Jessie The Jeep Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) Another year has flown by and suddenly, it's time for my annual review of my season. Not sure if anyone actually reads these but I throw them out there anyway! It's been a very busy year starting in April and running through until mid November. I clocked up 1,577 miles across the three vehicles, but 1,166 of them were in the M201 since that is always first out of the garage and my 'goto' vehicle for most trips. My first trip out for the year was a school run on January 9th. My normal car was off the road and an injury to my heel stopped me from walking but I was still able to work the pedals without pain. As Jessie was still having bodywork repairs, Hope was my first vehicle out in 2018. Things were quite again until the usual season starter, the Yorkshire MVT Crank Up on April 15th. Jessie's bodywork repairs were done and this was not only the first outing, but the first in the temporary magnetic RAF markings for the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force. It was a 160 mile round trip. Edited December 26, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) Breighton Aerodrome Radial Engine Fly-In - May 6th Next time out didn't go quite as well. The three hour drive there was fine but after arriving I noticed the rear exhaust bracket had rusted through. I got some locking wire from one of the pilots and wired the exhaust for the trip home. A few miles driving while there were fine but the Jeep began mis-firing on the way home. I got to within 20 miles from home when the ignition died altogether. Swapping from electronic to points didn't help so I suspected the coil and didn't have a 24 volt spare with me. The RAC man was a little lost for words when he rang 15 minutes before reaching me and I asked what 24 volt spares he had with him! A replacement coil once home sorted the problem and I then ordered another to keep in the locker. Edited December 26, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) Yorkshire Air Museum "Against the Odds" RAF Event- May 11~13th The spare coil hadn't arrived in the post by the time the YAM event came around, so not wanting to risk a long trip with a new and fairly untested replacement coil, I trailered the Jeep to the event and would do more road testing locally the following week. I didn't want to miss this event as it was once of the rare occasions when the YAM Halifax is displayed out doors. On Sunday, I happened to be in the right place at the right time to get the even more rare opportunity to take a tour inside the Halifax. The recreation using both original Halifax parts, a Hastings wing and scratch built parts is an amazing achievement and tribute, from what was a fairly young museum at the time of the build. I also got chatting to Andre Tempest who very kindly showed me around the other H.P. bomber at Elvington, the still futuristic looking H.P. Victor. Edited December 26, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) Blyth Battery Goes to War - May 19/20th For the Blyth show, I decided to take the "Jessie" for day one and "Faith" for the second day. The May weather was being very good from the start of the month, but while it was bright and sunny at Blyth, a sea breeze pulled the temperature down a bit. "Lanc, Tank & Military Machines" East Kirkby - May 26 & 28th Our next trip out and fourth event that month was a new one for us at East Kirkby. It was very enjoyable weekend and well worth a visit if you haven't been before. Edited December 26, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) Northallerton 1940's Day - June 10th All of a sudden we were in June and the year seemed to be racing by! Northallerton was a good day out although a misty start. It was "Jessie's" first long run out on the new coil and there's always that worry in the back of my mind for a few trips after a breakdown. The 3 hour round trip was uneventful however. "Frontline" Sedgefield - June 16th The following weekend was the multi-period living history event at Sedgefield, though I was only there for Saturday. The weather was reasonable until the battle started at the end of the day, when a large rain storm washed everything out. As the rain belted down harder and harder, and the crowds ran for cover, and the pyros were blown up and the war was called won! Edited December 26, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) Tanfield Railway Steam Gala - June 17th On the second day of the weekend, we did the Tanfield railway steam gala. Barnard Castle 1940's Weekend - June 23/24th The following weekend was Barnard Castle and the second trip out for "Faith" the Dodge. In fact, there were almost as many Dodges there as Jeeps. Edited December 26, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) Bowes Railway & Springwell Village 1940's - June 30th / July 1st Bowes being only a couple of miles from home allowed us to get all three vehicles on show together. I'd also made some RAF markings for the second Jeep and used the trailer roundels to make the Dodge RAF for the weekend. We did almost die getting there when while indicating and slowing down in the 30mph limit about to turn into the car park, we were both