Christmas shopping - young James persuades his father to let him drive the AE

[falcott]

My grandad taught me to drive in his 1938 Ford 8, which I also drove for the test. I don't remember the actual test -- so it must have gone alright! I do remember that I passed it first time, though.

[Duncan Grimmond]

My first go at driving was in 1960 or 61 when I was ten. It was an early mushroom colour Mini van and I sat in front of the driver, a teacher whose name I forget (Brewer,Brewster?). I could just reach the pedals as we went along the runway of the disused airfield at Rufforth. A year or so later it was in an ancient Morris van (ex P.O. with the Vee shape front end) down a lane to the "Ings" near Thornton-le-Dale with the farmer from next door. I eventually took my test in an Austin A40 (Pininfarina) Countryman in 1967 just after my 17th birthday, failed, and then passed in 1968 in the instructor's new Escort.