Iain's (Delta Racing Car) Builder's Tea Break 2015

[Mike Bell]

Wow, bit of luck today. After last week's ferry sagas I caught a morning boat from Calais without drama (OK - lapsed booking and having to phone for new one aside ), and then heard that 'wild cat strikes' closed the port again this afternoon!

Now calculating whether can afford Portsmouth / Caen next week to be on safe side....... Have heard the 'Commodore's Cabin' upgrade is worth the extra!

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Wow, bit of luck today. After last week's ferry sagas I caught a morning boat from Calais without drama (OK - lapsed booking and having to phone for new one aside ), and then heard that 'wild cat strikes' closed the port again this afternoon!

Now calculating whether can afford Portsmouth / Caen next week to be on safe side....... Have heard the 'Commodore's Cabin' upgrade is worth the extra!

What does Commodore Class include these days?

Goblin teas maid?


Back a long time ago I and a work colleague travelled Commodore Class on the Harwich - Hamburg route.

Decent proper cabin for 2 above deck, dark wood decor, bowl of fruit and a better set of options in the restaurant.

That was a 24hr or so passage of course. Made the free shower gel and hair wash all the more deployable.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by grantp

Goblin teas maid?

There's a joke there but don't want to risk a ban.....

Apparently Commodore Class cabin includes flat screen TV, DVD player, 3 beds, posh fittings etc etc. Given the short duration of night crossing, maybe not!



Latest- Calais wildcat strikes likely to last ALL WEEK !!!

[Colin McKay]

Calais port still closed today, MFL strikers likely to target the tunnel later. They've had migrant problems again overnight on the trains so aren't running a full service. Operation Stack is in place. We got our guys out via Newhaven but spaces are very limited.

Stack is no fun Mike, treat yourself and go to Caen.

[zefarelly]

I had to mow the lawn on Saturday, made my commute to the workshop that much smoother yesterday morning.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

Stack is no fun Mike, treat yourself and go to Caen.

Stack was 'interesting' to experience, but as ferries were leaving Dover the queue moved along! Not so good if nothing is happening, I imagine.

Most likely will use Caen route Monday, but not Commodore class.......

[compte deGraves]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

There's a joke there but don't want to risk a ban.....

Apparently Commodore Class cabin includes flat screen TV, DVD player, 3 beds, posh fittings etc etc. Given the short duration of night crossing, maybe not!



Latest- Calais wildcat strikes likely to last ALL WEEK !!!

La Comtesse refuses to travel anything other than Commodore. Breakfast brought to your room, fridge stacked with soft drinks, TV, DVD, bowl of fruit and no skanky people running up and down outside. Just do it.

[Colin McKay]

Just heard that Op Stack phase 3 is about to be implemented for the first time ever, this involves closing both carriageways of the M20 between 8 & 9 so the parallel A20 will be fun for locals & motorway refugees alike. KCC organising water supplies for truckers cooking on the concrete. Strikers are on their way to Dunkerque & Boulogne (where they have been operating a disembark only service). Strangely no word on whether the tunnel is blocked yet. Newhaven/Dieppe have even closed their waiting list. Feeling very smug as we have all the bookings we need both ways, for this week at any rate.

[Colin McKay]

Spoke too soon! "Tunnel closed for the rest of the day"

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

Spoke too soon! "Tunnel closed for the rest of the day"

I read somewhere that the strikers intend to keep this up all week.

(ETA: Just seen that Mike mentioned this earlier.)

Could be a salad shortage in a day or so. After that who knows. I predict expensive Tomatoes flown in from places to the south.

However I would imagine that is the least of the problems.

[Mike Harte]

I must admit that I find the attitude of the French authorities puzzling, to put it mildly.

This "strike" activity is due to the fact that Eurotunnel have been ordered by Brussels to sell off the MyFerryLink ferries and services, and Eurotunnel are complying with the EU's edict. So why are the French gov't allowing the total disruption of cross channel to happen, and also allowing "strikers" to trespass on Eurotunnels tracks where they were setting fire to tyres.

Can you imagine the stink that the French would kick up if UK workers blocked our own ferry terminals. It would probably lead to WW111.

[gary396]

Originally Posted by grantp

I read somewhere that the strikers intend to keep this up all week.

