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Could you get a wider rubber strip similar to that that goes round the windscreen frame, and cover it over so it's not seen at all? Not that it looks bad to me in the pictures. 

Gareth

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Pete - DON'T give up with owning a TR - there are other cars out there - just put the word out on here and elsewhere and I'm sure something will come up Chin up  Cheers Rich

Or these people? http://www.leacyclassics.com/parts/classicmini/engine-components/2k7440.html Roger

. Carrying on from TR4 -v- Tr4A engine, and my purchasing a 'spare'  < here >  ..so that I might get on and have an engine ready by the time the Chance is actually bought and shipped,  we h

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39 minutes ago, Mk2 Chopper said:

Could you get a wider rubber strip similar to that that goes round the windscreen frame, and cover it over so it's not seen at all? Not that it looks bad to me in the pictures. 

Gareth

I thought about painting it satin black, like the rubber seals, but decided to try it in red because I guessed it would better fade into the background of the body tub. It's done that so I'll leave it (..until one day, if n' when I do more major work to correct the route cause).

Pete

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  • 3 weeks later...

Today :     Helmingham Hall & Gardens, Suffolk - Festival of Classic and Sports cars ( an event in support of charities) .. 10am - 4pm for £10 

 

On Saturday 20th August Katie  and I hope to be at the TRAAB (..TR's alternative annual bash) @ The Great British Car Journey, Ambergate, Derbyshire.

as on the Sunday  we hope to witness a reenactment of The Battle of Bosworth ( c.1485 if I recall my history) and the Bosworth Medieval Festival weekend, just an hour's drive south in Leicestershire.

Hope to see some of you at one or the other event.  

Pete ..and Katie  (..with her new but still unpainted Surrey top lid)

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Simply for sake of this thread's continuity, should this be read by newcomers to the TR Register in two or three years time, I'm copying recent events that Katie  attended here too.. 

 

7th August : Helmingham Hall & Gardens, Suffolk - Festival of Classic and Sports cars ( an event in support of charities) . . .

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^ Katie  joined in with the TR Register's Abbott & Stour group of very nice people with very nice cars .. TR6s, Peerless, TR7-V8, and of course a TR4A ..with half a roof panel.

It's an excellent informal type show despite some pretty exotic and equally as diverse cars being allowed in,  which this year enjoyed sublime weather which.. by the end of the day sort of radiates from my fresh lobster-like complexion.  And because of that, I was obliged to stop off at the Sorrel Horse Inn, Claydon  ..for medicinal purposes you understand - to avoid my being dehydrated this evening !

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Pete

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Again for sake of this thread's continuity - I'm copying recent events that Katie  attended here too..  It was originally posted on ' where-did-you-drive-to-with-your-tr-today '  p.72

 

Sunday 14th  2022 - Saffron Walden Car Show on the Common.

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Cheers to Alan Short - Events Co-ordinator, TR Register East Saxons Group,  for the email letting us know that this event was on. The East Saxons have two groups, who meet at different venues, and yet who rarely meet. I generally go to The Alma  whereas most of these attendees were from The Farmhouse . They're a nice bunch of people and most welcoming to Katie  and I.

Getting there as a group and parking under the trees was an inspiring move by our leader. Coming from Ipswich and across country I turned up an hour later but was most grateful not to be sitting out in the open sun scorched Savanna. Many who did left early afternoon. . .

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^ Saffron Walden's 'The Common' is enormous, as it carried on way down the gentle slopes to the left of the photo with military vehicles, vintage tractors, American muscle cars, and a number of motorcycle clubs.  Aside from the exotics there were also a host of more modern (1970s and '80s)  everyday classics. Fords were out in number, and a colony of Moggy 1000's were also found sheltering under the canopy of tress.  There were a number of extraordinarily low mileage and unusual cars too. . .

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^ Rover 3500 Estoura

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^ Zephyr Coupe Utility, from Australia, with straight-six 2.6 litre fitted with a Triple Weber carburettor manifold courtesy of one of that country's own tuning houses. 

All in a really good show, albeit too hot out in the sun for many. Still, it was a unexpected and pleasant surprise to give free entry for all, whether on a motorcycle or car, and to visitors on foot.


