What made you UNHAPPY today!

[ChrisJ]

@C8RKH It's been done before - Carlton Tavern - Wikipedia

[Bibs]

Happened locally to us too, the Upper Bell in Blue Bell Hill where we used to live. It's still hoarded up and a pile of bricks, probably 10 years after it was illegally demolished. 

[Escape]

Yeah, we get that too, buildings that are demolished without a permit, or trees cut, and once it's done the developers get off with a fine and can go on with their plans. But to try and scam the insurance by setting fire to it is next level!

I read the major was pushing for an order to have it rebuilt. Let's hope he succeeds, that would get the message across to others with similar ideas.

[exeterjeep]

24 minutes ago, Bibs said:

Happened locally to us too, the Upper Bell in Blue Bell Hill where we used to live. It's still hoarded up and a pile of bricks, probably 10 years after it was illegally demolished. 

Was it listed, the other one   may have been a historic sort of place, but was not listed. 

A very old barn/office near us (was surprised it was not listed) built with some cob etc, has gradually been collapsing over several years. About 4  months ago the roof finally fell in, and they have demolished the back and both sides leaving most of the front, but in the last couple of days some new steelwork has appeared.

Glad to see TLF still working 24/7.

[oneshot]

Apparently it wasn't actually listed but there were ongoing discussions about getting it listed. The suspicion is that this happened before it got listed.

[Alfa2Evora]

Sorry, this will go on a bit.

Well, I suppose after 8+ years and 65k+ miles of trouble-free motoring with the Evora, I was living on borrowed time and something like today was almost inevitable.

After visiting Jennifer (she's doing OK by the way) early this morning, I decided to take the long road home to blow away a few cobwebs. In the middle of a really enjoyable twisty and undulating section of B-road, there was a muffled thud from the front of the car, followed almost immediately by a requirement to feed in a huge armful of opposite lock. After what seemed like an eternity of buttock-clenching and a lot of arm-twirling, I got things fully back under control. Conveniently, there was a layby just a few yards ahead so I pulled in there accompanied by a huge cloud of steam venting through the grilles ahead of the windscreen.

I emerged from the cockpit to be greeted by an ever-expanding puddle of pink fluid flowing past the front wheel. Crouching down and peering through the bottom grille, I could see that the radiator had literally blown itself apart with a clear split visible between the alloy core and the plastic top tank, . I called the AA and explained the situation, saying that they might as well not bother sending the mobile patrol first and save time by just dispatching the recovery truck, and reminded them that it's a low-slung, long-overhang sports car that they're dealing with.

2 hours elapsed then what should appear? You've guessed it, their mechanic/technician in his van who of course takes one look at the lake of coolant alongside the car and declares "I can't fix that, we'll need to get it recovered" Really? You don't say Sherlock!

An hour or so later, the flatbed arrives but it's one of those with the tilting bed so surprise, surprise, there's no way that the deck angle is ever going to get low enough to winch the Evora on without ripping-off half the front end - it's had enough damage done to it already, it doesn't need any more. The driver goes to his cab to make a phone call and returns a few minutes later to announce that they do have suitable vehicles with a completely demountable bed, only problem is the nearest one is 250 miles away in Manchester and they can't get it here until Sunday. My response to that revelation is unprintable on a public forum, .

Telling him to forget it, I've since sorted things out myself. Using public transport (I know, I'm in no hurry to repeat that experience I can tell you, ) I managed to get myself home. Armed with my toolbox and a couple of 5 litre bottles of suitable coolant, I jumped in the Alfa and returned to the scene. With it now barely lukewarm, I was able to reach over the engine and clamp-off the supply and return hoses to the radiator so that when the thermostat opened, nothing would flow in that circuit. Theory being that coolant would still flow through the intact and separate heater matrix circuit so with all the HVAC controls set to 'maximum', it would at least provide an albeit somewhat reduced level of cooling and stop short of things going into meltdown. In practice, that did indeed prove to be the case and the Evora is now safely back home, as is the Alfa after a neighbour kindly volunteered to drive me back this evening to collect it rather than leaving it abandoned overnight in the middle of nowhere, .

