AN Acton cabbie who has driven some of the greatest names in music could win a chance to rub shoulders with them for one night.

Bert Routledge, 40, is the keyboard player in a band called Daniel Takes A Train, which split up more than 20 years ago despite being on the verge of a record deal.

The band has reformed for one last shot at stardom and has gone through to the final of Virgin Radio's One Last Dream competition.

The prize is to open for Eric Clapton at his Hard Rock Calling Gig in Hyde Park at the end of June, in front of 40,000 fans.

Bert, who was just 20 when the band split, said: "It first started a couple of months ago when we heard about this competition, and decided the time was right to have another go.

"It's been a lot of hard work, and we have had to great through a series of challenges including making a jingle and recording a bit of the song Valerie by the Zutons for them to judge us on.

"I really hadn't played the keyboards in five or six years, so it's been a case of dusting them down and practicing hard."

The father-of-two, whose sister, Emma, provides vocals for the seven-piece outfit, says the band now sounds better than when it was first together.

He said: "We played a gig on Saturday night and all our friends and family who said we sounded better than we did originally.

"My kids are really excited as they are really into Britain's Got Talent and this is kind of a radio version of that."

Bert, who has been a cabbie in central London for 14 years, has driven music legends including Paul Weller, Damon Albarn of Blur, Liam Galllagher of Oasis and troubled star Pete Doherty.

He said: "Pete was probably my best ever fare. I got called to the studios but the cab was booked under a fake name.

"Then a tour bus pulled up and Pete jumped in the cab with four mates and wanted to go all the way to Marlborough."

On Friday the band will go head-to-head against the Steve Boyce Band for the chance to play the dream gig and needs public votes.

Bert, who lives in Mill Hill Road, said: "It couldn't have come at a better time for us, as there is a real 1980s revival going on, which is exactly the sort of music we play.

"If it all ends on Friday, then it's been a great journey, but it would be marvellous to get to play in Hyde Park, and you never know, maybe we could even get a record deal this time around."

To listen to clips of the band, and to find out more about the competition, visit www.virginradio.co.uk and click on the One Last Dream tab.

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