I bought a big and joined the circus.

[AnnoyingPentium]

2 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

[Rant (not personal)] A stay is temporary. You LIVE just outside of Ayr[/Rant]

Fixed it. I do like to (wishfully) think that where I'm living is only temporary for now... been here 15 years, mind you, and no sign of moving quite yet. If it was up to me I'd be living elsewhere.

[High Jetter]

Yea, it's relative. Stay is temp, live is semi permanant, in my book. 

[Dyslexic Viking]

11 hours ago, puddlethumper said:

Not sure I can answer that as I haven't been in it long enough. I've heard that the Dublin one is very lucrative. This one, on tour seems to do ok. I have a look in, now and then, to see how full it is and I reckon we're running 4/500 per show in a 900 seat tent. The biggest profit this tour will be the month in Paignton in August when all the grockles ( tourists ) are there. Circus Extreme are touring as well. I will look further into this and see what I can find out.

Yes it was a bit early to ask about this since you are so new to this. But I found an article online now that said the number of visitors to circuses in the UK is declining. 

[paulplom]

22 hours ago, puddlethumper said:

If you want to have a nose round when we are there pm me.

Yes, that would be great.

A retired builder/joiner I used to work for ran away with a circus when he left school. I can't remember the story now though 🙄

[puddlethumper]

10 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Yes it was a bit early to ask about this since you are so new to this. But I found an article online now that said the number of visitors to circuses in the UK is declining. 

There seem to be quite a few touring at the moment, Circus Extreme, Circus Cortex, Circus Fantasia, Giffords, Zippos and some more smaller ones. I'll keep an eye on numbers here and discreetly enquire about past numbers. I've heard that the month in Paignton will be full houses every day but it is high season then so could well be.

[puddlethumper]

49 minutes ago, puddlethumper said:

There seem to be quite a few touring at the moment, Circus Extreme, Circus Cortex, Circus Fantasia, Giffords, Zippos and some more smaller ones. I'll keep an eye on numbers here and discreetly enquire about past numbers. I've heard that the month in Paignton will be full houses every day but it is high season then so could well be.

Oh, and Circus Vegas will morph into Circus Berlin between Halifax and Paignton Green. An interesting phenomenon so I am led to believe.

[quicksilver]

On 7/5/2022 at 8:53 PM, puddlethumper said:

I've just noticed that we are changing to Circus Berlin for Paignton and Plymouth. Probably a brand thing or to attract Germans holidaying in the south west.

Circus Berlin, now there's a name from the past. One of the many names used by the late great Gerry Cottle IIRC so I wonder how Vegas ended up with it. The history of circuses, their changes of identity and the families involved is a complex and fascinating topic and you'll find the same few people popping up over and over again in different roles. I've long had an interest in fairground and circus logistics so this thread is right up my street and really brings home how hard these folk work behind the scenes, something that just isn't appreciated by the majority of their audiences.

[High Jetter]

Jeez, the history needs to be divulged.

[puddlethumper]

1 hour ago, quicksilver said:

Circus Berlin, now there's a name from the past. One of the many names used by the late great Gerry Cottle IIRC so I wonder how Vegas ended up with it. The history of circuses, their changes of identity and the families involved is a complex and fascinating topic and you'll find the same few people popping up over and over again in different roles. I've long had an interest in fairground and circus logistics so this thread is right up my street and really brings home how hard these folk work behind the scenes, something that just isn't appreciated by the majority of their audiences.

I need to have more of a chat with the matriarch Mona about the history of it all but she is in Dublin for a month and I'm not going to have time on my flying trip this Saturday. 

[808 Estate]

Awesome stuff, many questions.

Are you just a generalhelper outer, or do you have special skills?

Can you not sell the Onan genny (should get decent money) and fit a dizzle genny for better economy?

Peterbilts are insane. Just got back from a couple of weeks working on the I-695 in Maryland. Seeing & hearing big yank trucks dropping a cog and going up hill at 75mph plus was impressive.

Tell us about the "fit dancing girls".

[puddlethumper]

On 7/8/2022 at 3:13 PM, 808 Estate said:

Awesome stuff, many questions.

Are you just a generalhelper outer, or do you have special skills?

Can you not sell the Onan genny (should get decent money) and fit a dizzle genny for better economy?

Peterbilts are insane. Just got back from a couple of weeks working on the I-695 in Maryland. Seeing & hearing big yank trucks dropping a cog and going up hill at 75mph plus was impressive.

Tell us about the "fit dancing girls".

