Grand Day Out Too

Friday saw the C Releif walking club tackling the Hole of Horcum near Goathland (TV's Aidensfield from Heartbeat)


The weather was kind with only a momentary mizzle towards the end of the walk which cooled us off nicely. No hassle from the sheep this time, instead AJ got chased by a bull. This was a Aberdeen Angus highland, so quite what it was doing in North Yorkshire is anybodys' guess - perhaps it was on holiday? Normally a benign and harmless creature this one took exception to AJ and chased him for no immediately apparent reason. It was most amusing for the rest of us, not quite so funny for AJ. As he commented afterwards, 2 tonne of beef with pointy bits running into him is not his idea of fun.
We managed to get lost, in what is now an accepted tradition of these walks, but that was probably because we took a short cut to avoid further harrassment from the bulls.
The last part of this walk involves a steep climb, which certainly lets you know you've finished, as it gets all the leg muscles complaining nicely. From there it was only natural to point the car towards Goathland for a pint of brown and sticky in the Aidensfield Arms (sorry, Goathland Hotel) As we left we spotted one of the Heartbeat Panda cars parked up at Scripps Garage. Another was parked outside the post office, causing us to speculate whetehr we had missed some of the filming that day - they tend to film in the late Autumn and Winter months as there are less tourists about.
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Mervin update

Mervin is now looking better with his new seats and a clean up, the lettering removed and a few repairs done - like the back door now opens with the handle, and a high security lock has been fitted ot the back doors. Wednesday should see the start of the bodywork tidy up - the worse dents have been bashed out, and the filling and spraying started but not finished. For a £200 banger he's looking good.
Mervin has amazed me with his reliability so far, he drives like a dream and despite a tired sounding battery he never fails to start. Even better he is averaging over 50 mpg, which is more than I expected from a cube van.
Last week I used him for my park and ride scheme. This basically means I chuck my bike in the back of the van and drive the first 10 miles to work, then park up in Preston village before doing the last 6 1/2 miles by bike. 13 miles a day is about my limit until I build up my knee and calf muscles - a long term injury has left the cartlidge in my left knee totally knackered and the muscles have to work so much harder. This has lead to some comedy collapsing moments over the years where my leg has given way as I've been walking. It's more embarassing than it is painful - I sort of stagger suddenly as if drunk. My GP said I would just have to live with it as there was nothing to be done, but regular exercise seems to be helping in my opinion. I bought a stepper which I could only manage a minute or so on before my knee joint was on fire, but now I can go 12 or 15 minutes, I also got a stationary bike which has helped. With Mervins help I hope to use the cycle for work maybe once or twice a week for work (shifts permitting) and build it up so that eventually I might do the full 17 miles on the push iron.
In the meantime Mervin is proving very useful taking thngs to the tip, shopping and generally running about.
I discovered he has a very powerful alarm, and also a satelite tracking system (now defunct although the transmitter/reciever is still in place in the roof) I found the wiring for the amber beacons too, and it's still wired up to the switch. Guess what I've got sitting on a shelf in the garage? Yes, an amber beacon. That'll be another job to do then. I just need some ply to line out the load area and tidy that up and he'll be a very useful engine!

Mervins' motoring!

Since the Ax died I have had to invest some more cash in a new hack to run to work in. The usual specifications needed to be met; it had to bediesel so it would convert to veg oil, it had to be seriously cheap (A budget of £400 was set) and it had to be practical. Two seats is enough, as I use it mainly to run to and from work, and taking Emma to Brownies, Dance class that sort of thing. The Zafira is used when it's a longer run, a bit of luxuryis needed or there are more than two of us to go somewhere (although between three and five we can use the Astra)


The Zafira also tended to get used for towing the trailer or since the trailer got punctured, for tip runs simply due to the carrying capacity. That was getting it all dirty.


So with those ingredients in mind the logical solution isn't a car at all, it's a van!


As ever Ebay came to the rescue, and a bid of £201.25 secured a Ford Courier Van Mot tested until July, battered and bent but otherwise all there. Graeme kindly agreed to run me through to Lincoln to collect thesad looking specimen, who has now been chistened Mervin ( because it's my van innit? - okay that might not translate well elsewhere, it's a Hull accent thing)


Mervin has yet to be converted to Veg Oil s he needed a little TL to make him look respectable first, but he has ben pressed straight into service.


Mervin lead a sheltered life as a British Arways World Cargo courier van for many years of his life. I am guessing he ung around the airpots a lot, as his mileage is only just 65000. He has a secure bulkhead, a burgkar alarm including an extremely loud panic alarm, working lights in the rear, and extra switches for orange beacons which are missng now, but might get replaced. Holes in the dashboard show where radio and phones were fitted, although he doesn't seem to have ever had a stero, something which we will be rectifying very quickly.


For the last year or so Mevin as worked for a builder, who aused him terribly, although for a builder that s probably ormal behaviour towards your van. Consequently I have removed several loose shovelfuls of snd and cement from the back and the cab area. He needed a thorouh clean and vacuum inside, and a pair of new seats. The carpet has seen btter days but will do for now, some mats will tidy the looks up later. The steering wheel had chunks mig out of it, presumably where the builder has sunk his teeth in frustration in traffic jams. A cover has tidied that for now. Mervin also has a shiny new silver bonnet to replace the badly dented and faded grey one, and I have knocked out may of he worse dents, to be filled and flatted later before he gets a new coat of paint sometime. For now a real good clean and removal of the residue from the stickers has improved his looks 100%.


The faulty drivers door lock has been remedied, although the rear doors stil only open from inside with a Heath Robinson brand length ofroe pulled from the drivers seat! Part of the lock mechanism sees to be missing, so it's not an easy fix.


Watch this space for further adventures of Mervin.


1. Someone has clog danced on the bonnet. 2 Stickers have left nasty residue which leaves the original use undisguised. 3. Bulders eat car interiors apparently - they nibble steering wheels, and feast on the soft fabrics and carpets. About four shovels of cement dust and sand have been removed along with fag packets, sweet wrappers old newspaper and £1.41 pence in cash. (I suppose tht brings my purchase cost down under the £200 ceiling)


4. Steering wheel damage. Now covered with a sporty looking steering wheel cover. 5. Bend and scrape to nearside needs fettling. 6. The unique method of opening the rear door - the rope pulls the interior release and the door pops open. I'm thinkng about having the other doors modified the same way (with apologies to VW) - the four sprung door technique!