Early Risers.

[Sidecar Racer]

As a footnote , only had one ticket , bald tyre , £3-00 fine and endorsement .

 

 I cant count the number of Company cars , but a lot had either red and blue

stripes or blue and yellow all over markings . Lots of blue lights and sirens too .   

[AndrewC]

We seem to have a collection of good drivers here. Or at least good at not getting caught Hands up anyone totally innocent .....

Well...... in my yoof I had a bit of a lead foot. Had my share of speeding tickets way back when. My favourite was for doing 108 in a 55 zone in Montana. Before the 55 was made mandatory by the US feds, Montana had no rural speed limits. The state was forced into it and had to show enforcement. So the state's solution was to issue a flat $5.00 on the spot "depletion of natural resources" ticket. 

 

However, since 92 no convictions. Got stopped a few times since, got a few speeding tickets but all were cancelled. I can't really publicly say why or how they were cancelled though. Nudge nudge wink wink. 

 

Now 14 years in the UK, never been flashed, stopped, or had a parking ticket that wasn't cancelled. (3 parking, all rescinded after the council received copies of the relevant Ringo receipts  and a nasty-gram outlining what the meter maid should do as alternative employment. 

 

edit: speeling chucker

Edited November 20, 2017 by AndrewC

[Barry O]

I did miss a couple of other company vehicles OOFC17 (Chieftain) and 35KA87 (Challenger 1) ..just wish I could have done the tracked vehicle test. Having watched the build yourself a WW1 MkIV tank last night someone should have had a fail on his Tracked test as he seemed incapable of keeping off the other side of the road...

 

Baz

[roundhouse]

Crikey, you didn't sell it to my dad did you? Metallicy green, vinyl roof, overdrive, came out with hardly a scratch when my mum dented someone's Datsun with it.

Close as it did have a vinyl roof but it was the brown / copper metallic colour.

 

Had two Capris since the Fiesta then company cars, mainly Ford before getting out of the hassles with company cars to get a Ford Probe which we still have today, around 22 years old now and stil runs very nicely with its Mazda engine.

 

The Voyager is now 12 years old but in very good condition apart form scratches on the plastic trim in the back where various layouts have caught it when loading and unloading. Hope they can sort the cutting output and now the ABS light issue as it potentially has quite a few more years life in it and as they are no longer made for the UK market, sourcing another suitable layout shifter isn’t going to be easy.

Edited November 20, 2017 by roundhouse

[Ozexpatriate]

Haven't had much chance to visit Early Risers lately so friendly greetings / commiserations to all as suitable.

 

Spotting lists of cars in recent posts, I can include mine:

• AMC/Renault Alliance sedan, 1984, 5 speed manual, 4 cylinder (big mistake, but I was overwhelmed with car choices when I first came to the US, no Holdens anywhere! - mechanically dreadful, couldn't hold top gear, many, many (French) starter motor problems, plus other problems - a lemon without the lemonade)
• Chevrolet Beretta coupe, 1987, 5 speed manual, 2.8l v6 (they don't look like much today but when released they were such a departure from the ubiquitous boxy 80s cars - I loved this car, it was totalled when rear-ended with >99,000 miles on it)
• Chevrolet Corsica sedan, automatic (horrible car - "fair" market replacement for the Beretta - it got 86'ed as soon as possible)
• Dodge Neon sedan, 1996?, 5 speed manual 4 cylinder, also around this time I shared a Dodge Grand Caravan mini van
• Nissan 350Z coupe, 2004, 6 speed manual, 3.5l v6 (that I am still driving it 14 years later is a measure of how much I have loved this car - it is however worthless on snow)

Edited November 20, 2017 by Ozexpatriate

[jamie92208]

Haven't had much chance to visit Early Risers lately so friendly greetings / commiserations to all as suitable.

