Bell's Banter 2022

[Tel 911S]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

For all you EV fans out there it would appear that a "certain element" of people are stealing the charging cables from the sites ! Obviously they are getting a couple of bob or so from their mates at the scrap metal "dives" who are just as bad as those that pinch it in the first place. Lots of EV charging sites are reporting this and they are even being cut off of the chargers while they are in use ! what with this and catalytic converters being nicked what hope is there ?
I wanted to phone a mate of mine and his land line phone was out of order so I phoned his mobile, he said that a"certain element" of people had lifted a couple of manhole covers in his village at night and cut through the cables and pulled them through (probably with a 4x4) and cleared off with them. He has been off his land line for several weeks as the phone company are having to think what they are going to do as it is happening frequently !

Have seen reports of the cable thefts a few times .
Pull up over the manhole cover with a large van or closed back truck . Lift cover through a hole in the floor , attach winch to mass of cables , pull up the lot and then gone .
If they are prepared to go to that extent , then going round nicking charging cables is easy .

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Tel 911S

Have seen reports of the cable thefts a few times .
Pull up over the manhole cover with a large van or closed back truck . Lift cover through a hole in the floor , attach winch to mass of cables , pull up the lot and then gone .
If they are prepared to go to that extent , then going round nicking charging cables is easy .

Although my mate lives in a village out in the sticks there is a small industrial unit there as well and it has completely sodded them up with no phone and data lines and having to use mobiles.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Yup, I fear for my hone charger but not much I can do about it since they wouldn't install it in my garage.

The thing is to replace the cable probably costs a couple hundred quid ? whereas the people that nick them get a couple of bob.
We had several JCB buckets stolen from the farm where my unit is but was lucky to get them back after going to the nearest scrap yard.
Luckily the yard wasn't quick enough to grind off the owners name that was arc welded on and he went in complete with the cops.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Not new here unfortunately, our train company called SNCF have been experiencing this kind of thing for a while now. The main lines are watched over by helicopter but how they manage at night I dunno.

We also suffer with these thieves who sweep in during the hours of darkness and steal signal and point wiring, not caring that they are live with high voltages running through them. They care not that they can bring railway services to a halt, inconveniencing many thousands of people who need to travel, who may even include doctors and nurses who they may rely on if they get injured or electrocuted committing these crimes, but can't get to their respective hospitals because the trains cannot run.

As for the helicopters, they will probably use the same or similar technology that the police over here use to track criminals at night using the police choppers.

[Tel 911S]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Although my mate lives in a village out in the sticks there is a small industrial unit there as well and it has completely sodded them up with no phone and data lines and having to use mobiles.

A friend of mine had it happen to him , along with dozens of other businesses in the area where he works .
And a quick look on interweb shows lots of places where hundreds of phones /internet connections have been taken out by this sort of theft

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

The thing is to replace the cable probably costs a couple hundred quid ? whereas the people that nick them get a couple of bob.

But hasn't it always been this way Gordon? Back in the day when stereo's were being ripped out of cars left, right & centre and would cost £500 - £1,000 to replace including bodywork & lock repairs, the units would only be sold for a few quid.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

But hasn't it always been this way Gordon? Back in the day when stereo's were being ripped out of cars left, right & centre and would cost £500 - £1,000 to replace including bodywork & lock repairs, the units would only be sold for a few quid.

Yes it has, I had a stereo yanked out of the dash in one of my cars back in the early 70s, luckily I was able to repair the damage myself and got a stereo at trade price.

[Gerard C]

I dont think it was exactly the case before. Now everything can be stolen, not mentioning living animals, discussing with a farmer recently he reported tractors and combines, fuel of course but bunch of grapes and/or vine plant and mushrooms in large quantities too. Yesterday's chicken thieves are wholesalers nowadays.

