Thursday 20 July 2017

Pendine Sands





Pendine Museum of Speed

I’ve been a bit busy over the last few weeks and there was no time to sit down and get events recorded. I was due to be at a few events that included Cassington and Chinnor Byke Dayz but never made it. I think the weather for Chinnor was the best yet and I visited the site with flyers for the Museum on the preceding Tuesday, also MAG club night. I do hope that all went well and perhaps I’ll get there next year. A trip to Tenby was arranged and that was not without drama. Two days before I noticed oil coming from the car 2CV derivative, on the left hand cylinder and discovered the banjo bolt on the oil feed to the head had stripped its threads. I repaired this with a home made helicoil and all was fine on the Saturday. Off on the Monday and a distinct smell of oil pervaded the car. Stopping at a services beyond the Severn Bridge I found the engine bay covered in oil. Checking the oil and only needed a one litre top up. It should get me to Tenby to effect a repair. 

Babs

The oil warning light came on as I approached the place where we were staying making a right turn. It went out when I straightened up. Slow progress and arrived with somewhat reduced braking power. Oil was dripping everywhere. I made an environmental sheet from a couple of bin bags so as not to make too much mess and left things to the morning. Next morning it was up early to find a car place that I could get some more oil and drive way cleaner. It started to rain. Later that morning I stripped off all the necessary bits to get access to the banjo bolt I had done the thread repair on. It was still good. I could not see where the oil was coming from until I started the engine and it was the oil feed pipe to the cylinder head was gently pulsing oil from a small hole. By three in the afternoon I had ordered parts needed with next day delivery and then went off to a local pub for some refreshment in the dry. It was still pouring with rain. The parts duly arrived around mid-day and all was back together and I was at another pub by four in the afternoon after replacing the offending pipe. It fell apart as I was removing it. Rusted away! Many of Tenby’s Brewery best ales were consumed that evening! Now it is Thursday and time to visit Pendine Sands and the Speed Museum. 

The beach-7 miles of sand



It is only small and a £2 entry fee does not do it justice. They had over 50 people pass through that morning…. If only??? The museum is due to close at the end of this year and the site redeveloped with a bigger and better museum on its way. The main feature there is Babs that had been restored after being buried in the sand for many years after the fatal accident that killed Parry-Thomas in 1926. Motorcycle speed records were also made there during the twenties but didn’t continue for long as the wet sand was a bit too soft for bikes to go really fast. 







Now we have Pendine Speed Week to relive the past glory days. Weather permitting. The little car made it home with no more drama and I was back at the London Motorcycle Museum on the Monday on the LE with visitors from New Zealand and Canada for a little international flavour. Trusty has returned from the Whitgift School display and the 1911 Rudge has been out for a show. For those who were at the Beezumph event I hope enjoyed our display.


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