I'm driver, water manager and fixer of stuff. The genny I'm not bothered about as when I'm off grid I've got solar and I'm going to see about a wind generator at the end of the season. Yea, the Peterbilts are a bit mental. I did mention upthread that I was doing the legal 56 and one of them came past, a good ten mph or more, two trailers and all lights and airhorns. Mind you the two who drive them are, erm, enthusiastic shall we say.

I shall try and get a pic of the 'fit dancing ladies' sometime.

[puddlethumper]

Update time. Well it's been a busy time as we only did 3 days in Livingston which meant setting up in one day instead of the usual two. As it was a short drive we got most stuff to Ayr by about 1am, apart from me. My last load was truck and retail trailer and while on the M8 there was a bang. Tyre on trailer blew out. Twin axle so no bother with handling but a stop on the hard shoulder to find out there is no spare, no jack etc. I was only about 400 yards from an exit so drove off until I could find a spot to keep out of the way of traffic, which turned out to be the bridge over the motorway. Rang the boss who arranged for a tyre company to come out and fix things. All fine and dandy but the tyre was a 175x13 C which is not a common size, of course. This happened at about 11ish and I was thinking, we're going to be sitting here for a while but a guy turned up in a van with all the gear within the hour. He didn't have a C rated one, not surprising, but a normal car tyre that was a 165 x13 which was good enough to carry on to Ayr with. Got there about 1ish so had a cup of tea and a sarny and started getting the water done. Finished that at about 6. I'm getting together all the fittings and connections I need to make it as adaptable and quick to set up as I can. A work in progress but should be better at Newcastle. No sleep that night and the next day it was a trip back to Livingston and back to get a new pin hammer bit and various other stuff after that and I eventually got 4 hours sleep before getting up, at five, and buggering off to Dublin with the Transit and horsebox. This horsebox had lighting and a couple of big electric blowers in it but it also had in the front of it a 1000litre cage with about 500 litres of diesel in it, which is not appreciated by the Norn Iron authorities, so a plan was hatched to try and 'get away with it'. So lots of black plastic sheets were strewn around to upset the outline and a padlock was put on the side door. If asked to open up I was to open the back, where other stuff and the plastic would help to hide the cage from view. Before I left, at 5ish, I had to sort out a number plate and shut the upper back doors. I couldn't get the bloody doors to shut and there was nobody around so resorted to the tie wrap solution. Got to the ferry and was asked what was in the back so I said circus shite and because it was a horsebox he asked if there was a horse in it. I said, if there's a horse in there it will be a dead one as that trailer has been sat for a couple of weeks. He waved me through. On the other side I got pulled and asked to open up. This is where it could all go a bit tits up. No problem, says I, I'll open the back for you. Got round there and there is 'the cable tie' in all its glorious platicity. Ah, says I, have you got something to snip that with and another one to replace it ? knowing full well that it was bloody unlikely. No says he, but I'll look through that tiny window in the side. Good idea says I. Ok I can't see anything away you go and away I jolly well went. 

I have a Puddlethumper recommended breakfast gaff near Newry called neil clarke oils, which I'll be honest doesn't sound very appetising but you can get a 5 item brekky, I had egg, bacon, black pud, sausage and a piece of irish flat bread type of thing, I'm sure an Irish shiter will know. and a coffee for 4 squid, which I thought was very reasonable. 

Then it was on to Dublin, drop the trailer and go to Ivors yard to pick up a new, empty, cage, a fuel pistol and pipe and a leg for the chipper. Got back to Ayr about 11pm. A long day and tomorrow the move starts to whay I man land. There was probably other stuff that happened but I can't remember. Till next time.

[mat_the_cat]

On 7/5/2022 at 9:54 PM, High Jetter said:

A stay is temporary.

But so is living... 

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, mat_the_cat said:

But so is living... 

Longer term, hopefully.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, puddlethumper said:

Update time. Well it's been a busy time as we only did 3 days in Livingston which meant setting up in one day instead of the usual two. As it was a short drive we got most stuff to Ayr by about 1am, apart from me. My last load was truck and retail trailer and while on the M8 there was a bang. Tyre on trailer blew out. Twin axle so no bother with handling but a stop on the hard shoulder to find out there is no spare, no jack etc. I was only about 400 yards from an exit so drove off until I could find a spot to keep out of the way of traffic, which turned out to be the bridge over the motorway. Rang the boss who arranged for a tyre company to come out and fix things. All fine and dandy but the tyre was a 175x13 C which is not a common size, of course. This happened at about 11ish and I was thinking, we're going to be sitting here for a while but a guy turned up in a van with all the gear within the hour. He didn't have a C rated one, not surprising, but a normal car tyre that was a 165 x13 which was good enough to carry on to Ayr with. Got there about 1ish so had a cup of tea and a sarny and started getting the water done. Finished that at about 6. I'm getting together all the fittings and connections I need to make it as adaptable and quick to set up as I can. A work in progress but should be better at Newcastle. No sleep that night and the next day it was a trip back to Livingston and back to get a new pin hammer bit and various other stuff after that and I eventually got 4 hours sleep before getting up, at five, and buggering off to Dublin with the Transit and horsebox. This horsebox had lighting and a couple of big electric blowers in it but it also had in the front of it a 1000litre cage with about 500 litres of diesel in it, which is not appreciated by the Norn Iron authorities, so a plan was hatched to try and 'get away with it'. So lots of black plastic sheets were strewn around to upset the outline and a padlock was put on the side door. If asked to open up I was to open the back, where other stuff and the plastic would help to hide the cage from view. Before I left, at 5ish, I had to sort out a number plate and shut the upper back doors. I couldn't get the bloody doors to shut and there was nobody around so resorted to the tie wrap solution. Got to the ferry and was asked what was in the back so I said circus shite and because it was a horsebox he asked if there was a horse in it. I said, if there's a horse in there it will be a dead one as that trailer has been sat for a couple of weeks. He waved me through. On the other side I got pulled and asked to open up. This is where it could all go a bit tits up. No problem, says I, I'll open the back for you. Got round there and there is 'the cable tie' in all its glorious platicity. Ah, says I, have you got something to snip that with and another one to replace it ? knowing full well that it was bloody unlikely. No says he, but I'll look through that tiny window in the side. Good idea says I. Ok I can't see anything away you go and away I jolly well went. 

I have a Puddlethumper recommended breakfast gaff near Newry called neil clarke oils, which I'll be honest doesn't sound very appetising but you can get a 5 item brekky, I had egg, bacon, black pud, sausage and a piece of irish flat bread type of thing, I'm sure an Irish shiter will know. and a coffee for 4 squid, which I thought was very reasonable. 

Then it was on to Dublin, drop the trailer and go to Ivors yard to pick up a new, empty, cage, a fuel pistol and pipe and a leg for the chipper. Got back to Ayr about 11pm. A long day and tomorrow the move starts to whay I man land. There was probably other stuff that happened but I can't remember. Till next time.

You earn your schekels, methinks

[puddlethumper]

11 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

You earn your schekels, methinks

At the moment yes, but the end of the month it's the whole of August in Paignton so three and half weeks of doing very little. Slip roads and roundabouts, innit.

[High Jetter]

Go and see the trams at Seaton, if you get the time.

[puddlethumper]

The brother owners. There are four of them and, as happens, they are all different. 

John. He's the one who I was supposed to learn the water system* from. I can honestly say that I learned practically FA. John is a bit haphazard and he had pipes and hoses all over the place and he's a bit of a faffer. Dropping the trailer off I said, where do you want it? He then had me move it three times before I could dump it and fk off. He's running the Dublin circus.

Tommy. When I went to meet Ivor at his Yard Tommy was there and had been there at least an hour by the number of cig ends. Had a half hour chat, till Ivor turned up, and he is also working the Dublin end and said he had to get away for a bit because working with John was a night mare. He's also not the tidyist bloke but then his jobs he doesn't really have to be. I get on with John but better with Tommy.

Steve. He's mister tent erection, and we've all had them, ay?, and is the neatest of the lot and likes thing like cables and water pipes not where trucks or machines are running over them which to me seems common sense and he complimented me on running the pipes round the back of everything. I just thought it was the best way to run a main all the way round and feed off it but a compliment is always nice. The Transit is what he uses when he needs to and is, sort of, his. He's had the cage back all nicely painted blue and the Vegas wrapped cab makes it look the part. He also has a tractor unit, that Tommy is using to pull his fifth wheeler about, that is very smartly painted up so the upshot is that Steve is the tidiest brother. 

David. He's the site accountant and front of house where he makes sure everything is going ok and when not he has a walky talky to the electrician and a few others to sort problems. I only tend to see David when getting money,  handing over receipts or seeing the new site entrance and where the water is/might be. He always seems very calm and he's got a Labrador that is a big tail wagger. I'll get a pic for you dawg lovers.

