Berty was first registered on the 1st July 1963 to the North Norfolk Council.  He stayed in their ownership for the first 15 years of his life, mainly used for surveying work, checking the more remote areas of the coastline, nothing too taxing.  In 1978 he was sold on, bought by a local builder who (mis)used him for a number of years until eventually he was parked up in the builder yard and left to rot.  It was while I was in the year purchasing some bricks that I noticed this bramble covered, sad looking vehicle, it caught my eye.  That was it, I was determined to purchase this gone but not forgotten piece of local history and started to enquire who owned it.  After finding the building in the local pub one evening I paid in beer and cash for Berty and called round the following weekend to big him out of the corner of the yard and tow him back to my garage for a good clean and for me to survey just what had I bought.

To my surprise I’d not actually bought a pile of rust, I’d actually purchased a very low mileage, very original and relatively rust free Series 2.  Unknown to me Berty also had a rear mounted PTO drive, added by the builder to drive a cement mixer.  Fast forward 18 months, a bucket full of money and a lot of hard graft and Berty turned out to be what you see in front of you.  Now he’s used for shows, occasional trips back to the (same) builders yard and generally allowed to rest in his old age.