 

Spotting lists of cars in recent posts, I can include mine:

• AMC/Renault Alliance sedan, 1984, 5 speed manual, 4 cylinder (big mistake, but I was overwhelmed with car choices when I first came to the US, no Holdens anywhere! - mechanically dreadful, couldn't hold top gear, many, many (French) starter motor problems, plus other problems - a lemon without the lemonade)
• Chevrolet Beretta coupe, 1987, 5 speed manual, 2.8l v6 (they don't look like much today but when released they were such a departure from the ubiquitous boxy 80s cars - I loved this car, it was totalled when rear-ended with >99,000 miles on it)
• Chevrolet Corsica sedan, automatic (horrible car - "fair" market replacement for the Beretta - it got 86'ed as soon as possible)
• Dodge Neon sedan, 1996?, 5 speed manual 4 cylinder, also around this time I shared a Dodge Grand Caravan mini van
• Nissan 350Z coupe, 2004, 6 speed manual, 3.5l v6 (that I am still driving it 14 years later is a measure of how much I have loved this car - it is however worthless on snow)

Interesting that most of your cars are manual. I was told by two British expats I met in Colorado, that a manual box is the best anti theft device available.

 

Jamie

[TheQ]

The scars on my left hand fingers have almost faded now,

The scar on the back of right hand is still there...

[TheQ]

The scars on my left hand fingers have almost faded now,

The scar on the back of right hand is still there...

 

Hang on this tablets got an echo...

Edited November 20, 2017 by TheQ

[Two_sugars]

Hang on this tablets got an echo... echo... echo... echo...

 

 

John

[New Haven Neil]

Evening, from somewhere to the West of everyone but Ian.

 

Cars - first was a Renault 12, about 8 cars later currently a B-Max Ford the same horrid colour! (Metallic dogsh!t brown). On Thursday it becomes someone else's and I get the High and Dry i30.  Just test drove it today, drives very nicely indeed, diesel auto (to save Frankenfoot) quite wafty in it's progress, lovely 6 speed box.  A far better car than folk think, certainly as good as the Focus I sold last year.  Depreciation of cars is scary, this was a 19.5K car three years ago - to me 8k with only 8k miles on the clock - really like new.  Eeek.

 

Bikes - about 42 we think!  Joint hobby.

 

[Coombe Barton]

Cars

 

Austin 1300

Mini Countryman

Fored Cortina Mk 3

Fiesta x 2

Citroen thing

MG Metro

Then company cars

Cavalier

Atra Estate

Escort Estate

Citroen thing Estate

Sierra Estate

Escort Estate

Astra Estate

Then back to owning them

Corsa (which ended up in a millpond on a freezing night

Astra Estate

Astra Estate

Astra Estate

Focus Estate

Vectra Estate.

 

Sandy's had

Moggy Minor Countryman (before we met)

Renault 5

Suzuki Swift

My Focus Estate

Vauxhall Meriva

 

And when we win the lottery ...

[New Haven Neil]

Quote:

 

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan says the news the Isle of Man has retained its top compliant rating from the OECD is a welcome boost after a difficult fortnight.

 

The OECD is the global body which reviews tax transparency around the world.

 

The Island is one of only six countries to be ranked in the top bracket from the 147 jurisdictions assessed.  (The UK isn't....)

 

 

Just sayin'. Paradise papers my ar$e.  Look closer to home, boys.

[BoD]

Cars

 

Austin 1300

Mini Countryman

Fored Cortina Mk 3

Fiesta x 2

Citroen thing

MG Metro

Then company cars

Cavalier

Atra Estate

Escort Estate

Citroen thing Estate

Sierra Estate

Escort Estate

Astra Estate

Then back to owning them

Corsa (which ended up in a millpond on a freezing night

Astra Estate

Astra Estate

Astra Estate

Focus Estate

Vectra Estate.

 

Sandy's had

Moggy Minor Countryman (before we met)

Renault 5

Suzuki Swift

My Focus Estate

Vauxhall Meriva

 

And when we win the lottery ...

Goodness me. That's quite a list.

In forty years of driving I've had seven and a half cars.

[DDolfelin]

Goodness me. That's quite a list.

In forty years of driving I've had seven and a half cars.

 

That must have been a bad accident in car number eight.

[108]

Goodness me. That's quite a list.

In forty years of driving I've had seven and a half cars.

Half a car? That sounds like a motorbike to me, unless you parked a full car very carelessly.

