Various Forms of Transport.
Tim Mills,
Long shot: were you at Episcopi in the summer of '54 by any chance ? Then, as you were in touch with El Adem in the course of your sand-exporting business (sounds a bit like coals-to-Newcastle to me !), did you hear anything of the loss of one of 608's Vampires plus pilot there about that time ? They were very tight-lipped about it when they came back, I never learned the details.
"Batchy" was one of the greats; they don't make 'em like that any more (more's the pity). Yes, he was AOC 12 Group at Newton (can't remember if it was grass or runways in early '50s - think runways). .......D.
Chugalug,
The Bond was in for a rebore (but it had done 20,000 miles). I think I've described the DIY decoke procedure earlier, I must look it up. I don't doubt that it was capable of getting to Paris (every garagiste had melange a deux temps on tap), but I chickened out. (I did the same in '60, when picking up my 403 - the best car of my life - from the Peugeot showrooms in the Champs Elysee). I spent my last few francs in hiring one of their drivers to take me out to the last Metro station, and then point me in the general direction of Germany.
He was a little wizened old chap, eyes half closed against the fumes from the Gauloise permanently stuck to his lower lip. I can still vividly recall my horror as he hurled us nonchalantly into the rush-hour maelstrom of the rond-point round the Arc. Horns blared and tyres screamed, but by some miracle we survived until he got out somewhere near Le Bourget, and I survived after that.
As for sea transport, a matelot or two fore-and-aft could easily carry the thing on board. I'm not sure about the ROROs.
Yes, with a full load aboard the Errant Boy's Bike was sadly in need of a Stab-Aug system and required careful handling. Ten bob plus tips ! - you must've had a generous Boss. As for your veg: "We must all eat a peck of dirt before we die", and "what the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over"....D.
Geriaviator,
Comparison is odious, but the Spit (once clear of the ground !) was more directionally stable than the bike, I must admit.....D.
Stop Press: Have got own laptop back, but have forgotten how to use it. Will edit this at some future date to put in accents.
Regards to you all,
Danny.