About Colin

Colin is one of the founding members of Team Rubbish in 1968 and has been a bugger to get his story out of! He currently lives in Bordon Hampshire, UK and has a penchant for Whiskey.

Auto crossing was where it started with his brother Roy and Mike Crockford where they converted a Morris Minor MM series by fitting a ford engine, roll bars and a lot of swearing.

From this he built his own beach buggy (that could be heard coming for 2 miles). He used this in hill climb racing for a couple of years and sported long hair, a sheepskin jacket and love beads the entire time.

He raced a mini that went into the BMC magazine that BMC wouldn’t comment on the engine as it was heavily adapted.  Eventually it was put into another vehicle and sold as one careful lady owner.  A month later the buyer was on his doorstep as they had not put oil in it and it had blown up.  They were most surprised to be given a long list of parts and a local machinist’s number to get it fixed!

During his time Rallying he competed and supported in all the local and national events as well as some in Europe.  One of the many stories involved him going through Wales’s with the bonnet tied on with rope and the car behind not making the turn and ending up 200ft down a raven.

He also competed in Sprints and his most memorable moment was racing a car built around a spitfire engine in his mini and loosing on the straights but winning on the corners this occurred at Greenham Common Airfield, Newbury.

Whilst competing in motor sport he served his apprenticeship with British Gas.  When he was a technician he made the memorable mistake of unwinding a joint rather too far and ACCCIDENTLY (so says he!) setting light to a hotel.

He also found time for .22 rifle shooting at Bisley Camp, when he was a member of Aldershot Rifle Club.

During his sons time doing competitive Slalom canoeing Colin became a qualified trainer and gate judge.

During the 1980s Colin was kept busy with work but the family Range Rover when sold had the fastest production engine the garage had ever seen and was subsequently used by the British racing team.

Colin has skied in France and Bulgaria and takes a good solid approach of “How hard can it be?”.  Colin has travelled throughout Europe as well as USA, Borneo and Mexico. He is generally willing to try new things after being poked with a sharp stick.

Colin’s skills extend beyond vehicles and he helped Chris renovate his house.  During this swore he would never do anything stupid again.

About Chris

Chris is Colin’s son and currently lives in Portsmouth, UK. He works as the IT manager for Admiral Lord Nelson School as well as being a free lance Microsoft Certified Trainer.

Chris’ sense of adventure started at an early age and has continued through many an interesting story.  At 9 he won the “least likely to travel in a straight line award” on a canoe course and went onto be the highest ranked junior paddler in Canoe Slalom at 12, but due to time commitments had to reduce the time he spent on the sport. 

From there he completed all levels of the Duke of Edinburgh Award and trained as an Instructor.  At this time he was also awarded a “Flying Scholarship” and learnt to fly light aircraft courtesy of the Royal Air Force.  Although during the course was found to have absolutely no aptitude for it and the 4 hours of solo flight where probably the most nerve racking he has ever spent.

Whilst at college Chris participated in the Engineering Education Scheme looking at Food adhesion at minus 260oC.  Giving Chris control of a cryogenic freezer wasn’t the best plan and the lab only had to be evacuated twice, both times shortly after hearing the words “What happens if I do this…”.  Also at college Chris worked with at risk children on a holiday camp which he found extremely rewarding but very tiring. 

Before starting University at Loughborough Chris completed an Outward Bound course and was awarded their highest honour, the Wardens Badge of Merit.  This award has been awarded 7 times in 14 years and he was presented it by H.R.H The Duke of Edinburgh.

During the first year of his degree he was awarded sponsorship by the Royal Air Force (one of 200 places nationally). Whilst training for the London Marathon he unfortunately suffered swelling on the brain and was hospitalised.  After recovering enough to continue his course he had to reduce his non work commitments.  This was not helped by later that year suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning.  It also meant he had to pull out of an expedition to Everest Base Camp, which still niggles him.  Although he was able to compete in the Tall Ships Race from Trondheim (Norway) to Gothemburg (Sweden) as well as the Nijmegen 100 mile march.

Very quickly Chris decided to find a new challenge and was accepted on to the Operation Rally Namibia Expedition 98.  Having a continual run of success Chris suffered pneumonia in his left lung and failed his exams, so had to pull out and spend the summer re-sitting exams and getting back to health.

Chris graduated with a degree in Electronic Engineering (and is currently not trusted to change a fuse!) before joining the Royal Air Force on a 16 year contract.  During his first year he gained his Post Graduate Certificate in Leadership and used this as an Instructor on a Leadership camp.  Unfortunately during this camp he suffered an abscess at the base of his spine. 

Whilst completing his specialist training Chris suffered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which changed his life and career.  It took Chris over 6 years to recover and during that time it got so bad that he couldn’t walk.

The Plymouth to Banjul Challenge for him is part of the come back tour of 2008.

“Carpe diem”