The Old Lady’s early years

The picture of the editor in Panhard D1590 and your London-to-Brighton article brought back many memories. While studying automobile engineering at Loughborough College, I worked for four summers at the Panhard’s home – the Western Motor Works, one of the earliest purpose-built motor garages. Boss Ralph Bennett had me work in just about every department in the place. The Panhard was known as ‘The Old Lady’ then and Mr Bennett took it every year on the London-to-Brighton run. I also remember it taking part in a ‘demonstration’ at Brands Hatch. His involvement with the Veteran Car Club meant that we had other veteran and vintage cars into the garage for work, from Rolls-Royce to Hispano-Suiza. An ideal place for me to grow up!

I continued to be interested in the racing side and can say that I was at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix in 1954, Aintree in 1955 (when Mossy won) and Le Mans in 1964. I am supposed to have retired many years ago, but am still working part-time. Looking back, it all started at the Western Motor Works.

Don MacLean, Clifton-upon-Teme, Worcs