over-taken by a numbty doing 60 to 65mph ( as worked out from my video in the second Jeep ). A second later and I would have been turning across that lane and the idiot would have hit me and my daughter broadside, probably rolling the GPW and killing us both. My video caught the registration so I reported them to the police. Despite trying to stick to slower A roads, I've had a year of close calls with idiot drivers and I'm sure this is how I will die. Breighton Aerodrome Summer Fly-In - July 21st/22nd Our annual big aviation fix at the friendliest airfield in Yorkshire! Little legs danced the night away at the hangar dance for several hours pretty much non-stop! She only took a break to come back to the table for water. Edited December 26, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) Croft Nostalgia - August 3~5th June and July flew by and before we knew it, August had arrived. Both Jeeps were taken to Croft. We thought about taking the Dodge too, but considering the effort and expense, we decided against it. Both Jeeps were part of the RAF100 display. Ryhope Engines Museum - August 26/27th We had a couple of weeks off, then both Jeeps were back out at Ryhope. After the long hot summer, it was a very damp weekend. We spent quite a bit of the weekend watching and helping out the blacksmith Edited December 26, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) Beamish "Dig for Victory" - August 31st ~ Sept 2nd This was a four day event and I manage three of them. On the Friday with "Jessie" and the rest of the weekend with both Jeeps. The period buildings made for lots of good photo opportunities and after a briefing, we were able to drive around the site at along the 2 mile perimeter road any time, allowing the public to see the vehicles on the move. Edited December 26, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) NELSAM Heritage Weekend - Sept 9th "Faith" had a last trip out in early September to the local aircraft museum. Breighton Aerodrome Classic Car Rally - Sept 15/16th The following weekend I made a third trip to Breighton for their Wing Walking and Classic Car weekend. It was a nice relaxing wind down weekend as the season was starting to draw to a close. Edited December 26, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) Blackfell School WW2 History Day - Sept 21st The third week in September, on the Friday, it was my annual visit to my daughter's school for the year 6 class who were learning about WW2 history. As susual, I had great support from friends and for the first time, made the session a full day of lectures and demos. Tanfield Railway 1940's Weekend - Sept 22nd & 23rd Straight after the school visit was the Tanfield '40's weekend and both Jeeps were out together again. I expected this to be my last event of the season. Edited December 26, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) Armistice Day +100 - November 11th I put both Jeeps on the drive for the two minutes silence on November 11th and later in the day, took "Hope" to the local memorial. Rosa Street Primary School WW1/WW2 History Day - Nov 15th A surprise last event of the year was another school visit in Durham. I was only asked to attend 10 days before the day. I did a presentation on the Allied Air War during WW2 and dressed up one of the teachers in all my flying kit. Today I got a number of pdf letters from several of the children saying how much they had enjoyed my presentation an the whole day bringing history to life for them. So there you go, a busy year and I'm pretty sure that's all my events for this year done now. The Jeeps might still be out before the year is out if we have some snow to play in! Edited December 26, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted November 22, 2018 Share Posted November 22, 2018 17 hours ago, Jessie The Jeep said: Not sure if anyone actually reads these I do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughman Posted November 22, 2018 Share Posted November 22, 2018 As do I. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david1212 Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 I do too along with your reports / reviews after each event. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-boy Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 Many do, but some may be a bit shy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 Yes, I do read these reviews and enjoy them. Good to see the effort and fun you put in these events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
examech Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 Have you ever visited the Heugh Gun Battery in Hartlepool? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted January 13, 2019 Author Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) I know some of the local guys had a road run out there a while back, but I've never been. Do they have events on across the year, and if so, when are they? There never seems to be enough free weekends. I wanted to go to Brougham Hall near Penrith, but that clashes with Elvington that I'm already booked in to. Edited January 13, 2019 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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