Norman's Life - His first love - the Internal Combustion Engine

92 Years Ago

Norman was 15 years old when he took out his first licence on the 11th March 1925 -1926 to drive a car or motorbike, at a cost of 5 shillings. There was no driving test at this time you just paid your five shillings and off you went!

I believe  Norman was driving before he was 15.  

Norman Stafford's first Driving Licence 1925 - he would be 15 years of age.

This photograph was one of the old negatives I found, and as you see Norman is very young (probably about 15). This photograph shows him sitting on his father's motorbike and sidecar.  After a lot of research I believe this motorbike and sidecar is an AJS Model D, which was a British motorcycle made by A J Stevens & Co. Ltd in Wolverhampton between 1912 and 1925. Production was halted by the First World War. AJS managed to develop the Model D into a popular sidecar machine.

  

Restored Negative of Norman aged 14 or 15 years old circa 1924 on his dad's AJS D motorbike and sidecar

Restored negative of Alfred Stafford on his AJS D motorbike and sidecar circa 1924

Restored negative circa 1925 Norman aged around 15 on his father's AJS D motorbike and sidecar

A few years later (perhaps 15 years) Norman is seen on his 1933 Model 19 Norton motorbike outside 16 Milton Street, with his sister Eleanor on pillion. 

This was the bike that Norman said he drove from Greenside to Carlisle, some 52.1 miles in less than an hour - today it states it takes 1hr 16 mins - so well done Norman! 

Eleanor and Norman on his 1933 Model 19 Norton

Still keeping his Norton, Norman moved on to something a bit different, a two seater three wheeled Morgan Aero 8. 

These vehicles were a popular form of cheap motoring for the working man who wanted to move on from a motorbike to something a little more comfortable, in the nineteen twenties and thirties. They were technically classified as a three wheel motor cycle, and carried a much lower road tax.  Known as "Cyclo" cars, they could be driven by the holder of a motor cycle licence and if it didn't have a reverse gear there was no need to sit a car driving test. 

When my mam and dad were 'courting' she said it was a terrible car to get into because it had no doors. Being only 5ft tall wouldn't help either.  I don't even want to think of how she got out of the car!

When my mam and dad married they initially lived with Norman's parents, but when the house opposite, 13 Milton Street Greenside came up for sale Norman sold his beloved Norton and Morgan using the money as a deposit on the house.

OYP 427

For a few years Norman's bus driver wages were not enough to save for the luxury of a car, until one day a little black beauty came into his life.

A Pitman friend called Alf Redman bought himself a Split Screen Morris Minor.  Alf couldn't drive and asked Norman to teach him.  To Norman's mortification Alf found learning to drive very difficult.  He took his driving test eight times before he passed his test. Even then because he didn't have enough confidence he rarely drove the car, so he asked Norman would he like to buy it.  With some financial assistance from his sister Eleanor, Norman became the proud owner of OYP 427.

Original Log Book for Morris Minor OYP 427

1950s picnic with Alf and his wife Bessie on a typically warm British summer's day!
R-L Alf Redman, Bessie Redman Dorothy Stafford and Jean Stafford

Typical 1954 Split Screen Morris Minor

This little car gave us holiday's, days out, and was the first car I drove at 17 when I took out my first driving licence. I remember my dad took me round the village, a little kangaroo petrol and then I was away, a reckless young fool. I remember my mam asking my dad "how did she do" he said I had far too much confidence but was a natural, but he was a bit biased. 

I have been driving for subce 1963 and still love driving. Norman taught me, my boyfriend,(who became my husband) my sister and her boy friend (who became her husband) to drive, and by the time we all passed our tests the gear box synchro mesh was shot, but Norman never complained and just replaced the gear box.

I found this photograph on the internet of the interior of a split Windscreen Morris Minor. The interior of OYP 427 was in better condition, but, boy did it take me back to my youth, I could almost smell the red leather seats, the red carpets, the wooden chocks that my dad had to put at the back of the driver's seat, as I was too short to reach the pedals. The massive steering wheel, the gear stick, the clutch pedal and accelerator. I remember when I changed gear Norman explained I had to give the accelerator a quick buzz from the throttle and then shift the gear stick to neutral (apparently this was done to match engine speed to the intended gear and vehicle speed, I obviously didn't know this, just did what Norman told me to do), lift off the clutch and give the throttle a quick buzz again, depress clutch and engage new gear (this was double declutching) and all had to be done in a nano second. What lovely memories.

Norman's final car in his retirement was an Austin A40 Farina. For me, (and I am sure for Norman as well) I felt it didn't have the personality that the Morris had, but not once were any of his car's off the road, as Norman was such an efficient self-taught car mechanic, he never once needed professional assistance. 

I can still see my dad in my mind's eye - I would have been sent along to the garage to tell him "his tea was ready." In the fading light he would lock up his ramshackle wooden garage, and slowly walk the short distance home. I believe he had to walk slowly as he was so stiff after being bent over, or lying under his or his neighbour's car for hours, but this was Norman's idea of heaven. 

Before he could eat, it was off with his oil sodden overalls, and out with the Swarfega to wash the smelly black engine oil off his hands.  More lovely 'pungent' memories.

The ignition key in the Austin A40 was so thin that you could be driving along and the car key would drop out of the ignition, a bit disconcerting as the engine didn't cut out. If you were in the car on your own, you had to stop the car and scrabble around on the floor and put it back in the ignition.

Norman and this car grew very old together.  He drove it as if it was a bus, slowly.  This would drive us all mad, and other drivers as well. I can still hear my sister saying to him "for God sake dad can't you drive a bit faster."

A typical example (and same colour of Norman's final car) the Austin A40 Farina