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!
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