I bought a big and joined the circus.

[puddlethumper]

Resurrection time. I haven't done anything here because busy and a fairly large dose of cba. 

Started in Lakeside in Essex. Didn't like it as the park up and tent were about a quarter of a mile apart and we could only get vehicles in by the tent after 10pm which meant that any jobs I had to do was get what tools I thought I needed on my leccy bike. Also there was a large travelling community in the area. The site mechanic had his van broken into the second day we were there at about 10 in the morning. I don't know if anyone has had a load of tools stolen but I know the feeling as it happened to me some years ago. A sinking feeling in the stomach that verges on throwing up. They got all his Milwaukee heavy duty machines and a truck diagnostic thing which is about £7000. Luckily he had the laptop to go with it in his caravan charging up. He was going to have to upgrade it in the next year or so and when he got in touch with the supplier they immediately blocked his old one, making it worthless, and gave him a new one at cost after hearing what happened. He's getting the Milwaukee stuff replaced bit by bit probably about 7/8000 quid. He has insurance for this but they take into account how old his machines were so not new value and they only pay 5000 max. New Milwaukee stuff the owner can switch them off at any time with an app and allow them a certain range before the alarm goes off and with the tracker you can see where it is. Clever stuff and when the rest do that, which I believe de walt is going to do, it should cut down tool theft by a lot. The other thing that happened at Lakeside when I was down by the ticket office doing some watery shizz and I saw 2 young kids, about 10/11 years old, where they shouldn't be so ai asked them what they were doing to which there answer was they were looking for there brother. I then told them they should be the other side of the fence to which they got shitty and started threatening me and waving of rather small fists. A typical traveller way of seeing what is available. Told them to fuck off. 

I'm not sure why the security fence round the park up wasn't put up, and security employed, before we got there. Which would have stopped the thieving tow rags.  I was glad to get out of there. 

Not surprisingly I didn't take any photos.  I'll put some more yakk up later.

[2flags]

The funny thing is that particular community will always complain about being discriminated against. When you hear of things like this you cannot wonder why. 

[puddlethumper]

Next stop was Swansea which was a small but good site although we had to get road ways putting down as it was a bit* soggy. 15 grand a week. You'll see in the pics below. Thin crowds on weekdays but packed on the weekend. The high wire act is 3 slightly mad, but in a good way, Columbians and the bikers from Brazil are the same. Maybe a South America thing. We also have some bods from Cuba who do clowning and the short person, I think that's PC, is the worlds smallest stuntman, according to the Daily Star, so has to be true. He rides a mini mota in the globe with two other riders. Who else. Oh yea, we have a magician from France who makes showgirls disappear and stuff and he is also a top chef doing private dos for rich buggers, for example Saudi Prince types. Makes good money but would rather do magic for less so in the slack circus times he goes cooking, nice life if you can get it. Ukrainian swing act is on their 2cnd season because it's a really good performance and there is also a hair hanging act with fire and stuff. 

Coming away from Swansea I got a mile or so up the road when I noticed the shop unit didn't seem to have any lights on so pulled over in a slip road and had to wait till the rest of the gear was loaded and moving out before the mechanic arrived. This was about 11pm. Suddenly a bearded face appeared in the passenger window. Made me jump slightly as it wasn't a road that many walked on. He came round to the drivers side and asked if I had a fag so I made him a rolly and he offered me a can from the plastic bag that bulged with them. I politely declined. He then told me he was going to Cardiff and off he went in that direction. I suppose he might have had enough beer to get him there but still a bit of a hike. When the mechanic arrived there was probably 2/3 trucks that stopped so that was lane 1 on the dual carriage way blocked and a good light show from them too. Got it sorted, no side/markers but indicators and brake lights fine. Took Geoff a bit to find the fault. Previous electrician was the type when joining wires would twist them together and slap a bit of leccy tape round, ish and if there were only 2 wires only one got the tape. Anyway that will do for now so a few pics from Swansea including a B/day party in the foyer tent.

P.s. As the gutless thing I have to drive bounces a lot like Zebedee on steroids from now on it shall be named Zebedee and he will be followed by many. Mostly trying to get past.

