Know your neighbour: Linden resident loves his engines and radio
Linden resident, Clive Banks has so many stories to tell.
The story of Clive Banks spans nearly seven decades, two continents, a host of professions, and many, many stories.
The 69-year-old Linden resident is an optimistic man by nature and meets every challenge that comes his way with a smile.
This is something that helped the retiree with a background and past in England, make bosom friends with people of all cultures here in South Africa.
That, along with a polite and friendly approach to strangers, which makes it easy to establish a rapport with people.
“Linden is a super place, I love everything about it,” he said.
“I used to live in Illovo and I was in England before that for a while.”
Banks previously worked in the banking industry, both here and in the UK, but his passions are broadcast radio and engines.
“Even since I was a child I have been interested in radio. The famous Gordon Mulholland taught me a lot and I hosted shows on the English Service and Springbok Radio.”
Banks also collects model planes, trains, ships and cars.
“I used to have a Wolseley that I modified because it overheated. It had a beautiful wooden dashboard, fancy seats and a picnic set up at the back. It could do 100 miles per hour.”
One of Banks’ favourite memories is riding the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe train on South Africa’s Garden Route.
In fact, Banks completed a Rovos steam engine driving course, and has driven a train with a 185-tonne engine.
“As a lad of seven, I took a sea voyage with my parents up the east African coast. We started at Durban and went all the way up to Venice in Italy and then on to England. That was around 1961. We flew back home afterward. What a journey it was.”
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