BRENT, NORTH LONDON

Naming the Austin Allegro as one of my favourite cars might seem wilfully contrarian, seeing as it has come to be viewed as a symbol of what could only be described as a ‘malaise era’ for British car

THIRSK, NORTH YORKSHIRE

Manchester… before the industry-blackened architecture disappeared

The year 1953 was when life in Britain began finally to bleed from monochrome to colour. Not everywhere, and not for everybody, but, slowly, there was a palpable sense that brighter days were just bey

An A-road transport cafe circa 1958, the atmosphere thick with intrigue and cheap-cigar fumes. The waitress, a twin for comedy starlet Liz Fraser, scowls at the attempts of four businessmen at the win