About
Born Hillingdon, Middlesex, August 1943
After leaving Bishopshalt Grammar School in Hillingdon, I became a trainee draughtsman with an engineering company. Subsequently, I went on to work as a design draughtsman and project engineer for more than twenty years, gaining valuable experience in a wide variety of manufacturing industries.
Thanks to my father’s influence, I was interested in cars and motorcycles from an early age. I began motorcycle trials riding and grass-track racing as a teenager, but a visit to the 1st British Drag Festival meeting at Blackbushe on 19th September 1964 changed my life forever.
An abortive attempt to put together a dragster on my own led to my brother Don I helping Allan Herridge maintain and race his Cadillac-powered dragster ‘Pulsation’ in the mid-1960s. The three of us then went on to build and campaign a Chevy-powered dragster called ‘Motovation’ that won the 1968 British Drag Racing Championship. Later on I constructed and drove a couple of dragsters of my own, but gave up drag racing in the 1980s and started racing single-seaters and saloon cars on small oval tracks, finally ending my competition driving career in the 1990s.
I started freelance writing part-time in 1971, with contributions published in a number of automotive magazines. I worked full-time for National Drag Racer Magazine (1972 – 73), first as Technical Editor, then Assistant Editor. Returning to engineering full-time and writing part-time, I was also Editor of UK Drag Racer Magazine from May 1982 to November 1983.
In May 1984 I joined the staff of Street Machine magazine as Technical Editor and was promoted to Deputy Editor in June 1987. Following an idea I had developed, in August 1988 I became Editor of Classic American magazine which was produced as a one-off and received a great welcome from readers.
Classic American was introduced as a quarterly in April 1989, becoming bi-monthly in January 1990. After several changes of ownership, due to takeovers, buy-outs, etc, I resigned from the post as Editor in December 1992 to return to freelance writing full-time.
American Car World magazine was the second title launched by CHPublications in April 1993, and I was once again in the Editor’s chair. Problems with distribution saw publication of ACW suspended in May 1995, the magazine being re-launched by CHP in December 2001.
Foisting yet another motoring title on the unsuspecting British public, in the meantime I had become Editor of Triumph World magazine from March 1995 – a post I enjoyed immensely for a number of years. I was also Associate Editor of American Car World magazine following its revival and a freelance contributor to several other publications during this period.
Unfortunately for me, CHP decided to sell Triumph World to Kelsey Publishing in August 2006 without my knowledge. The eventual outcome of this change of ownership was that I received a letter in March 2007 informing me that my services were no longer required, but with no reasons given for my dismissal. Since then I have continued writing as a freelance contributor for a number of different publishers.
I took over as the Secretary of The Society of Automotive Historians in Britain (UK Chapter of The Society of Automotive Historians) from November 1998 to December 2001, and was Editor of SAHB Review newsletter from January 1998 to December 2001. I returned as the Editor of a revamped SAHB Times in January 2008, a tremendously rewarding job and one that I hope will continue for many years to come.
I am a full member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and have been a member of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs legislation committee since January 2003.
I was delighted to be made an honorary member of Club Triumph, ISOA and the Triumph 2000/2500/2.5 Register in recognition of my work on Triumph World magazine. My other car club affiliations currently include: Chiltern Vehicle Preservation Group, Fairthorpe Sports Car Club, Ford Sidevalve Owners Club, Register of Unusual Microcars, Uxbridge & District Classic Vehicle Society.
Over the years I like to think I have earned a reputation as an authority on classic American automobiles (I bought my first US car – a 1949 Ford Customline V8 saloon – for £30 in 1965). Since that battered old Fordor I have owned and driven a huge variety of American vehicles, but I do hold a particular affection for lesser known marques such as AMC, Rambler, Nash, Crosley, Studebaker, etc.
At the moment I have a 1962 Triumph Courier van (powered by a 2-litre, six-cylinder Vitesse engine) as a weekend warrior and use a 2006 Vauxhall Astra for daily duties. I’m always on the lookout for ‘interesting’ vehicles and will no doubt add to the collection at some time in the future – any offers?
Following the successful publication of ‘Armadale to Aquila – The History of Vehicle Manufacturing in Hillingdon’ (my fifth book) in September 2010, which has received some glowing reviews, I am now working on two more books which should keep me busy for another year or so.
PERSONAL MOTORING ACHIEVEMENTS
These are some of the highlights from my long involvement with cars:
The FBHVC national ‘Drive It Day’ held on the nearest Sunday to 23rd April each year was my idea. I proposed this event be inaugurated in 2005 to commemorate the 64 cars that set off from London on 23rd April 1900 on the first day of the Thousand Mile Trial – an incredible undertaking and one which the FBHVC committee enthusiastically agreed deserved an annual celebration.
While Editor of Triumph World magazine I conceived and organised the annual Triumph World Picnic car show for eleven years.
During my time working on Street Machine magazine I was responsible for thinking up and organising the Rover V8 Drag Racing Championship and the Cruise for Charity (John O’Groats to Lands End, 7th – 14th June1987); the Guildford Cruise Night was also another one of my ideas.
Successfully preparing and driving my Ford Flathead V8 dragster named ‘Gravedigger’ to the 1977 BFRA Championship.
Being part of the Herridge & Beadle Bros team (with my brother Don and Allan Herridge) that built and raced the Chevy V8 powered dragster called ‘Motovation’ which won the 1968 British Drag Racing Championship.
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