Katie  and I came back to sunny Ipswich via a slightly different route, and that was through Steeple Bumpstead and then Clare before dropping down to Sudbury and back to Ipswich via skirting around Hadleigh.  It was a good cross country drive (no motor or dual-carriageways at all) and mostly pleasant driving at my own pace.  I say mostly because I did find myself behind a modern Fiat 500 traveling at just 25 mph.  Once the road straightened enough to see 1/4 mile along I overtook but a numbscull came the other way around the next bend at excessive speeds. He was running wide around the corner, and although I had overtaken quickly and was well back onto my side of the road, the experience appears to have scared the other driver a tad ..as expressed by the farting blare of his car's horn.  I managed a broad smile.

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photo courtesy of < visitEastofEngland.com >

^ I but briefly stopped in the ancient but small market town of Clare  < here > to visit their fabulous church ..it was Sunday after all.  But as that was just around 5pm, it was soon-after time to lock the doors. Clare and the surrounding villages are littered with historic architecture and, what looks on passing to be, a good selection of nice country pubs.  I've a fad interest in 13th - 14th century history at the moment and this little town, which is now on a cross-country route to nowhere-in-particular, seems to have been largely forgotten ..so I plan to visit again sometime very soon.

Again my thanks to Alan and the TR Group for pulling together an excellent outing.  It's always very much more pleasant to turn up at such an event and to meet up and enjoy conversation with friendly faces.

Pete.

 

 

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Cheers Pete, Likewise good to meet you and a few other faces too.

As I say, to myself, the green carpets look better from within the car rather than when set against the black seats  ..but then I don't want green seats. It's all work in progress.

I'm pleased with the hard-top lid. It works well for me driving with the one side covered (for less wind noise and drafts around the neck and ears) and it's shape probably doesn't hurt overall fuel consumption either.  I hadn't previously considered the matter, but when I went into Derby on Friday night and parked up for an evening meal, I was glad to have the hard-top on ..if only for its impression of security.

Pete.

 

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Having put the previous events in place / into chronological order, I can now add my little report on Katie  visiting the TR meet at Amblegate last weekend. . .

 

As a high mileage round trip over a weekend, this was the first long distance / weekend away trip with Katie since I bought her a-year-ago-in-March ..and of course since then much 'remedial work' has been done.  As such, these 360 miles were both a milestone and a proving run.. in terms of my aspirations to tour in a TR4A.  I'm glad to be able to report that she performed impeccably, and used no measurable amount of oil or water over that distance (in hot weather conditions), and despite my being 65 years old, 6ft-5" tall and 110kg in stature, and also suffering chronic lumber and sciatica issues - I did enjoy the cross-country driving and didn't suffer more than a few moments of back discomfort / stiffness - which I would expect to experienced in any vehicle over that many hours of travel.

Despite, well founded concerns having been expressed, I am pleased with the chassis mods we did, the gearbox cover made in steel and its noise / heat insulation, and also with this car now not having the dashboard brace / H-frame. The suspensions' supposedly-hard red polybushes (both front & rear) proved not to be an issue, aside perhaps on concrete motorway sections with their very close together ridges.  Likewise I'm happy with the Mazda MX-5 seats (although their backrests are rather firm) and their being pushed right the way back to the rear-wheel arches. Concaving those worked well for the extra legroom I require.

I would still like an inch more foot-width between the clutch pedal and the gearbox, so that pedal-lever will have to be reshaped.   I'm fine with our scruffy black dashboard, and glad to altered the switch layout ..particularly the overdrive switch now being on the LHS of the column ..next to the gear change lever.  Delighted also with the 7" TomTom sat nav, I bought.  It has an excellent display and its larger size conveniently sits within the open cubby hole (formerly glove box), rather across the windscreen. The wires are from the back, so when I stop - there's no obvious giveaway / temptation ..once my woolly hat is placed over it.  Its route planning is simple to use and very quick to find its way again ..when I divert along my own route.    

