Paul Darbyshire RIP

[Andy Flexney]

Paul Darbyshire (aka PD, Diesel Dave, Burner Boy)

It is with great sorrow that I have to inform you that my close friend and co-driver Paul passed away this morning after a short illness.

Many of you will remember him as being the life and sole of any party, rallye, 10CR or RBRR. He was my co-pilot in the 2003 10CR and again in 2005 where he was nominated “accommodation officer” and arranged the hardest camping site (needed a Hilti to get the tent pegs in) for the stopover in Ventimiglia.

After our second jaunt he decided he needed a Triumph and bought a very well sorted Spitfire. That car was used for a 10CR, a RBRR as well as a couple of European road trips. The Spitfire became a Stag and a TR7 and TR8 were added to the collection.

A true petrol-head.

 

Arrangements for the funeral have not yet been made however, I will post here once these are known.

Please let your thoughts be with Helen and Adam at this time.

 

Andy Flexney

[Howard]

Sad news indeed. I took photo of him and his Tr7 at the end of the 2011 10CR.

Lets hope they have plenty of open roads and a few Triumphs up there for him to enjoy..

Howard

[Wendy Dawes]

1 hour ago, Andy Flexney said:

Paul Darbyshire (aka PD, Diesel Dave, Burner Boy)

It is with great sorrow that I have to inform you that my close friend and co-driver Paul passed away this morning after a short illness.

Many of you will remember him as being the life and sole of any party, rallye, 10CR or RBRR. He was my co-pilot in the 2003 10CR and again in 2005 where he was nominated “accommodation officer” and arranged the hardest camping site (needed a Hilti to get the tent pegs in) for the stopover in Ventimiglia.

After our second jaunt he decided he needed a Triumph and bought a very well sorted Spitfire. That car was used for a 10CR, a RBRR as well as a couple of European road trips. The Spitfire became a Stag and a TR7 and TR8 were added to the collection.

A true petrol-head.

 

Arrangements for the funeral have not yet been made however, I will post here once these are known.

Please let your thoughts be with Helen and Adam at this time.

 

Andy Flexney

So sad didn’t know him but my thoughts are with the family 

as are Darren’s   God bless 

[Velocita Rosso]

When Tim H rang and broke the news ,I was dumbfounded, so sad .....and still keep asking the same old question....Why the good ones?

[JC]

Tragic to hear of the passing of PD - So many memories of a truly lovely bloke who lit up any gathering, with his anecdotes, wit and humour.  

Honoured to have been be able to call him a friend since 2007. A friend who would do anything for anyone. (I still have the air filter in my TR6 he 'lent' me over 10yrs ago)

We have lost a true Yorkshire lad

[Velocita Rosso]

The infamous joke.....led by Paul and Andy....BBC Scotland and their MG never forgave us!

[Tim Hunt]

Such sad news Andy, my heartfelt condolences to you, Helen, Adam and all  Paul's MANY friends. I first met Paul on the pioneering 2003 10CR as your co-driver in the Yellow Peril TR3A, a larger than life character and wonderful, caring man who was once met, never forgotten. My fondest memory  of Paul is the eulogy he gave at Martin Randle's funeral in which he alleged that during all his years working for Michelin, Martin had in fact been conducting espionage for their competitor, Pirelli. It was characteristic of Paul that even at such a time he had the ability and light touch to leaven the proceedings with a little well judged humour. For me, meeting up again with Paul was a highlight of any visit to a Pendle and Pennine Group meeting. Any future Border Raiders or other CT event just won't be the same without him. I will for sure miss his welcoming smile as a marshal at the Tebay Services Control on an RBRR.

RIP Burner Boy

[Velocita Rosso]

Borders companions

[ferny]

I'm genuinely shocked and absolutely saddened to hear this.

 

My thoughts are with everyone who was fortunate enough to know him.

[GTRoger]

Shocked by the news that Paul has passed away, can't believe it. 

Such great memories, most been made whilst drinking beer and hanging out in a bar until closing time!! 

You will be missed Burnerboy, R.I.P. 

[Greta]

Aw no! Paul was a true gent, a huge character … I’ll miss him & his “Bulldog” waistcoat. Sad news indeed.

[Ellis]

Such sad news... a true gent and friend. Paul (and Andy) were part of my first team looking after the 10CR. He always found good in everyone. 

We had the priviledge of his company on the last 10CR, shared many stories and made many a memory.

Thoughts obviously with friends and family.

We will think of a suitable way to remember Paul on the 10CR later this year.

You'll be missed mate. 

[Beans]

Quite shocked by the news that Paul passed away!
I'll cherish the fond memories I spent with him over the years!
Farewell Burnerboy, you will be dearly missed.

 

Edited February 21, 2022 by Beans

[yorkshire_spam]

Shocking and deeply deeply sad news. Paul always made us feel welcome as a family when we first started attending P+P meetings, making the effort to talk to Andie and the kids about non-Triumph stuff.

