Purchase your copy of Memory Lanes here.

Since the release of Memory Lanes there have been very many, kind and supportive comments made about the book from people who "know what they are talking about".

It has been especially pleasurable to receive such unsolicited comments from those who were associated with the Motoring News Championship during the exciting period that the book covers. My thanks to all of you.

I have shown a sample of these below starting out with the book review from the weekly newspaper that started it all - Motoring News (now called MotorSport News).

MotorSport News review:

Rally fans take note - there's an avalanche of books to while away the time when you're out on a special stage patiently waiting for the cars to storm into view. In Memory Lanes (£30, available through PhotoHistoric.com) Peter Robinson looks back at the now-defunct Motoring News Rally Championship.
Focusing on one period of the much missed championship's history - from 1970 to 1973 - Robinson's history takes the form of in-depth round-by-round reports. Event names such as the Gremlin, the Cilwendeg and the Tour of Mull will resonate with all rally fans of a certain vintage. Robinson has collated some fantastic rare photographs and a stunning amount of information with detailed results, maps and even some old road books for events.
Producing the book was clearly a real labour of love for Robinson, but after he's had a lie down to recover, perhaps he'll be tempted into producing another slice of history from the MN series. We certainly hope so: this is an enthralling read for anyone interested in the history of road rallying.

Other magazine reviews

Octane magazine: "Average speeds were, shall we say, flexible.... we were on hand-cut racing tyres, triple Webers, about 240bhp and 0 - 100mph in 12 seconds - all on public roads!" Peter Valentine's intro sums up the un-PC but totally committed approach of crews to the Motoring News championship, recorded in this 320-page hardback by author Robinson. Lots of Escorts, Minis, Cortinas; lots of cold-looking night-time pics; pure '70s rally nostalgia.

Classic and Sportscar: At first glance this hefty, 320 page hardback doesn't look that inviting, with dense text and not as many photos as you'd exxpect with the involvement of Ferret Fotographics' Ted Walker (in fact there over 230 - Ed!!) But you soon realise that Robinson has created an entertaining book on an important and fondly remembered subject. Having competed in some of the 57 events the book covers - and effectively drawing on a wealth of contacts - this is really a collection of fleshed-out rally reports but so engaging and evocative are they that they make gripping reading. Especially when famous names such as Brookes and Pond crop up in their formative years. Naturally, you wont be wanting for stats. either. Recommended for bobble-hat wearers everywhere.

Mini Cooper Register: ...the book is a must. It records the days when road rallying was at its peak and the Motoring News Championship was the pinnacle. Those days will never be seen again. Never again will we see competition like this on public roads. If you're are hankering for a return to those days or just wished you had been there, buy this book and wallow in what was the best of road rallying. A brilliant book.......

Old Stager: .... a fascinating account from a highly brave publishing venture, that deserves to succeed. ....as an insight into a lost scene, this labouriously researched account of a forgotten era should pull the heart strings of any rally enthusiast....

Readers' comments:

John Brown (Navigator, Co-driver, RAC rally winner and event organiser)
I was delighted to receive my copy of Memory Lanes yesterday. It certainly did bring back many happy memories. Congratulations on a truly magnificent achievement, which will stand as a monument to all the long hours and years of work that must have gone into it. I shall enjoy reading it from cover to cover now, and dipping into it thereafter for probably the rest of my life.

Neil Molyneux (2300 Club and Tour of Mull organiser)
Wonderful! Congratulations on a fantastic achievement. I am reading my copy and am enjoying the nostalgia immensely. I hope you sell a million!

Russell Brookes (ex MN competitor, Work's driver and British Rally Champion)
An extraordinary book - what memories it brings back! My favourite pic. Is page 85. Fancy rallying in a woolly cardigan and a button up shirt and tie. Bit eccentric even then! Well done.

Peter Joy (long time rally competitor)
Great book, well worth the wait.