The Surrey-top lid panel being of a stowable size worked really well, despite my not yet having a boot rack.  On the way up it fitted within the boot, wrapped in a cotton sheet, along with 5ltrs each of water, oil & petrol, + a pot of hydraulic fluid, plus the fire extinguisher, two nights overnight bag, a shoulder holdall, my lunch and drinks for two days out, my chunky walking boots, two camping stools, a comprehensive tool kit, + car cover, etc.  On the drive back i just loosely placed it across the rear step inside the car, because that saves moving it to get into my travelling bags.   With TR6 lever arm latches across the front, it's reasonably quick and easy to fit. Getting the rear screw in, from the underside of the backlight frame, is a bit awkward - but then I'm not exactly used to doing it. The car only 'appears' to be more secure when parked with its hardtop in place ..as the door locks are so ****. I fit a dark blue lightweight car cover overnight ..to lessen it attention to the simple minded.

I still have mechanical jobs to do, as the car continues to suffer annoying (rather than catastrophic) vibration above 62mph, and disappointingly the gearbox whines in second gear.  There's also some clunking from the second-hand half-shafts I fitted. In short, I would like the drive-train to be smoother and all-but-silent.  The front suspension springs are too long / high and imo too stiff for cross-winds and awful-road-surfaces respectively.

Katie's TR four cylinder engine is pretty standard spec save it having a TR4 rather than TR4A cylinder head.. and I've done next to nothing to it aside from addressing coolant leaks (tightened the head down x3 times and replace one core plug. I cleaned the sludge out of the sump, and rebuilt the oil pump to minimum tolerance. I did clean and check the spark-plugs some time ago, but I have not yet cleaned or checked the points or the ignition timing. HT leads are as they were when I bought the car.  I did roughly adjust the carbs' rod linkages (visually) and replaced the float level jets.  It still runs a wide belt (loosely adjusted) to the dynamo. I now have a heat shield over the dynamo.  The water pump was swapped for a 2nd hand one when the previous' pulley belt fell off. 

- - -

I checked fluid levels and tyre pressures on Thursday - all were fine,  and packed and left to drive north by 10:15 on Friday morning. I stopped at our local shops to fill the petrol tank at 39487 miles.  Taking my time I headed up the A14, passed Bury St.Edmunds and Cambridge, to then pick up the A1 north.  I took this up to the A606 ..which soon had me to Rutland Water . . . 

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^ I found a pleasant spot to sit out and with my binoculars to watch the boats and wildlife for an unhurried break

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^ a spot of lunch was heated-up on the engine.

Moving on, at our own pace, we enjoyed a cross-country run A606 and A6006 to Leicestershire, and then stopped again for a little fluid relief and a stretch of the legs down the canal. . .

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^ that looks a pleasant way to spend a holiday, although perhaps - dare i say.. an electric motor might be a more relaxing glide ?

I stayed at the Portland House Hotel / Derby Conference Centre on Friday night.  A nice old building which sorta reminded me of the old naval academy at Greenwich.  Unlike that on the Thames, this one in Derby is just a short walk away from their own navigable canal, so I took an evening stroll along that too.  I 'dined' near the town centre at a 'Hungry horse' but that got a bit loud so i didn't linger, instead I went back to the hotel and enjoyed an hour or so of reading a good novel in their lounge.   The room @ £45 was cheap for the night, but clean and comfortable enough.  The staff were very friendly, but I was unfortunate insomuch as the evening was warm and the allocated room faced onto an inner courtyard with air conditioning humming, It was also next to a fire door in the corridor. Add to this.. an amorous couple in the next room who then made a noise departing with giggles at 3:30am.  I (tried to) sleep with ear plugs in. 

I made a mistake when I booked the hotel, insomuch as breakfast was served from 7am Monday to Friday. And I was to wake up on Saturday morning, where breakfast would be served from 8am.  Usually perhaps not such a big deal, but I had promised to help Rich with his auto-jumble stand at Ambergate, which was 25 minutes away.  I wanted to be there by 8:30 and so I missed breakfast altogether. Not even a cup of coffee !

Rich had already set out the tables when I showed up, according to my own schedule at 8:30. And so i set to helping him get all sorts of goodies out of his car n' trailer, to be laid out on display. . .

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^ The day passed quickly and we saw nothing of the museum, not much of the 300 or so TR's that turned out and even filled the site's overflow car park. 

