Take a 2019 Tea Break with Delta

[bauble]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I had a "bloke" (for want of a better word) decide to pull out of a road at night to my left tight behind my van, without noticing that I was towing a trailer and race car !!!
That was "interesting" and caused a fair bit of damage to his car ! but fortunately I only had to change a wheel on the trailer to continue to the meeting.

Straight out of an Ealing Comedy, Gordon.

[midgetman]

I had that happen too. It snapped the ball hitch off the car.

Then there was the other time when I'd driven the car and empty trailer miles, parked outside my house alongside the A4 for a couple of hours and jumped back in. As I drove off the trailer detached itself and went through a neighbour's wall. I can only think someone leaving the next door hostelry had thought it funny to lift the latch......

One of my karting trailers was a little difficult to latch on first time, which explained the broken rear bumper on the ZS.

Bauble, sorry to bore you.

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[Colin McKay]

I recall a guy turning up at a CSCC meeting, Brands I think, when I was racing Jags with the JEC. He got out of his Range Rover and it took a few seconds for him to register that the trailer should have had his Midget on board, but didn't. He returned a while later with a remarkably undamaged Midget found at the side of the road

[Alan Morgan]

Back in the days before the M25 it was necessary for me to drive through lots of built-up areas to get to Brands Hatch. It's surprising how many people attempted to cross the road between a (moving) car and trailer.

[Peter Mallett]

I was unloading my race car up the hill from my sponsor's garage entrance. Forgot to put it in gear and as I returned to the front of the trailer to drop it the car started rolling backwards downhill. As luck would have it, the steering wheel turned and it reversed across the road straight onto the garage forecourt!

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Then there was the other time when I'd driven the car and empty trailer miles, parked outside my house alongside the A4 for a couple of hours and jumped back in. As I drove off the trailer detached itself and went through a neighbour's wall. I can only think someone leaving the next door hostelry had thought it funny to lift the latch......

I went to pick an empty trailer up for someone else and duly clipped it on and drove off, I had only driven about 2 hundred yards and to my horror in the mirror I saw the trailer career off into the pavement on the offside !! As luck would have it there was nothing for it to hit and nothing coming the other way !
When I looked into it the trailer hitch was an old 2 inch one and I had a 50mm tow ball that is slightly bigger and it obviously didn't clip over. It works the other way but rattles like mad. I cant remember when we changed over ?

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Alan Morgan

Back in the days before the M25 it was necessary for me to drive through lots of built-up areas to get to Brands Hatch. It's surprising how many people attempted to cross the road between a (moving) car and trailer.

When I was an apprentice in the motor trade I often used to go out with one of the other mechanics to tow in broken down cars.
I was on the end of the tow rope and we had to stop at a pedestrian crossing when a woman with shopping tried to run between us not looking down at the road and tripped over the rope !! shopping went everywhere and my mate started to pull away !!!! I was standing on the brakes and had my hand on the hooter and luckily my mate guessed something "might" be wrong

[Mike Bell]

Tow ropes- there's sure to be lots of stories about them! Went I was an apprentice and we went out on a recovery, the boss’s son would drive the A55 pickup (column change ), and me the dead car. If anyone tried to overtake us, I’d pull out a bit and indicate as if trying to pass the A55. Happy days......

[bauble]

Originally Posted by midgetman

I


Bauble, sorry to bore you.

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No! No! MM it is all absolutely gripping stuff, indeed I have cancelled my subscription to 'Boy's Own'.

I often wondered what Trailer Trash referred to.

[delta]

When ever being towed I always shout out “I will follow you “. Always gets a laugh .

[Lancsbreaker]

Coming back across Germany in a Transit tow barge (fitted with a yank V8 and auto box) towing a Rover SD1 V8 rally car after doing a rally in Germany, the propshaft UJ started knocking. Needing to get back to Calais to catch our ferry we had to carry on, trying to get the gearbox to change as gently as possible and not stress the UJ too much. We got on to the ferry with sighs of relief, got off in Dover and set off up the long hill out of town.


Half way up the hill the UJ finally gave up, and we coasted to a stop. The only option seemed to be to get back down to the town, so we unhitched the laden trailer and with much trepidation rolled it across the road and parked it facing downhill, chocking the wheels carefully......at which point the Transit, which had had rear disc brakes fitted, decided that the handbrake wasn't really up to the task, and started to roll back down the hill......


