to know that if their regular navigator wasn’t available, I was happy to stand in, and occasionally this would be for more than one event. Around that time Mark Harrison, who still runs Stuart Frazer Kitchens, was usually teamed with a navigator who would later go on to a successful long-term partnership with me (and also ‘navigator to the celebrities’) – John Meadows – but he couldn’t make the 1980 Devil’s Own Rally so I took his place on the maps. We started at a relatively lowly seeding of 23; Mark was quick but deceptively so, his smooth style disguising raw speed. My dad (Roy) greeted us as we came into the half-way petrol halt – in those days there were no mobile phones or internet of course, but the organisers had arranged for interim results to be telephoned from a phone box at the last control to the garage (all very advanced stuff back then!!) – and as we arrived, Roy said, excitedly, “You’re in the lead!” “We can’t be,” I replied, “Why not?” to which I said, without thinking, “We’re not going fast enough!” Mark’s smooth driving had deceived me, and now I realised my answer had been somewhat tactless! We had an, er, 'businesslike' second half with very little chit-chat! But we finished as overall winners, no mean feat from down at no 23. Thanks Mark – now we both just wonder where all our hair went!

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More musings... here's John Morton, pictured (courtesy of Christopher Rae) with Nicky Moffitt. I’d already navigated John to his first-ever finish in the early 70s – in a mini. He’d done a few rallies but never got to the end; all I can now remember is John being cock-a-hoop at finishing, and driving down Castle Street past Woolworths at around 6.30 am. At 70 mph!!

Now he asked me to navigate again, and we did a couple of night events. John was still his confident, ebullient self; I recall travelling along Coal Pit Lane near Gisburn at what seemed like a heck of a rate of knots; near Eldroth I missed a slot left, but no sooner had I shouted “Turn around!” than my whole world seemed to turn into a slow motion spin – John had instantly executed a handbrake turn, the first time I’d ever experienced one – very exciting! And on our last event together through a tight gateway, he caught a rear wheel of the Firenza on a very solid stone milk kit stand, instantly ripping off the wheel and suspension. Immediate retirement. We spectated for a while and then along came a crew who were well known for not getting quick times. They stopped and offered me a lift to where I could get help. Soon after they stopped in the middle of a selective because the navigator wanted a pee!!

After I started driving again my regular navigator also co-drove for John in the Astra Challenge. John had lowered the passenger seat and, thinking it might be too low, asked if it was OK. “No it’s not!” came the reply, “I can still see a little bit of road over the dashboard!”

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The freelance navigator saga continues... Brian Harper, Minisport supremo, pictured here in the Allegro with Don Davidson, (thanks again to Christopher Rae for the photo) needed a map man and so I stood in on Pendle & DMC's South Valley Rally (in 79 or 80?). We had an uneventful smooth run all night resulting in the overall win, and I remember Brian being particularly pleased with the result, our first event together. So a few months later he asked me to navigate for him again. I can't remember the event, but in the first half the route took us through Malham and up the 'east' road towards the Tarn. Just before the crossroads where Mastiles Lane joins from the east, a rough track runs for about 200 metres, and as the direction of approach at the junction was from the E, I knew we had to take it. It had started to snow and we were first car on the road. Half way along the white, we hit a snowdrift and got completely stuck. Following cars could see our predicament, successfully risked 'force majeure' and stuck to the tarmac. It was the only thing to do, but Brian was furious. He paced around the car, kicking the door sills and using words I'd never heard before! If you want to know what hero to zero feels like, this was it!

6: Wedding Bells

Wedding bells...

