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Welcome Tim Large
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Hi Tim.
Just a few words of welcome.
I expect that you have trolled through the site by now, but in case you have not, please do so.
You may find that we are a bit cranky at times, but hell whats old age for!
Please join in with the fun if you feel inclined.
I'm sure that Bill Williams or Anth will formally welcome you and give you all the low down, but in the mean time please enjoy.
Best regards.
Sticky.
Feb. 17, 2011
(Edited Mar. 11, 2011)
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Hello Tim, I am pleased to see you aboard as
I will not now be the '1st Year' anymore! Don't forget to take your cap
to the boiler-house (Weymouth House), where the caretaker will swap it
for a distressed one (with dulled gold ring & floppy brim) for a few
pennies. This lot won't pick on you then! They really are a fun lot.
Join in and play.
Feb. 18, 2011
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Hi Tim and welcome, I'll second what the other guys
say, we're a friendly bunch really, don't take any notice of Stickland
he only mentions old age 'cos he's just retired, mind you he must have
found something to do with his time 'cos he's not as frequent of late.
Only pulling your leg Sticky.
Stu
Feb. 18, 2011
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Yeh, you're right Stu.
Busy clearing the workshop so still technically employed until the end of next month.
Many trips to scrap yard and to skips. Loads of fun!!!!!!!
Weighed in about £2.5K worth of scrap so far, all on the books unfortunately.
Oh nearly forgot, repaired the fork lift truck as well, Six cyl Coventry Climax side valve, running on gas.
Couple of broken valve springs!!!!
Have fun.
Sticky.
Feb. 19, 2011
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Yes Tim Welcome!
It would great to learn more about you....at least it gives a "handle" fer t' older lads to "work" on.
THere's
nowhere to hide on this site. Although(so far) there's been no Head
down the bogs initiation rites......Now, there's a thought eh?!
warm regards
Chris and Parrotty if she's in the mood (see the pics)
ps Stickey shall you be takinig up scrap metal dealing full time in yer retirement and will you have a horse and cart?
Feb. 19, 2011
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That's a good one Chris, John "Steptoe" Stickland,
"Harrrrrrrrrrrrold", conjures up a wealth of images doesn't it?, I'd
write this in a Devon (Appledore) accent, but I haven't mastered it yet,
far too many subtle nuances.
I knew you'd be enjoying yourself John, as long as it's got a bit
of rust or needs greaseing eh? I'm a bit like you happiest when I've got
tools in my hand and a project in mind, kitchen's just about finished,
just a bit of tittivating to do, allotment projects in hand, cold frame,
raised beds and tool shed. Next is so work to do on the camper, little
bit of bodywork and the heater matrix to sort out, you never know I
might even find time to go to work, Oh! and at the begining of April the
slipway job starts again.
I'll second Chris there Tim, how about some personal details and a few notes to bring us up to date.
Stu
Feb. 19, 2011
(Edited Feb. 19, 2011)
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Crumbs if Sticky takes up scrap dealing I will have to
keep him away from my armoury! 'er in doors might be tempted to clear
some space. Funny how that technical side (chunks of metal) manifests
with all of us still, after all these years! Even tractors count!
Feb. 20, 2011
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"Armoury" Graham!? ooh er!
Do Tell/share.
Do you supply the "underworld"?.....AK47?, Sir....of course...suits you Sir if I may say so.
Chris
Feb. 20, 2011
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Munching through one of Mrs. H's suppers, looked up at
the TV (Points West) and saw a blast from the past - Alan Hale (I think a
local councillor) speaking about the departure of Cadbury (Frys) from
Keynsham. Funny how you can recognise someone almost instantly
after 40 odd years - even though the neuron count is in terminal
decline!
Feb. 20, 2011
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Yes Mike!
Alan Hale....Councillor Hale...ex PC
Hale of the constabulary. We were at Broadlands Sec Mod Keynsham
together and were sentenced to The Tech in 1960 for having passed 13+.
Alan
won't mind me commenting ( and I don't care if he does) that he used to
be quite a naughty boy! But then reformed and took up enforcing the
law. A very good local politician, charitable fund-raiser and well
respected. He was very kind to my mother during her last years and was
held up to me by my mother as an example of how a son should be!! Obviously unlike me!
So there!! Some of us have made something of our lives! Maybe Alan counts as a LUMNUS, Willumm?
Wylltteshyrre O' th' Sorrouws
Feb. 20, 2011
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Chris,
Not the underworld, but AK47 (Albanian model)
yes! I even missed Kalashnikov by an hour or so at the Royal College of
Military Science, Shrivenham once! I was criticising the current British
SA 80 Rifle in the room where he was due, and was politely eased off
the base at the time! As you can tell from these postings, my big mouth
lets me down sometimes! 'Sir' now that is a distant memory from teaching
days!!
