ERF-NGC-European:
Dennis Javelin:
UGB507 - The first car I ever steered. Can’t actually say drove as I was only 11 and couldn’t reach the pedals so my brother (who’s car it was controlled them whilst I steered the car). Drove/steered it to school, which was about half a mile away, and waved to the teachers who were walking along the road from the bus stop whilst my brother ducked down out of sight. 5 minutes later I’m in the headmaster’s room getting a dressing down as he thought I had stolen it.
59RN91 - The reg no of the car when I chauffeured an Admiral about during my time in the Royal Navy.
A good story!
I can probably top that with a story from my navy days. I picked the Admiral up at Glasgow airport at 7.30 in the evening after he had been visiting a ship that was exercising in the Firth of Clyde. He had been dropped off by helicopter and I convinced the security to let me go into the airfield to collect him. This was in 1977 so there wasn’t as many fears about terrorists etc but the Admiral was still perplexed to see me waiting right at the heliport for him. Anyway we had to go from there to Chatham as he had another ship’s visit down there so I drove overnight arriving around 3.30am. Dropped him off at the Port Admiral’s house and managed to get a couple of hours sleep before picking him up and taking to the ship for 8am. I had to pick him up again around 2 o’clock so didn’t manage to get any sleep in between. Picked him up to go back to our place in Portsmouth (he had a house in the dockyard). This was before the M25 so going from Chatham to Portsmouth was a bit of a trek. Got to around Guildford and he asked me how I was feeling. When I replied that I was nackered he simply said “stop the car”. I did as I was told and he swapped places with me. So there’s me sitting in the back dressed like jolly jack tar and him in his full uniform driving.
When we got to Portsmouth the look on the gate security guys faces was unbelieveable. Normally when an Admiral drove in or out of the dockyard they would all stand to attention and salute him sitting in the back. He would then return their salute. However as he was sitting in the front driving they didn’t know what to do. They just looked at each other not knowing whether to challenge him or salute and let the car go through. They took the course of least resistance, saluted and waved us on. I’d like to have been quick enough to have saluted them back but didn’t have the energy. Needless to say I slept well that night.
mushroomman:
I remember the first car that I ever bought, a second-hand white Sunbeam Rapier with a brown stripe.
I bought it somewhere in the Portsmouth area in 1969 and the rego was either UCP 7 or 7 UCP.
The lads from Up North might remember the old U.C.P. Cow Heel and Tripe shops and I often wonder how much that number might fetch as a cherished number plate.
Hopefully Geordie Lad might be able to tell me which area that number came from. 
That was an old Halifax reg no.
Thanks for that Dennis.
I wonder if that car had a R.N. connection with it ending up in Portsmouth. 
I enjoyed reading the Admiral anecdote so thanks for sharing that.
I used to think that this car belonged to an Ice Cream man, until I went to the local dentist.
I asked this guy if he didn’t mind me taking a photo. He said no and he even gave me a fridge magnet.
Well I allways Remember the first artic I drove in the 50s, JVK 44 A Scammell 6 tonner Mechanical Horse, When I worked for Baxters Road Services Ltd On The Quayside Newcastle Upon Tyne. It was a 1942 reg with a hand start Petrol engine;
mushroomman:
I remember the first car that I ever bought, a second-hand white Sunbeam Rapier with a brown stripe.
I bought it somewhere in the Portsmouth area in 1969 and the rego was either UCP 7 or 7 UCP.
The lads from Up North might remember the old U.C.P. Cow Heel and Tripe shops and I often wonder how much that number might fetch as a cherished number plate.
Hopefully Geordie Lad might be able to tell me which area that number came from.
It looks like U.C.P. stood for United Cattle Products
Ford Transit photo courtesy of Richard Price.
Fsm281y my first distance motor. Maggie drawbar . Ysm285w first full time motor Clydesdale tipper
