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| Monday
23rd May Left for airport
at about 10am and arrived at Quantas 1st class lounge
around 12. Glass of wine then Maritta went off for a facial
whilst I logged onto the wifi, checked emails and started
editing the NSW Alvis photo’s for the website. Had
barramundi and another glass of wine for lunch
Flight left at 3:30. First class very impressive, red
wine and almonds whilst waiting for take off, then dinner
with Maritta (two fit in cubicle for meels), soup, snapper
and raspberry icecream.
Arrived Singapore about midnight I think (our time) and
spent a couple of hours in the terminal before re-boarding.
More red wine and almonds. Didn’t have supper, a
couple more glasses of wine then off to sleep (bed folds
out etc.). Didn’t sleep very well, woke with huge
headache (crew gave me some panadol) and only had toast
and tea for breakfast, couldn’t face eggs.
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Somethings going on and I'm not happy
about it |
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Better
enjoy this 1st class while we get the chance |
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Tuesday
24th May
Arrived London about 5am (GMT),
collected bags and got on Heathrow connect to Paddington,
way to early to go to room, sat in Kensington Gardens
and froze whilst Maritta went and found reception (on
the other side of Paddington). She came back and we had
to lug bags there to be looked after as room not available
till 2pm. Note, gets light about 5am and sun isn’t
setting till around 9pm. Hopped on the “Original
Tour” all day bus for a tour of London visiting
most of the sites (ran out of time for the Museum route).
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Kensington Gardens, Its a lot colder than it looks
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London Bridge
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London Eye |
Tower of London |
Waterloo Station |
St Pauls Cathedral |
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Albert Hotel |
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Nelsons Column
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Ticket
included the boat trip to Grenwich so we did this as well,
bit late at the Meridian but enough time to see most of
it. Caught the boat back to Westminster but couldn’t
find the tour bus so got an ordinary bus ticket for the
trip bak to Paddington .
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London City Hall, built 2002
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 Greenwich
Royal Observatory |
Observatory Courtyard |
Observatory from Meridian courtyard |
Maritta in front of Clock |
Prime Meridian |
Dale standing over Meridian |
Shephard Gate Clock, probably the first clock to displal
Greenwich Mean Time to the public
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British yard, Foot, etc. Measure between
the "D"s |
View of Queens College from Obscuration
Telescope |
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Wednesday
25 May
Got
a day train/ bus ticket and went to the Imperial War Museum,
very impressive but a bit overwhelming. Went to the London
eye, incredible view and then caught the tube back to
Paddington.
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Imperial War Museum London
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Marble Arch desigmed by John nash, 1827
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Aveling and Porter Traction Engine 1871
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Mobile periscope
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German V2 Rocket
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Early Cray Computer
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Nelsons Column and his ship in a bottle Sculpture by
Yinka Shonibare
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Somewhere in London
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London Eye
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County Hall Building
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Palace of Westminster from London Eye
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Thursday
26/5
Visited
the Science Museum. Also rushed to the clock museum, got
lost and arrived just on closing, they let us in for a
few minutes to see Harrisons No: 5 clock. Got caught in
the rain on the way back. Used the tube both ways.
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Maritta with Stephenson's Rocket
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Our apartment building |
Park opposite our apartment
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Incredible model of an overhead driven factory
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Maritta with Stephenson's Rocket
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Harrison's H1 Sea Clock
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Harrisons H5 Chronometer
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Houseboats on the Thames
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Friday
27/5
Took a bus tour today to Windsor Castle, Stone Henge
and Bath, a bit rushed but worthwhile, Windsor Castle
especially good, needed more time, Bath OK but very stark,
wouldn’t want to live there.
Stonehenge was incredibly busy, great to say you had
been there but don't need to visit a second time.
Amazed at how humid it is in London even when its chilly,
been waking up at 5:30 most of the time,.
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D&M at Stonehenge
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Windsor Castle
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View over Windsor
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Changing the Guard
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Queen Victoria
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Stonehenge
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Historic George Inn, Chippenham, Wiltshire, 1361
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Histori Roman baths, Bath
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You do get some odd signs
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Just a house along the way
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Saturday
28/5.
Industrial action meant Heathrow connect
wasn’t working, had to take local train to Hayes
and Hungerford then a bus to Heathrow, got there eventually,
stairs at train station interesting with all the luggage.
Collected car (1) and found our way to Caterham, David
and Sally Woodburns for lunch and to collect Alan and
Noeline, Andrew and Francis also there as was Ian and
Jo Todd. Made our way down to Lymington (Hampshire) eventually,
M25 was indicating a 25 minute delay at the exit we wanted
so we gat off early and travelled through some vey nice
villages, superb navigation by Maritta thank to Alan and
Noelines map book. Held up for 10-15 minutes in the New
Forest by traffic lights in Lyndhurst
Note: Car 1: Vauxhall Meriva, 1.4L Turbo
Petrol. Nice to drive, plenty of performance, bit thirsty,
Chester had a turbo Diesel which was a dog apparently.
