What's in the Van? - 16th February 2023

Devon & Dorset

Today I'm going to shake the hand of a man who shook the hand of Juan Manuel Fangio, but first I have to get to Torquay, home of Basil Fawlty.

It's rainy and dark on the M4 all the way to Bristol, a bit brighter, but still wet as I head down the M5 towards Exeter, then off to Torquay. Google Maps is particularly spiteful today finding me a route along ever steeper and more narrow lanes.

Andrew's Racing Cars

I know I'm in the home of a true fan of motor racing. There are framed prints and sketches of famous racing cars all around the walls, each signed by the driver, Phil Hill, Schumacher, Senna, and Jody Scheckter in the Tyrrrell P34.

Andrew & Elizabeth have moved to their lovely flat from South Africa and Andrew had to part with most of his racing memorabilia before they left. Sadly there is just no room in their present home for the cars he had kept and he is reluctantly moving them on.

Over a long life of following motor racing Andrew corresponded with a number of the drivers (Stirling Moss, Denny Hulme among others) and knew some of them, and yes, he did meet Fangio at Kyalami circuit in South Africa. Andrew and I spent a very enjoyable hour swapping stories about cars and drivers, boring his poor wife rigid!

I am really going to enjoy working with Andrew's superb collection of 1:18 scale and 1:43 scale competition cars, there are some true gems among them.

Alan at Buckland Newton

After parting with Andrew & Elizabeth I headed off to Dorset, east along the A303 which is another favourite route running east-west south of the M4. You travel through glorious countryside with some amazing views. I headed south off the A303 through Yeovil towards Dorchester, finding the pretty little village of Buckland Newton tucked away in a fold in the hills.

Alan's late father had been an avid bus and train collector and it is his bus collection I had come to pick up. They are mostly 1:76 scale Corgi OOC & EFE buses from locations with which Alan's father identified; Scotland where he was born, Nottingham where he was at University and Dorset where he lived for most of his life.

Time to head home and back to the A303 via Shaftesbury. This stretch of the A303 takes you past Stonehenge. It's always a bit of challenge, this section of road. The stones are clearly visible on raised ground a few hundred yards north of the road and of course you can't go past without taking a peek. Because everyone slows down to look there are always queues approaching the site and people driving past looking sideways and wandering all over the road. This photo is from Wikipedia by the way, it's dangerous enough as it is without taking pictures while driving!

By the time I get home I've been in the van for 11 hours and I'm ready for a restorative.

The cars below are some of Andrew's racers, I spy 5 CMC cars, they will certainly be starring on our TikTok channel shortly.

What's in the Van? - Home

2nd February 2023 - Gloucester & Hereford

9th February 2023 - Nottinghamshire & Lincolnshire