You may wonder why I'm showing a picture of Cyril Bolton (with Ian Grindrod?). It's because in 1978 I got married. I've no complaints, and after 42 years we're still a team, but the marriage, followed by a rise in the mortgage rate, killed off my rally driving for a while. Since I could navigate, I let it be known that I was available. Now you're probably thinking "I don't remember Bill navigating for Cyril" - but that's probably because you're not thinking of the BP Economy Run. Although there was timing, the results were decided on a combination of accurate navigation and best mpg. Cyril asked me if I'd do it with him (there was some publicity involved and perhaps it was beneath the dignity of other navigators!) and so off we went to the start at Stockport for a night's very steady driving through the Derbyshire and South Yorkshire lanes. EVERY competitor had an official IN THE CAR! He or she sat in the back and ensured that you stuck to the rules - no knocking the car out of gear going downhill, no coasting, etc. I quickly realised that part of my job was to let Cyril know when said official had nodded off! Of course, I'm not saying we cheated, but... we ended up first in class.

Barry Clark commented: Two really nice and witty guys I remember Ian saying to Walter Ainsworth “Don’t ever forget Walt, I taught you all you know about rallying, but not all that I know"


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A brief interlude from the Escort photos... around 1977 Clitheroe & District Motor Club decided to embark on a PR exercise, taking rally cars to village halls and schools to entertain and educate the public. It was a lot of fun and quite successful. Here you see the first two chairmen of the club (Trevor Roberts and me) about to be besieged by would-be Grange Hill types at Read primary school...

Then I added:  There's always a story. For some reason Trevor needed me to drive his Cooper S to Read. I took it over Pendle and, being used to Escorts, complained to Trevor when I arrived that it did nothing but understeer. Trevor explained to me how it should be driven - throw it in to the corner and instead of using the steering to correct, put your foot down and let the understeer do it for you. On the way home I tried, but it still didn't seem to work. Those were the days when people drank more and still drove. We stopped at the Red Rock for 2 or 3 pints, and, would you believe it, those drinks completely transformed the handling of Trevor's Mini!!

A couple of strangely juxtaposed comments appeared.  The first was from Richard Murtha, who said "Ah, the Red Rock - it was an interesting little place in its day," and the other from Alan Barnes (again!) saying "That must be a Criminal (sic) Advertiser photograph, judging by how many faces are on it." They’d be put up in the front window of the King Street office each Thursday so grannies and mums could come in and order copies featuring their loved ones.  Eeh, they were the days!

I had to add another anecdote - The best newspaper headline I ever saw was, you guessed it, in the Clitheroe Advertiser, and it read "NO CARS STOLEN AT RED ROCK PUB" - which may not strike you at first, but the more you read it, the more you have to ask "What on earth are they talking about?!?!" The answer lay in a piece the week before, when our top local paper reported on two cars being stolen from the pub car park. The landlord, incensed at the inaccuracy of the story and worried about the effect on his trade, contacted the paper, told them the cars had NOT been stolen (only tampered with), and demanded a retraction.

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5: 77, 78

A controversial tale...

Mini Miglia I think, 77 or 78. No tie for father (Roy) again so some standards clearly slipping - but looks like I've managed to acquire some rally overalls and possibly full harness belts. The MM was a great winter event. I watched Roger Clark and Jim Porter get a WD a few years previously on their way to winning it (and the first rally win for the production Mexico). Why didn't they get a fail? They were first on the road and the marshal was so starstruck he ticked the direction of approach as correct, in error. Not much you can do about that...

Ian Wright picked up on this:  

 I was navigating for Bill Evans running car 3 behind Roger and Jim in their Mexico. Not sure what year it was. Anyone know?

I replied:  It was probably 72 or just possibly 73. I was spectating at Burholme Bridge (103/658480) and the correct direction was from the W. RAC and JP arrived over the bridge from the ESE, and not only escaped a Fail but saved at least three minutes as well!

IW: Thanks Bill, it was a privileged position to be running immediately behind them as car 2 didn't start. No dramatic wheel spinning starts from a control just a smooth take off. Not sure where we finished. I do have a silver (stainless) plate that we won but there is no inscription on it.

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The last two photos of me and dad (Roy) in my Red Mexico TCW 360K. Not sure which rallies they were or exactly when; although I'd yet to win as a driver, we must have been doing fairly well judging from the seedings. But something momentous was about to happen, which would change the way I did rallying for a while...

