Friday 28 December 2007

Prop Me Up


This day-glow cowling caught my eye as I passed the hangar. That's a Moraine MS 733 Alcyon looking all colourful, behind that a DeHavilland Chipmunk and in the front is the port end of a Miles Gemini - offering a glimpse of the little Bristol Cirrus. The great thing here is that all this hardware is under the cover of a WW I Bessanau canvas de-rigeable hangar. These incredible structures littered northern France during the Great War and this one still keeps the rain off.

Wednesday 26 December 2007

Getting up Steam


By far the easiest way to set the dining room ablaze is to fire up some steam power after a big lunch, very seasonal - and the smell of burning meths and furniture is such an evocative stab. This is the 1965 Mamod SE2 out for an airing. This motor has previously powered a sizeable Meccano crane and a ferris wheel but on this ocasion is just having a no-load test run to provide a postprandial soundtrack for my siesta. If you haven't been able to fire up your steam engine yet this Christmas you really ought to get on with it.

Monday 24 December 2007

Roll out the Barrel


Christmas treat for everyone. Who could fail to get excited by this ? Here's a barrel and sleeve from a Bristol Centaurus IV. The main reason this has to be here is that an eighteen cylinder sleeve valve radial engine that develops 2500 horse power at 2500 revs can't be ignored. A few years ago I had a Hawker Tempest project, that's the Tempest that superseded the Typhoon towards the end of the war. The mark II actually failed to see service in the war because of engine development issues and was beaten to the spot by the mark V which was powered by the 12 cylinder Napier Sabre. However the II was an extremely slippery machine and, personally, I think much prettier for not having the gaping rad under the engine. Archive's in a bit of a state but I'll post some pics when I find them. In the meanwhile feast your eyes on these puppies. MORE POWER.

Sunday 23 December 2007

Crow in Vane


Early morning shot of the local weather crow doings its job - light Westerly. I quite like the way his mate's waiting patiently for his turn. The sun was just making itself known over the wood-crested hill to the south, bathing the top of the spire and fields behind in a pink wash. Just out of shot is a fine public house where Timothy Tailor's Landlord used to be served to the order, "a pint of grumpy old bastard - please". A friend of mine fell into the fire in the bar and set himself alight, nobody'd spare their beer to put him out so he lost his Barbour coat and most of his hair.

Wednesday 19 December 2007

Santa's Grotto


Oh, the seasonal joy of a well organised 'shop. Can't fit everything in one pic so herewith only 8 internal combustion engines. Out of shot, on and around the bench are another 5. There are two Howard rotovators in the corner there, a 350 with a 5hp Kohler and, for'd of that, a Gem with the lovely Hatz diesel, the latter started first swing after 13 years of slumber ! In the background is the old slappy 3 main 2 1/4 series 2A motor, the Wheelhorse has a 13hp Kohler and in the series is the replacement 5 main ex series 3 motor. 4 cylinder International BD154 motor in the 434 and I nearly missed the Briggs & Stratton in the Mountfield, Komatsu stroker in the strimmer, behind the Series bonnet is another B&S for a go-kart project. The photocopier's electric and the bent filing cabinet is ex the A43 incident witnessed by Lord Ashley. Ho Ho Ho

Pickled Cabbage


The B250 was a useful tractor in many respects but having no live-drive rendered it pretty useless for running the topper. What I hadn't appreciated until I came to flog it was just how popular they are with the vintage ploughing community. The guy who came to pick this up arrived in a rotten Bedford TK on trade plates with no windscreen - all the way from a fen. To keep the chill off, he was completely covered from head to foot in old potato sacks. He did bring me some cabbages and his young lad (at least seventy) who was driving wouldn't let go of the lorry for fear of getting lost. This transaction must have been eight years ago now and I saw the tractor again in a ploughing competition this September. The jar on the exhaust stack is ex Branston Pickle.

Friday 14 December 2007

Flight of the Virgin


I was delighted to catch this lot on their way to New York for a spot of Christmas shopping - "it makes so much sense daaarling, what with the dollar rate and that". I was particularly struck with the idea of the Virgin up there, bulging with shoppers hightailing it across the Atlantic, while down here at this time of year she's bulging with child and heading for Bethlehem to pay some more tax. I also rather like the bronze cross. On a clear day like this you can hear the distant roar of the Rolls Royce Trent 500s - a good soundtrack to any story. FULL THROTTLE.

