Bath Tec School

That's odd Tony, my pics showing up Ok on this end, I haven't altered anything so I don't know what's going on.

I hope Bill isn't disappointed when he gets to Sennen it's been another miserable day here, while the rest of you seem to have been basking in sunshine it's been overcast and damp here, for most of the afternoon we had sea mist and drizzel. I hope for an improvement by the weekend we're going to be in Penzance ourselves on Saturday.

 

Stu

Hi Anth and all.

No, Anth, I didn't get to Dorset,I was working, but son Alex did, lucky little sod!

He brought back loads of piccies, looked like a good show. Maybe I'll post some on the site as soon as I can prise them out of his camera. Whilst down south he also went to the West Somerset Railway, got photos of S and D 7F in service also GW mogul.

I can just picture Bill and the ducks. 'She who must be obeyed' keeps a few and he is spot on, the ducks quack, but the drakes sort of chuckle. We used to have similar experiences back in the late seventies, in those days we had a 24ft cruiser and used to cruise the canals around the west midlands, often we were woken up by water fowel in the early morning.

When 'er in doors' fell pregnant with our second, we decided that the 24ft boat was not big enough, not only that, but by now we had learned that narrow canal cruising is a contact sport! So, we decided to build a 32ft steel narrow boat on the front lawn. In brief, the hull and superstructure was complete and I had most of the parts to fit it out, including a 2.2 BMC diesel, when she fell pregnant again!

This time it was twins, when she was laying down she was taller than she was standing up, before they were born, both babies were well over five pounds. At this stage I decided that four kids on a 32ft boat was probably a recipe for a nervous breakdown so it was probably best to sell it as was, as a job lot. Just about covered my costs, but it was fun whilst it lasted. 

Since then we have moved house, about twenty five years ago, so now we don't have a front lawn, and have given up the idea of ever cruising again. Stick to the vintage tractors I think, can't get into too much trouble that way!

Late again. Gotta go!

Bi for now.

John.

PS. Surprised that there has been no comment about my last reply to 'Members', Anth, praps it was all just a dream!

Evening all

 

Must say I think I'm going to ask Bill to move down here, his prescence obviously does something to the weather, in the words of the old song "just a minute it's stopped raining, kids are swimming, kids are sailing, mudder, fadder, kindly disregard this letter"!

 

John, Tony, you're quite right I did miss that one. I'm just writing down some of our travel experience on my MySpace page John, while I can remember them. I think the fascinating thing about China is that many things can seem so ordinery and alien at the same time. The transport systems there seem to be outpacing ours rapidly, the Shanghai Maglev is amazing, smooth and silent, and 250Kph Shinkasen bullet trains are becoming commonplace, and cheap to use. The road systems are pretty good too, at least until you get into more depopulated areas then they disappear alltogether. Mind you for pedestrians it's a different matter, the choice is to walk on the pavement or in the middle of the road, equally dangerous, as cyclists and scooter riders use the pavement rather than the road, and at night they don't bother with lights, talk about needing eyes in the back of your head. But the one that made the biggest impression was the boat trip down the Li River on something that looked like a Mississipi stern wheeler, without the stern wheel. Can't wait to be back there though, only four weeks now! I see Tianjin is only about 70 miles from Beijing, will post pics when we get back. From Beijing, it's Xian, Lanzhou, Xiahe, Dunhuang, Turpan, Urumqhai, Kashgar, then into Kyrgystan via the Torugart Pass to Bishkek.

 

The shipyard at Appledore are building the bow sections for the two new aircraft carriers, the first sections were shipped out about two weeks ago to Rosyth for assembly, overall though it's not enough for the shipyard to take on a lot of extra labour, the job been tailored for the existing workforce, and the summer's been so poor that there hasn't been that many grockles either, not so much buzzing as a low hum.

 

I recognise the name of Singers and Butler & Tanner, I'm amazed that you found a pair of knickers in a car park in Frome, couldn't have been a local girl, of course that was before Tony or I moved there and raised the tone of the place. I remember the transport cafe at Nunney Catch, used to go to a lot of scrambles, and rode in the odd trial in that area, and you're right I do believe it was a Little Chef last time I passed that way, (not recently).

 

And I heartily concur about the boating, we've had a few holidays cruising on the Thames and the Norfolk Broads, absolutely brilliant, would recommend it to anyone who wants a nice quiet holiday.

 

There I think that brings me up to date,

 

Stu

Hi Stu.

Interesting comments about China, remember that I have not been there since the late eighties and things have changed a lot since then! You are correct Tianjin to Beijing is not too far, but few tourists ever visit Tianjin, the city centre is OK but the rest of it is a bit like Avonmouth on steroids, but let's face it I was there to install film producing plant so what should I expect. I get to see the nitty gritty of most foreign countries. I visited Beijing a couple of times whilst there, you know, Forbidden City, Tianamin Square, all the usual. There were still a lot of old traditional single storey houses in the city in those days, I expect that they have all been bulldozed by now. Had aspirations to visit Xian whilst I was there, but the thought of a 28 hour train journey to get there put me off.

