Delta's Twentea-Twentea Break

[bauble]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Which is?

Mike, I think what Grif is getting at is that a log burner is very useful for getting rid of unwanted logs. Makes sense to me, I must get one in case I ever get a load of old logs I don't want.

[Colin McKay]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Which is?

Cosy!

Living where we do we've always had backup systems for when the power goes off although in fairness it doesn't happen as often or for as long as it used to. 2 open fires and a log burner keep us warm, bottled gas for the hob (no mains here) and a small generator (bought after the 87 hurricane) which will run the pump on the oil central heating, the freezer and an outside light to wind the neighbours up🤣

[Mike Bell]

I prefer Bob’s reason...........

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

Cosy!

Living where we do we've always had backup systems for when the power goes off although in fairness it doesn't happen as often or for as long as it used to. 2 open fires and a log burner keep us warm, bottled gas for the hob (no mains here) and a small generator (bought after the 87 hurricane) which will run the pump on the oil central heating, the freezer and an outside light to wind the neighbours up🤣

Ditto, in 1987 we were off the mains electric for a couple of weeks, we had an old 1947 solid fuel Rayburn with a back boiler that ran a couple of rads and also supplied us with hot water via a split system. I used the generator out of the race truck plugged into the ring main (mains switched off) so we had lighting and the radiator pump in use. We also could cook with the Rayburn and even had TV. Others around us were completely buggered and would pop in for a warm up and a cuppa

[Colin McKay]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

I prefer Bob’s reason...........

Ah, but there's no such thing as unwanted logs! My father-in-law, who was Polish, once told me he drove a tank in WW2 which could run off almost anything you could find in the forest, including wood. Be interesting to know whether that was true!

[Gerard C]

When I was a conscript I used to drive trucks and Jeeps. Not tanks, because I'm too tall they said. Our Berliet trucks had a huge handle right in the middle of the dash. Three positions: diesel, fuel and others…*'f course we weren't allowed to use it but we heard many stories about the meaning of "others", whisky, dog pee, Ricard and so on. Strange days!

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

When I was a conscript I used to drive trucks and Jeeps. Not tanks, because I'm too tall they said. Our Berliet trucks had a huge handle right in the middle of the dash. Three positions: diesel, fuel and others…*'f course we weren't allowed to use it but we heard many stories about the meaning of "others", whisky, dog pee, Ricard and so on. Strange days!

I don’t envy your experience of being a conscript, Gerard, and I say that as an ex Navy man!
I once went on a skiing trip with the Navy (adventurous training!) to Tignes and every day we would arrive at the slopes at the same time as some French mountain troop conscripts. We got the lifts up and enjoyed our day. The troops proceeded to spend all day herring bone UP the slope to the summit and got one run down at the end of the day!
At night we would see them in the bar we used. They were virtually unable to speak and could hardly lift there bottle of “stubby 33” lager to their lips. Poor devils!

[Gerard C]

Spot on Andy, being a conscript here was a hassle and only a hassle. I must confess that back in the seventies we could have mechanical weekends with the toys left by the US Army, like GP's and GMC trucks. We were praying for rain because its so much fun to have a double rear axle and twin wheel GMC sideways! A Jeep can be less fun when driven at its limit…

[Tim Falce]

On the subject of modern technology it seems mercedes have a novel way of exhaust regeneration. This happened in our yard yesterday, the exhaust was regenerating when suddenly flames shot out of it and the truck went up.
The instructions for mine is not to stand near the exhaust or park within a metre of another vehicle at regeneration time. A lorry next to it and one of the driver's cars also got damaged.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

On the subject of modern technology it seems mercedes have a novel way of exhaust regeneration. This happened in our yard yesterday, the exhaust was regenerating when suddenly flames shot out of it and the truck went up.
The instructions for mine is not to stand near the exhaust or park within a metre of another vehicle at regeneration time. A lorry next to it and one of the driver's cars also got damaged.

OMG! That's a bit extreme, how do you explain that to the insurance company?

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

OMG! That's a bit extreme, how do you explain that to the insurance company?