Wednesday 12 December 2007

Wholemeal Toast



I just love the way the countryside is littered with tell-tale signs of excitement. People behave so differently around incidents like this - unfortunately many miss out on the full experience by slipping too easily into panic and rush around failing to take in the basic visual spectacle. Fire in particular has so much to offer, not just visually, but the fizzing and popping sounds of small components giving up their elements can be such a joy - then, of course, there are the smells associated with burning tyres, paint, fuel and the standing wheat crop. Luckily the agricultural community is pretty relaxed about tidying up after itself so we get to appreciate the moment for years to come.

Tuesday 11 December 2007

One For All ......


The Beech Musketeer was never much of an aircraft and this one finished its duties looking even worse than normal. There are very few sounds as attention grabbing (albeit short-lived) as that of a metal prop' at full chat trying to plough a furrow for itself. I'm particularly pleased with the wind sock remnants lodged in the starboard wing, the pole neatly sliced its way through the leading edge as far as the spar before flinging the little four seater to the ground in a flurry of stubble, soil and scrap metal - how satisfying's that ! Definition of a good pilot - same number of landings as take-offs. MORE REVS

Monday 10 December 2007

Manifold Pleasures



What goes in really needs to come out, and the LaFrance is no exception to the process. Inlet manifold is missing the 2 5/8" up-draught Stromberg carb which was in pieces on the 'bench - sorry. Real simple engineering here, but elegant of course and very exciting, obviously. If you can stand the fun, there's a good glimpse of the Scintilla mag. In the exhaust pic that looks remarkably like a 190 Cosworth in the background which may appear later on in these pages.

Cereal Rain


This picture evokes feelings of despair and disappointment at an un-dramatic, almost resigned pace. As the flood waters rise and fall, so the struggling farmer can appreciate his predicament at the speed of nature. Not a particularly sharp or arty pic I fear but I love the image as a metaphor more than a trick of the light. Rather than shout about the futility of man's struggle against nature, this picture tells me that the farmer has won his battle, shelved the crop and pissed off to the pub for a well earned freshener after a shitty day - job done !

Sunday 9 December 2007

Drink Up !


A30 Okehampton - roadside brew-up. These little journey breaks were a necessity of '60s trips to the West Country. A scalding pot of tea and much argument about the wisdom of locating the Primus under the petrol filler cap were obligatory details. I'm particularly pleased to see an appearance by the massive home-made first aid kit, this may have had something to do with the Primus. I referred, in comments at Unmitigated Nostalgia, to a fruit cake incident and I think this photo precedes it by a few minutes. The must-press-on approach resulted in many such scrapes including family members being left behind at filling stations, recklessly figuring they had time for a wee while the car was being gassed up. This car did some big trips, most notably one to Elba '69 in time to watch the flag planting trip to the moon by the Yanks on a very decrepit television. A large ham and a round of Parmesan were lost off the roof at a roundabout incident in Turin rushing back to get the car on the train to Paris. MUST PRESS ON !

Saturday 8 December 2007

Mind Le Gap




Mostly shot through the 'screen or sun-roof at speed I'm afraid. Couldn't resist this typically French piece of engineering - A43 East of Chambery heading into the Alps. The longest traffic jams ever recorded in the universe took place here before the construction of this weaving and lurching flyover. I just love the cantilevered extrusion process that sees sections of roadway head off in the hope of meeting up with their on-coming opposite partner to take the strain before they topple into the valley below. From each set of columns the deck is cast into thin air in both directions, each balancing the other, minor wobblies are taken up by the tensioned steel cable tie-downs - one hopes.

Friday 7 December 2007

Mi Casa Volante !


I can't believe this is the only pic I have of the Jungmann. The Bucker Jungmann, put to very effective use by the Luftwaffe in aerobatic competitions in the thirties, was settled with the Spanish after the war. It was manufactured and supplied to the Spanish air force as a primary trainer and in use right through to the '80s. Being Spanish built (1958) this is actually a CASA 1-131-E3B powered by the Enma Tigre motor. This plane spent its first month in this country chained to a stanchion in the Customs shed at Southend Airport - some technicality. Beautifully engineered and weighing only 420 kilos this was such a pleasure to fly and sorely missed.

