Grasshopper

I don't think having a 4 ft scaffold pole and crow bar dropped on his kidney improved his mood. Usually he just needs feeding and watering (with a good dose of sugar).

Unfortunately you need to strip most of the gear off to work on it!

Nice to see somebody with a big PW toy.

There is justice in the world, as his truck seems to break down all the time.....Unfortunately it seems to have passed onto Mikes truck as well. Really must stop Mark from doing any more photo shoots.

Just left the farm where I found Mike, Mark and Karl under the truck sounding like a carry on film. "My end up a bit, nearly in the hole" etc... They had spent 2 hours trying to locate the transfer box rear mounting boss in the cross member, with no success. By the time I had gone to fetch their dinner, they had managed to "get it in" (with a little help from my Mrs, who was not best pleased at getting grease on her recently cleaned engagement ring!). They plan to fit the front cross member tonight, and Mike and I will hopefully complete the installation tomorrow, and take the wee beastie to W&P! Oh, and we only had one part left over from rebuilding the transfer box. Looked like a bodged french army part too.

Can safely say that all the facilities have been updated (electric Lights!) since your last visit.

The show is put on by members of the railway (who are also MV enthusiasts), and is still in its infancy. Next year is not yet a definite, but given this years success may continue. The atmosphere at any show they put on at that venue is always great, due to the small size of the sight, and the most is always made of it. Plus Islanders are all bonkers (they've known me all my life, so I can safely say that). The trailer the Sexton is driving onto in Pauls pics, was built by the IOW tank museum, making it all the more impressive. The sherman rebuild as featured on TV has not yet progressed, as the TV company that filmed it want to cover the whole restoration process and are currently raising the money to make 14x1 hour programmes (as i am led to believe) following the process.

Plus HMVF muppet on the footplate of the army austerity loco...

Hope its not when i missed the coal hole with my first shovel full......

Nigel, welcome to the slippery slope that is CVRT ownership. We did warn you...

Both engines in steam over the weekend were the ones formerly at the Beverly museum. The IOW railway have put them both back in service and the army has recently officially handed over ownership of them to the railway, along with a diesel loco. They are both austerity designs and are virtually identical. (See http://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk latest news). Gordon has nothing to do with my involvement in the railway. My dad has been a member since the Wight locomotive society first formed, and I have been going there since birth. I just decided to volunteer to help out (now being a railway fitter as a job) this weekend (as i was there with the WLF), and the shovel and hat were thrust at me for the purposes of that picture. I spent saturday being a cleaner, then dismantling steam locomotives in the works (just like being at work!), and was given some basic instruction on locomotive firing on Sunday. There's a lot more to it than meets the eye!

Thats a home made top on a series 5.

The rumors are true, it was I. Truck started making a funny noise (more like a horrendous banging....) from the transmission, so i pulled over to prevent any further damage. unfortunately my phone (despite being fully charged before departure, and being switched off most of the weekend) decided to die, so big thank you to Mike for getting a recovery truck sorted. Also thank you to Cat and Patweazle for pulling over to let me use their phone, and waiting with me till the recovery guy showed up. On the plus side, we carry an emergency tea making kit on board for such situations, so sense of humour faliure was not as bad as it could have been.

I'd say its broken, and you've got a problem. I can say that having just been on an electrical schematics course at work.

I'll be there with Mikes' WLF. You won't be able to miss it.....

Half track should be legal on the grounds that it is not steered by its tracks, and can exceed the legal minimum speed limit on a motorway. Vehicles steered by there tracks are not allowed on motorways.

He must know his "old girl" better than his "old chap" by now.....

Why oh why, when you leave a vehicle that ran, does it then refuse to start a few weeks later? Couldn't blame Mike, for although he has now permanently soldered together all the temporary dash connections, the spark at the plugs was very good, which means he didn't mess up the wiring. Must be a fuel problem then. Took the top horn off the carb, and found that the accelerator jets weren't working. Took the fuel pipe off, checked the fuel flow, all ok. Took the top off the carb, which was full of fuel as it should be. Removed and checked shut off valve. Found ok. Put the top back on the carb, try again, and it still won't start. The fan drive belt then decided to snap for good measure. Not turning out to be a good day. Several taking-apart-and-putting back-togethers and much head scratching later, it still wouldn't start, despite removing and cleaning/checking every component I could. Decided to put the top back on the carb, and address why the rubber drive coupling was rubbing on its guard. While re-shimming the gearbox height to solve the rubbing problem, my trouser pocket got caught on the carb, and the accelerator jets were suddenly working! Powered up, and engine then started first time. WHY DIDN"T IT DO THAT TO START WITH!?! AAAAARRRRGGHHH!

Congratulations. What you going to break next?

I think thats the "calling card" of CW's boat when he leans on the go stick.

And in a puff of smoke, he was gone.

That is illegal, and would recommend that for the sake of the hobby, people do not travel on motorways in tracked armour.

And I thought i was hearing a foghorn....

These things have a habit of taking longer than you think. Always an unforseen problem waiting to bite you in the behind.

That would explain why he hasn't fixed my 110 yet.