Tees Life Tees Life Issue 10 | Page 43

MOTORING Jamie Brown From: Newby, near Middlesbrough Job: Partner, The Endeavour Partnership PICTURES: CHRIS BOOTH My Land Rovers: My total Land Rover count is six! The first one was a 1960 SWB I bought in London for £350 20 years ago. The second and third were both 1960s Safari LWB - one was exported to Rhodesia in 1965 and found its way back to Teesside 50 years later. They have all been restored to a decent standard, although they’re now MOT exempt - the brakes work most of the time. The fourth is undergoing a rebuild, and its numerous parts are spread around the garden and garages, much to my wife Helen’s dismay! When Jaguar Land Rover announced the ending of production, I decided to buy one of the last model Defenders. They haven’t changed much in 60 years so it’s not a comfortable drive on long journeys. My daily drive is a 3.0l Discovery 4 – it’s pretty sensible and comfortable. It previously belonged to my brother-in-law Russ Devereux. We kept it in the family for sentimental reasons when he passed away last year. My hobby: When time allows, I’ll take them out to local shows and events. Without fail, every time something will break or fall off, but that’s just part of the attraction! The kids think they’re cool, especially when I let them ride on the bonnet or hang off the doors. Long term, who knows? I have run out of garage space for any more Landies, so it might be time to take up golf! Ha, ha, not a chance! Best drive-time music: Whatever crud the kids insist on playing. I don’t get a choice. Best place to drive a Land Rover: On the way home after a long day at work or the North York Moors, particularly the road from Commondale to Castleton. I do some off-roading on specialist all-terrain tracks. It’s not really acceptable to just to let rip on public bridleways. My favourite car when I was young: A Land Rover, of course. My English Language GCSE even featured a reference to Solihull’s finest. My parents’ cars: Mam and Dad weren’t too fussed over fancy motors. My mother only had an automatic licence so that limited the choice back in the seventies and eighties. My first car: A 1988 black Fiat Panda 750CL that was handed down from my big sister, Jo. My worst car: I’ve been lucky with cars in so far as they have all been reliable. A 1995 diesel Cavalier was particularly unremarkable but could do Teesside to north London on a Sunday afternoon in three hours, which was pretty good. My other car(s): Two other partially dismantled Land Rovers, a Discovery 4 and Honda CRV. My dream car: If I was completely bonkers I’d go for a Range Rover Special Vehicle Operations edition. My worst crash: Having washed my dad’s car at the age of 10, I helpfully put it back in the garage – or, more accurately, through the back wall of the garage. He took it quite well. The maddest place I’ve driven a car: Texas. We were told of the importance of being a polite, calm driver. They carry guns, and lots of them, so road rage wasn’t sensible. The car journey I’ll always remember: Manchester University to Andalucía for a geology field trip with three fellow students. What could go wrong? Plenty did! tees-life.co.uk 43