Farewell to one of life's true gentlemen.

 

[reychris]

Very sad news, like Sam says he also made me feel very welcome when I first went to the P&P meeting.

My favourite picture of him was in his union flag waistcoat at the Border Raiders 2018

[Tim Bancroft]

So sad to have found this out.

I met Paul with Andy on the inaugural 10CR in 2003, having breakfast somewhere in France and immediately was struck by his friendliness and kindness, a gent. It was always great to see both Andy and Paul in the yellow TR.

Saw Paul at Wetherby on October when he popped in to say hello and his beaming smile immediately made one happy. It was as it always was, just great to see him and his sincere smile.

A lovely man whose presence at CT events just seemed to make them all the better.

Paul will be very much missed.

Has anyone got that pic of Martin, Paul and McJim with the wine at Tebay? Its a marvellous snap of two CT men who are and will always be missed by many Club Triumph people.

[Greeks]

Not many reasons for me to pop up here these days, sorry it’s because I heard this awful news.

I also first met Paul on the 2003 10CR reconnaissance. What a legend. Andy and Paul were an amazing sight, and amongst my favourite images of that epic weekend is of the big flight jacket and Paul fast asleep in a yellow TR, fairly bulging over the side screen!

I came on here expecting to see a photo of that. He’ll be tickled pink that instead there’s several photos of him sleeping in Triumphs!

What a generous sod he was. I remember 13 years ago he let me know he was coming out to Melbourne. We’ll, I’ll let him explain:

“Eyup Greeksy, Paul Darbyshire here (AKA Burnerboy). Seeing as though you haven't been able to come and play out with us for a while I thought I might come and see you 🙂 I am travelling to Aus in the first week in Feb and visting a client in Melbourne (ACI Glass).

Is there anything I can bring down with me (Triumph related) that you need? I am quite prepared to carry heavy things just so long as I am not liable to get pulled at customs (don't you freeze when you hear the sound of Marigolds being snapped on?)”

 

Next thing he’s only agreed to bring a set of Witor’s finest out! Belgian beers ensued.

Then a couple of years later we caught up in Brisbane too. It’s been a decade or so now, but I’ve very fond memories.

 

Rest in peace.

[Tim Bancroft]

Great pics Graham and nice words (as one would expect from you).

2003 10CR...it was as you say 'Epic'....!

[Velocita Rosso]

2 hours ago, Greeks said:

 

What a generous sod he was. I remember 13 years ago he let me know he was coming out to Melbourne. We’ll, I’ll let him explain:

“Eyup Greeksy, Paul Darbyshire here (AKA Burnerboy). Seeing as though you haven't been able to come and play out with us for a while I thought I might come and see you 🙂 I am travelling to Aus in the first week in Feb and visting a client in Melbourne (ACI Glass).

Is there anything I can bring down with me (Triumph related) that you need? I am quite prepared to carry heavy things just so long as I am not liable to get pulled at customs (don't you freeze when you hear the sound of Marigolds being snapped on?)”

 

 

I remember Paul telling me the tale of this meeting and waiting for you in a bar..........and as a true Yorkshireman going on about how much the beer was over there and "how did you survive"?.....but was always generous enough to buy the drinks when we got together  

[Tim Hunt]

4 hours ago, Greeks said:

Not many reasons for me to pop up here these days, sorry it’s because I heard this awful news.

I also first met Paul on the 2003 10CR reconnaissance. What a legend. Andy and Paul were an amazing sight, and amongst my favourite images of that epic weekend is of the big flight jacket and Paul fast asleep in a yellow TR, fairly bulging over the side screen!

I came on here expecting to see a photo of that. He’ll be tickled pink that instead there’s several photos of him sleeping in Triumphs!

What a generous sod he was. I remember 13 years ago he let me know he was coming out to Melbourne. We’ll, I’ll let him explain:

“Eyup Greeksy, Paul Darbyshire here (AKA Burnerboy). Seeing as though you haven't been able to come and play out with us for a while I thought I might come and see you 🙂 I am travelling to Aus in the first week in Feb and visting a client in Melbourne (ACI Glass).

Is there anything I can bring down with me (Triumph related) that you need? I am quite prepared to carry heavy things just so long as I am not liable to get pulled at customs (don't you freeze when you hear the sound of Marigolds being snapped on?)”

 

Next thing he’s only agreed to bring a set of Witor’s finest out! Belgian beers ensued.

Then a couple of years later we caught up in Brisbane too. It’s been a decade or so now, but I’ve very fond memories.

 

Rest in peace.

Great story Graham, thanks for posting. So typical of Paul and a nice way to give an idea of the man to members who had not been fortunate enough ever to meet him.

Tim

[McJim]

I just found out this very, very sad news and I'm pretty devastated.

