Hi everyone, don't forget that it's "Drive It Day" on Sunday 22nd April. Basil and I intend to visit the water powered sawmill at Gunton Park then on to The Gunton Arms for lunch in our Model R. James & Christine and the boys could follow in our Model 70.

Vicki

We had a charity day at Honeysuckle Open Farm on Sunday 22nd April to raise money for the cancer untit at Castle Hill Hospital (Hull) I took the model M and Barry and Sandra brought the 85, it was the first trip out for the 85 sporting its new wooden wheels and white wall tyres, I think it has transformed the look of the car and Barry is well pleased with the way it has improved the handling of the car plus its super looks!
We raised money by giving rides every hour as a raffle prize.

Harold Bell

We toured in Germany at the end of April/early may for two weeks. The first four days of touring were with Heiner Rossler in Melle and we were blessed with fine weather as those in England suffered storms. Three Whites started and about ten Stanleys. The Locomobiles present did not steam.
Francois de Backer soon had some problems with his 1910 White that resides in the South of France. I gather that he has now solved these and his car is going better than hae has ever had it running.
Steamobiles still need to prove themselves. Loic de L'Arbre was unable to attend this year with his but my brother John also had problems with his 1902 Steamobile that had travelled with my 1902 White in one trailer. He has just finished rebuilding this car over a 10 year period and he needed a bit more time and testing to sort the problems out. He spent an hour or two each day on it and on the last day of the second week he was able to run it for a few miles. The boiler and engine are fine but it is the pipework and clacks that he is sorting.
Arthur Thomson and Pearl were there with his 1910 White. His car is obviously a bit quicker than my Model "B" Surrey which had a trunk on the back for the fortnight but we both completed the week without problems passing many troubled Stanleys that were beside the road; most were out later in the tour however. I think that the only other car without mechanical problems was the Stoneman's new built sporty Stanley.
Heiner put on a very good tour as usual but his Stanley had troubles most days.

Having completed the tour in Melle, Arthur and Pearl with his 1910 White, and John and Anne with the Steamobile and Chris Everett and myself in the 1902 White went on to Cochan on the River Mosel. We were there for two days and three nights. The first day we steamed the two Whites to where the Mosel reaches the Rhine at Koblenz
and returned in the afternoon(67 miles). The next day we went up the Mosel to Traben-Trabach and back(74 miles).
The following day we moved on with the steamers in the trailer to Piesport where we were in a splendid hotel/wine merchant. The next day was our only wet one so we took the modern cars up the river on the German bank and back down the Luxemburg side where fuel was much cheaper.
On the final day John had a trip along one of the many cycle paths in the Steamobile for 3-4 miles. The car was going well but he still could not hold enough pressure in the fuel tank. We again set off in the Whites up the river and then turned back on the south bank and went down to Bernkastel where after a good lunch, we went around some cobbled streets and climbed half way up to the castle. We then returned back to our base not forgetting to stop for squashy cakes half way back. Arthur here noticed that he had lost most of his water. A nut had come loose on his water pressure bypass near the Finnegan pin. Both cars had used very little water all the tour. Arthur's tank was only down about two inches for the day and my little car used little more (most of it from condenser leakages) until the steam leak developed. then it needed a twice daily fill. Most days we were travelling about 70 miles and we thoroughly enjoyed it!

This was a great tour. Chris had worked out the hotels, the routes and our stops on the way and,as ever, he was spot on with all of them. Being German speaking he also got us out of trouble when we had a crisis like leaving pills behind at home!
We had lots of squashy cakes, a 4pm essential in Germany,and good food everywhere.

The Germans loved the cars. We travelled much of the time on the cycle paths which are well surfaced and take the vineyard tractors as well and parked sometimes in the pedestrian cobled areas.
We came back with the bottom of the trailer full of good wine. The two whites had run all the 400 plus miles without problems although my little one had a slight steam leak that developed on the last few days and I was unable to tighten the joint less I caused more problems. The car still took the everything without complaint!

Last Saturday, 2nd June, the weather forecast indicated that this would be the only dry day of the 4 day holiday weekend. So we made a late decision to steam over to the steam engine rally at Strumpshaw Hall nr Norwich in the afternoon on our Model R and James & Christine and family piled into our Model 70 to accompany us. There was already a Locomobile and a condensing Stanley there for the weekend so it was fun to join them in the ring and on display for the afternoon. Before we returned home our water tanks were refilled by the bowser servicing the traction engines which took about 5 seconds!

Vicki

I took lots of photos but we're still working on how to attach them to this post.



Edited 2 times. Last edit at 06/10/12 12:31PM by Stanleynavigator.

Here are the photographs that go with my message above.

And there's more!

Vicki



Edited 2 times. Last edit at 06/10/12 01:26PM by Stanleynavigator.

Oops, sorry, I'm learning. These are the last ones!

Vicki

We were invited to attend The Museum of the Broads steam open day at The Staithe, Stalham on Sunday 10th June. John & Marilyn Oliver took our Model R and we took the Model 70 on a scenic route through narrow country lanes with a "pit stop" on the way at The Olive Branch at Tunstead for coffee and cakes. Our cars were then on display outside the museum as an example of steam power on the road in addition to the various kinds of models on display and the steam boats on the river. Basil enjoyed a leisurely 30 minute cruise in the sunshine on the museum's steam boat "Falcon" before our BBQ lunch. Forncett Industrial Steam Museum also attended with a model in steam, we hope to revisit their excellent museum at Forncett St Mary later in the year.

Vicki



Edited 3 times. Last edit at 06/14/12 07:17AM by Stanleynavigator.

Last Sunday 24th June James Barron, Christine & the boys joined us in taking both our Stanleys, in the pouring rain, to the Old Buckenham Airshow where we were just two of the 400 classic and older cars on display alongside about 100 military vehicles, tractors, fire engines and stock cars. Fortunately the rain stopped and the sun came out in time for the aerial displays.

The highlight was an awesome display put on by a Supermarine Spitfire MK IXB and "Ferocious Frankie" a Mustang P51-D who flew low over our heads and within feet of each other. Both planes had flown sorties in WWII.

Old Buckenham is one of many WWII airbases in Norfolk and was home to the USAAF 453rd Bombardment Group.

Vicki

Today Harold Bell and his son Jonathan accompanied me in my Model 85 to the Little Weighton Vintage Rally. We were the only steam cars there but well received. The weather stayed fine, glorious sunshine for the most parts. We left at teatime and then the heavans broke for a while. Both cars worked well.

We both hope to be there again tomorrow, assuming a fine day.

Barry