[GORDON STREETER]

Back to serious racing, Ford modified racing saloons, something to pass the time away while you have a cuppa (or two)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_1SFgqchYw

[delta]

Enjoying that Gordon. Dr Bob is sending one of his MK1 escorts over for me to have a play with. Very excited,

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Back to serious racing, Ford modified racing saloons, something to pass the time away while you have a cuppa (or two)

Nice to see, at last, another competitor has had rear wheel arches for an Anglia created in a similar way to how mine were done back in 1966. Although I must admit that they are far tidier than mine were.

[Peter Mallett]

That would be dear old Carlos Fandango. https://youtu.be/nqqZ28m8uCo

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Nice to see, at last, another competitor has had rear wheel arches for an Anglia created in a similar way to how mine were done back in 1966. Although I must admit that they are far tidier than mine were.

Almost as neat as my Hot rod from 1969

[GORDON STREETER]

Just to cheer you up in these gloomy times, I strung a few clips together with views from our house in the UK and our area in Southern Spain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ZaAj8B-5w

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Just to cheer you up in these gloomy times, I strung a few clips together with views from our house in the UK and our area in Southern Spain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ZaAj8B-5w

Mojacar was on French TV last night, Gordon, on our excellent 'Echappees Belles' travel programme. I was able to identify some of the beach scenes having seen your video!

I didn't spot you filming them filming you, though¬

[Peter Mallett]

Gentle day today, we have the Silverstone Social Classic Car show at our village Sports and Social Club. Good reason to polish the XJS and MGB.

[grantp]

I stumbled across a couple of photos of the family Morris 1800 Automatic that my Father bought in late 1970 as he retired from the RAF.

My mother kept the car, doing very few miles in it, until around the turn of the century when she sold it to the chap in the village who had looked after it for her. It eventually moved out of her garage and ended up sitting alongside the main road through the village, along with several other cars the chap owned, seemingly slowly rusting away.

On a whim I stuck the reg number into the DVLA enquiry page and it turned up as both taxed and MOT'd. However the first enquiry was a puzzle with very little info returned and the colour as "red" whereas the car was blue for all of its life.

A second search provided more detail and some links to a recent MOT (2021) which contained mention of "rally style vehicle with bodywork protrusions".

Looks like it was in some sort of use for at least a few years before 2011, then nothing until 2021.

It's still listed as an Automatic but may have been left like that and simply made to look like a Landcrab replica for show purposes rather than being turned into a competition vehicle.

I have no idea where it is. The last time I saw it would have been about 18 or maybe 19 years ago in Surrey.

I always thought the 1800s felt quite solid but, given what happened to it after it left the safety of its garage, by which time it was already 30 years old, I'm amazed it still seems to be around.

ETA: Found a pic listed as from Anglia Car Auctions from about a year ago. Still Automatic and described as a replica.

[Alan Morgan]

I think you need to delve further Grant....

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Alan Morgan

I think you need to delve further Grant....

Bit of a blank Alan.

There is a photo (rear view) that seems to have been part of the ACA auction set of images but the only link is to the search index thumbnail. Click on that gives a dead link to the Auction site.

The auction site history of auctions seems to go back only about a year, although it does suggest they have seen at least one other 1800 rally replica in that time.

Presumably one needs to find an appropriate Club for ADO17 cars or Rally Replicas and ask them or just search photo shoots of Car meets.

Other suggestions for searches or sources would be most welcome. Judging from the photos found so far there may be quite a few about, although Automatics should be quite rare!

[grantp]

A screen grab of the Landcrab listing for the ACA sale. Sadly no collection of photos to go with it.

https://www.glenmarch.com/auction-ca.../92227/results

[andy97]

Originally Posted by grantp

I stumbled across a couple of photos of the family Morris 1800 Automatic that my Father bought in late 1970 as he retired from the RAF.

My mother kept the car, doing very few miles in it, until around the turn of the century when she sold it to the chap in the village who had looked after it for her. It eventually moved out of her garage and ended up sitting alongside the main road through the village, along with several other cars the chap owned, seemingly slowly rusting away.