Nevertheless I was glad, because together with Rich and Conrad there were just three other car-boot sized auto-jumble stands, and parts and autojumbles ..in my humble opinion, are a really important attraction to any major gathering, particularly for those who are presently in the midst of restoring a car, or have come from further afield... from the extremes of this island, from Ireland and across mainland Europe. They rarely get an opportunity to see Triumph parts offered at, often far, less than dealer prices.   Rich is tuning his service to TR owners down, in short.. he's likely to be doing less and less in the foreseeable future.  And so although it may have sounded very much like salesman's patter, he was genuine when he said that he was open to offer on many items.  And that the stock he has (..like just two aluminium fuel tanks left) will not be available in the future.   Some folk got great bargains.   Personally speaking, I rather wished I'd spoken out when I overheard how much he was prepared to let that big-valve cylinder head go for.., but he was talking to another gentleman and so it was right that the addressed-to person should then have first refusal.  And he bought it.  

IMO this event was a sad reflection on some TR specialist suppliers, who had less distance than Rich to travel - and who didn't bother to show up. 

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^ just some of the TR's that attended Ambergate. the concourse cars wer around the far corner and the overflow car-park was around to the left of these photos.

A great turnout and a tribute to all who showed up. 

I try to avoid politics, but I doubt if even 300 more cars would have made up for the shortfall in numbers * for the Stafford International Weekend to break even - the premise upon which the decision was made to cancel  (* ..as many of us had booked & prepaid for that event anyway).

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^ who was the very last to leave ?

Rich, who is best renown for having TR parts professionally refurbished - by the batch.. so everyone can benefit from the more competitive prices, had huge expenditures / investment in stock to try and recover ..and he so brought both a mpv packed with stuff and a good sized trailer as well.  The gates were supposed to be closed & locked at 6pm, and long after everyone else had gone home or back to their hotels - he was still packing things away. The man on the gate was exceptionally patient and kind to us, even though we were probably five or ten minutes late.  We then finished tying the contents of the trailer down outside the locked gates, and probably didn't get away until close to 6:30.  Rich then drove home to Colchester, Essex arriving home after 10pm.  He spent his Sunday unloading.   You may possibly consider this next time you look at any auto-jumbler stall and the prices being asked.  And that of course is aside from the time in chasing around and the money (..his own) spent in getting things reconditioned to a high quality, and wrapped and packed to bring along to the stand. 

Sadly also we had thieves.  No beating around the bush about that.  At this conjuncture we know of TR3 replated gear change levers having been stolen. We also know visitors from just across the channel, had just previously enquired about the price and didn't like the figure given.  An hour later several were noted to be missing. That may have been a coincidence and no allegation is made, but it's upsetting that one TR owner should steal from another ..and one who is actually a really genuine guy - who likes to help other out.

- - -

Myself .. well I trotted off for some petrol first, just a mile or two down the road from the museum.  I filled up again, and the chronometer then read 39664   The sppedo is 8mh slow at lower speeds and 6mph slow at 60mph, so I have no idea how far we actually travelled, but taking the reading verbatim indicates 177miles.  23.94 ltrs = 5.2660 imp gallons, which in turn equals 33.61 mpg.  

I then headed off to Appleby Inn Hotel at Appleby Parva, Appleby Magna, DE12 7AP.. which is just 25 minutes away, south of Derby, where I found myself booked into a wonderfully clean and quiet hotel for the night.   For on Sunday I was to attend a re-enactment of the 1485 Battle of Bosworth ..a pivotal turning point in English monarchy and this country's history. 

Pete

   

 

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On Sunday,  I went across the experience the battle of Bosworth reenactment. 

  • hopefully polite notice ; the following has nothing to do with Triumphs (or cars) ..you might save your time by not reading this post if you're not interested in this sort of historic reenactment event.  

 

17 hours ago, Bfg said:

I then headed off to Appleby Inn Hotel at Appleby Parva, Appleby Magna, DE12 7AP.. which is just 25 minutes away, south of Derby, where I found myself booked into a wonderfully clean and quiet hotel for the night.   For on Sunday I was to attend a re-enactment of the 1485 Battle of Bosworth ..a pivotal turning point in English monarchy and this country's history. 

