THERE have been less familiar faces serving the Wangaratta community from the driver's seat of a car then Daryl Britton.
From mechanic to tow truck driver, taxi driver and courtesy bus driver, Mr Britton has been working within the Wangaratta automotive industry for the past 55 years.
"When I started my apprenticeship under Jack Closehy, I was 15, I finished school and about four days later I was right into it," he said.
"I love meeting people, having a chat, finding out their backgrounds and about their lives."
Mr Britton will be retiring from the Wangaratta Motor Group on December 23, where he has been employed since 1989.
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"I'm not sure what I'm in for, I think the wife and I can finally do things we've wanted to do for a while," he said.
"We'll only travel as far as relatives we haven't seen since before COVID and spend a bit of time with them."
Born and bred in Wangaratta, Mr Britton has been through numerous roles in the industry, from mechanic, diagnostic mechanic, specialist service advisor, master service advisor and tow truck driver.
He said as one of two tow truck drivers in town, he was often the first respondent to a scene which was at times an overwhelming burden.
"I drove the tow truck here 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as working during the day," he said.
"I was on call all night and saw a few nasty things, back in those days we didn't have the SES."
Mr Britton's first job as a fully qualified mechanic came with Alan Capp Holden in 1972, before being recruited by Bill Gormly at Wangaratta Toyota, later forming as a part of the Wangaratta Motor Group.
When the motor group formed back at his old Alan Capp Holden workplace, Mr Britton saw an opportunity too good to refuse.
"When we moved out here and started to form the motor group, the boss at the time was Andrew Gormly and he wanted to put a van on to take passengers backwards and forwards," he said.
"My weekend job for the last 43 years has been driving taxis, so I knew Wangaratta better than anyone else, and I jumped at that.
"And I've been doing that for 14 years now, driving people around."
As courtesy bus driver Mr Britton would cover 200 kilometres a day taking people to and from the motor group as their cars were under service or repairs.
He said his passion for cars comes from his father, who also drove taxis around Wangaratta for 40 years, often servicing and repairing them himself.
Mr Britton still has fond memories of his first car, his grandfather's 1953 FJ Holden, which he bought off him before he could sell it off.
Despite all the changes and countless technological developments in the industry over time, Mr Britton said he's willingness to stay came from a love for the community.
"I love Wangaratta and the people, and working for Bill and his son Andrew, it was a family business and it was a great place to work," he said.
"Very few people came and went; it was a close knit family business."
Mr Britton said he will continue with his weekend taxi driving commitments, doing what he loves most, having a yarn and getting to know members of the community.
He will also continue volunteering as a Justice of the Peace and delve into his second passion, family history and restoring historic photos.
"I restore all kinds of photos, old yellow ones; I'm about to colour my grandparents 1917 wedding photo that was all scratched and damaged, I've put it all back together and now I've got to see if I can add some colour to it," he said.
"It's a bit of fun and games, a bit of a hobby for a self–taught old bloke."