4: Goodbye BFR, Hello TCW

Goodbye BFR, Hello TCW

Having exhausted my supply of photos of Roy's blue Mexico BFR 632L, the story continues with my red one, TCW 360K. But it's such a long story (and may continue to be from now on...!) that I've changed format a little. Hope you like it.

The story continues. 1974: Dad (Roy) had just rolled the blue Mexico on the next event after his first overall win; his favourite rally (Mull of course!) was approaching but the car couldn’t be repaired in time. Meanwhile I’d just changed jobs and bought Jeff Smith’s road car, a MkI Mexico – but not rally prepared. I had to fit a sumpguard, roll cage, fireproof the rear bulkhead, and… I think that was all, but anything else we needed to get through scrutineering. Mid-week, with mum & dad already on Mull, I set off, arriving at Lochaline around 5pm.  When the ferry came in I asked the deckhand when it was returning to Fishnish. “Half past seven!” he replied, cheerily – “in the morning!”  Crestfallen, I drove to the Sunart Hotel and had an evening meal in the company of a travelling tailor: every spring he visited the area to measure customers for suits etc, and then in the autumn he returned to deliver, make final adjustments, and receive payment.  Something tells me that that kind of business no longer exists!

I drove back to Lochaline and slept (spent the night) in the car.  The rally format then was Saturday afternoon start with a couple of forest stages plus Glengorm, a public road but no-one bothered!  Mum was marshalling at the finish near the Tobermory junction, as I flew over the final crest, all four wheels off the ground.  “Oh my God! Said mum, “I thought you said you would take it easy!” to which I of course replied “I am doing mum…”

I can’t remember the final result – also rans I guess -  but we’d done it, finished it, car in one piece, and father’s honour still reasonably intact.  No photo from that event so here’s one from a couple of years later.

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Now for the first photo without dad Roy. My Mexico, c1976... but before I tell the story of this event, you might try to work out the identity of my navigator, a well-known figure in NW rallying circles...

...Still single, and therefore with just enough money to do the odd rally, nevertheless I continued navigating when I could, and so it was that I entered Shipley & District’s Budget Rally – 1976 ish – as John Morton’s left-hand man. But on Saturday morning John called to say his car wouldn’t be ready. Instead of non-starting though, we decided I would drive my car and John would navigate – the only problem being my rear brakes were useless.

So we took the car down to Bob Parker’s garage in Clitheroe and got the brakes working, when I happened to mention I’d no idea how to do a handbrake turn.  Astonished, Bob decided to demonstrate with his own Mexico – thankfully, as it turned out, as his near-perfect handbrake turn at the bottom of the yard ended with the rear wing making very firm contact with a wall – good job Bob was a body repair specialist!

We led the rally at petrol.  John had the rare ability to read virtual pace notes along roads he knew – from memory.  It’s a skill I’ve never had, but believe me, Fair Oak, or Little Bowland, saw us take a very comfortable fastest.  John’s wife Christine used to live at a farm on that road, so he knew it as well as anyone.

Sadly a treacherous frost descended and I became much too cautious (it really was slippery!) with the result that we dropped to 5^th overall.  Oh, and at the finish – on the outskirts of Skipton – all the competitors were interviewed by the police in connection with a murder that had taken place in the town the previous evening.  The unexpected joys of rallying!

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Another one in TCW 360K with Roy on the maps. I wish now that I'd kept better records: I had that car from 1974 to 1978 but can't be sure what year or what event this was. Still, each photo asks a few questions and evokes a few comments - Dad has eschewed his usual tie but now sports a rather nifty flat cap; he now has a light above his door to assist the marshals; and what happened to my front quarter-bumpers? If you want to know why I sold it, the reason was (a) I got married to Val (still together!) and (b) the mortgage rate went up to about 12% from 8%. Money went from tight to non-existent. But I still found a way to enjoy rallying...