 

As you say, cruising is very restful and to be recommended, the beauty of cruising the canals though, is that you get a dose of industrial heritage as a bonus. Incidentally, I don't know if you have ever been, but the Black Country Living Museum near Dudley is well worth a visit. They have a working Newcomen engine, trams, trolley buses a totally reconstructed canal side village with the best fish and chips I've ever tasted, the village bakers sell absolutely fabulous lardy cakes, all sticky, just like they should be! The Dudley Canal passes through the site and the Canal Trust run narrow boat trips into Dudley Tunnel where all the old limestone workings can be seen, a bit spookey in places, but fascinating. The village also has a Baptist Chapel which has been reconsecrated and in recent years wedding services have actually taken place there. Too much to describe here really. I can only say that we had a day there and keep promising ourselves that we will go back to see all the bits that we missed.

 

Sorry to hear about the weather down your way, don't know what you can do to entice Bill down there so that you can have some sunshine! Still the forcast for the next week or so is good so perhaps you'll get some anyway. Down in Cornwall at the week end should be good, have a pint of Cornish Cream for me! On our occasional visits to Padstow we generally finish up in the London Inn of a lunch time and get a few on board, then spend most of the afternoon acting like a pair of silly bu****s, much to the disgust of the joint management.

 

I didnt realise that you lived in Frome as well as Anth. so, it was not all a dream about Joe and Mabel's after all. At Christmas time they used to put on a dinner for their regulars, by invite only. Roast turkey with all the trimmings, Christmas pud and a pint of beer for half a crown. Those were the days!!!!!

Got to go now, getting late again and back to Walsall in the morning.

Bi for now.

John.

 

Hi Anth.

Thanks for the link to the steam car record, yes very interesting!

Also interested that the truck drivers still use the same site at Nunney as the old transport cafe.

Thanks for the tip about the 'Boatman' at Bradford, must give it a try next time I'm round that way. I think I've said before that when I was at school I lived at Corsham, so know the Bradford/Melksham/Trowbridge area quite well and still visit the area occasionally, just for old times sake!

Getting late again, chat more on week-end.

John. 

Hi John and all,

 

The Black Country Living Museum is indeed well worth a visit. We usually go every other year to see the additions. You didn't mention the pub though, that'll surely get Stu interested !!! They've got an REO Speedwagon which was originally supplied new by a company in Bristol, we had a ride around the site in it by a very interesting guy who used to test and deliver the Bristol bus chassis. Remember those guys with their flying helmets and goggles hurtling up and down the Keysham by pass ? In my opinion is a good day out especially the Faggots and peas for lunch !!

 

Rich

Have a good time Anth, the weather is looking good for the next few days. I'm off to Corfu again next Friday so I hope for a little good Greek weather for a week !!

 

The guy that did the chassis driving told me some of his exploits. You wouldn't want to do it in the winter, that's for sure !!!

Rich

Hi Anth and Rich.

First of all hope you both enjoy your holidays and that the weather stays kind Anth.

Nice of you to add a bit more detail to the Black Country Museum saga Rich. You are right, I think the real old fashioned food they sell impresses most people, sorry I forgot to mention the pub, how could I?

Now you come to mention it, when I was a kid I remember the bus chassis being delivered, just as you describe. The funny thing is though, they were travelling along the A4 at Pickwick just outside Corsham, usually from the Chippenham direction, towards Bath. I can't see how this fits in unless it was a test run, there were usually several of them together. Only one would imagine that being 'Bristol' buses the chassis and engines would have been assembled at the Bristol factory. As it was common for ECW at Lowestoft to supply the bodies, I can't imagine what they were doing travelling along that part of the A4 in that direction. Perhaps your neighbour can shed some light on it! 

Gotta go now guys.

Have fun!

John.

Amazing I'd forgotten about the bus chassis road tests, quite amazing really, made me wonder what the performance was like without all the bodywork etc, half of me fancies a go at it, the other half not so sure.

Nice pic of the scrambler Mike, I recognise the spot as well, the track was at Asham Woods, near Leighton, and the shot was taken on the hill leading up to the finishing line. I don't suppose you've any more of the same have you?

 

Stu

Hi Lads,

 

Chatting to my dad yesterday about the Bus Chassis Drivers and he said some of them went as far as Norwich !!! Imagine that in the winter on 5 quid a week !!

 

Rich

Hi all.

Interesting comments about the bus chassis. The Norwich thing sort of lines up with my comments earlier about 'Bristol' buses having ECW bodies. I guess that the rolling chassis were delivered to Lowestoft, where Eastern Coach Works were located, to be married up to the bodies. If this was the case, I've no idea when the practice ceased. I will chat to a couple of friends that are vintage bus owners and involved with bus restoration. I guess they will have something to contribute!

G'night to one and all.

John. 

Hi Guys.

Further to our previous conversations about Bristol buses, I have received a reply from Pete my bus enthusiast friend.

He confirms that all rolling chassis were delivered from BCV (Bristol Commercial Vehicles) to ECW at Lowestoft by road up until the time that the business closed. It was a two day trip for the driver with an overnight stop at Newbury.

Pete also posted me a photo which I think was taken in the sixties. I will post it up for you guys, a bit of nostalgia.

Bi for now.

John.