mike65

Freewheel hubs probably make a little difference on fuel. Unless you are doing large mileage I doubt you would recover cost of buying new, even with today's fuel prices. You need to lock them from time to time to ensure oil is splashed around in the hubs to keep bushes and stuff lubricated. Mike

I think you find it was a Wellington. Was a programme on BBC about it last year. You maybe able to get it on BBC iplayer Followsome links in thread below if you want to see a bit more info http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?20599-Wellington-Bomber Good to see anothe bit about it thiough. Mike

Welcome in. Totally agree that Clive's articles are very helpful and his assistance with anything electrical amongst other things. Oil, greay, dirty copy in garage from when used as reference to reinstate a shunt box back in my FFR. Mike

That would have only slowed it down and given us more time to nick more than just the wheels. Now a snowflake would probably derail the whole train causing a major disaster that would bring tears to all our eyes. Can't think about all those nice MV's that woulld be no more. Mike

Good thread so far learning alot. Mind you even without it I had the feeling that this recovery was not going to work. Mike Something went wrong...

I was thinking more along the lines of the US military bringing some of theirs over. They have not consined them to the scrap heap yet. Mike

Did I read somewhere that they are building a by-pass so all those going down to the sailing events can avoid all the locala? An Olympic comitee official was quotated as saying "One was down there last year on a secret visit to find out what local feeling was like. Somebody must have tipped them off as they seemed to be up in arms about it, they even had tanks and stuff, We had better get it finished as we have not budgeted for a local uprising" Mike

Well she is still sitting down there at Portsmouth. They shouls open her up to the public and make a few quid before it is gone. I would quite happily pay to have a lookm around. Mike PS: Apologies not the best picture but only had the little camera and it was getting dark.

I suppose they would ban it on the VTOL grounds. My understanding is the Lightning will not get approval due to its speed. We will jmust have to hope the Americans bring a few over for airshows and training. Mike

Filled up the Land Rover Sunday before christmas so I could play in the snow and it was £118.9 filled car up on Sunday 2nd ant it was up at £123.9. Not been past garage since. But worse tjhan that is beer has gone up. Refuse to pay for air after trying to inflate tyres on an X5 and having to at 50p again and again as they have a time limit. Mike

Percussive maintenance is sometimes the only way. Always used to work on the TV. Mike

He was probably alright as his were stupidly big ones for an Impressa. However I think some people over here wpild manage better if they invested in a brick to limit the travel on the accellarator pedal. Mike

Try Germany. Bloke at work got his sent over from Germany. He waited 2 months for a UK supply gave up and got the others delivered and fitted within 2 weeks. Mike

When it snowed used to steal the weight of the front of a tractor to put in the rear of the boot. Helped a bit, but not on the farm drive. tight 90 degree right bend followed immediatel by a steep left hand hill. A bit of drifting on the righthander helped, as even with the weight you could not touch the throttle pedal. Mike

That would tie in with some of the reports and "tests" I have read. They do do something and even improving consumption and helping performance. These of course were not exactly scientific tests. But they would tie in with allowing aircraft to run better on low grade fuels. I do not believe they will stop valve seat regression, which is what most people believe they are a miracle cure for. Yhen from reading some of the information available there are plenty of pour in additives rhat are apparently no good for this either. Depending on vehicle, engine and availability of unleaded heads it maybe worth saving your pennis for one of those when your valves seats go, if they do. Maybe I am just totally skeptical after having a car that I was told could run unleaded petrol with a slight timing adjustment,all it did was foul the plugs. Mike PS: Currently saving pennies for unleaded head and possible other bits for my S3 109 as it has a few issues anyway.

Bit of advice. Do not even think about Windows 7 untill you have checked that your PC is of high enougth specification. IF your PC is more than a few years old I very much doubt it will work well with anything other than XP. If you really really want to go to Windows 7, I would personally buy a new PC as it removes the dissappointment when you find that it does not work properly You can check your PC's compatability here. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows/downloads/upgrade-advisor The other thing you must do is make sure your printer etc are compatible with Windows 7. My XP PC recently died and have had to buy new printer/scanner and my negative/slide scanner is nolonger usable. Luckily have an XP laptop aswell. The fully removing and unplugging of printer and drivers is a good logical start. However if the problem is with the Windows print spooler you may need to repair XP. BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ENSURE ALL IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS, PICTURES etc ARE BACKED UP TO CD/DVD?EXTERNAL HARD DISK. The symptoms you describe could be attributed to a virus, some currupt files but many are designed to steal data and turn your PC into something that can be used by others. The corruption of files, which lead to things failing can also be down to the hard disk failing or caused by power spikes from a failing main borad or power supply. Hence my advise above. Windows has tools that allow you to scan hard disks for errors and also to fix problems with the operating system. This occassionally involves reinstalling Windows. There are 2 reinstall options one "repairs" windows, keeping all your data and programs, but I have found this not always effective. The other totally obliterates everything on the computer and returns it to a basic system, or how it came from the factory. But in order to do these you need the original disk or the system restore disks from when the PC was new. Mike