We didn't meet up that often but there was always a close bond between the both of us when we did.

I'd call him a big Yorkshire Pud and he'd call me a Hairy, Haggis-Botherer.

We first came into contact on the Club Forum from about 2005 and would spend many a happy moment winding each other up and also those that we both knew - Martin Randle was often the unsuspecting victim.

It wasn't until Tim Bancroft invited me to share driving duties on the 2007 10 Countries Run that I finally met Paul in person.

It's often said that those you have a high opinion of on the internet turn out to be less than you expected when you met them in real life.

Paul didn't fall into that category - quite the opposite, in fact.

He was larger than life, full of fun, with a great generosity, a razor-sharp wit and sense of humour and not a bad bone in his body.

I'd look forward to meeting up with him at Club Triumph events and would spend a few marvellous moments laughing and joking with him.

I remember driving in a convoy of about five or six cars through France in the middle of the night on the 2007 10CR when we all stopped in a lay-by for a break.

I was totally knackered but then, from nowhere, Paul stuck his head in the GT6 and said, "C'mon McJim.  Have a look at this.  We stopped here before and this is incredible."

And he was right.  Above us were more stars than I'd ever seen.  The first time that I ever saw the Milky Way.  It was magical.

We enjoyed a fair few beers at the finish at Rolduc together and I realised that Paul was a special human being.

And then there was the 2012 Round Britain Reliability Run, Lambrini incident.

For years, on the Forum, I had wound up all the little Englanders for being soft and drinking Lambrini.

Well, that came back to haunt me when marshalling with my mate, David Huddy, at the Carter Bar control on the Scotland/England border.

About the third car into the control gave me a present of a bottle of Lambrini.  Very funny, I thought.

Then the next and the next car did the same.

I ended up with 32 bottles of Lambrini that night.

I later found out that my good "friend" Mr Darbyshire has cleared the shelves of Lidl of Lambrini and being such an ebullient character was able to persuade all those crews to take part in the wind-up.

The worst part of it for me, was driving home at 3:30 in the morning and worrying that if we were to be stopped by the police how two men of a certain age, in a girly Alfa Romeo could explain all this Lambrini in the boot.

When I saw him at the Wetherby control on the 2021 RBRR, I was shocked by how much weight he had lost.  I asked what diet he was on and had he given up the beer?

He said he was eating and carrying on as usual and I think he was trying to tell me, subtly, that all was not well.

After we got our road book signed, I went to look for him for a longer chat but he had disappeared and I never saw my friend, Paul, again.

About two weeks ago, he contacted me privately to let me know about his health problems and I said I would keep in touch but he was gone so quickly.

It's not often, in life, that you come across someone like Paul, but when you do, savour the experience, the friendship and the positivity it brings with it.

Knowing Paul and calling him a friend made my life so much richer for just knowing him.

In Club Triumph, there were three people who inspired me.

Now, two of them are gone.

There are fewer laughs now and my world is that more sad.

Rest in peace Big Man.

You great Yorkshire Pud.

I'll miss you.

Jim.

Your Haggis-Bothering friend.

 

[Don Cook]

I first met Paul at the 2003 10CR as well. I remember being lost in Menton (I think) and being a bit worried, because I was sans a co-driver, I spotted the yellow TR3A parked up. I drew up alongside and Andy was glued to a map. I asked Paul if he knew where to go, he just gave me a massive smile and an equally massive shrug of the shoulders. We managed to get out of Menton eventually.

Then at Ventimiglia (2005 10CR)...arriving very late at the accommodation complex, completely done in, Paul greeted us at an iron railing gate. He stood on the other side, wary of letting us in, and said "Hello Don, I've got good news and bad news", "What's the bad news?", " I've given your room away, but the good news is that this pint is yours!".

And then on one of the La Carrera Caledonia runs we were parked up for some reason, then we drove off. Unfortunately my GT6 dropped a back wheel into the soft verge, spinning mud over Paul's Spitfire. I pulled up after 100yds or so and we both got out of our cars, Paul looked at his bonnet and burst out laughing.

Well, it comes to us all (I'm 70 myself) but, my God, how we miss them, particularly when memories are made out of our mutual love of old Triumphs.

[Tim Bancroft]

Paul could dish it out, but boy oh boy he could take it. At Wetherby last October, Jason C and me took the mickey out of his beard asking if it was a nest or was he hiding something, his immediate retort was, to us follically challenged pair, would you like some of the hair as you obviously need it!...just a top bloke.

Forgot about the 'Who killed Bambi' story...

Brilliant words by McJim, Don and Greeks.

[Andy Flexney]

I have been informed by Paul's family that the funeral will be held at

Rawdon Crematorium,
Leeds Rd, Rawdon,
Leeds
LS19 6JP

on the 15th March at 13:00.

[McJim]

Thanks Andy.

Katy and I will be attending.

Jim.