British bulldog and the Terrier

Public libraries.

A useful source of warmth for the homeless, computing time for those working phishing scams while maintaining anonymity, cheap DVD rentals to pass the days for the out-of-work and drug-addled, and a source of employment and social interaction for terminally unmarriageable wallflowers of both sexes.

“To the library, chaps!”

Oh, and some of ’em have a few books. Not that anyone under 50 is interested (except maybe women working their way though a mountain of chick-lit).

The central library in my town is, perhaps, better than most in that it has more than a few (books not women) and some of them are actually relatively recent – there's even a new one here and there. For a lifelong fan of libraries it's a breath of fresh air (yes, according to my entries at Mondo I'm pretty much a lifelong fan of everything). What it means is that every now and then it's possible to rummage among the shelves and find something that you haven't previously read and which is sufficiently intriguing to fish out your library card.

Cover dreadful, contents whimsical and
without coherent plot but a fun read for all that

Such a one is Travelling With Mr Turner (Panther Publishing, 2011) by Nigel C Winter.

The cover looks like it was chucked together by someone for whom a John Bull Printing Outfit would be impossibly over-technical and the text setting within strictly amateur hour. The images are too small and blighted by moire rendering them largely indiscernible and yet… And yet it has a home-brew charm that’s hard on the eye but satisfyingly rewarding if you stick with it – a bit like wanking with a picture of Miranda (or Gandhi if you happen to be female).

Sorry, I'm blathering. It looks like shit, is obscure and has no discernible plot, yet it holds your interest in such a way that turning the page and reading on is inevitable. Remember watching Gregory's Girl? Other than seeing the gloriously sexy Claire Grogan (albeit depicted as a rank and unappealing teenager), you wonder why the fuck you're watching and yet still you watch on…

Needless to say I checked it out and took it home. Since then I've read the book several times over the years and enjoyed it immensely despite its many faults of presentation.

In a nutshell then, motorcycling solicitor Nigel, sets off on a pilgrimage to recreate a journey first enjoyed by Triumph big-wigs MD Edward Turner, Works Director Bob Fearon and Chief Designer Alec St John Masters during a bid to publicise the company's new 150cc Terrier motorcycle (a little four-stroke sloper that would eventually become the Tiger Cub). With surprisingly spartan back-up and outfits that’d be hard pressed to retain warmth during high summer in the West Indies, the trio embark on a Land’s End-John O’Groats bike ride endearingly known as The Gaffers' Gallop. Some time later they complete their journey, Terrier publicised, job done.

Esso lends a hand

Similarly, but with suitably wistful middle-aged pontificating on 1. Age 2. Motorcycles Old and New 3. The State of the Country 4. Everything Else in Between, Nige returns home having pretty much followed in Ted's footsteps.

Throughout, there are (albeit poorly reproduced) pics of Nigel's Hinckley Triumph Thunderbird 900, pertinent landmarks and various of the gaffers.

Ted grins and bears it

There’s Ted for example, looking for all the world like an irascible motorcycling Billy Bunter in an outfit specified – and probably knitted – by his mother. A cut-price post-war Churchill from modest antecedents and none the worse for that. Good for an amusing story over a glass of whisky (but not whiskey), with firm views on Rhodesia, and sex with the lights out strictly intended to fulfil the requirement to procreate while satisfying the implied terms of the Anglican wedding vows.

Absolutely then, a man borne of his age.

But back to the book. Any good? Yes, though not quite worthy of the lavish hyperbole dished out in the many Amazon reviews (to paraphrase Not the Nine O’Clock News): “I would willingly sell my house and all its contents to assist Nigel in writing another of his truly magnificent books, he is by far and away Britain’s best author ever…” being typical. Yeah. You decide.

Try going there now without paying the exorbitant ‘entrance’ fee…

Buy or borrow? The latter initially, but with a view to the former if you happen to have a few quid spare after splurging on a whore and the DVD release of And Mother Makes Three (oh Wendy Craig, you bad, bad girl…).

One tip: choose the Kindle over the conventional edition, image reproduction is vastly superior.

You can visit the author's own website dedicated to the book of the ride of the Esso documentary of the publicity stunt here and you can also see a number of pics of Nigel's dad doing what dads did aboard their motorcycles in the 1950s here