^ This inn proved to be better than I might have hoped for. I'd specifically asked for a quiet room and was allocated an 'Accessible room' in what looked to be a recently built annex around the back of the main building. It was very spacious, spotlessly clean, and quiet ..even though the hotel is very close to the M42 ( junction 11) and I had the windows cracked-open front & back for through-ventilation.  Breakfast was again from 8am in the morning, and I enjoyed the excellent coffee with a full English.  Twycross Zoo is just 2 miles away, and the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre just 9.1 miles, and so even after checking fluid levels and leaving the hotel around 9am - I was at the battlefield site before visitors traffic. In fact I wondered if I were driving into the right place.!?   I had bought my ticket in on-line in advance, and as I drove in the ticket office staff were shuffling around as they set up and I just quietly drove passed without being asked to stop.  I found myself a parking spot very near to where the reenactment camp was . . .

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^ albeit the back door entrance it was very convenient way into the event. And what an event it was . . .

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The event featured battle re-enactments by a huge volunteer group of enthusiasts - the Wars of the Roses Federation.  In the morning they presented a commentary explained ; Battle of Towton, March 29th 1461, which is said to have the dubious distinction of possibly being the largest and bloodiest battle on English soil. Fought for ten hours between an estimated 50,000 soldiers in a snowstorm on Palm Sunday, the Yorkist army achieved a decisive victory over their Lancastrian opponents. As a result, Edward IV deposed the Lancastrian Henry VI and secured the English throne. 

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The Yorkist at the had a slight advantage in elevation, which together with driving wind and snow in their favour offered both better visibility and a longer range for their long bowman's barrage of arrows. 

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In the afternoon, we were presented with the Battle of Bosworth, August 22nd 1485   ..with an enthusiastic commentary of events, of untrustworthy allegiances, and the twists and turns of battle formation attacks and out flanking and opportunities taken.. by the present Lord Stanley ..who might, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, have just been 'just a little bias' in his verbal support of his direct forefathers. . . 

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Both the Battle of Towton and the Battle of Bosworth reenactments were performed both with vigour and with due respect for the fallen dead. This included a full minute's silence.

 

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^ all around the centre battlefield were encampments, and so inbetween the battle events there was a lot to see.   The Wars of the Roses Federation .self impose strict rules to present historical accuracy. No watches, later styles of personal jewellery, or spectacles    I saw only two exceptions throughout the hundreds of enthusiasts and one had lenses in rustic wooden frames and the other had lenses bound together with cord.  There were certainly no jeans, shoes or contemporary clothes.  No sleeping bags, or camping conveniences like cookers, nor anything plastic or aluminium (at least within sight). All the seats and tables, boxes were hand crafted in wood. Even when in late afternoon a son brought his mother an ice cream cone, she went inside the tent to enjoy it (..out of sight).

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Most men, women and children were dressed in coarse linen or wool, with simple leather slippers, the above was an exception presenting the refinery of high status, such as the ermine collar which lower classes were forbidden to wear.  Her pallet (bed) within the tent was overlaid in velvet and as many others there were sheepskin on the floor.    I'd hate to imagine the state of these accommodations had there been a weekend of driving rain !  Fortunately this year was exceptionally dry (in 1485 the battlefield tactics were hampered by marshes) but also hot, whereby those dressed for battle were being supported by women on the field carrying flagons of .. .. .. .. ? 20220821_155813s.thumb.jpg.37e63b65016e3d7226437604aa060ef0.jpg

 

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^ dress on the field reflected rank and status, from Dukes in their full livery ..to the mercenaries whether a splendidly attired Knight  or soldiers at arms in mismatched rusty armour which had been looted from the dead. 

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^ the fine detail in many outfittings was quite exquisite.   Perhaps this is where the tradition of being 'buried in his best suit' came from ?   

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^ The only exception I saw to period clothing throughout the day was this squire to a mounted Knight.  Most everyone's eyes were turned to the battle field and so perhaps this late entry had issues that necessitated a breech in their code.

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Naturally there were other displays in the centre fields, from falconry, to a jester who ate fire, loud & exciting displays of cannons, to skilled horsemanship . . .

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^ Jousting practice and competition,  whether of accuracy in getting the lance in a hanging ring, or a small target close to the ground, or for the force of impact on a bat which span around the post when struck both hard & true.

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^ women were called in to make up battling combatants and to fire cannons.   The Wars of the Roses Federation would welcome any of you to join their ranks, as volunteers who camp over the weekend ..and from what I might gather have a jolly good time inbetween times  paying guests are on site.

