MOTORING
Terry Peacock
From: Middlesbrough
Position: Chairman, Teesside Yesteryear Motor Club
WORDS: JULIE BURNISTON.
PICTURES: CHRIS BOOTH.
When did your love affairs with cars begin?
When I was a kid, though I couldn’t afford
to indulge in classic cars and motorbikes
till later in life. In 1980 I joined the Teesside
Yesteryear Motor Club. I’ve been chairman
for around 10 years now. We meet the first
Monday of every month and each year we
have at least 30 organised events plus our
annual trip to Rockanje, Holland, to race our
vintage motorbikes. It’s both a challenge and
a relief getting 40 riders and their machines
there and back in one piece!
Which vehicles do you have currently?
A Honda GB 400 TT and a 1958 Velocette
Metisse motorbike, as raced in the Manx
TT; a 1946 MG TC motor car fitted with a
supercharger and a 1953 Jaguar XK120.
What’s the reaction when you go out in one
of your vintage drives?
They get some looks of course, but I believe
in taking them out as much as I can. They’re
in high demand for proms, but I don’t
charge. I encourage the younger generation’s
interest in the classic car movement.
What was your first car?
I passed my test aged 22 and got a 1953 Ford
Prefect which cost £100. It was my pride and
joy. My sister-in-law had taken her test in
it, got her foot caught under the pedal and
failed so she didn’t want the car anymore.
Did your parents drive?
No, but my elder brother did. He was quite
the high-flyer - a technical advisor to the
Indonesian government. I went with him to
Neasham’s garage in Middlesbrough where
he paid cash for a 2.4 litre Jaguar - the car of
the moment. What a memory!
What’s your dream car?
My Jaguar is my dream car, but I’d love a
Morgan three-wheeler, preferably fitted with
a JAP or Matchless
engine. They’re a
crossover between a car
and a motorbike and
have a big following in
the classic car scene.
What’s the worst car
you’ve ever had and
why?
An Austin A40. The
back end had rotted and
the springs had come
through the floor!
Have you ever been in a car accident?
From the age of 16 to 21 my life revolved
around hiking and youth hostelling. One
time I was in a pub in Castleton with my
mates – we were staying in Westerdale youth
hostel down the road and were probably
too young to have been there, but anyway,
we were having a pint when another friend
drives up and offers us a lift back to our
hostel. There were six of us complete with
large rucksacks squeezed into this car. It was
a twisty road back. The river runs under
the road and there’s a bridge. As we swung
around the corner the driver caught the stray
wires of a telegraph pole. He skidded, we hit
the bridge head on and the car flipped upside
down. We were trapped, with the water from
the river coming into the car. Somehow we
managed to get out and none of us were hurt,
but it was a near miss and I’m convinced that
someone was looking down on us that day.
Where’s the best place you’ve ever driven?
The North York Moors. We are very blessed
in this country. I always think, “It’s magic
here.”
Sinatra, ‘50s rock ‘n’ roll or ‘60s pop. I’m
quite partial to Road to Hell by Chris Rea too.
Tell us about the car journey you will always
remember
Not my car journey, but the final car journey
of Keith Schellenberg. Keith was a local hero.
His family were very wealthy and Keith was
captain of the UK bobsleigh team as well
as a devotee of vintage Bentleys, which he
raced. I recall him taking part in the London
to Sydney rally in his 8 litre Bentley and
as a kid I’d watched him race at Thornaby
Aerodrome. Keith had a very eventful life,
buying and living on a remote Scottish island
before coming back to the area. Anyway, a
few weeks ago I was out walking through
Stewart Park when I saw a vintage bus.
The driver told me he’d dropped off some
mourners for a funeral up the road – Keith
Schellenberg's funeral! Behind the bus were
these beautiful Bentleys. It turns out they’d
strapped Keith’s coffin to the top of one of
these cars and raced them from his home in
Richmond to the church in Marton. A fitting
tribute, wouldn’t you agree?
What’s your best drive time music?
There’s no music system in vintage cars,
but in my day-to-day car – a Lexus - I play
The Teesside Yesteryear Motor Club is for all who are interested in using and maintaining vintage, veteran and classic
cars and motorcycles. Members meet at Stockton Cricket Club on the first Monday of each month and organise numerous
events, trips and activities throughout the year. Learn more by visiting tymc.org.uk
tees-life.co.uk
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