That’s right, folks, get that date in your diaries – 27 July 2011 will be the day that the resplendent Red Rocket, the 1997 Rover 620Si, will be wending its way around this sceptred isle.

Over the next week I’ll be posting more details of the route I’ll be travelling on 27 July, starting at Lizard Point in Cornwall at midnight, before visiting Lowestoft, Ardnamurchan Lighthouse and Dunnet Head Lighthouse all within a 24 hour period, so if you’d like the join the growing throng of well-wishers (or nutjobs, depending upon your perspective) who’ve faithfully promised to wave from motorway bridges or even drive in convoy for various stretches, you’ll be able to see if the Banger’s going anywhere near you.

The plan is that Trev (co-driver and brother-in-law) and I will be driving down from Lincoln to Cornwall on the Tuesday (26 July), arriving in the southwest mid-afternoon. We’re on the lookout for somewhere cheap (or ideally free) where can rest and try and get some sleep from when we arrive to late evening. If you know of anywhere suitable, drop me an email or DM on Twitter. Late evening we’ll grab something to eat and make our way down to the start at Lizard Point.

Current thinking is, because of the potentially very late arrival time in the northern reaches of Scotland and the relative remoteness of the area, we might have to sleep overnight in the car at the end of the motoring marathon – however, if you’ve any suggestions or knowledge of the area, where we can potentially arrive after midnight on 28 July, then I’d appreciate hearing from you.

Not going to the Moving Motor Show today at Goodwood meant that the Banger didn’t get its promised longer pre-event run but an event in the Midlands I’m attending next week (a post will follow) will provide the perfect opportunity for people to get to see it up close. The crowds it’ll attract wouldn’t look out of place at the Salon Privé.

In the meantime, I’ll still be driving around Lincoln in the Rover, so give me a wave, beep of your horn or, if safe, take a photo and email me it to keithwrjones@gmail.com. It caused a moment of mirth in the Royal Mail sorting office yesterday where a fellow parcel collector asked if Banger Does Britain was anything like Debbie Does Dallas…

Anyway, that date again for Banger Does Britain – 27 July 2011.