I spent hours talking to numerous enactors around the fields. Each had been encouraged to adopt a craft or knowledge appropriate to the War of the Roses period. One chap who was a long bowman on the field, and a van driver in c.21st life, shared his enthusiasm and knowledge for the different types of bows and the different types of arrow perhaps with armour piercing heads or different styles of flight.  Others spoke with me for half an hour or more on the layers of bodily protection, whether to defend against blade, arrow or lance.  And how it all fitted together as worn.  I spoke to one chap about his display of surgical appliances, and how & why they were used, and he demonstrated just how sharp his 'cut-throat' shaving blade was ! 

Conversely there were wood workers, field kitchens, and spinning.  I'd not seen drop spinning before, nor tablet weaving. The participants patiently demonstrated and explained each. And also how the certain words and terms we still know came about ..such as spinster. And when a hawk has eaten its fill (in falconry speak, when its crop is full”.. it won’t want to hunt. Of course, another way of saying it has eaten its fill is to say “fed-up.” The phrase has carried over from a bird who doesn’t want to hunt anymore to a person who doesn’t want to do anything.

Some children were playing traditional games with hand made balls, spinning tops, or card games ..one group were playing a card game simply called '31' where the pack was familiar but for the lack of written numerals. One had to be quick to count the individual cards and I was surprised at the need for numeric skills ..500+ years ago, in adding up those numbers in your head.  A kindly lady explained, and showed to me examples of their silver coinage, quartered pennies, the groat, shilling ad mark, and then also details of things like purse strings, their girdles (not lingerie.. but belts or anything that hang around the waist) and buckles. 

I learnt more about medieval politics and everyday lifestyle in this country in one day than I did throughout all my years of schooling.

All good things come to an end though, as did this day.  I met and talked with Alex Marchant  an author of children's novels, which are set in the period of  Richard III  and so gladly bought a couple of books off of her, before setting off in Katie  for the pleasant evening's drive home. Just 136 miles and mostly A14, so easy cruising..

The mileage, recorded on Monday morning, was 39848, when I again filled the tank of 5.246 imp gals ..so as to gauge fuel consumption over such a run.  182 miles since filling up on Saturday evening in Ambergate, which works out to be 34.7 mpg.  I'm happy with that.  Again no measurable amount of water or oil was used.  And surprising few dead flies on the screen this year either.

All in all - it was a great weekend, made all the better for my going in Katie,

Pete.

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My apologies for the poor quality of many of the photos, I left my camera's SD card in the computer before I left home, and so had to rely on those from the phone which I then had to email to myself.

 

       

 

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It seems odd to me that I cannot get a straight answer from TRGB. 

I emailed them last Thursday asking if they had TR4 door glass and a windscreen for Katie  ..as i could not see those items listed on their website.  In the back of my mind, I hoped they might attend Ambergate and I'd at least be able to collect the door glasses in person.  But the reply I got back was in effect just..  "yes, but we would be extremely reluctant to post them ".  So, after being away over the weekend away, I replied again - asking for a price including fitting, should I bring the car to their premises.  Doing that would be pretty obvious as they do have a workshop and it would save any transportation of the windscreen glass, either by myself or a third party ..and I need to drive to them anyway ..to get the door glasses.

The reply was that I "do not seem to be on our system" ..please furnish an address for "an estimate " and that he / she ?, Sam, would have to speak with their Workshop Manager "as we would normally use a professional fitting company for the windscreen, because they are insured if the glass were to break.. It may well be a possibility to organise it, however if you have a local fitting company, they may well be able to offer you a cheaper price ".  

I don't really understand why my address is necessary before they give me a price for door glass and a windscreen (the latter to be fitted).  Nor do I understand, having run businesses myself, why at 9:15am the workshop Manager could not be asked, then and there, and an immediate reply given. Nor indeed why their fitting a windscreen would not be covered by their own insurance ?   Nevertheless that same morning I furnished them with my contact details and home address.

Two days later, "I have put together a quote for the parts that you are after."  ..."Firstly, the company that we normally use is Silver Shield, which you may be able to use if you go direct to them "  .."Secondly, you may well find a company local to you that would be able to offer a better price.  