Did about 500miles (I think)
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12/50's everywhere
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Sally and David's house |
Church nearby |
Another view of church |
Salt for the roads in winter |
One of many round-a-bouts |
Our home for a few days |
View from out window |
Caravan Park next door |
Paddington, the first of our Travel Bears.
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Sunday
29/5.
Picked up Alan and Noeline and went to Beaulieu Motor
Museum (short diversion through Lymington main street
and the Ferry to Isle of White before going to Beaulieu).
Had and excellent day exploring the Motor Museum, the
Abbey and also Lord Montague’s Palace. Returned
to the Pub near the Olde Barn (where Alan and Noeline
are staying( for dinner. |
Beaulieu Palace, Home of the British National Motor
Museum.
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Display is changing all the time
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Monorail to get you around
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Alan looks a bit nervous in the monorail
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The old Abbey
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A bit more of the old Abbey
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Gardens are extensive
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A trap for poachers (Man Trap, made illegal in Britain
in 1837)
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Inside the Abbey somewhere
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Tapestry in the Abbey
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Palace kitchen has an extensive signal system
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Motor museum emtrance
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 A
lot of the vehicles are mobile |
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
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Golden Arrow
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Blue Bird and Sunbeam Land Speed cars
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Roas signs can be impressive
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Some roads are barely wide enough for cars, without
sharing with livestock
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Trees meet overhead, trimmed by the busses and trucks
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ponies roan freely in the New Forest
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Visiting a community garden.
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| Monday
30/5
Quiet start to the day, “helped”
Alan change the manifold gasket on the 12/50 after dropping
Maritta and Noeline in Lymington so they could explore
the shops. Alan finished his car and I went with him to
fill up with fuel (about 3 miles), pretty cold, any further
and I would have needed my coat.
Caught up with Maritta and Noeline for a
light lunch, started to rain and we lost the car, found
it eventually (actually the girls found it first and they
didn’t “know” where it was {obviously
neither did Alan and I}).
Went off to visit Bucklers Hard for the
afternoon, a very old ship building area where they built
Nelson’s Agamemnon amongst others, now a historic
Museum and display. Also viewed Hurst Castle where King
Charles 1st was imprisoned (on an island so you need to
go by Ferry, but we were to late.).
Finished the day by having dinner with Chris
Marchant (Vintage Tyre Supplies), his wife Sandra, and
children Holly and Tom (coachbuilder with Rod Jolley).
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Alan, doing some maintenance on his car.
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Not comfortable but sturdy
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Model of Bucklers Hard village
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One of the buildings
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Yachtsmans Bar
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View of the harbour
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Original Shipwrights tools
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Somewhere on Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve
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Hurst Castle in the distance
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Impressive sea wall
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 New
Forest Locals can be a problem, especially at night |
New Forest is one of the largest remaining areas of
unenclosed land where commoners animals can roam freely.
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Tuesday 31/5
Visited Vintage Tyre supplies in Lymington before setting
off for Dunchideok, South West of Exeter for the start
of the Nick Walker tour.
Followed a somewhat circuitous route from Beaulieu to
Hurn (near Bournemouth) to visit the aircraft display
there (which was in the adventure playground, you could
climb up and sit in quite a few of the plains.
Left Hurn and followed the A30 for a while till we got
past Dorchester. A few miles after this we stopped at
a pub for an excellent lunch. We then left the A30 and
travelled along the coast through Lynn Regis (very narrow
one way streets with blind bends and very steep getting
out). We got slightly lost in Exeter but a nice gentlemen
(an astronomer as it turns out) came along and convinced
us if we kept following the road we were on we would get
to the right place, which we did, surpisingly.
By pure fluke we managed to see a sign to Dunchideok
that I think "The Scarlet Pimpernell" must have
seen and then went down ever shrinking lanes till we eventually
got to the Lord Haldon Hotel (Best Western) which has
magnificent views across the valley. I pointed out the
road we had used to another attendee the next day (which
was not the route we where supposed to use) and he responded
saying, "You Aussies are brave". I think he
might have been having second thoughts about lending me
his Alvis for the next few weeks.
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Alan's car outside our home for the last few days.
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More wildlife
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Maritta likes thatched roofs
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First historic car we have seen on the road, sure there
will be more.
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Short break at Vintage Tyre Supplies
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There are some odd signs in the UK
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May have been a playground but you could climb in alot
of the exhibits
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Alan tries this helicopter for size
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Some of them are pretty cozy
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And complicated
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Another Odd one
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Lunch stop.
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Yes it is two way, they get a lot narrower
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Haldon Hall, Dunchideok.
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Our carriage fir the next 6 weeks or so.
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Narrow view of the car park.
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Wednesday 1/6/2011
Start of the Nick Walker Memorial Tour (tour dinner previous
evening). Off to Dartmoor today. Travelled in the TE with
Ian and Jean Galloway, got hopelessly lost and went in
a circle back to the hotel, decided to use the map the
next time and found our way to Bovey Tracey. Stopped for
a break here and unfortunately the 4.3 travelling with
us had its brakes lock on (was a very steep sideways slope
on the car park and with the handbrake on, the brake cables
managed to hook around a mounting bolt).