Feb. 20, 2011
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Hi Graham and all.
I was quite surprised to hear that
you also collect relatively recent weaponry. For some reason I had the
impression that your collecting was restricted to ancient stuff, swords,
daggers, bows, cauldrons of boiling oil, etc.Now I know that you are
interested in fire arms etc I can only urge you to come to our show this
year. Firstly we are being hosted by the military at the Duke of
Gloucester Barracks (South Cerney Airfield) and they will almost
certainly have a presence. Secondly the military section always put on a
good show of vehicles and all the accessories, weaponry etc, real big
big boy's toys. The show manager drives about in a six wheel drive REO
truck, christened 'Southbend Thunderer'
Interesting that one of our
number has become a local civil dignitary, even more interesting is the
fact that Chris's mother held him up as a shining example of a model
life. I wonder? As he says he was a naughty boy. Does a leopard change
its spots? Maybe he's dealing AK47s as well!!!! Ha Ha.
Have fun.
Sticky.
Feb. 20, 2011
(Edited Feb. 20, 2011)
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It is called 'mission creep' Sticky. My original
interest in early bayonets grew & grew. Once you focus on part of a
weapon the whole thing becomes relevant. A bit like the chaps who
collect those ornate tractor seats but not tractors!! Now I am retired
(note the cartoon that Pennington of the Bristol Evening Post did in
March 1997 when I did) I am a 'Friend' of the Weapons Collection, Land
Warfare Training Centre, Warminster. Here I help out with displays,
articles and research. See
http://www.infantry-weapons.org/links.htm This keeps me up with
modern stuff. Funny but I have no military background (except Dad was a
Constructor in the Admiralty in Bath) so the hobby has taken me to some
interesting places. It began when Peter Gray (are you out there Peter?)
sold me a sword for 2/6 in Weymouth House's playground in 1957. (I
cycled to Twerton to fetch it!) He spun me a line that it was his Uncles
from the Crimean War! It was really a Danish cavalry sabre and the
Crimean War was 1854-56 so his Uncle must have been old!!! I have been
to the show at Berkeley & Kemble a few times and usually attend the
Military Odyssey at Beltring Kent in July. This has more armoured
vehicles on show than those owned by the British Army! The implications
of the research continue. I gave a lecture at the Tower of London a few
years back and have just been approached for one at the Imperial War
Museum in London. Once a nerd always a nerd!!
Feb. 21, 2011
(Edited Feb. 21, 2011)
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Evening all, nothing much to say 'cept it's been a
bit quiet hear for a day or two, SO I thought i'd just announce the fact
that I'm still alive. Booked flights to India today, Mrs. was out
shopping at the time, I consoled her with the fact that we have a
stopover in Dubai, both coming and going, I haven't disclosed the fact
that it's only for about two and a half hours yet, so no time for
shopping, I'll save it for when she's in a good mood, or maybe wait till
we get there, " Oh! didn't I tell you dear, we won't have time to leave
the airport?"
Otherwise nothing to report, down yer Spring has sprung and the grass is rissing, (as in ris, but getting there).
Stu
Feb. 25, 2011
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Hi Graham, Stu and all.
Firstly, Graham, Our show was
the Kemble event which is moving venue to South Cerney this year.
However, some of the people responsible for Kemble are also involved in
Berkeley, also the military show at Cambridge (Glos). We also co-operate
with the organisers of the Fairford event. Shows are very
incestuous!!!!!!
Interesting the way your hobby has progressed from
such a simple start into something that is such a major part in your
life. As a child my only interests were steam locomotives and tractors.
Steam is still my first interest, but I'm realistic enough to realise
that I'm never going to own a locomotive and one has to be so careful
not to be branded a 'Train spotter' by anyone unfamiliar with the
difference between them and a steam enthusiast. Now, tractors that's a
different story, doesn't cost an arm and a leg to own one and there are
plenty of orphan tractors out there.
Hey, Stu, you do believe in living dangerously!!!!!!
Fancy
not telling her the duration of the stop off. Still hopefully, once she
has a taste of India then Dubai will be forgotten about, but I doubt
it. Best come clean I reckon. What is it they say? When you have dug
yourself into a hole stop digging.
Have fun everyone.
Sticky.
Feb. 26, 2011
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Hi Tim, and welcome. You are not related to David Large who was in my year and came from Wotton Bassett?
For all I have added a few photographs from this side of the
world. We had the Royal Canberra Show over the weekend. A little
bit like the Weston Fair as we called it in my day but a tad grander. My
wife took some photographs of a few tractors that were hanging around. A
few more photographs of the floods in a place called Queanbeyan which
is just in New South Wales and close to Canberra. An old paper
clipping in the days when I was coming to the end of my football career.
