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Alternatives to going out in the Frog!
'Chuff' Harriet
Sunday 21st
September 09:15, I've reached a farm somewhere near Hinton Ampner, and am
polishing the brassware on The Mac. This is an 8HP Maclaren general-purpose
traction engine called The Favourite, and we're off to The Hinton Arms for a
show.
When I went two
years ago it was my first time steering, and I had plenty of Jaguars to aim at
as I went into the car park, this time we didn't! There were, however other
classics to fill the bill!
This year we stopped
for water at the bottom of the field, and then went and did a neat piece of
reversing (if I say so myself!) into a shady spot next to a Healey. There were
all sorts of classics, cars, trucks, tractors - oh and two Frogeyes! We then
had the polishing to do; cleaning the paintwork and keeping the engine alight
for the return journey.
This show is a small
one, very informal and good fun. You turn up, have a look/drink/meal and then
leave when you want. If you are lucky, you might win a plate - and yes we did!
Winner of the Commercials category, great stuff! All this before commencing our
epic 8 mile journey to Twyford taking an hour and a half and causing havoc with
the traffic flow in the area ... I counted twenty cars at one point, and only
stopped there because they went back round the corner! The unfortunate thing
about steam is that you don't want to stop on a hill, so to anyone who was
caught behind us we apologise but it was such a lovely afternoon!
And what's this to
do with spritely things? Well, I would never had got involved with the Mac if
it hadn't been for meeting Pete after Terry started the Hampshire chapter, so
thanks guys!
Picture the Scene
.
More A host
of friends and family of Ellen and John Ferguson gather on Friday 18th
August to celebrate their wedding
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 Or
Little
John ponders "which bit shall I cut of first"
From Terry (Age 53 you know!)
| Seen in
Chester |
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Jenny is On the
Road Again
Two years ago at a club
outing to the Fairford Show I saw a 1967 Mk 4 Sprite for sale. Barry's Frogeye
had been on the road for a couple of years by then and I was in need of a new
'run-about'. I fancied a car that would be fun to drive - and it was for a
year. My little car came of the road last September for a few bodywork repairs
but unfortunately, like Topsy the list just grew and grew and it was a whole
year before we took to the road again.
I am extremely happy
to say that after an extensive body overhaul and complete refurbish of the
interior, me and my car can be seen running around the roads of Berkshire again
- and I'm loving it! |
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| Friday 19th
September 2008 , Vic and John of the Hampshire chapter of the Midget and Sprite
club visited the Goodwood revival.
We had a fine
drive down, the 30 or so miles from our home in Holybourne, and parked up in
the pre '66 parking area. Overhead were flying a Spitfire and a Mustang, and
very soon the track was alive with the sounds of cars and motorcycles of a
bygone era, and what fantastic sounds they were!
So much to
see,racing practice,paddock area and pits, stalls, flying displays and much
more, next year will have to be more than one day. We left at about 6.30pm and
had a lovely journey home through the Sussex countryside with the setting sun.
Importantly the Sprite behaved itself , and here's looking forward to next
year. |
Damage caused to Alf's
Sprite on a recent 10 day tour of Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Wales.
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| Bust
half shaft |
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| Somewhere
in the Diff. |
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| One
slightly bent half shaft. (Picture shows half shaft up against a straight
edge) |
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At 10:46 on Tuesday 3 February
1931 a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Napier and the surrounding Hawkes Bay area,
the Subsequent fires destroyed most of the commercial heart of Napier. The ART
DECO TRUST yearly has as they put it "a not so serosae celebration of art deco"
to celebrate the style that the town was rebuilt as a reminder to the thousands
who died in the disaster.
This year I met up with my sister and her family for the weekend as
they were down from Papamoa and wanted to show me where they used to live. The
weekend had all manner of things to do form the New Zealand versions of the red
arrows, soap box derby, steam trains running rides to live music at night with
dancing.
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On
the Saturday there was the car run with over 350 pre 1940s cars driving through
the CBD with EverEveryoneone in art deco costumes, my preference were the two
silver ghost in perfect condition and the penny farthing with a pillion, after
lunch we went wine shopping as Hawkes bay is one of the top wine making areas
in New Zealand, after a siesta we went back in to town for fish and chips on
the front and to have a closes look at the cars before the music started, my
Nephews notated a traction engine and roller or as they put it "Trevor and
Buster" (Tomes the tank engine) which I then "HAD" to take them to see with all
the normal questions of "how does it work uncle?" to answer.
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After watching the air show we walked through the
town listening to the music that was being performed on every other street
making the nostalgia run.
The Sunday had the soap box derby going on in the high street with
creations from Burt Munro's Indian Scout, a big Bentley, to an invalid carrier
and Thomas the tank, after a trip on the traction engine, ice-cream and a walk
around the put-puts we went to the "bell ringing" a removal to the lost in the
earthquake with the moors message that was sent for help, then a cheese and
mince pie and home.
Overall I love the
weekend, the 30's wear really in swing and I will recommend any one who is
coming over to New Zealand to make this a must on there list to do. Its up
there with bungie jumping
Well must
go love Kiwi Dave (Scotish) |
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| Please
notify of any discrepancies or additional venues and
information |
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