Degsy - I suspected that the triangular pile of balls on a ship would not be right after all you would need a very calm sea to keep them in place. Lets face it in a battle one good hit and there would be balls everywhere, regardless of temperature. Following Andym's link and reading down it would appear that its origins could related back to the small brass cannons. With a bit of corruption an poetic license over the years. Cheers guys, suspect we will never be100% Mike

They were also the days when snow was snow, and it was only ever severe and/or the wrong kind when it got to 2 foot deep. Mind you having an office seat with a window overlooking a doctor's surgery car park does provide lots of entertainment. Most people have no idea. Modern cars are good though, if they did not have rev limiters I am sure the bloke this morning (1-2" of slush) would have killed a few people when the valves left the engine. Mike

I can see a need to pull 32 seperate piece of legislation into one single piece. If well written and researched it could save alot of grief and misunderstanding. It may also encourage others to take an active interest in it. Some people are put off by having to deal with 32 bits of legislation in order to make a decision if it is something they want to pursue further. Do not agree with the press statement that it will reduce crime. It may reduce the one incident evert 5-10 years that gets sensatonalised by the media, but somehow I doubt it. Politicians tend to get the legislation drawn up in short timescales as a kneejerk reaction to public out cry from a minority responding to the presses over zealous and sensationalist headlines (suppose that is how they sell papers). After all it was the press after Dunblane that whipped up the public outrage against guns that persuaded all our local scout groups to ban air rifle shooting at their camps, because it was dangerous and not politically correct. It was the one thing I used to help out with and which the kids quite happily waited for ages to have a go at. At least they learned to use a gun safely and saw what damage even an air gun can do. Then again I propably would fail the Police checks you need these days because I have a real camera and they are no PC in some circles. Because of press coverage if you go to the park to photograph ducks, you are likely to be accused of being a paedophile, or if you photograph a building the Police accuse you of being a terrorist. But when there is an incident they ask you to help them by providing any pictures. You are also vilified as an eco terrorist if you have a 4x4. Of course when it snows the same people who try to stop you having one are begging for your help. Mike PS: Apologies I seem to be supporting politions and vilifying the press.

As I live in Chesham which was supposed to be the coldest place (in the UK) Saturday night at -19.6C http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-12038023 This explains the ice on the car in the garage. That and seeing some primates looking for welders it got me to thinking about the phrase "Cold enougth to freeze the balls off a brass monkey" and its origin. Have heard a few rumours that it is related to the old naval days of sail and how cannonballs used to be stored in a pyramid on an indented brass stand (the monkey). This sounds quite good to me but seems to be debunked in several places. Maybe one for Mythbusters. Anybody got any ideas. Mike

It was cold here in Chesham last night as well. Not sure of the temperature but I went into the garage to get the shovel. The car was put away wet on Thursday and the water on the roof has frozen, never known it freeze in the garage before. Any way just had to go for a drive, you know crhristmas presents to deliver, neighbours daughter to take to station. Windscreen wiper blades did not seem to be very effective as are encased in alyer of ice, even with the heater on the windscreen. Hour and half or so of driving and the show on the bonnet and wings has melted from the engine heat. Mind you has formed some nice icicles on the headlights Mike

Yippee have some real snow now.:yay: Got a few inches friday.It came dow nice and heavy starting about 10am Saturday. Dot bat quickly so could not be bothered to ago out, will give it a go a bit later as the Landy could do with some petrol, assuming the petrol stations are open. Antarmikes right about the idiots down here on the outskirts of the M25. Started showing everybody rushes to their cars and rush off and find somewhere to abandon them. There was only an inch or so of slush on the roads. OK I and severak work colleagues rushed out, Xmas dinner day so had to get to the pub. Just to back up the earlier statements on the stupidy of many people when it snows or is forecast. Eveybody has a drive and garage in our road, most people use their drive fot at least one cars, afew actually put a car in the garage.OK the driveways all have slopes on them. Give you one quess what happens when a snowflake falls or is forecast. Yes you have got it. They all panic and move their cars into the road, footpath, where they stay until the show has gone. And of course they cannot park more than 5m from their house. There have been times when I have had to do a 3 pointer to get the car out, got knows how many that would have been with the fantastic turning capabilities of a S3 109. They obviously do not like their cars and waNt to have somebody run into them. What is wrong with people:banghead: Mike

I have a tub of old lead shot fishing weights, they are at the stage where the lead rubs off on your fingers. Will these be of any use? Mike

Oh yes and when you could do the lines with a pen the printing has a real knack to it. They spent years at school teachng you to write joined up. You go and get a job where you spend all your time forgetting how do. Really struggle with the joined up writing now. Mike

Well it would appear that the Harrier has made it's last flight. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11996936 Mike