Matt Burt (editor of MotorSport News)
Memory Lanes has arrived safe and sound - thank you very much and congratulations! I haven't had time for more than a cursory leaf through so far, but it looks excellent, and I'm stunned by how much information is in there.

Vic Quayle (past competitor)
Well done, a brilliant book and I couldn't put it down. It brought back many memories of rallies in Wales and reading reports in MN

Tony Pettie (long time active rally navigator and co-driver)
No dry encyclopaedic document nor a bland reprint of Motoring News reports. This is a live account of almost the end of an amazing era (looking back), from a writer who not only regularly competed but was passionately interested in the sport. Each rally is reported afresh, with additional information gleaned more recently from competitors, organisers and sponsors. 'Hindsight is wonderful' and no more so than here where the bland, almost biased, news reports of the time are refreshed and put into context with knowledge acquired soon and long after.
Results of every rally with Entry Lists, Route Cards, reprints of maps and additional information of classic sections, cars and crews.
You can smell the hot mud in the many, many photographs of not only the fast and famous, but also from the majority of those whose only claim was to have taken part. Even The Gnome is here.
Probably not to be read through, but more to be endlessly dipped into, this book is hard to put down and causes a longing to recreate those days. As Peter Valentine's introduction ended "It was all just so much fun!" If only we could again!

Kenneth Drew
Received my copy on the weekend, can't put it down, will keep me out of mischief for weeks. Incredible amount of information in it - particularly when used with my old 1970s Ordnance Survey maps of Wales. A really outstanding achievement.

Mike Greasley (ex MN staffer, contributor and "demi-Verglas")
You have done an excellent job and it brought back many memories of covering the 73 Championship as MN staffer and demi-Verglas (ie. No2 to Gerry Phillips). Happy days. I hope the book gets the sales and interest it thoroughly deserves.

Sue Fryer (wife of Derek Fryer, a regular MN competitor 1980 - 87)
Memory Lanes arrived safely today. Don't think I'm going to see much of my husband Derek,for a while.............he seems very happy! Cheers, Sue Fryer"

Nigel England
The book arrived Tuesday and I am very, very pleased with it, thanks for an excellent book keep up the good work

Trevor Page (Historic competitor)
Memory Lanes arrived safely today. I am sure it will be totally absorbing - an hour has already "disappeared" looking at the photographs and route cards etc..

Phil Matthews (The Basic Roamer Co.)
Very, very special. A lovely account all in all.

Roger Keene (ex. MN competitor)
An excellent book that obviously took a lot of work to produce. I only did two or three MN events in the seventies but this book is a great read of the "good times" in Road Events.

Andy Howdle (Rallymodels)
Thank you, it arrived today safe and sound, brilliant book indeed and lots of history in those photos.

Peter Callow (past MN competitor now living in NZ)
I am enjoying immensely reading ML. It sure has stirred up many memories and maybe controversies too, as witness the fascinating emails flying back and forth. Great fun. For people such as myself who did only a few of these superb events, the book fills in so much of the richness and quality of the MN Championship as a whole that the occasional competitor did not appreciate at the time.

Nigel Raeburn (Top MN navigator and current historic competitor and organiser)
Many congratulations on such a fine product. Thanks too for the kind mention in the intro.. Well done.

Colin Francis OBE (Top MN navigator and current historic competitor)
I have just started looking at Memory Lanes. It is superb. Excellently written and illustrating a lot of knowledge.

Dave Williamson (MN competitor and current historic competitor and organiser)
Pleased to say your book arrived safely today and first impressions are that it was worth waiting for.

Monty Peters (MN competitorin both left and right hand seats)
Received "memory Lanes". Thanks very much. Haven't been able to put it down!
Excellent book full of pure nostalgia. Congratulations on putting together a record of those 'heady days'. It is hard to believe, in these modern strangulated times, that we were ever allowed to race around the country lanes of the UK.

Purchase your copy of Memory Lanes here.