Ronald 'Steady' Barker is one of the UK's leading old car enthusiasts and a highly respected motoring journalist, in a career that has spanned 6 decades he has brought his inimitable brand of sparkling wit and technical insight to some of the most respected automotive journals, beginning in the 1950s at The Autocar and now as a regular contributor to The Automobile. Steady is cut from the same cloth as such luminaries as Jenks, Boddy and Setright, a generation of writers who valued wit, wisdom and a jolly good read over the drier, by-the-numbers style of some of their contemporaries.
His skill as a raconteur and his infectious enthusiasm for the subject matter come through in every word he's written. Now in his 94th year, Steady remains an active part of the old car scene, his passion for the great cars of the vintage era increasing, rather than diminishing with age. The Automobile magazine have seen fit to honour the great man's life with an in-depth interview with him in their latest issue, and also a specially commissioned filmed biography, Holding Steady, a celebration not just of Steady's incredible contribution to the fine art of motoring journalism, but as a true Great British individual in the best tradition. You can see a clip from the film and find out how to purchase a copy on The Automobile's website.