Life is a journey, it's not always about the distance travelled but the experiences had. We may even breakdown along the way but get repaired and carry on with that adventure.

This couldn't be written more so than about one of the "oldest" members of the Stowell team. Always here, always willing to serve and do "their" duty, complained about by some, disliked by others, adored by a few but always gratefully appreciated in snowy conditions by everyone.

I am writing about the Stowell Concrete 1971 Short Wheel Based Land Rover which was purchased by Roger Stowell in 1977. The previous owners did less than 5,000 miles a year until they drove it all the way to India and back for a 6 month stay there. From the service and repair documents we can loosely trace its journey where it stopped in Teheran, Iran and Kabul, Afghanistan as well as Delhi, India for its planned extended stay. The "Landy" still to this day has a double skin tropical roof to help keep the interior cool and so not cook the occupants like a Chapati over an open fire.

Roger and Margaret Stowell's three children all learned how to drive in it, it seemed the safer option compared to other smaller cars of the time. There are fond memories of everyone piling in including the dog and despite the tight squeeze there were lots of laughter and giggles driving to the Brecon Beacons on numerous occasions. Journeys through thick snow and deep drifts where the roads blended into fields with no distinction between tarmac and the fluffy white stuff seemed to be a regular occurrence.

One account from Margaret in such conditions, was with her daughter Gina Driving the "Landy" over the Mendip Hills and the road "disappearing" before them.

Despite the conditions they continued the journey however it soon transpired that they had in fact left the unseen road and were driving across fields somewhere deep beneath them.

Finding their bearings, righting their course and getting back on track it proved once again the sheer ruggedness and 4x4 capability of the vehicle.

My own personal experiences with the Stowell's Land Rover are set a few years ago and once again within the snow storm, "The beast from the East". The snow was too deep for normal cars and so the 2 miles journey to work from home had to be completed on foot which took me over 1.5 hours by foot such was the depth of the snow. At the end of the working day the Landy was brought into use again and "Operation Taxi" commenced. Once again, the old timer saved the day, getting through the deep snow, passing stranded vehicles, drifts and pedestrians trying to trudge their way through the harsh conditions. All those that were "rescued" and "delivered" back home were full of praises and incredibly grateful including myself.

As I write this BLOG, I look out upon the car park and see the old "Landy" in the middle of it, no longer in its prime, no more gleaming paint work, surrounded by ultra modern shiny glossy cars like they are orbiting a dying sun, the light fading but still very much at the centre of our solar system.