P.p.s. The blonde in one of the pics is Kristy from New Zealand whose ambition is to visit 100 countries before she is 40 in 4 years time. She and Edy, the Mexican clown who she is with, have managed 60 so far and on the break in July they are going to another 3or 4.

[puddlethumper]

Went to Huddersfield then Harrogate  where it turned into a mud hole after  tent stake was driven through a 9inch water main. Not something you would expect in the middle of a park. Big Steve and Jeff, the mechanic, decided to have tea in the aftermath.

[DeanH]

Clocked big as I passed park at Huddersfield last week. Sadly not enough time for a wander around.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, puddlethumper said:

Went to Huddersfield then Harrogate  where it turned into a mud hole after  tent stake was driven through a 9inch water main. Not something you would expect in the middle of a park. Big Steve and Jeff, the mechanic, decided to have tea in the aftermath.

Who hit the stake, tho?

[puddlethumper]

17 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Who hit the stake, tho?

He's called JCB. Jay for short.

[catsinthewelder]

Did I see an advert for you being in Worcester soon?

[puddlethumper]

1 hour ago, catsinthewelder said:

Did I see an advert for you being in Worcester soon?

You did. Sixways stadium form the 26th to the 30th this month.

[puddlethumper]

20 minutes ago, puddlethumper said:

You did. Sixways stadium form the 26th to the 30th this month.

Come and have a root around. I'll pm my phone number.

[puddlethumper]

We are now in Halifax after Huddersfield and Harrogate. Huddersfield was notable for someone stealing my lecky bike, without the battery as I had that inside. Had it chained to my trailer. Must have used bolt croppers as I would have heard a battery grinder as it was outside my bedroom window. A bit useless without the battery and charger. Anyway I have bought a replacement and it's called BOB, E BOB to be precise and is in excellent condition and has only done 100 miles so should be good for a while. 

[puddlethumper]

Harrogate was very wet and 90% of the trucks etc, had to be dragged offsite with one or both of our telehandlers. Even 2 machines couldn't get one of them off so a farmer with a big tractor was found and with his help it was dragged off. Basically we left a bit of a ploughed field effect and the farmers roller was used along with some bods to sort it out. @DodgeRover might recognise the scene.

[puddlethumper]

Big passed its Mot today. Al, Mot bloke, had his rather lovely Chevy truck there. I have put this up before but I think it's worth another pic.

[puddlethumper]

A sorry tale of alternators. Note the plural. Driving up to Halifax from the NEC I noticed the volt meter on the dash was showing less than the normal 14.4v and getting lower. Shit! Looks like the alternator's up the creek. Got to Halifax and it's down below 12v. Busy doing circus shite so didn't get a look at it to see if I could get a part number off it till the middle of the week. Couldn't find a part number on it anywhere. The only thing was a sticker from a place in Teesside so after trying a few places nearer who all wanted the reg number, that didn't help at all. I know the engine and gearbox are exactly the same as the early Daf 45 LF, so I called a Daf dealer. He then wanted reg number which wasn't going to work. So I said about it being a Daf 45 engine and he said could I get a reg off any Daf 45. Upshot was that I drove 4 hours there and back to Teesside to end up ordering one and having to go back up the next day. Put the new one on and nothing. Bollox! Too late to get it back up to Teesside because of moving to Worcester and Worcester to bloody Teesside is about 4 hours each way to end up either having to go back if they have to order another or get them to send it and hope it arrived before we moved again. So I went to a place in sunny Walsall where they tested it and declared in dead, another was ordered and picked up the following day. It was then time to leave Worc and head to Weymouth where I was at an RV bloke I know who was going to fit a remanufactured injection pump which would sort the non hot starting issue and I mentioned the alternator problem and he found out that if I chop the split charger out, all would be good, so as it turns out I've fucked the second and possibly the first one because of that. Had to order a third. My wallet is complaining of severe emptiness. 

[DodgeRover]

That seems a bit weird had the split charge thing gone horribly wrong? I can't imagine it would be over stressing the alternator

[doug]

Hope this is not you @puddlethumper

[High Jetter]

That's a fair ride, so doubt it.

[puddlethumper]

14 hours ago, doug said:

Hope this is not you @puddlethumper

Luckily not me.