SootySport Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 I can remember my dad driving one of these when he was a farmer on Silverstone circuit. When I was able to reach the pedals I also drove it around, think I was about 9 or 10. My trackday history is rather unique- The Fergy was also my 1st. motorised trackday tool around the old circuit, also been round in a pram, rollerskates, tricycle and bicycle, and lastly in a Cortina 1500 mk1. Those days were free and easy and something I'll never forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander72 Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 Bernie, chances are that your dad farmed next to old Bob Wheeler of Black Pit Farm - he started Buckingham Plant Hire that grew to become Buckingham Group. Cheers James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 I have remembered who it was... Sadly he died last year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander72 Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 sorry to hear that MOTCO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 My dad died 22 years ago, so sadly I can't ask him, will ask my Mum though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander72 Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 Bernie, 28 years ago for my dads passing :-( Paul Wheeler and his family still live at Blackpit Farm I believe between stowe school and the circuit. Cheers James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 sorry to hear that MOTCO Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 I asked my mum what she remembers, quite a lot but doesn't remember the neighbouring farms, To me it seemed that we lived there many years but according to mum it was only 5 years. It was over 50 years since we moved away. My dads workmate and our neighbour Ken Chambers (Who died 3 years ago) was at the circuit farm till the early '80's Most people around Silverstone knew him. Dad & Ken used to make quite a bit of PJ money on race days towing visitors and race teams out of the grassed car parks when it was wet with there trusty Fergys. Myself and Kens son used to collect all the beer bottles from the grandstands and were paid the 1 and 2 pennies bottle deposit by the traders, quite a bit of pocket money was amassed. We often used to be drunk by drinking the dregs out of those bottles, bearing mind we were aged between 4 and 9 mum was not pleased. Our semi detached cottages were a stones throw from the BRDC offices and they have since been converted to a larger single house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander72 Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 Bernie, Thanks for the comment - I remember Ken Chambers from when I worked at Buckingham plant many years ago. Of all the parts at Silverstone I love "the farm" and the old buildings that have been retained. I'm quite young at 42 but have spent most of my life around Northants. I lived at Astcote many years ago and drank in the Eastcote Arms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 You remember Ken, wow. Seem to remember after his farming days he did work as a driver but I didn't know who he worked for. No relation to me but I always fondly called him Uncle Ken. Our family still keep in touch with the Chambers family, they moved to Calverton in Notts after the Silverstone era. Ken died just 2 years ago, his wife Chris comes to stay with my Mum now and again. They had 4 kids, now dotted around the country but Michael the eldest also lives in Calverton and has a carpentry business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander72 Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 Bernie, Its a very vague memory of Ken being referred to when i was mcuh younger - there was a lot of hay cut from around the runway and old hangar straight as i remember - dont forget Northants is a local county for local people - we only have 5 surnames for 150,000 folks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Yes it was all a long time ago and you were very young then. I'm getting like Norman waffling on about the past Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wile E. Coyote Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Out of interest, if you don't mind me asking, what does insurance for road use run to on something like that? We're looking at getting another tractor in a couple of years, probably a similar vintage, but have no idea what they're like to insure (the DB hasn't been on the road for decades so we've not looked into it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander72 Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 I pay 21 quid a year fly comp, 5000 miles :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wile E. Coyote Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Wow, can't argue with that! I'll keep an eye out for a road legal one when the time comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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