So, a week after asking, I still have no price for fitting the windscreen, but without their actually saying so - it is clear that they do not want to fit it.   I have to collect it from them, having made an appointment with the glass fitting company to have them fit it, and then transport the new windscreen glass inside a TR4.

Perhaps simply an oversight, but I still haven't been given a price for door glass either. Again I must collect them myself.

Am I speaking a different language here ?  Whatever it is, my confidence in ordering from this company is rapidly diminishing.

Pete

 

 

Edited by Bfg
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TR Shop will supply side glasses and windscreen, Ive had several from them, they do say they dont guarantee that a screen would get to you in one piece as its always a risk on a carrier but Ive never had one break as they are very well packed. Moss will do the same. You could then just find your local Autoglass or Mobile windscreens who would come and fit it. I would get a new rubber and finisher too as theres no guarantee your original would stand coming out and going back in.

Stuart.

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Thank you Stuart,

Their correspondence doesn't say that, indeed it says they wouldn't.  "We would be extremely reluctant to send door glass in the post and we wouldn't be able to send windscreen glass, but if you are able to collect then we can certainly help you out. Let us know whether you are still interested." 

The quote received included windscreen seal (which I take to mean the rubber), but no mention of the finisher. 

Pete

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57 minutes ago, Bfg said:

Thank you Stuart,

Their correspondence doesn't say that, indeed it says they wouldn't.  "We would be extremely reluctant to send door glass in the post and we wouldn't be able to send windscreen glass, but if you are able to collect then we can certainly help you out. Let us know whether you are still interested." 

The quote received included windscreen seal (which I take to mean the rubber), but no mention of the finisher. 

Pete

That was TRGB reply wasnt it? Not TR Shop who supply mine. If not then talk to Moss

Stuart.

Edited by stuart
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Bfg,

Re, Bosworth.  Friend of mine is a 'foot knight', full armour and a six foot, two handed sword!   Apparently he leads a platoon of pikemen, from the point of a triangular formation.   He claims he can carry his sword down the High Street, as only carrying a concealed weapon is illegal, and you can't conceal a six foot sword! 

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phew, a six foot sword. That would be a something to lug around even back in the day - does its scabbard have a shoulder strap ?  

I might only suppose it was for ceremony rather than battle ..and flipping useless on the battlefield where the Knight would get one swing and then the enemy would be in such close quarters as to render it unwieldable.   

Cheers

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No 15th century battles this weekend, well non for me anyway, but Katie  & I did enjoy the Suffolk cross country route to Framlingham, IP13 9BP, to savour a little local history, and young'uns besieging a fortress via their trebuchet . . .

P1430435s.thumb.JPG.472a0e39f1db1b7112ba169a15584c23.JPG   P1430432s.JPG.faf7c6181986a5c82df5ce5b580f7b49.JPG

The fortress they were doing this in, or rather castle was Framlingham, just 20 miles from where I live in Suffolk. . .

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A twelfth century mostly-oval shaped moote-and-bailey with 10+ metre curtain walls and 13 open backed towers, which in themselves were defensible without the need for an inner defensive keep. They sit on top of 8-10m deep dry moat of steep-earthworks all around.  The inner-bailey was instead given over to great halls & lordly privy chambers and a chapel. And then military personnel and administrative accommodation within each of those towers. The well is said to be over 30m deep. 

The photo above shows the western curtain and towers overlooking the lower court (outer bailey) which in turn extends to the mere (..a shallow but sizable lake) that was a source of fresh fish and waterfowl. To the far right of my piccie can be seen the remains of the once-huge western tower, which projected out along the south bank of the lower court). Within this was a prison and also the postern gate. The lower court was likely to have been the site of stables, dovecote, granaries, kitchen gardens, etc.  It may also have been a refuge for townsfolk. To the north of the castle were the woodland parks for hunting.  And on the east hill side - 'pleasant gardens' (although those may have been in the Tudor period). The ancient market town of Framlingham is just a short distance from the south wall and gate.   

