david56

Jacksons were trying to sell this ship last year but seemed very worried as to how it was to be used I thought they were suggesting that it would be best scrapped. I know nothing of Scrap values but £3.5m doesn't seem much to me I am sure that there are a large quantity of exotic alloys. It would be a sad end to see her winched on to a beach in Bangladesh and torn apart by hand.

I once worked for a guy who could not get planning permission to build a house but could get it to build a garage with storage upstairs. What he ended with was a 6 car garage with two rows of three cars. Up stairs there was a pool room with two bathrooms. looking from the out side the windows were made so that they could easily be knocked through for fitting patio doors. It was wired up and central heating with blanked off pipes for the radiators poking up through the floor. The Master plan was to wait for 5 years and apply for change of use then do the conversion I have no doubt that he would get away with it, he was one of those sort of guys!

There were also Fiat Trucks made up to into the seventies RHD now still being used by Showmen. Have often tried to find out why but my Italian just not quite good enough. Also why do continental lorries have smaller wheels? Is it just cost.

I think that It will apply to all buses. This is another nonsense I understand that buses are expected to last 20 or more years. Making them needing to be changed every 6 can only mean one thing bus fares will have to go up. I read somewhere that an HST train per passenger kilometre gives out more pollution than driving in a car. But most of these are over 40 years old? and spend loads of time sitting at stations at idle.

The first time that you take your non compliant vehicle into the LEZ Zone and it is clocked by a camera you will receive a letter from the Mayor. From the date of that letter you can use the vehicle as often at you wish for 28 Days then the curtain will fall for ever. Also thought the Mayor says there are no plans to extend the scheme it is a good bet that in 2015 when the new Euro 6 comes in that the LEZ will tighten to Euro 5 for trucks and Euro 4 for everything else. It is best to assume that, if you drive in the Zone you will be caught unless you know where the cameras are and can avoid them also watch out for little Smart cars with cameras in them. Most diesels can be converted but the cost is phenomenal. Agricultural vehicles are exempt, so are any Petrol vehicle. There is quite a problem with Land Rover Defenders some are exempt and others not it all depends on the tax class. If you own a 4x4 or van check its status. To check all you need is the reg no and this link https://lowemissionzone.tfl.gov.uk/b/pb/lezComplianceProvideVRM.faces To me this is the beginning of the end for private use of commercial vehicles in London for now and everywhere else in due course & it doesn't seem fair

Re Paddington motor springs. They have allways been very helpful and can, if they have the steel, make them up while you watch and wait. Fascinating to watch the skill and all that hot metal. They will need the bushes at the ends.

There were loads on the last Witham Tender I suggest that you ring them and ask you never Know. I don't think that they sell everything on the Tender Lists because often the same items appear again and these are quite specialised. Also I think I remember they are self loading. I will be going to Withams some time before Christmas if you can wait I could ask and maybe get some pics. David

Where did you get them from and are there any more?

At the end of the war my Uncle was stationed in Cairo and he was part responsible for the disposal of anything that was not considered worth taking to India. This involved digging pits in the desert and burying trucks and other equipment. They had to mount a guard to stop the Egyptians digging it all up this of course meant that the locals knew exactly where it all was. He then went to India and spent the rest of his time making sure that demobbed officers retired with the correct rank. A friend of mine worked at the MOD dealing with enquiries from families of long departed soldiers as to what medals they were entitled to. In the fog of war many were forgotten and a few made sure that they were remembered more than maybe they should have been. My Grandfather won the DFC in the First world war for shooting down Barrage Balloons over enemy lines whilst fighting with the Italians. This was awarded in 1919 as part of a cleaning up operation in order to make sure that all those who should have been given medals got theirs. Sadly his bravery went unrecognised as there is no citation just this blanket cover all. He was almost court marshalled earlier on for flying over enemy lines in Belgium. At the beginning of the war it was considered too dangerous. This experience of being charged for an offence led him into the law so much so that in the second world war he was conscripted into the RAF to act as a defence council to poor airmen who had fallen foul. He like me was called Dowding, not that one, but his younger brother!

Playing with my new Phone. This is all that is left of the Scammell factories in Watford. The first is was a factory, the second is of the rear gates and fence at the old main factory. There has been built a housing estate and the street names do bear witness to their past Pioneer Way, Crusader Way and Explorer Drive, They all lead off Scammell Way. Not much!

I had a tyre burst on my twin axle Ifor Williams, like you, I never noticed except for passing motorists flashing me. Stopped and changed for spare which was flatish, moved the load forward and carried on. Once drove al the way from Hamilton services to London with a flat tyre on my tri-axle (Soon to be on ebay) no problems as the flat tyre was just coasting along. Up shot never been very worried about bursting tyres on multiple axle trailers.I suppose I should! I bought some wheels and tyres for my trailers for £50.00 each from the manufacturer. Much cheaper than any local tyre specialist. Not keen on buying tyres from Ebay somehow.

I am thinking of bidding on this but am worried just in case it is a non runner. "This vehicle has not been tried or tested by us" I think may well mean "has not been tested because we know it wont go". I think a trip up there is needed does any body know what to look for that might spell trouble?

Wheel Shimmy what is that? is this to do with the design of the tyres?

I was told by VOSA and two Tacho installers that you must have a Digital Tacho fitted to any vehicle that has never had a tacho fitted before ie my DAF. Neither of the installers would install an analogue Tacho. Also if it is post 1990 it will have to have a Speed limiter fitted as well. The speed limiter costs as much as the Tacho.

