Wheels...

Well, the wedding (and advanced show) preparation has started in earnest now. With a decent day weather-wise, I thought that it would be a good day to get at least one coat of paint on the front wheel. It will probably need a second, but one will hugely improve its looks for the time being! So, with it taped up and the paint mixed, it went on pretty easily, and looks much better than it did...... Especially considering it's been on the 'to-do' list since 2012.....

Once that was done, the remaining wheel nuts were checked and the wheel nut indicators were fitted, again I've had these for ages but just never got around to fitting them. The rear wheels looks much better having been degreased, too. Another little job done.

Now just the washing and polishing!

Nut Rocker...

Well, as the days grow longer and lighter, thoughts turn to shows and getting 326 back on the road again after the winter. Well, I say winter, it's mad to think that the last show with 326 was last May at Earl's Barton!!

A few irons in the fire. 326's first wedding duty is on the way next week for a friend getting married in the Chapel here at Oakham School. A little bit of sprucing up to do before then and a good clean and polish. I also need some white ribbon!!

Oakham School Chapel

I also managed to get a late entry to the Rushden Cavalcade on the May Day bank holiday when I realised that I was free for most of that weekend, which is great news. It is supposed to be a great show with road runs each day, so I am very much looking forward to that.

Rushden Cavalcade

The Earl's Barton Fire & Rescue Show is on this year again, so I think that will be a re-visit having been for the last 2 years.


Also, entry forms are in for both 326 and 32 to join others at the Newark Emergency Service Show in July. A big show, this replaces the former Derby Fire Show, but on a bigger and better site - the Newark Showground. It should be a large show, so very much looking forward to this!

Newark Emergency Services Show

In advance of that, I thought a quick check of the wheel nuts was in order, but no wheel brace. A quick internet search and a few pounds lighter, it duly arrived and what a beast! Solid, extension bar to get the torque and British made! Winner, very impressed.

The Tyre Equipment Company - wheel braces

In The Bleak Mid-Winter...

Just time before Chrimbo to pop up to the barn to drop off the new battery and to give 326 a quick run - probably a good idea as it hadn't even been started or moved since September!

The battery was taken off it to put on the petrol carrier in the summer as the battery on that was pretty dead and not holding its charge, and not - even with a decent battery charger - ever charging properly. So, courtesy of Advanced Battery Supplies in Stockport (a great little backs street place but who will happily mail order) a new 110ah battery arrived, ready to go, for £90 which is pretty reasonable. Once fitted, 326 fired up very quickly so I let ir run for half an hour or so to give it a decent run, also running it back and forth across the shed to keep the rest of it in decent order, too, including the brakes.

While it was ticking over, another job to do - removing the tax disc holder which I carefully put on when I bought it back in 2011!

Anyway, all was good, so after washing off some of the larger blobs of bird poo (they seem to like sitting on the end of the ladder at the front), time for home.

Wind Beneath My Wings...

Well, with a leave out from school this weekend, I finally managed to get up to the barn to offload the spare green goddess wings that I bought back in mid-August which have been sat in the back of my car (probably covering more miles than they ever did in service when actually attached to a vehicle!!). With a spare for each side of the goddess and a spare offside for the petrol carrier, they are now wrapped up and sat in the back of the petrol carrier (which is becoming more and more of a store, with bits of pipe bridge etc sat around). Eventually, I will try to wrap them up to keep the moisture out as they are in pretty decent condition.

I did also try to start 326 to give it a run, however, as I swapped the batteries over a few weeks ago before the Lincoln Show as the petrol carrier wouldn't start, it turned over a few times then died. Thwarted! Lucky I bought a new battery charger this week!

No Spare Parts...

Well, although 326 hasn't been out and about recently, that's not to say that things haven't been happening! A few spare parts to add to the store - the problem now, where to store them!

I initially only wanted a pair of wings as these are often the bits that really rust or get damaged. But, on visiting Brian Whiteside down in Dorset and gazing into his emporium, there were other riches, so I ended coming back with a valance panel, top panel and spare bonnet.... Although the wings are used, it's amazing to think these three parts which are 'new old stock' have been sat around since the 50s and 60s.

Derby Emergency Services Show 2014...

Well, I was planning to take the326 and the petrol carrier to the Derby Show again this June, however, firstly work intervened to ensure that I couldn't get that weekend off! Then, I found out last week that this year's show, which was due to be at a new venue, has been cancelled because apparently the ground is very wet and with more rain forecast, the land owners felt that it was untenable to hold the show. A great shame, but fingers crossed for 2015!

Anyway, here's the video of the road run from last year - you'll see 326 is the third vehicle in the convoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAsnM00Ku5U

Life is Show Time...

Well, last weekend - the May bank holiday - saw the first (and perhaps only) show outing for 326 this year because of summer travel plans.... Earls Barton near Northampton.

The show is a transport festival but has an attached Fire and Rescue Show with a separate demonstration ring too. Although small, it is one of the first fire and rescue shows on the circuit so attracts a wide crowd of fire appliances, mostly red, for their first shake-down outing.

Run over three days, the Saturday was extremely wet with no vehicle movements on site and few visitors. When I arrived on Sunday, with much road dirt covering the recently cleaned 326, it was brighter. With a main arena spin around, I wandered the site, chatted with people and actually ended up catching the sun!

By 1600, with the crowds thinning out, we gathered a scratch crew to get the two goddesses there into the arena to squirt some water. With 326 set into the dam, we pumped water to the erstwhile PGW 327 which then fed into a hand branch and also a ground monitor.

With the tent pitched, and dinner and few ciders sunk with friends, it wasn't long before bed called although not before some of the others had set fire to a car and then extinguished it in the dark!

Sunday was wet, it had rained since the early hours, so the fire applicances were almost the only vehciles to get in the main arena. Things were brightened up with a friend visiting with his two young boys who seemed to like att the noise and flashing lights, although the 60s bubble cars also proved to be a draw....

As the rain set in, after lunch, exhibitors wandered off home - including to places as diverse as Hampshire and North Wales. Just a shame that that's pretty much it for GG shows this year, although the petrol carrier will be at Lincoln Steam Show in mid-August.