 

Snap Dd

Edited November 20, 2017 by 108

[Ozexpatriate]

Cars - first was a Renault 12, about 8 cars later currently a B-Max Ford the same horrid colour! (Metallic dogsh!t brown).

Regie 12.PNG

My AMC/Renault Alliance was the same metallic bronze. Yikes. Here too.  Not as bad as the yellow AMC Pacer my then neighbours had around the same time.

 

I don't think I could ever admit to owning a Pacer. But I never did so I don't have to.

Edited November 20, 2017 by Ozexpatriate

[108]

To date:

 

Selection of bicycles, 10,000 miles approx

One written off by a taxi, another by a pedestrian.

 

Suzuki GS125, first and so far only new vehicle I've owned. 40,000 miles

 

Suzuki GSX250. Chronically unreliable. 15,000 miles. Fell apart without any outside help.

 

Kawasaki GPz750R water cooled ( think Tom Cruise in Top Gun) chassis number 00076. Lots of miles including 5,000 around Europe in a month in 1994. Stolen but recovered after 4 months. Never the same.

 

Kawasaki 500 off-roader. Hire bike for 2 months in South Africa.

 

Honda CBR400R. Best fun on 2 wheels.

 

Opel Astra 1.6

 

Peugeot 406 2 litre Turbo Saloon. Flyer

 

Merc CLK200. Fast but expensive to run. Electrical basket case. Eventually written off after a collision with a truck on a motorway.

 

Nissan Almera. Recession car

 

Peugeot 406 1.7 petrol. Cheap to run and repair. 568,000 miles on the clock! (Electrical issues perhaps) Still going strong after 4 years and 75,000 miles

 

Edited to show the eventual fates of some of the above.

Edited November 20, 2017 by 108

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. A list of the cars I have owned/driven would take too long and I'm not sure if I can remember them all. One I'd like to forget I can't, a Pergeot 806, a right heap of rubbish. The central locking refused to unlock half the doors, fortunately the drivers door and the tailgate could be opened with the key. The gear change, which was on the dashboard fell apart, I was still able to change gear as the gate was visible under the remains of the rubber boot. It moved however (the gate) every time you changed gear. I did get rid of it, a prospective buyer came round and went to shut the tailgate pulled the lining out, I think he agreed to buy it out of embarrassment. One of the best cars I have owned was a Nissan Praire. We were invited to a model railway exhibition in France. It took three of us and our luggage, two layouts plus some displays without missing a beat, and we still found room for some 'duty frees'. Regretably it was written off a few years later when a lorry rear ended it and pushed it off the road. Only good thing was that with the last MOT only a couple of weeks before there was a longish list of advisories that would have been uneconomic to repair and I received the full 'book value' from the insurance. 

[Barry O]

after a far too busy day I need some sleep..so

 

Goodnight to most , afternoon to others, morning to some

 

Baz

[andyram]

Evening all. Generic greetings to you - I hope that I have not missed too many important posts during my absent few days. 

 

I cannot believe that it is 4 days since my last ER post - where has the time gone? The weekend was very welcome after a dire Friday. Yet more management ineptness caused yet more stress and strains. By the end of the day I was fuming and definitely in need of some alcoholic refreshment.

 Sarah suffered from a migraine on Saturday and now Amber has started with a hacking cough that has kept her awake until late last night and tonight. With a mountain of paperwork to do, the constant presence of a "little helper" was not always welcome. I certainly have got nowhere near enough done this evening.

 

 One thing I have done is emailed an interest in the deputy head job. This morning's latest round of disorganised timetable changes convinced me that it was something I needed to do.

 

On the positive side - Sunday morning saw two tickets booked for Sarah and I to attend the Peter Kay tour. Not seen him live before so that will be something to look forward to.

 

Best Wishes

 

Andy

[emt_911]

A long and trying day and tomorrow is predicted to be similar.

