Inspiration comes from some strange places, sometimes it is only way after the encounter you’ll think and remember it/that/they most certainly crafted your path a little as you made your way. A couple of chaps instrumental in my evolution into a Toyologist were one Kris Kristoffersson, billed on his obituary as country singer but known to me for his staring role in the Truck-tastic film CONVOY, taught me CB talk (10-4 10-4 for a copy c’mon) and in the village we lived all kids who lived on farms had CB Radios, then, Corgi released this RC Truck and, well, I got it for Xmas – Utterly thrilled.
Sad times though, no batteries, Xmas day, no shops, village life, no 24 hour petrol stations or nothing, so, grandad takes me the 45 minute drive to the nearest Motorway service station where he paid top whack to get all the pesky batteries I needed, that RC truck was used until its tyres ran bald.
My other Chap, David Graham, (superb interview with him HERE chatting on ITV in his various voices) not so much noted for on-screen acting skills, you’d likely not recognise his face, he passed away the other week and was the voice of (amongst other characters on the tellybox) Parker, the chauffeur from Thunderbirds.
He got to chatter to Lady P and drive the magnificent FAB-1 of which I have the Scalextric version and, back in the 80’s had a Thunderbird 2 that flews on many missions in my bedroom and met its fate under a tractor wheel, they now sell for up to £1k.
This Parker chap had the best of accents, proper Cockney but he would stick in a H every here and there to try and sound a tad more upper-class to escape his chequered history in safe-cracking.