Fortunately we were younger and fitter then and managed to run after the van and jump in in time to stop it.....as the guy who had been driving protested that it should have been OK as he'd left it in park.......with a broken UJ(!).


A little more drama as we had to roll the van across the road, and then very carefully roll the trailer down to it and rehitch it, and we were able to roll the rig back down to the carpark in the town and call for recovery. Saved us a fortune in fuel on the journey back to Liverpool

[bauble]

I'm sorry if I offend, but reading a lot pf these tales, I somehow get the impression that there are a lot of pretty incompetent individuals posting here.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by delta

When ever being towed I always shout out “I will follow you “. Always gets a laugh .

Oldies but goodies, made me smile. You're obviously Tony Blackburn's scriptwriter!

[gary396]

Originally Posted by bauble

I'm sorry if I offend, but reading a lot pf these tales, I somehow get the impression that there are a lot of pretty incompetent individuals posting here.

Bob, I hear tales that they're all in negotiations to make a movie about their exploits. It should be out in cinemas later next year but hopefully we'll see a trailer for it soon!

[bauble]

Originally Posted by gary396

Bob, I hear tales that they're all in negotiations to make a movie about their exploits. It should be out in cinemas later next year but hopefully we'll see a trailer for it soon!

Very droll, I like it. Of course any decision could easily be overturned.

[midgetman]

Oh yes, all your stories and more come back to me, had exactly the same problems.....the MG that wanted to race at Dijon even though we were driving to Monza...the old 50mm/2" ball hitch problems.....cyclists riding over tow ropes....overtaking the tow car when on a rope......definitely Happy Days!

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by delta

When ever being towed I always shout out “I will follow you “. Always gets a laugh .

I've always done the same thing Iain, I presumed it was compulsory!

[Mike Bell]

New Zealand non stop by plane? Only 19+hrs, but sounds purgatory to me. Appears the test flight didn't include economy passengers, and only 40 in total so hardly a real test.…

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...cid=spartandhp

Edit- Obviously more a test of effect on pilots, cabin staff and the plane itself, but will be interesting to know eventually how a full complement of economy seated passengers cope!

[Peter Mallett]

They don't run full fat economy. Premium economy, club and first. They fly at approx 70% capacity. Not entirely.certain of the relevence since we have video conferencing etc. for business uses. And I don't think tourists would bother.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

They don't run full fat economy. Premium economy, club and first. They fly at approx 70% capacity. Not entirely.certain of the relevence since we have video conferencing etc. for business uses. And I don't think tourists would bother.

Ah, as you say, not really relevant then! What we need is a Supersonic airliner......

[Peter Mallett]

Indeed.

To support my point I have some ex colleagues who are now working on a US LNG facility but they are based in the contractor's offices in Yokohama. Their working hours are "interesting" because they have a daily video conference with the USA based management and of course they are either 8 hrs behind or 12 hrs ahead depending on your point of view.

[Peter Mallett]

Just lifted this from a report in the Telegraph. Backs up my point about seating classes.

So what can we expect should Project Sunrise go ahead as hoped by the end of 2023? A different plane to the Dreamliner we’re on today – both Boeing and Airbus are still in the running to supply the required model – and a more upmarket offering. “We’re seeing more demand for premium seats over economy, and there’s certainly scope for a first-class cabin when it comes to Project Sunrise,” Joyce tells me. They’ll be removing a number of economy seats to make space for an exercise area, he adds, and a bigger premium section.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Just lifted this from a report in the Telegraph. Backs up my point about seating classes.

So Joe Everyman to be priced out of the market by some airlines? Where’s Freddy Laker when you need him.... (OK, I know he’s no longer with us... )

[Peter Mallett]

Well yes I guess so. But it reflects a business case. As to Joe public, I read that Wizz Air bosses are suggesting that airlines should do away with club class on routes less than 5 hours to cut down on carbon emissions.

[Mike Bell]

Certainly not one for purists, but I think this XK120 is the dog’s wotsits. Built by Australian Justin Hills and has won several concours trophies.... Oh, and fitted with a tuned V12 as well!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoU1wJs7DfQ