The World. As seen by Ceri.

[brownnova]

Also very much enjoying updates to this thread! 😊

[worldofceri]

August 2018.

The last week of August and first job was a lengthy trip from Chesterfield to Sussex with this little Riley 1500.

Despite what you might imagine from the picture, it did actually start and drive fairly well.  Took me a few attempts to get it going at the delivery point – my inexperience with manual chokes showing itself – but got there in the end.

The following day I went up to another machinery auction.  This time the massive Euro Auctions site near Goole in East Yorkshire.  This was a repeat booking from the chap with the all-terrain forklift from a couple of pages back.

Two trenching machines were lifted on by the staff at Euro Auctions, but strapping them securely was a little bit of a challenge…  Mental note made to buy a few extra straps.

Having dropped the machinery in Middlesex, I headed straight out to Norfolk and the next task.  This was a 7 series BMW in E38 flavour.  By the time I reached the coastal village of Walcott, it was early evening and I car-camped in the quiet of the Norfolk countryside.

The following morning I arrived to a cup of coffee and an apology:  The BMW in question was still blocked in by a static caravan, that they hadn’t been able to move for reasons I now forget.  As the BMW didn’t drive, I needed the space to get the trailer right up to it, so the Sorento stepped up and got the old ‘van out of the way.

The E38 was apparently of a very unusual spec, having been used previously by the security services.  The seller reckoned the windows may be bullet-proof and there was evidence of additional lights, radios etc having been fitted in a past life.  I was concerned what effect this may have had on the weight, but as ever, the Kia had no issues with it.

I had a slight mishap as I tuned out of the guy’s yard.  A wide turn was necessary to ensure the trailer cleared the walled entrance, and as I brushed beneath a small apple tree, a branch snapped the aerial in two.  I never did fix it.

The BMW’s buyer was on the other side of the country, in Bridgwater, Somerset.  A long trip, thankfully uneventful.

Final trip of the week was to take a Defender 90 from Bedfordshire up to Keighley, West Yorkshire. 

Looks a bit wonky on the trailer with one flat tyre, but no point in pumping it up as, if it had gone down again in transit, the strap on that wheel would’ve gone slack.

[worldofceri]

It's not often Yorkshire is mistaken for Africa in a photograph.  

Though most of the equipment coming out of there doesn't stay in the UK for very much longer, so the scenes in Zimbabwe are probably quite similar tbf.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

1 minute ago, worldofceri said:

It's not often Yorkshire is mistaken for Africa in a photograph.  

Though most of the equipment coming out of there doesn't stay in the UK for very much longer, so the scenes in Zimbabwe are probably quite similar tbf.

The economics are probably much the same.....

[bezzabsa]

Can never have too many straps!!!

in my previous life as a Yorkie chomper I have been known to use all my 15 straps, and 4 60+foot ropes....and still popped into the yard for more straps......The joy of Top Heavy cooling systems for Nuclear Powerplants!!!!

[Noel Tidybeard]

i cannot believe in the 33 months i have been working around Walsgrave hospital that i don't think i've seen this fine delivery agent apart from a quick glance of the silver one on Clfford Bridge Rd once*!

 

*and that might have been a ringer!🤣

[Spottedlaurel]

Always a pleasure to see an update on this thread! WoC, I wish I had a vehicle that needed moving around the country as you'd be my number one choice.

[High Jetter]

Am looking forward to the next 3 years! 

[stuboy]

keep up the good work

[Pieman]

I'm enjoying this thread too much, any chance of some further tales please Ceri?

[worldofceri]

A bit more from the archive.

September 2018.

I got a call asking if I could collect an accident damaged Range Rover Sport from Newbury Copart.  Does it roll and steer?  I ask.  No, but we will lift it off at our end with a forklift.  OK then. 

