Yesterday's trip to Nottingham was a real wander down memory lane. I worked in Nottingham from 1973 to 1975 and this was my first time back since then.
What surprised me was that they'd widened the M1 to four lanes just north of Nottingham which must mean that commuter traffic has increased enormously since I was last there.
When I first arrived in town, I lived in what was then known as the Albany Hotel (now The Brittania) for about six months only getting home to Harrogate on Saturday night after six days in the office.
Later I was moved to the Sheffield office and commuted daily from Nottingham for another twelve months. The things you used to do when young and working your way up the corporate ladder.
Anyway, during that trip I remembered that I used to complete the commute between Nottingham and Sheffield in a yellow Jensen Healy registration number PTO 5M. My pride and joy. It was powered by a 2 Litre Lotus engine if my memory serves me right.
One night driving in the rain from Sheffield to Nottingham I noticed an unusual amount of rain spray at the back of the car. I also noticed the oil pressure gauge dropping like a stone. A core plug had blown in the engine block and luckily I was just north of Woodhall Services and managed to coast it in with no damage done. Fun days.
She's a beauty. But given your trials and tribulations with British made cars, is it any wonder that we all buy foreign cars now?
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun car to drive but now you mention it as soon as I started driving German cars there were no problems.
ReplyDeleteThe M1 rewidening was only completed last year and we had two years of gruesome roadworks while it was being done.
ReplyDeleteThis stretch of motorway is one of the busiest and most dangerous in the UK and the third lane has definitely helped. You would be mad to try commuting between Sheffield and Nottingham these days - just getting from the motorway to either town centre can sometimes take the best part of an hour.
PS nice colour car!
Hi Jean, I thought it looked new. The speed cameras in and out of Nottingham are also something to behold. No wonder it takes a long time. It all felt a little strange.
ReplyDeleteAye, times change,PTO 5M is now on a 2007 Kia Sorento ......
ReplyDeleteGood story though.
I think I've read that they were also susceptible to rust. So, engines with a tendency to blow combined with bodies that tend to rust doesn't equal longevity.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping to be able to tell you that the original registration number was still on the Jensen.
ReplyDeleteI guess the Jensen could still be in use on a different plate.