Controlled it certainly was out the back of the test centre between two concrete walls and I think it was 20mph and 4th gear. What is Vocational because I don't intend to do the CPC but plan to drive my truck on the road using the exemption that it is construction plant and not used for general haulage of goods.

The emergency stop test is carried out at the test centre before you go on the road. There is also a test for moving off on an uphill and downhill slope the technique is different. the last exercise is the uncoupling and coupling test which is carried out at the test centre in full view. when coupling don,t forget to release the trailer brake (like I did) however it was winter and cold and the tester didn't notice but it made driving off afterwards difficult. I would recommend that you approach a HGV driving school for an assessment lesson as with all driving tests it is all about following the rules. I found the lessons exhausting with the concentration needed 2 hours was enough. Also they follow fixed routes and there are some bends and junctions on these routes that need careful driving. You will need to check with the DVLA if they will test you in your vehicle there are loads of rules about that as well. There are new regs coming in that mean that HGV drivers will need to take a Driver CPC this is a very expensive classroom based test that comes in 5 Modules. I assume that you will be able to take and pass the this test without passing this before these regs come in but you will need to take it almost straight away after. There are some exemptions. HGV driving is a very expensive to finance and the test is aimed at certification of professional drivers so the regulations and the test are much more complicated, and with a constant flow of EU directives destined to be more even controlled (expensive).

Personally for me the MOT was by far the most important thing and as mine had been standing for a few years all the brake seals and the whole master cylinder needed changing as well as some welding and a battery. I brought it from a farm in Italy. It had the Italian number plates but that's another story. When I registered mine the DVLA inspector was only interested in establishing its identity and colour. It hasn't got an engine number on the V5. It is not a mechanical or road worthiness check that's what the MOT is for. With the letter from IMPS and seeing the chassis number stamped on the chassis and a rather silly discussion about the colour they gave me the number. Try IMPS they don't usually inspect. There is no import/VAT duty on personal imports if the vehicle is over 5 years old.

if you drive a vehicle of 3.5 gross tonne weight you have to have a tacho apparatus fitted if you have a towbar .....regardless of if you are towing a trailer or not!!!!.... Are you sure? isn't it vehicles exceeding 3.5 Tonne. also there is an exemption for NON Commercial Activity.

The Tax man is in on it as well I got this the yesterday there is an attachment that goes with it that looks convincing it asks for credit card details and lots of other information. If these people could spell then we would all be in trouble. Dear Applicant, We have reviwed your tax return and our calculations of your last years accounts a tax refund of GBP 178.25 is due. Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 3-6 days in order to process it. A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons. For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline. Please download and submit the form attached to this email in order to complete your tax refund. NOTICE: Be aware that you must download the attachment to your personal computer because your webmail client may not support Java and this might cause you issues. Best Regards, HM Revenue & Customs

Personally I am not too keen in introducing anything with a red dye into the fuel tank of a road going vehicle Customs and Excise wise. Am I right?

"60mph top speed" The DAF won't do 60 mph for any length of time. 60 is on the red line for the engine, I don't think that the transmission will take it either that's why there is a plate on the heater that states that 30mph max for roads and 40 for motorways. I do a lot of motorway miles in mine and I find that 45/50 is about right.Also at 50+ the fuel consumption rockets. To be honest the fuel is not much worse than my disco and 3.5 ton trailer (going a lot faster though) Off road I have had mine on the top of coal slag heaps and in the bottom of open cast mines at full loaded weight with no problem but show it a soft damp field and you need to send for a tractor. What is the point of buying one of these from a dealer unregistered. These guys know that they are very difficult to register, if it was as easy as they say why don't they do it. Sadly a V5 "in the post" is probably a con. I looked at many on ebay none registered these were double the witham price. I bought mine on the Auction part of the Witham site I had a look before bidding, bid up to the reserve paid my money and waited for it to be delivered. I had already decided how to register it, insured it and sent off the papers to the DVLA and waited about a fortnight later the V5 arrived, job done. Echoing the Harley Davidson thread if you intend to buy from the Tender it is essential that you go and have a look a friend of mine bought one unseen only to find on delivery that the transfer box was in the back in bits needing a front plate he had to buy another accident damaged truck to get the first one going. There was nothing wrong with mine except the drivers seat is worn and a couple of bulbs needed replacing & it could do with a paint. It came with the military service history showing 40K miles and not moving for 4 years except for servicing and rust proofing, oh and the cupola lid blew off anybody got one? If I had the money I would have gone for an EX RAF with the winch the ones I saw looked in very good condition but £7K Then at that we are in DROPS country and that, is a machine! I did look at a marshall bodied MJ at Vass in Ampthill but it was expensive and needed some work doing to it.

I have one from my ford GPW if anybody wants it

Mine in a very contemporary location you should see the Gurkha Security guys tears in their eyes and some even salute! Just looking at it makes me smile!

I am planing to go to the dorset steam fair this year. Which is the best day I thought Friday? Anybody know better.

I have a leyland DAF truck, There is a problem with the tick over as it gets warmer the engine slows until it wont run at all. It was suggested that I put a thicker oil in and to try Texaco Ursa Super TD 15W-40 is this any good when hot at 2000 rpm the oil pressure is 2.5-3 bar is that ok. How much paint will it take to cover the cab and body.