So, I popped my Copart cherry.  What I didn’t know until that day is that all vehicles from there are brought out using enormous wheel loaders fitted with fifteen foot long forks.  Makes light work of getting loaded.  The ‘Rover certainly wasn’t going to roll and steer, so I was a bit apprehensive heading to the delivery location in the back streets of Birmingham.  The customer’s unit required an awkward reverse off a narrow street to get in.  He lifted it up with his forklift and I drove the trailer out from underneath quick before the whole lot tipped over.

 

Next job was an H Van from down in Kent.  It ran OK but couldn’t be driven due to a distinct lack of brakes.

Reversing it off the trailer was interesting as it had no useable mirrors or working footbrake.  I could hang my head out of the window to see where I was heading, but not reach the handbrake at the same time.  The seller’s mate was filming the operation and he sent me the video. 

The following day I headed over to Birmingham to drag a dead Astra off a chap’s drive and take it a few miles down the road to a different address.  The drive sloped down away from the road, which was too narrow to allow the trailer to be positioned in front of the car.  So, I unhitched the Kia and towed the Vauxhall onto the road for loading.  The customer kindly offered to steer the Astra, but I quickly became perplexed and a little concerned that the Sorento couldn’t seem to drag it up this slight incline.  Jumped out to investigate, fearing seized brakes or something.  Do you need me to take the handbrake off?  Asked the customer. Facepalm.

Job accomplished, I headed down to Herefordshire to pick up this tidy M3 that was going to a tuning shop in Leamington for the fitting of some sort of super-duper performance exhaust.

[High Jetter]

Sounds an easy life...or was there more involved? Loving this fred.

[Jim Bell]

Great to see this thread getting longer. Always lovely to see tales of your journeys. 

[Arthur Foxhake]

No PSA tat delivered to ley hill yet.

Awaiting updates!

[Spottedlaurel]

I saw a couple of cars being transported today and it reminded me of this thread,  great to see another update!

[Agila]

I had a visit from the Avensis fairy today. I wasn't even in 😁

Top man and top work, recommend 100%. 👍

[Out Run]

Another fan of the thread, here and the rig!

[Inspector Morose]

I’m waiting for him to get to 2020 so I can participate.

[gadgetgricey]

2 hours ago, Agila said:

I had a visit from the Avensis fairy today. 😁

Just changed contact details for Ceri in my phone accordingly...

[worldofceri]

I thought the Avensis fairy was the one that Hiab’d your Toyota away in the night and left a pound coin under your pillow.

 

To be clear, I don’t do that.

[worldofceri]

11 hours ago, Inspector Morose said:

I’m waiting for him to get to 2020 so I can participate.

Might be a while at this rate. 
Unless anyone fancies being my official biographer.

[Dan_ZTT]

22 hours ago, Inspector Morose said:

I’m waiting for him to get to 2020 so I can participate.

January 2021 for me!

Seriously though, great work, love to see it

[mat_the_cat]

On 1/5/2022 at 10:57 PM, Inspector Morose said:

I’m waiting for him to get to 2020 so I can participate.

If only I could have avoided getting to 2020 myself!

[bezzabsa]

what was going on with the 750il.....differnt plates on front n rear???

[goosey]

Maybe altered with sticky tape so it don’t look like he’s displaying 2 plates on the rear 

[worldofceri]

19 hours ago, bezzabsa said:

what was going on with the 750il.....differnt plates on front n rear???

Potatoshop to obscure the customer’s reg, but then I got bored of doing that and stopped doing it.

[Eyersey1234]

On 1/6/2022 at 10:05 AM, worldofceri said:

I thought the Avensis fairy was the one that Hiab’d your Toyota away in the night and left a pound coin under your pillow.

 

To be clear, I don’t do that.

Only a pound? The tight git. I heard the going rate was £4 now. 🤣

[lesapandre]

Just used the Ceri-service. 100% recommended.

[Jim Bell]

Was that you @worldofceri on the A14 this lunchtime with a red AX on load?

[worldofceri]

42 minutes ago, Jim Bell said:

Was that you @worldofceri on the A14 this lunchtime with a red AX on load?

Correct.

Why, have I been on Crimewatch or summert?