 

My list of vehicles is

 

Company vehicles
Numerous vehicles of various sizes and weights normally green and black some with wheels and some with tracks
Various green and yellow vehicles with blue flashing lights and lots of noise

Vauxhall Combo van (I get rid of this at the end of the month)

 

Personal Vehicles

Renault 16
Nissan Sunny
Chrysler Alpine
Vauxhall Cavalier - 3 of
SWB Series 3 ex-RN diesel landrover
Vauxhall Vectra 2,5 V6
VW Sharan
Ford Galaxy
Vauxhall Astra
Vauxhall Astra Van
Ford Kuga - my current car

 

Night all

Edited November 20, 2017 by emt_911

[BSW01]

 

The weather was dull, wet and miserable today. As has been the norm lately , I've spent the day in middle earth and it has not gone well at all. It started off ok, as I built the final CDU this morning, the big triple unit and then fitted all 3 units to the base board and had them all connected up just before dinner. After dinner I went down and started to test them all, that's when things didn't go as well as I'd have liked. At first I thought that maybe the points were sticking mechanically, so I cleaned them all up, but it made no difference at all, sometimes they'd switch open and sometimes they'd switch closed. Each point motor seemed to work intermittently, wether fastened to the base board or just in fresh air, but using a couple of 9v batteries they'd work every time, but not when fixed to the base board. After about an hour of getting nowhere I came to the conclusion that it's not getting a big enough kick.

 

Whilst ruminating this evening I suddenly thought, what would happen if I fit a heat sink to the voltage regulator? So, first thing tomorrow I will fit a heat sink in the voltage regulator to see if that has any effect, if that fails, I'll up the voltage. Just in case, I've ordered a 24v dc regulator and some 35v capacitors to up-grade the whole circuit from 18v to 24v later in the week.

 

I've been driving company cars since 1990 and I've had far too many to list, the best deal I had was a 2.2l Jaguar X type diesel estate, on a twelve month lease at a cost of £36.00 for the year! Lovely car too!

 

Goodnight all.

[newbryford]

Nice lists of cars folks.

I forgot to mention that my current steed is a Ford Ecosport - effectively a little brother to the Kuga, based on the Fiesta or "B" platform.

My last seven Fiestas were all handed down to Mrs NB after their "One careful owner/gawd knows how many dodgy drivers" L plate exploits. Junior NB is also part of the hand down scheme, she currently drives the car she actually passed her test in.

 

There has been mention of motor bikes.

I was a late starter to the world of two wheel power, with a fairly short list.

Honda H100S which I passed my test on.

I nearly fell off on the part one section as it was held at Kirkham HGV test centre. Doing manoeuvres on a diesel laden concrete pad is not a good idea.

Kawasaki GPz305 - excellent twin cylinder bike with a toothed belt drive. 

Kawasaki GPz750R - little known in the UK as it was overshadowed by the it's bigger brother GPz900R. I bought it 12 months old with less than 1000 miles on the clock. The workshop manual for it was for the 900R with a 750R supplement, detailing the smaller bore, slightly smaller carbs and different final drive sprockets......

Most people buy clothes/helmet to match the bike colours, although it was different in this case. I went into the showroom to look for a bigger machine than the 305 and put my headgear down  on the saddle of the 750R. The bike matched my the colours of my helmet (no sniggering at the back) - sold! A couple of European tours on that were quite memorable. Doing 140mph on the autobahns and still being overtaken by cars.

 

The 750R is in the avatar of 108 from a few posts back

 

I also had a Honda XL185 for trail riding - lightened for green lane use.

 

When I asked Mrs NB's father for her hand in marriage, his words were "Yes, but the bike must go". Tough choice, but I made the right one. I'm sure the GPz would never have lasted 25 years........

 

Current other two wheeled, but human powered, is a Trek EX8 mountain bike, which despite throwing me off a few weeks ago, is still my favourite mode of transport and Beacon BF100 roadie.

 

There has been some modelling accomplished tonight resulting in a perfect item for my demo at the NEC this weekend.

 

Work tomorrow mostly involves preparing a demo unit for a display at the NEC (see it on the Gaugemaster stand).

 

Have a good Tuesday folks.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited November 21, 2017 by newbryford

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[newbryford]

 

Kawasaki GPz750R water cooled ( think Tom Cruise in Top Gun) chassis number 00076. Lots of miles including 5,000 around Europe in a month in 1994. Stolen but recovered after 4 months. Never the same.

 

 

 

Just realised - another 750R owner............

 

Cheers,

Mick