Page 62 - It's a Rum Life Book 3 "Ivy House Tales 1970 to 1984"

of the load.
John Rundle’s father (Jack Snr.) was taking a great deal of interest in what I was doing.
Readers of ‘Changes to the Town Hall’ will recollect that ‘Jack’ was one of the original
Management committee of that historical building.
Now well retired, he had been instrumental in the expansion of Rundle’s during the era of
steam.
He still retained an active interest in everything going on in the business and after
watching me for several minutes he said, “I’ve never been to Scotland, will you take me
with you?”

I was deeply honoured that this wonderful elderly gentleman who was almost 80 years old
had sufficient confidence in me and this gaudily painted very second hand lorry to wish to
come on the round trip of between seven and eight hundred miles into some seriously wild
countryside.
I think it was the thought of passing Culloden and Balmoral, Tomintoul and Blairgowrie,
Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee that had excited his serious interest.

After a few moments I said we would have to speak to his son John (himself in his late
50’s). John was quite speechless,
but after I had explained that due
to promised delivery times and
huge distances,
I would have to sleep in the lorry
while travelling over the top of
the Cairngorm Mountains; there
would be nowhere convenient to
stop where a bed could be found
for the night.

Picture right of Dundee.

Below, the Forth Road Bridge

I do regret that no way
could be found for the old
gentleman to accompany
me as he would have
seen splendour like
nothing he had ever seen
before in his whole long
life.
But the journey was
not without difficulty. Due
to the costings and
mileage I could take no
longer than two days for
the journey so stops
would not be frequent.

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