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Not sure why dad (Roy) didn’t navigate on this event in August 1976, but here I am with another mystery navigator and once again I’ll see who comes up with the right name. I hope it’s a little more testing this time, but who knows?...

...Steph Mason, normally seen in those days navigating for her husband, the late Fred Mason, in his amazing Ford Anglia.  A few years earlier HRH Prince Michael of Kent entered the Devil’s Own rally, (appearing uncomfortable with his personal security guards);  I was spectating on the A683 Kirkby Lonsdale – Sedbergh road on a tight HP left junction at 97/631891.  As they came into sight, Fred and Steph had just caught HRH; he hesitated for too long on the slot left and Fred masterfully ‘undertook’ him on the inside of the junction and was gone!  Wonderful!

Prince Michael presented me and John ‘Chocolate’ Morley with our 2^nd in class award on the 1986 Lombard RAC.  Now I’m not one to name-drop… but I met him again at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party nearly six years ago, and told him of my interest in motorsport and rallying.  His eyes lit up and we would have been nattering for ages if his equerries hadn’t given him the ‘hurry-up’ after ten minutes!

I particularly remember the time around this rally, because my right testicle had become very swollen. Fortunately a very embarrassed me went to the doctor who quickly got me whisked into hospital in time to remove the offending cancerous (as it turned out) body part:  I then underwent radiotherapy at the Christie Hospital.  Over 43 years later I’m still here.  If I hadn’t gone to the doctor in good time I would have died, so take it from me (especially if you’re under 35), DON’T die from embarrassment.  Go and see your doctor if you notice anything unusual.

3: Last of the blue Mexico

...and the next set...

The penultimate photo of dad Roy's blue Mexico. For some reason I used to fly UP the hairpin at Barley Bank without any problem, but always turned in too late (as here) going down. No white stripes mean this must have been late '74 or early '75, on the event following dad's roll in the Trough of Bowland, after which the car needed more repair than usual! Not only are we BOTH sporting a tie on this occasion, but look at that spectator's flares!

A nice comment from Mark Standen

I think when all this nonsense is over - the first road rally I do I’m going to sport a shirt and tie. It’s been an ambition of mine. It would be an amazing sight to see every crew sporting a shirt and tie on the very first event. Homage to the Gentlemen Roy’s of yesteryear.

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Final picture of the blue Mexico, from the same rally as the first photo - the 74 Devil's Own. Great memories rallying with Dad, Roy Honeywell, who many organisers will remember as the RAC RLO for so many years. I bought my own second-hand Mexico - Jeff Smith's road car - which was pressed into service sooner than I'd expected, while dad swapped the Mexico for the all-new droop-snoot Escort RS2000. We did a few events in the RS2000 I think, but I can't find any photos. So the next one will be my trusty MkI, TCW 360K...

...but before that... I think it was the MIMC Inter-Club Rally; Dad, aged 51 (old for rallying at that time) drove and I was on the maps. There was a protest at the finish and dad took issue with the protestor, telling him in his usual plain way that he was talking rubbish and had no chance of succeeding. Derrick Hall, fellow CDMC member also competing on the night, came up to us a few minutes later and said "That fella (the protestor) came up to me and said "If it wasn't for that old goat poking his nose in, I might have a chance. Who is he anyway?" To which Derrick replied "That old goat's just won this rally!" Dad's one and only 1st overall as a driver.

From here the comments kept coming. This from "Twitchy twitchy Tom" and then my reply:

Derek Hall, had the scrapyard Autoparts I think it was called where Tesco is now in Clitheroe. Quite a character is Derek!

I navigated for Derrick just once. Coming down Fleet Moss I’m reading the road (mainly straight) when Derrick says ‘it’s OK, but I’m just a bit busy...’ - I looked up and he’s going from lock to lock in the mini on the 95mph straight!