[doug]

Think I must have spotted Tommy in Ayr earlier in the Transit with the cage. I was going to shout "puddlethumper" at him in case it was you. Glad I didn't now.

Sent from my SM-A127F using Tapatalk

[puddlethumper]

1 hour ago, doug said:

Think I must have spotted Tommy in Ayr earlier in the Transit with the cage. I was going to shout "puddlethumper" at him in case it was you. Glad I didn't now.

Sent from my SM-A127F using Tapatalk
 

That was me going to fill it up.

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 hour ago, doug said:

Think I must have spotted Tommy in Ayr earlier in the Transit with the cage. I was going to shout "puddlethumper" at him in case it was you. Glad I didn't now.

Sent from my SM-A127F using Tapatalk
 

I always forget that you're local to Ayr as well lol.

[doug]

That was me going to fill it up.

Jeez, wish I had shouted now. You were walking into the filling station to pay.

Sent from my SM-A127F using Tapatalk

[doug]

That was me going to fill it up.

Jeez, wish I had shouted now. You were walking into the filling station to pay.

Sent from my SM-A127F using Tapatalk

[puddlethumper]

The Kenworth stopped working and had to go to get fixed. No problem. Chuck it on the low loader. But it's too high so this is the result.

[puddlethumper]

The move from Ayr to Newcastle. 

I went down on Saturday with Steve, truck and trailer. Ivor, RV and trailer and Annya in the Transit pulling her caravan. I'm not sure where she's from but she is a performer and after performing she wants her caravan moved to the next site and then goes back for the Sunday shows. I think her and Steve, good looking with the gift of the gab, have something going on. Whatever. Steve told me that she would follow me as I knew the way, which I found a bit odd as everyone has a sat nav, usually phone, and a postcode but I said no problem. Set off from Ayr, the start of which was to get through town. It was slow going but not down to me. Got onto the A77, which is dual carriage way, and put the foot down. Looked in the mirrors and I'm losing her. Ok, slowed down. She seemed to be ok at about 40/45 mph. I'd said, before we left, that I was going to stop at Kilmarnock services for fuel and stuff. As I came off the slip road to go round to the services they were blocking off the entrance back onto the A77. Oh, brilliant. A fukin diversion. This trip is getting longer by the bloody minute. Not knowing how long the diversion was and with Annya behind I took the decision to go off piste and stuck Carlisle in the nav  and go with that. Surely it couldn't be worse. 

The route to Newcastle was decided by Steve and Ivor and it was worked out that going up the 77 to Glasgow and then the M74 to Carlisle was only a few minutes more than taking a more direct route to Dumfries because of M/way v A road. 

So off we went according to my sat nav. Ended up on some B roads, which to me were great as they were sweeping bends and good sightlines so racing line was adhered to. You might be surprised how, a probably 9 ton, rig handles on a road like that. I was not disappointed. I was loving it. Unfortunately my fit blonde performer, fnaar, wasn't. This was at about 10pm so starting to get dark. Spotted a layby and pulled in and waited. Seemed like ages before lights appeared and she pulled in behind. I'd got the feeling earlier that she wasn't used to towing and this turned out to be correct as when I asked her she told me it was her second time. Great. So rather than piddle along at 25 I said I'll wait at the next junction where we make a turn. We swapped numbers, as you would with fit blonde performers , and I hooned off into the distance. Got through, eventually, to the 74 just north of Dumfries and even on the M/way she couldn't manage more than about 45, occasionally 50, and then on to the A69, which a lot is dual, at 40. Six hour trip. Hay ho.

I've recently realised that we are here until the end of next week. Basically I've got a week of doing next to bugger all which will make up a bit for the last few stops which have been 3 days of shows instead of the usual 5. I've already  been imbibing the local beer, which is obviously what one should do, and it looks like I will be visited by the @paulplomof this parish next week.

[puddlethumper]

The fence went up this morning but an escape committee was quickly formed and tunnels were mentioned and I'm looking into building a glider in the top of the tent. 

[puddlethumper]

No shows on Monday so it's BBQ and party time. Yay!

[Matty]

6 hours ago, puddlethumper said:

No shows on Monday so it's BBQ and party time. Yay!

Good lad. The amount of work you've got through recently, I hope  you get arseholed and take a gymnast back to the camper 👏

 

[High Jetter]

He has gone quiet, so gymnastyics could be in progress

[puddlethumper]

I was in the fit young ladies changing unit earlier putting up a curtain. Unfortunately they were not in at the time and the party has been brought forward to tonight starting at 8.30/9.00. No hung over performers for the next days performance.