LIFELONG PASSION
The weekend of June 22/23 is the North West’s big one – the Kelsall Steam & Vintage Rally. It seemed a good idea to understand what’s propelled the phenomenal success of this annual extravaganza of the rare, revered and restored. The reality is not so much a matter of ‘what’ but of ‘who’. Meet Geoff Newsome and Marie. And if the whisper is true, between this issue of Heritage Commercials going to press and you reading this, they are likely to be Mr and Mrs.
They’ve only been together for 20 years. But it isn’t entirely a case of putting work before marital happiness. It is said that the child is the father of the man – and you’re happiest when you satisfy the inner child. For Geoff Newsome, work equals happiness. And man and boy, happiness has meant trucks and farming. The permanent smiles and relaxed demeanour of the happy couple conceal commitment and determination that was responsible for building a well-respected transport business, a collection of heritage commercials in pristine condition that reflect Geoff ’s lifelong passion for trucks, their farm with 350 acres of lush pastureland for a herd of 200 beef cattle – and the Rally, which was a main reason for taking on the farm some years ago.
As a boy, as soon as Geoff Newsome could perch on a driving seat, he attempted to take a turn at the