I am the happy hooker in middle. And a photograph of me at 65 a
few days back. Some good friend bought me the walking stick. Cheers Ken
Feb. 28, 2011
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Hi all.
Gone very quiet on 'ere! Cat got your tongues?
Cracking photos Ken. The floods were something else, reminds me of Tewkesbury a couple of years ago.
Like the walking stick, bit of a useful tool to keep the young 'uns in order, waving it at 'em!!!!!!!!
Thank
your good lady wife for the tractor photos. Particularly liked the pre
52 Allis B with the water tank in tow. Also the post 52 model in the
background behind the grey fergi, this is exactly the same as my 1953
Allis. Can't remember if there are any piccies of mine on here now, but I
will check it out and paste some up if there aren't any.
Have fun all.
Sticky.
Mar. 4, 2011
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Hello Chaps, Life seems to have speeded up for a
day or two. Luckily no crises like Ken's flood pictures, being labeled
as a 'train spotter' or even an urge to own a tractor!! An acquaintance
had a lucky escape in the Christchurch quake. He was in a cafe
overlooking the cathedral. The plate glass window blew out and, from
under the tables where they dived, he saw the stones of the tower fall.
Luckily no injuries and even his house on the outskirts was shaken but
not too harmed. Have visited twice and will miss the atmosphere in the
city. It was rather like a 1950s timewarp with the River Avon, old
buildings and wonderful parks etc.
Made our first visit to the
revamped Theatre Royal on Saturday. 'Yes Prime Minister' was okay (but
not as good as TV) but the air con. & improved decor was fine. Even
sat in 'The Gods' on real seats, not those terrible benches with no leg
room! As an aside Derek Fawlds (Bernard on TV) used to live at Colerne.
His partner was one of my staff at Corsham. He used to attend school
events. Such a nice person, and very modest.
Sunday was watching one
daughter & son-in-law (plus friends) do the Half Marathon. Phew!
Where did that DNA come from with the kid? Not from me. Had to have a
fine meal at the Old Boathouse (Clevedon Baths) and a stiff brandy to
get over the exertion!
Mar. 8, 2011
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This W/E we made the " marathon" trip from Suffolk to
Bath for g'daughters 3rd b'day. Although the actual b'day was earlier in
the week but wyffe was too ill with a cold to travel.
Horribly
aware of 1/2 marathon going on. D'in law did it last year and vows never
again. A view held by all "normal" people who have been foolish enough
to attempt it in the past!
I was quite keen on X country at
school in the days when we ran across areas now part occupied by he
univ. There were some horribly tough bits esp the long drag up the road
after the golf club.
Every so often I think I might run again then
sense prevails when I remember all those who have either been
prematurely aged by running or died whilst doing it. Same for squash,
but I would be prepared to risk sex should it ever be offered to
me again.*
* Olldden Joque:
Fred: Yer George oi jest got married agin! She's 21 an a real goer!
George: This whanna watch thee selve, you'm 93. Thing loik that can end in death!
Fred: Well oille just have to take the risk....If it kills her, it kills her.....!!!
Anyway
Bath looked lovely in the w/e sunshine and refuelled wyffe's desire to
move there. Sadly I find claustrophobia engulfs me. Too many local
family ties and obligations which I spent most of my life either
escaping from or avoiding....sad really. AND too bloody expensive!!
On
the bright side we had a nice (ish) Sunday roast at the Crown at H
Chartehouse, having failed to get the Fleur d'Lys at N St Philip to
produce a meal.
Yer, Stickey..or anyone...is there a market for
that horror "The Allen Scythe" of which I have a working example and
hate with a vengeance!!?
Blesssynnggeses Alle
Wyllttshyre
Mar. 8, 2011
(Edited Mar. 8, 2011)
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Hi All,
Nice to hear from you all. Once again so busy don't make the time to visit this site.
Love the photographs of the half marathon Graham. Would have
loved to run the half in Bath. Think like most big events in the UK it
is to commercial for my liking.
If I could get the USB cable from my phone to my system to work would
be able to download a lot more engine photographs for sticky
Hearing from Chris Wiltshire reminds me I have a few more parrot
photographs for the system. Bloody local parrots and other birds are
ripping a gum tree on my nature strip (bit of land between my block and
the road in suburbia) apart daily and I am forever picking up the small
bits of gum tree littered all over the place. Must admit when I
was training seriously for marathons I was probably running further than
Suffolk to Bath each week. I do remember racing the Double-decker No 4
bus from near Victoria Park to Weston Village many a time. Oh to be
young and foolish again. Tell all the people that I train here for
Half Marathons that running does not guarantee you to live longer, just
that while you are on this earth your quality of life is better. I
hope?
Thanks me Ken
Mar. 9, 2011
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