I blame Brookwells, where it all started.

A few of you might know me from my articles in Land Rover Monthly, most regularly my ‘A day with’ series. In fact, I covered Brookwells last year for the magazine, where I visited both the Plymouth and Bovey Tracey branches. I spent a large part of the day out with Ali in the van, visiting customers in the South Hams. But my relationship with the company goes way back before then.

Do you remember when you first got a bank card? I do. I was 15. I also remember where I first used it. It was the Plymouth branch of Brookwells, to buy a rear crossmember, in an attempt to repair the rather crusty chassis on the Series III I used around the farm. I did eventually get it through an MOT, after the garage had to redo some of my welds. Oh well, we all have to start somewhere.

I grew up about 25 miles away from Brookwells, near Kingsbridge, where we used to farm around 400 acres of arable land. It was driving around the farm in my crusty (but trusty) 88” or the farm 110 Hi-Cap, that fuelled my enthusiasm for all things with the green oval.

On the lead up to taking my GCSEs at Kingsbridge, Dad bought a new Land Rover for the farm – an Arles Blue 110 Tdi, which Dad bought from Roger Young in Saltash. Dad has been lifelong friends with Roger – they have known one another since they were teenagers. In fact, I used to work during the school holidays at Roger’s many years ago!

Anyway, Roger had tickets for the new ‘factory tours’ at Solihull, so Dad and I took a day out, to drive up there and see where the 110 had recently been built.

During the visit – which was utterly fascinating. I remember we broke for lunch, and the lady that was taking us around, called Mollie Maine, asked me what I was doing after I'd finished my exams. I explained that I had agreed what A-levels I was doing with school, and that I was staying on at Kingsbridge sixth form. I then remember her telling me that they did apprenticeships and that she would “grab me a leaflet from HR whilst we had lunch.”

When we got home from that fascinating day, I remember opening the folder and it wasn't just a leaflet - there was a full application pack to apply to Land Rover as an apprentice.

As the internet was still somewhat in its infancy, I filled out the handwritten form and posted it off. “What’s the worst that can happen?”

During that July, and again in early August, I was asked up twice to be interviewed at Solihull. The second interview was principally because I was moving so far away from home. They were concerned if they offered me a position ‘would I be able to deal with it at just 16?’

I don't think I've ever been more persuasive in my entire life. And on August 20th that year I was offered the position of technician apprentice for Land Rover, along with 11 others, starting just 2 weeks later.

And so started a career spanning almost 25 years with the company. First Land Rover was part of ‘Rover Group’, then sold to BMW, then Ford, then Tata – I lived through all the changes that brought. I loved every single day.

Most people within the business knew me as a huge Defender fan right from the very beginning. Indeed, my grey 90, on Instagram as @myprimergrey90, spent many Friday evenings and early Monday mornings up and down the M5 to see the family.

I remember joking to one of my bosses, years ago, that ‘when Defender ends, that will be the day I leave’.

On Friday 29th January 2016, that final day for Defender came. The last original Defender – L316 – to be produced, right back where it began, at Solihull.

Such was my love for the vehicle, my manager at the time, Kevin Walsh, on the day before, told me “Greg, clear your diary tomorrow, it’s your day, do what you need to do.”

I woke up early, and rather than putting my JLR polo shirt on, put on a proper shirt, trousers and a black tie, as if I was going to a funeral. It felt appropriate somehow.

I got to work about 5.30am that day. I took the opportunity to take a wonder around the production hall. It was empty of people and partly lit at that time. The start of the line, where the rolling chassis’ were built up, was completely empty – and it was a very weird feeling.

The final few Defenders were about halfway down the main production line. This included a vehicle for Roger Crathorne (known as ‘Mr Land Rover’, on the strength of his 50 years’ service and being involved in original Range Rover development), a vehicle for Kim Palmer (head of PR) and Ralf Speth – the CEO at the time. The final vehicle in the line-up, was of course, a Defender 90 Heritage ‘Soft top’ – a special - as the idea was to spec a vehicle as close to the first light green 1948 80” model as possible.

Over the next hour or so, people filtered in. Not just the regular line workers, but TV companies and film crews, presenters that I recognised by sight, and some of the most senior people within JLR……and many, many guests. People were chatting amongst themselves; the sort of interaction you get at a reception before a big event like a wedding. It felt very informal and was at odds to the usual atmosphere that the build hall had.

At 7:30 AM that morning, the start of shift buzzer came on. The staff building the cars knew they were building the last ever Defenders. Over the next two hours, so many people were crowded around the production line, TV presenters doing pieces to camera, JLR directors talking informally to all the members of staff. And a blind eye was universally applied to the ‘no camera phones to be used’ rule – everyone was trying to capture this historic event.

There was a last-minute panic – normally Special Vehicles accessories were fitted offline, but for the cameras, everything was fitted on the production line. As an Orange 110 Adventure, complete with roof rack, approached the fuelling area, it became apparent that the roof rack was not going to clear an overhead gantry. The maintenance team was quickly dispatched, and the offending metal bar removed so the 110 could continue it’s journey down the line.

So at 9:22am on Friday 29th January 2016, the last ever Defender – a 90 Heritage with a full soft-top, rolled off the production line. Number plates were fitted at the factory  – something never done – H166HUE as it was going to be driven down to London for the ‘One Show’ that evening at the BBC.

As people chatted on the off-line area (where tracking is done, headlamps set, that type of thing), Mike Bishop, from the Land Rover Experience Centre, handed me a set of keys for his pre-production 1948 80” – chassis R16. “I’ve got to drive another vehicle on the parade lap around the factory. You drive my 80.” Loaded with selected guests, I then had the opportunity to drive in the parade around the factory, over to the Driving Experience centre, where media and important guest were being hosted.

I then had my second huge win of the day. Dave Davies, part of the JLR Classic team, who I knew well, approached me. “How’s your diary today? Have you got to go back to Gaydon this afternoon?” I explained that I’d been given the all clear for a bit of a ‘jolly’ that day…

“How would you like to drive in the convoy down to the BBC this afternoon?”

I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.

My steed for the day was a 1989 110 CSW V8, immaculate, following all different types of Land Rovers, right through the years. In fact, I was behind a 101 Forward Control all the way down the M40 from Solihull to Central London.

And the reaction from the general public? The end of Defender had been on the mainstream news all day, such was the important of the ‘original Land Rover’.

Every car, van, truck or coach that passed us waved, hooted, cheered or slowed down to take pictures.

It was the most amazing day – one I will never forget – and without doubt the most memorable day I had during my career at Land Rover. You could never repeat it. It was magical.

And why was I there on that day? Because of my enthusiasm for the original Land Rover. Perhaps where I first ever used my bank card, had something to play in my lifetime of Land Rover adventures…..

By Greg King.