Car Torque .... with former Blue Peter presenter Peter Purves

What was your first car?

I bought my first car, I was aged 22, and it was a Ford 8 (1936), which I purchased with my actor friend, David Baillie, when we were working together in repertory in Barrow in Furness in 1961. It cost us all of £15 and survived almost six months of our driving in the local area and the Lake District. It finally gave up the ghost when I was driving it heavily overloaded with newspapers for my father's shop, when the propshaft finally snapped and came up through the floor, never to move again!

How many times did it take to pass your test?

Basically, I was taught by my Dad, in his 1955 Morris Traveller. I was away at boarding school in Blackpool and had about three lessons at weekends before failing my first test at age 17 for leaving enough room for a cyclist to come between my car and the kerb at traffic lights. Then came the fuel rationing caused by the Suez crisis, tests were suspended, and learner drivers were allowed to drive unaccompanied. That lasted for about six months I seem to remember, by which time I was fairly proficient, and when the driving tests were reinstated I passed easily, aged 18.

Who would be your ideal fantasy passenger and where would you go?

There are many I could choose, but I guess it would have to be a film actor like Cary Grant or even David Niven. Grant because of his wonderful acting career, who made so many fabulous films back in the 40s, 50s and 60s. He always came across as a fascinating man, a real sparkle of mischief in the eyes, and he could have taught me a lot. Niven for what would be his wonderful wit, style, and sense of humour. He must have been great person to know. He had lived life to the full and no doubt I would have learned from him also!

What is your dream car?

I just love Bentley's. I was lucky enough to own a 1952 Mark VI back in 1967, for which I only paid £750. It was an indescribable joy to drive it on the newly opened first stages of the M4 when you felt you were in an aircraft on the runway. The car was built high on its chassis so there was no hump for the transmission shaft. I had to sell it a year later, because I really could not afford to run it - we joked that if you didn't turn the engine off in the filling station it would never get a full tank of fuel. I also got fed up after having two ‘Flying B's’ stolen when the car was parked outside my central London Flat. But I would love to own one in pristine condition today.

How would you describe your driving style?

A very good friend from the olden days, sadly now departed, who was a driving examiner, said I was an "accident waiting to happen". He was being sarcastic, I hope. I certainly drove quite fast for many years, but that was often a necessity - after a show at the BBC TV Centre in Shepherds Bush, London, I would often have to get in the car and drive to Anglesey or Cornwall or sometimes even to Scotland, in time to film the following morning at 8am. But there was very much less traffic on the roads in those days, and with a sports car or fast saloon you could make very good time. Nowadays, depending on the time, it can take you up to two hours just to get out of London.

Tell me one driving anecdote from your driving past?

Back in 1970, I had just bought a new Bond Equipe two litre Triumph-engined sports car, complete with overdrive - how modern. It was quick and delightful to drive. John Noakes and I had spent a day in Northamptonshire at a banger racing track and had taken part in three races and had a smashing time, literally. Neither of us won a race, and we managed to crash out of the track - on one occasion my car was straddling two great oil drums after being side-swiped off the course. Great fun.

After filming, we tidied ourselves up, and got in our cars to drive back home, me to London, Noakesy to Hampshire. I managed, with great skill, to reverse from where I was parked into a low concrete pillar which did a fair bit of damage to the boot and rear of my fibre-glass bodied new car. I was most upset, as you can imagine. But the car was driveable and I removed some small amounts of fibre, tied the boot down and drove back home.

At Mill Hill Broadway I was stopped at the lights, and a chap in a Mercedes behind me didn't, and he hit me fair and square, totally demolishing all the remaining fibre bodywork at the back of the car. The damage I had done to it was miniscule, by comparison, and as luck would have it, his insurance covered the very expensive repairs!

What are you listening to?

A lot of the current music passes me by. Every now and again something quite interesting comes up which I like, but my musical taste is seriously retro. So I listen to great Jazz from the '30s, 40s and 50s, a mix also of Big Band Swing, Ellington, Basie, Benny Goodman, and the like, and a lot of 60s rock. One of my favourite albums is by The Band, The Last Waltz, which has some tremendous track on it, and a fantastic mix of people. I also listen to Classic FM and have a large collection of Classical tracks on my computer and iPad.

What do you drive now?

I am currently downsizing to a Volvo V40 diesel hatchback from an S80 Saloon. I need the hatchback for my dogs, but don't really need a 4X4 which I would like, but cannot afford. I have driven Volvos for many years now - the safety features were what drew me to them in the first place. I had an accident on the M25 about 20 years ago, when my car was side-swiped in heavy rain by an articulated truck. It actually wrote off the Volvo estate, but the main compartment stayed solid, and neither I, nor the two Newfoundland dogs I was carrying, were hurt. It kind of reassured me that the cars were as safe as could be, so I have stuck with them. Also the V40 is environmentally so good that it attracts zero road tax, and with an urban average of over 60mpg, it makes some sense.

Prior to the Volvo's, I drove Jaguars for more than ten years, and I was sad when price put them just out of reach.