On a whim I stuck the reg number into the DVLA enquiry page and it turned up as both taxed and MOT'd. However the first enquiry was a puzzle with very little info returned and the colour as "red" whereas the car was blue for all of its life.

A second search provided more detail and some links to a recent MOT (2021) which contained mention of "rally style vehicle with bodywork protrusions".

Looks like it was in some sort of use for at least a few years before 2011, then nothing until 2021.

It's still listed as an Automatic but may have been left like that and simply made to look like a Landcrab replica for show purposes rather than being turned into a competition vehicle.

I have no idea where it is. The last time I saw it would have been about 18 or maybe 19 years ago in Surrey.

I always thought the 1800s felt quite solid but, given what happened to it after it left the safety of its garage, by which time it was already 30 years old, I'm amazed it still seems to be around.

ETA: Found a pic listed as from Anglia Car Auctions from about a year ago. Still Automatic and described as a replica.

Grant, it may be worth posting this and asking for info on the Historic Rally Car Register (HRCR) Facebook site; they run historic tours as well as rallies so May know the cars.
There are also several other historic rally car and tour FB sites.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by andy97

Grant, it may be worth posting this and asking for info on the Historic Rally Car Register (HRCR) Facebook site; they run historic tours as well as rallies so May know the cars.
There are also several other historic rally car and tour FB sites.

Thanks Andy. A good idea although I have assumed, being an Automatic, that it a car more for show than go. I mean one could hustle the thing a bit once it was moving but that was not its natural use state!

Late last night I found this blog post which has a couple of attached pics with the car. That seems to place it in Ollerton (at least temporarily) early last December.

https://www.greatbritishsportscars.c...p-coffee-event


I have contacted the site to see if any more is known about contact details for the owner and the car.

The full set of ACA auction photos show a slightly changed interior although the seats still look as I remember them, just black rather than a pale grey. Seat belts seem to be the original colour.

https://classic.angliacarauctions.co...f-ad0500f5d578

[andy97]

Originally Posted by grantp

Thanks Andy. A good idea although I have assumed, being an Automatic, that it a car more for show than go. I mean one could hustle the thing a bit once it was moving but that was not its natural use state!

Late last night I found this blog post which has a couple of attached pics with the car. That seems to place it in Ollerton (at least temporarily) early last December.

https://www.greatbritishsportscars.c...p-coffee-event


I have contacted the site to see if any more is known about contact details for the owner and the car.

The full set of ACA auction photos show a slightly changed interior although the seats still look as I remember them, just black rather than a pale grey. Seat belts seem to be the original colour.

https://classic.angliacarauctions.co...f-ad0500f5d578

I understand about it being a “show car” but even they get used on non competitive tours and their is often a lot of knowledge on that site.

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by grantp

Thanks Andy. A good idea although I have assumed, being an Automatic, that it a car more for show than go. I mean one could hustle the thing a bit once it was moving but that was not its natural use state!

Late last night I found this blog post which has a couple of attached pics with the car. That seems to place it in Ollerton (at least temporarily) early last December.

https://www.greatbritishsportscars.c...p-coffee-event


I have contacted the site to see if any more is known about contact details for the owner and the car.

The full set of ACA auction photos show a slightly changed interior although the seats still look as I remember them, just black rather than a pale grey. Seat belts seem to be the original colour.

https://classic.angliacarauctions.co...f-ad0500f5d578

Grant, you could always sound-out Keith Adams ('KA' - from memory - of this parish). He knows more than most about old BMC/BL stuff.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

Grant, you could always sound-out Keith Adams ('KA' - from memory - of this parish). He knows more than most about old BMC/BL stuff.

Thanks John.

One for later - Management has a number of tasks set for me and I am rapidly falling behind the already impossible expectations for today (indeed, the whole month really) so had best be doing something that seems to be producing results of interest to her!