Had lunch in the car park (lovely view of the village)
and then went on to meet the tour at Castle Drago (youngest
castle in the UK, built in around 1911), then went across
the moors for a look on the way back to Lord Haldon Hotel.
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Impressive small lineup of Alvis
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More arrivals
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Belvedere Tower in the distance
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Roads look even narrower from a TE21
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View over the moor
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Castle Drago
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Impressive hedge
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Very impressive 12/70 in front
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Outside Castle Drago
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Kitchen setup spectacular
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Wildlife on the moor
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View from the TE cockpit
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Thursday
2/6/2011
Went with Alan and Noelene today in the 12/50 down to
the seaside and Sidmouth, went passed Brunel’s Atmospheric
Railway pumping station (didn’t stop its empty).
We went through a ford in the middle of the seaside town
where Maritta nearly scored a cup of tea when a resident
came out and syood on their doorstep.
Then on to lunch at Kings Arm Hotel and returned to Haldon
House for a pint and then dinner.
The evenings entertainment was an excellent talk on the
history of the house and Belvedere tower (a short walk
{promenade if you like}up the hill).
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Enjoying the backseat of the 12/50
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The roads look even narrower from here
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Morning tea
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Interesting mix of old and new
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Small lineup of cars at lunch
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Alan and Maritta having a serious discussion
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Ready for the plunge
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Only a small bath
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Almost home, Yes, the bridge is small but not the smallest
we have encountered
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Friday
3/6/2011
Traveled from Dunchideok to Cobham today in convoy with
Alan and Noeline (we still had the modern).
Got lost trying to get away from Exeter but eventually
managed to get on the correct route. Stopped for lunch
in the very pleasant back grden of a little village Pub
called the Black Dog. Arrived at Cobham Hilton at around
3pm.
Settled in then went by Classic Double Decker bus to
Brooklands for BBQ dinner and a tour of the Museum, excellent
night.
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BABS, 27Litre Liberty Aero engined Land Speed car originally
used by Parry Thomas on Pendine Sands to set the record
at 171 MPH in 1926.
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Paddington ready to leave Haldon House
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Its OK, He can't fit under our bridge (see photo yesterday)
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The little road on the left is how we arrived
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Don;t think we planned this photo but it worked out
well I think
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Lunch stop
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Very pleasant beer garden
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Alvis FWD at Brooklands Museum
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Napier Railton
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Sally and Chester enjoying the evening
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Saturday
4/6/2011
First drive of TE 21 today around Surrey, went to an
amazing private car collection, several prewar MG’s,
2 Lagondas, Twin Cam Sunbeam, Ferrari’s, Lambo etc.
Then off to lunch at the Millhouse hotel, I spent lunchtime
photographing the cars parked on the lawn (about 100),
then returned to the Hilton.
Maritta went with Alan and Noeline in the back of the
12/50 and also visited the historic tower, I missed that.
TE21 drives very nicely.
Gala Dinner, sat with Ian and Jane, Trevor and Alison
Hirst (local restorer/ body maker), Ralph and Rob from
Holland and Dave and Dobson from Wales. Excellent night |
Alan seems to have lost his car, Noeline or both?
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Private car collection for morning tea
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A very nice SS100
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Twin Cam Sunbeam
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Alvis
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Dr Who
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Huge display at Elstead Mill for lunch
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Owners of our carriage for the next few weeks
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Another Aussie off to look at the display
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Water Wheel at the Mill
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Elstead Mill
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Mill from another angle
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More of attending cars
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Fireflky Special
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Cobham. Hilton, home for a few days
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Another Aussie arrives
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Sunday
5/6/2011
International Alvis Day at Brooklands, took TE down
with Maritta and Jane, Ian brought the modern.
Incredible collection of Alvis,appaently 500 attendees,
started photographing them but it all got to much. The
largest gathering of Alvis cars in the 20th century to
date.
Did the driving tests, drove up the Test Hill and around
some of the background, didn’t do brilliantly at
the driving test but didn’t do to badly according
to the officials, especially as it was my first time in
a strange car.
Ian handed over the keys for the next 10 days of the
tour.
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Alvis flag flies proudly over Brooklands
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Apparently about 500 attended the gathering
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Unusual Silver Eagle
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Firefly
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1936 SG 16.95 Siver Eagle
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Ex Rivers Fletcher Speed 20
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Alvis everywhere
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I think it says it all.
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12/60 Beetle Back
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Firefly
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4.3 Litre
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Original entrance under the banking
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Coventry transport museum wasn't open
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Bamking is pretty rough
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About 1/2 way up the test hill
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Alan and Noeline try the test hill
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Getting closer
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Almost at the top
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On the banking
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It may be small but the hood appears to be a challenge
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An idea of how steep the banking is.
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Richard tries his hand.
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Our turn in the TE21
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Looks steep from this angle
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Not aa problem for the TE21 but would be quite a challenge
for smaller cars
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Alan has a moment of glory
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I think the hood was up more in the UK than it ever
is in Australia.
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Some veterans turned up near the end of the day.
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Continued
in Part 2: 6/6 to 19/6/2011
Part
3: 20/6 to 7/7/2011 Isle of Mann and Ireland (and home)
Back
to Dale and Maritta's Travels |
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