Now Alan Barnes joins in:

Your dad was a great teacher, Bill. I went to his rally navigation night school at Ribblesdale in the autumn of 1984. By the following September I had gone from novice to expert navigator. I was also helped immensely by Stephen Frost and Young Leroy, Mark Mark M Standen, who was a fearless young hotshoe. We did the Morecambe Rally in 85 and finished fifth overall. As well as taking the semi-expert class, we won a trophy for biggest improvement on seeding. I could see the pride in your dad's eyes when he handed that big silver trophy to us at the finish. The pupil had done the teacher proud. Top man, young Royston.

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2: 1973

The next three posts...

I've decided to try and post chronologically the few photos I have, so before I post another one of father Roy, we ought to have this one. Probably 1973, my first regular pairing, with Pete Whitaker. HCMS (Higherford Caravan and Motor Supplies) was run by Walter Bateson and the late Brian Tyldesley, driver of a MkI Cortina on my first-ever rally, the 1971 Tour of Mull. I was wishing I still had as much hair, but if this lockdown carries on much longer I might have!

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Another one, which has appeared somewhere quite recently, this time on the 73 Bullough Trophy, with father Roy at the wheel on the switchbacks between Ingleton and Chapel-le-Dale before they were considerably flattened-out. Dad did have a remarkable chin, shown here in full extension!

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Amazingly, and disappointingly, I only have three more photos of that blue Mexico. I think this is the '74 RL Brown, and I've no idea how we finished. A problem I always had is the back-to-front nature of life. In those days I had no money but boy! could I have done with some (so I didn't 'waste' funds buying photos). Over 40 years on, money wouldn't be such a problem but the talent's gone. Such is life. Good to see dad Roy still wearing a tie...

1: The first post - from Facebook

Funny how things start....

Two or three weeks into lockdown I started posting a few old photos from the 1970s of when I was rallying with my late dad, Roy Honeywell.  Roy was (almost) a founder member in 1962 or 63 of Clitheroe & District Motor Club (CDMC), always keen on motorsport, especially rallying - which is where I got the 'bug' from - and was later for many years the RAC Motorsports RLO (Rally Liaison Officer) for our area in North Lancashire and a member of the RAC Motor Sports Committee.  I hope it's also fair to say that he was generally considered 'a good egg'.

I thought some of the other competitors - from what is now probably an age ago - would enjoy the photos, and perhaps it would bring back a few memories.  As I posted the first few, I nearly always seemed to recall a (usually) amusing anecdote.  Several of those on Facebook encouraged me to keep posting, and one has gone so far as to say I should write a book!

Well I'm not sure about that, but I will start by telling you a little bit about me - just a quick outline by way of introduction, if you don't know me.

My first rally was as a navigator on the third-ever Tour of Mull in 1971, at the tender age of 19.  From there I competed as a driver (when funds permitted) and a navigator - sometimes with regular partners like dad, at other times on a freelance (but unpaid!) basis.

I guess there aren't many from the world of rallying who could describe themselves as true 'all-rounders' but I would (modestly) suggest that I'm one, having several overall wins as driver and navigator, coming ninth overall (as driver) in the 1983 Motoring News Championship (the unofficial national road rally championship) and also co-driving on various international events including the Circuit of Ireland and the Lombard RAC Rally.

Having been Chairman of CDMC for several years in the 70's and 80's I finally retired from rallying in 1994, fittingly I guess, on that year's Mull Rally.  I've done a few less competitive events since, such as the Andy Mort Tour and the Fellsman; I still visit Mull at least once (usually more) per year, and I still love motorsport, but when I retired I promised not to go back.  It never works out.  And after a dice with death through bowel cancer in 1999 I realised you should always move forward - reverse gear isn't for human beings!

So here goes with the first post, and I'll rattle through these until I catch up with today...

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One of my first ever drives - probably the '73 Devils Own (so maybe a bit early for this group!) - with father Roy Honeywell on the maps in his MkI Mexico. Abbeystead hairpin I think.