(ETA: Just seen that Mike mentioned this earlier.)

Could be a salad shortage in a day or so. After that who knows. I predict expensive Tomatoes flown in from places to the south.

However I would imagine that is the least of the problems.

No worries Grant - I can export from 'up north' - toms and salad crops doing nicely!

[PeterMorley]

We escaped early from the Festival of Greed to avoid this, missing out on collecting the winners medal and fizzy pop was one of our better ideas!

Around 4 this afternoon they said there was an 8-10 hour delay in getting on a ferry.

As last week, presumably the Dunkirk lot who the fuss is about (they've bought the ferries) aren't directly affected?

[grantp]

Originally Posted by gary396

No worries Grant - I can export from 'up north' - toms and salad crops doing nicely!

I may hold you to that idea Gary!

I tried growing a few things last year but the stuff that worked was met with great negativity and meant I ended up trying to find ways to use it that people would not spot.

The stuff that didn't work was just annoying. Started but didn't finish.

This year I decided not to bother. Cheaper to buy stuff in a shop despite the previous capital investment in equipment.

[midgetman]

>>>So why are the French gov't allowing the total disruption of cross channel to happen

Because they're French? Anything to inconvenience Les Rosbifs?

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by midgetman

>>>So why are the French gov't allowing the total disruption of cross channel to happen

Because they're French? Anything to inconvenience Les Rosbifs?

Coincidental that we are just entering the busy holiday period?

[PeterMorley]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Coincidental that we are just entering the busy holiday period?

For once it isn't, it's related to when they all lost their jobs at short notice.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by PeterMorley

For once it isn't, it's related to when they all lost their jobs at short notice.

Yes, for once! My observation was very tongue in cheek Peter, and have sympathy for all the MFL workers affected. Also for P&O, and the freight booking agents who are frantically trying to keep customers moving!

Now hear that 'strike' due to end midnight Thursday? I'm booked Caen route for next week just in case.......

[Nick JM]

There're Fench.

They love it. Having "un greve" (strike) is a national pastime.

I remember once when I was living in Lille in the very early '90's the tabacs were all shut becuase of a strike against tobacco products having to carry a health warning. They reckoned it would put them (tabac owners) out of business!!

It was supposed to last a week but they were all open again by Wednesday to cater for the students' demand for beer!(the university in Lille is quite big and the nearby tabacs were renowned for beer being a few francs cheaper than the cafes!!)

[PeterMorley]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Yes, for once! My observation was very tongue in cheek Peter, and have sympathy for all the MFL workers affected. Also for P&O, and the freight booking agents who are frantically trying to keep customers moving!

Now hear that 'strike' due to end midnight Thursday? I'm booked Caen route for next week just in case.......

I thought it was tongue in cheek and as we know it is usually the case, if you're going to have a strike best have it at a time when people notice!

What struck us when we passed all the parked lorries was that most of them had the same names as the container trains that pass near us.
If more use was made of rail freight in the UK there could be far fewer lorries crossing which would ease the problem - of course that would require an upgrade of the infrastructure and using the tunnel in a way that it was originally intended.
And given that public transport is a thing of the past in the UK it won't happen.

[Mike Harte]

I'VE BEEN BANNED FROM TESCO'S

Yesterday I was at my local Tesco's store buying a large bag of My Dog dog food for my loyal pet and was in the checkout queue when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog.

What did she think I had an elephant? So, since I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Dog Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn’t, because I ended up in hospital last time, but I'd lost 10 kilograms before I woke up in intensive care with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms.

I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pockets with My Dog nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in queue was now enthralled with my story.)

Horrified, she asked me if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I stepped off the kerb to sniff an Irish Setter's arse and a car hit me.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. I'm now banned from Tesco's

Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of daft things to say.

[Dan Rear]

Brilliant, Mike. I was laughing out loud in the office!!

[Unit 2 Racing]

Yes Brilliant had me in tears laughing.

[356sc]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Horrified, she asked me if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I stepped off the kerb to sniff an Irish Setter's arse and a car hit me.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. I'm now banned from Tesco's

Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of daft things to say.

[Brian A]

Mike - the funniest thing I've heard for ages.

Thank you