Thursday 6 December 2007

Double Eighty


What are the chances ..? Fancy that - not one, but two brand new Series Ones being delivered by rail, fresh from the factory. I was particularly pleased to catch this picture just as the Willys was scooting over the bridge, bringing together the two great dinosaurs of the off road world. I think there may be a bit of blog weaving going on here but the coincidence was too great not to post. Off to find some more tractor pics in the archive.

Wednesday 5 December 2007

Serial Sunshine


Ex military Series 2A '61, although demob'd '71 (hence the K plate). Great litle project truck, this pic on arrival day - beautiful sunshine. Things are a little different now. Engine was a bit slappy so came out (see first entry in these pages). Found a 5 main series 3 motor on e-bay and dropped that in c/w S3 box and tranny. Just been in the 'shop for a spot of welding but pretty much ready for action. Reverting to rag top but keeping the military bumper and heavy grill. No doubt an up-date shortly. I ended up with this truck by standing around at my local fixer's discussing with Billy-Bob, Digger-Bob and Jim-Bob the chances of finding a tax exempt project such as an early series -" what's that blue pile of metal in the brambles over your shoulder ?" - "blimey, fogot that was there - have that one" !!!

Tuesday 4 December 2007

Two Stroke Mix


The two stroke engine is such a flexible beast, without the need for a wet sump or oil reservoir the thing can whizz away at phenominal revs in any orientation. This trick has lead the stroker to find itself put to use in some imaginative applications. I include this simply by way of demonstrating what a right pickle we should all be in without it. The number of times a daiquiri making session has failed through lack of power is of serious concern - no excuses now - MORE POWER.

Monday 3 December 2007

Pisa Expressway


Named after a road, like many Lancias, the Aurelia took its title from the 350 (odd) BC Via from Rome to Pisa. These cars must have nearly killed Lancia, the innovation and engineering was stunning. Conceived by Vittorio Jano (this late B20 coupe being bodied by Pininfarina) the car was based around a 2451cc 60degree aluminium V6, engine speed prop to a rear trans-axle clutch, gearbox, diff and inboard brake package with independant suspension - all very trick. Run-about choice of Mike Hawthorn, these cars really were the thing to drive in the '50s. Whoops - is that another bloody CX in the background ? Can't get away from them.

Sunday 2 December 2007

Tank Tops & Turtle Wax


A seventies feast. The DS was my first Citroen, about '79. This is a '74 D Super 5, a later, 2175cc development of the old 4 cylinder push-rod motor, with a 5 speed 'box. That Beetle was a great car, 1303 S 1600cc (bay screen) - died in a fire, Cromwell Rd around '83/4. The R4 L was around for a few years but took a bad roll near Kenilworth and never really recovered and had to be abandoned in Belfast. Can't see the plate but the GS must have been pretty new when this pic was taken.

Farmer Drama


Right, that's it - Rory has to go! I sort of gave him the benefit of the doubt - seed of the great Brian's loins, conception in the back of the Range Rover etc etc. I had also assumed his presence would be a passing annoyance, not dissimilar to elevator musac, but it looks like he's here to stay. I was wondering if it would be possible for Jennifer to back over him in the Disco', rushing off to get some mixed peel from the deli in Borchester for Jack's birthday cake. In a particularly dark moment I hoped he might get caught up in the bumper and be dragged off down the track obscured by a cloud of farmer's dust - Brian running in pursuit, waving his arms and cursing his long suffering wife. A little hopeful, but perhaps we could convince Sam Peckinpah to capture the scene on celluloid.

Saturday 1 December 2007

Ou est le savon ?


That masterpiece of engineering that is the Barrage de Villefort in the Cevennes was in a spot of bother when I drove by on this occasion. The scene should be of a 450 acre reservoir ! Grateful for the photo opportunity I pulled over to take in the rather sinister spectacle. The sunken boats on the South shore are really quite disturbing and the plan to simply elevate the old road is beautifully exposed here. If you get a chance the D906 from Langogne, South to Ales is a splendid road, hounded much of the way by the even more breathtaking railway - buy a ticket from Le Puy and head South.

Tailgate Tales


Included for the benefit of Jeep Rebuild contributor, Justin. This fine GS Break lost it's tailgate on the Great North Road, it was sadly rendered useless by the following F12 eight wheeler. A few tools were indeed lost over the following months. The modified front and near-side body work is courtesey of an early morning Fallow strike - (one for the freezer).