I think it'll be a battle between our insurance dept and Mercs, that's if we ever get down to what actually caused it, we self insure up to £250K so it could be our loss

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

I think it'll be a battle between our insurance dept and Mercs, that's if we ever get down to what actually caused it, we self insure up to £250K so it could be our loss

Does that in any way explain why there seem to be more motorway lorry fires that start in the areas of the engine these days?

When I was a regular M-way user I saw relatively few fires and those I did see usually seemed to be related to things like un-noticed punctures or possibly sticking brakes on artic trailers.

These days there seam to be many more and with so many photos and videos published we have visual evidence that seems to suggest the fires have started in the area of the engine rather than somewhere further back.

This is sort of Zafira and BMW territory (and Ferrari but for different reasons).

I get the impression that a lot of BMW fires are diesel rather than petrol related which would be counter-intuitive to my old-school expectations. But back that diesels were nothing like as complex as they are now so perhaps less prone to dramatic conflagrations? (also fewer of them in the terms of cars but the lorry and van fire incidence compared to fleet size appears to be higher these days.

I suppose there will be some sort of stats around somewhere.

[Tim Falce]

grant, it could well be, some of our trucks have plumes of smoke emanating from when they regenerate. The annoying thing is that the pollution is still there, just shifted around a bit.

[delta]

Back to wizz,pop bang engines. Here is MG David trying out a Delta.

[Gerard C]

Out of Africa!

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by delta

Back to wizz,pop bang engines. Here is MG David trying out a Delta.
Attachment 57367

Standing in for Mini-Max !
Sorely tempted to place an order for next winter production

[Willmaz223]

Interesting little read. Not sure what to think on this one.

https://www.autosport.com/historics/...an-pro-drivers

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by Willmaz223

Interesting little read. Not sure what to think on this one.

https://www.autosport.com/historics/...an-pro-drivers

The right call in my opinion.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by morninggents

The right call in my opinion.

Don't see a problem - drive like a knob, you're not welcome. Simple.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by morninggents

The right call in my opinion.

Agreed.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Willmaz223

Interesting little read. Not sure what to think on this one.

https://www.autosport.com/historics/...an-pro-drivers

Well quite.

So we know some people are in. Also that some of the problem Pro drivers are young people who might wish to be Pro drivers. (Did I get that right?)

Taking all of that information into account one has to wonder why some well known names were omitted from the pre-approved list.

No mention of one Mr. M. Bell for example.

Poor form Ron ... or is there something that we don't know about?

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by grantp

Taking all of that information into account one has to wonder why some well known names were omitted from the pre-approved list.

This kind of ultra short list is always difficult to publish. C'est le genre d'exercice que nous appellons "casse gueule" voyez vous, mon cher…………

[andy97]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Don't see a problem - drive like a knob, you're not welcome. Simple.

Hopefully true whether you are a Pro driver or not!

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by andy97

Hopefully true whether you are a Pro driver or not!

Yes, no monopoly for stupidity!

[grantp]

Wonder of wonders the Donington relief road has opened.

Perhaps only because they were concerned that Dennis might blow away the remaining barriers?

The weekend rain leaves the embankments looking like they might be about to be washed away. The new housing at the top of them may be in for some interesting times unless the rain stops soon.

Now a bad road though. At least the up hill sections have two lanes - presumably to allow for slow moving trucks.

Approaching the top roundabout on the airport perimeter one can see why there might have been problems. Over the top of the hill and slightly down towards the roundabout .. the control tower is almost directly ahead. So traffic approaching the roundabout at night will be pointing headlights directly at the ATC tower. It's so accurately pointing at the tower that one wonders if it was set up a a deliberate target.

Anyway, for anyone from the north or west there is not a reasonable alternative route to getting to Donington avoiding M1 J24 and the run past the airport to the east and south should that be busy.

Just a shame that access to the circuit no longer uses the old main entrance.

Also that the roundabout to the north did indeed fill with water yesterday as predicted.

Lots of very noisy stuff at the track today.

I must put in a complaint about the wind speed and direction that means I can hear all of the action despite closed windows and double glazing.

The New housing development, being much closer, will no doubt result in multiple complaints about noise in the very near future.