Passing back n' forth between some of England's greatest Middle-Ages nobles and the Crown (depending on who was in or out of favour at any particular time), these stones would have witnessed both greatest splendour and great distress.  Framlingham Castle, at one pivotal point in history, was in the hands of Princess Mary Tudor, eldest daughter of Henry VIII and of his first wife Catherine of Aragon.  Mary was successive heir to the throne, but after the death of her half-brother King Edward VI, her father in law - the Duke of Northumberland moved to secure the succession to Lady Jane Grey (protestant).  She was queen but for nine days, because for fear of her life Mary (who was Catholic) had fled to Framlingham - from where she sent word to rally her supporters and troops.  Apparently thousands of titled, gentry, vassal and 'country folk' flocked to her support, and others switched allegiances in favour of her cause, including the Earl of Sussex and Earl of Bath.  They rallied and prepared for civil war, but before head-to-head confrontation - Northumberland capitulated.  The privy council in London then accepted Mary to be the rightful Queen.  From Framlingham, she first moved to Ipswich and then onto London, where she was crowned Queen Mary on 1st October 1553.  

Lady Jane Grey, aged just 17 years, was executed some four months later, when her father, Henry Grey - 1st Duke of Suffolk, became involved with Wyatt's rebellion against Queen Mary's intention to marry Philip II of Spain.  He (the Duke of Suffolk) and others were likewise executed for treason.

   

P1430360s.JPG.0320173c07eddba0168208d3071a6fc7.JPG  P1430362as.JPG.f3e33bdce21dc1030208b2527fb87ac7.JPG  P1430363as.thumb.JPG.e65df92aba287ade10ed6b3fe6b01ea7.JPG

^ The inner Bailey, today, with all sorts of medieval childrens' games, educational demonstrations and dancing. 

Some eighty year after Princess Mary became Queen, the country was political more unified and very much more peaceful, and so the castle (like so many others) had fallen into disuse *  and was already in a very poor state of disrepair.  In 1635 it was bought from the Howard family for £14,000, by a rich lawyer / politician, who had formerly been Sergeant-in-arms to James I.  Unfortunately he died the following year, but in his will he expressly directed that the former nobility buildings within the bailey be dismantled and a poor house be built in its stead. The red brick building you see above is that poorhouse and school.    (* country and town houses with glazed windows were more the fashion than big drafty castles)

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It was added to again, the centre section and right wing, as a workhouse and alms house, later still it became civil administrative offices.     . .

The castle also served as a munitions centre during the Napoleonic wars, and for garrison during the first World War. During the second w.w. it was again commandeered by the government for the use of British and American air-forces, based here in East Anglia.   

I could go on .. but I suspect that is enough-already, so I'll bid you a very good evening, 

Pete

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A depiction of how Framlingham Castle may have looked in the c.13th - drawn by Alan Sorrel (1904 - 1974)

 

p.s. Next Sunday (4th September) is the Triumph Sport Six Club local meeting held Duxford Aero Museum.  I hope to be there with Katie . We'll be parked up next to the Polish hanger. All are welcome and I believe discounted entry to classics who join us (entry is between 9am and 12 midday, for that discount).

 

 

Edited by Bfg
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Reminder ;  Next Sunday (4th September) is the 29th annual Triumph Sport Six Club meeting, held Duxford Air & Tank Museum, CB22 4QR.  I hope to be there with Katie . Last time I went, in the Chrysler - there were possibly 100 classics, mostly Triumphs of all models, but also a dozen or so of other classic cars. We'll be parked up next to the Polish hanger, All are welcome. Entry is between 9am and 12 midday, for the discounted price of £20 to TSSC members, including of course entry to the IWM itself.  We had various marques including one or two American types. I don't know if the same discounted price applies to those classic cars ..I might only guess it did.  Entry is via the main car-park but then through a gate in the fence. Pay at the gate.

Weather forecast is 40% chance of rain showers that afternoon, but also 22 deg c. so an occasional shower ought not be an issue, not least because there are plenty of hangers to wonder around at those times.  

Pete   

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..nothing to be sorry about John, I know you spoke to dozens of good folk on that day and every demonstration since. Although I'm big and ugly, I prefer to otherwise not be that memorable.   :ph34r:

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Demos been few!  Last year at Malvern was supposed to happen, but that and this year's farago ... No need to go there.

     I enjoyed the last Duxford very much, constant aero displays by iconic aircraft, quite apart from the well run and friendly Triumph show!

I'Il be there from Sat pm.   All welcome - bring your damper and I'll test it!

John

 

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