Top marks to Elise-Shop who had one of their uprated all-alloy rads on its way to me via UPS within an hour of my placing the order late this afternoon. It's predicted to arrive Monday so that gives me the weekend to get the clam removed and the old rad stripped-out in anticipation. Just a pity that some of the parts required for the body repair (11 months and waiting, ) are still conspicuous by their absence otherwise it could all have been dealt with at the same time.

Apart from the radiator the other casualties from today were Jennifer, who missed out on my planned second visit this afternoon; my underpants, which are definitely written-off as a result of the unexpected drifting session; and quite possibly my continuing membership of said motoring organisation who have been questioned over exactly what I should expect in return for the £200+ fee I've paid them every year since I bought the Evora.

For those of you that are into physics, I can confidently confirm from today's 'experiment' that good as the Michelin PS4S tyres are in terms of grip during normal use, if you inject some ethylene glycol into the equation then a reduction in the coefficient of friction can most definitely be expected.

 

[bogle]

Drifting Dave (albeit completely unintended) is definitely hero of day to bring your Evora back on course and to a safe stop.

I did enjoy your story even though mostly things were predictably dreadful in regard to the Tow company antics.  You knew way ahead of time regardless of your valiant efforts to inform them.  I hope Jennifer understands as I assume she would your predicament. 

Fortunately, underpants are easily replaceable.

Let us know when the Evora is back up and running.

Thanks for sharing despite the circumstances.

 

 

[Escape]

At least you and the Evora got home safely and the route to repair is clear. I hope things go well for you this weekend.

[pete]

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2023-08-21/school-built-in-12-weeks-ordered-to-stay-shut-over-safety-fears. This is the school my grandson was due to start at in September. It's not the only one with problems

https://www.yourharlow.com/2023/08/21/two-schools-in-cornwall-built-by-caledonian-modular-were-demolished-in-april/

[Gjk]

Having to buy a car that is ulez compliant, just to travel the last quarter of a mile to work so I don’t have to pay £12.50 a day! Bloody piss take! I should have the right to vote for the next London mayor! I’d like to kick the present one square in the nuts!

[eclat22]

Just now, Gjk said:

Having to buy a car that is ulez compliant, just to travel the last quarter of a mile to work so I don’t have to pay £12.50 a day! Bloody piss take! I should have the right to vote for the next London mayor! I’d like to kick the present one square in the nuts!

You and many others

[Gjk]

I sympathise with all! Just a complete money making scheme, especially when where I work is in the middle of the country side and will put off a lot of less well off customers from visiting the amusement theme park. I feel sorry for the children!

[C8RKH]

The last 1/2 mile could surely be done by public transport or cycle, so no need to buy a car surely?

[Gjk]

2 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

The last 1/2 mile could surely be done by public transport or cycle, so no need to buy a car surely?

If there was somewhere legal to park it might have been an option but, there are so many pykies in Surrey everything gets blocked off! 

there are busses but they go in the wrong direction for the times that I have to get to and leave (I work shifts)

[pete]

So Heathrow is now in ulez😡

[jep]

Yep. That's ridiculous. And the irony of the biggest polluters, the aeroplane, not paying the full cost of the damage they do to the planet.

Justin

 

[C8RKH]

ULEZ is a joke. It is a Labour City Mayor hitting the working classes the hardest. A complete joke to be honest.

Good intentions but very poor implementation and yet more of the "woke" populist approach. We need to do more to protect the environment and change our course, but it needs a more joined up approach and better planning around implementation. For instance, parking facilities to allow people to travel to the outer edge of the zone and then continue on zero emission integrated public transportation. As usual the policy has been implemented and people are then left hanging as the thought and infrastructure provision has not been done.

[Chillidoggy]

Remind me again, when’s Kahn up for re-election?

[ChrisJ]

Ulez signs ‘could be unlawful’ after tribunal ruling (telegraph.co.uk)

You might need to do this to read the whole story

There's also this: ULEZ Camera Locations

"If" these are accurate I can still get to my hockey club in my Excel without passing a camera

 

 

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

I wonder if this will spell the death knell for any classic car events within the M25? Things like Brooklands meets etc. I certainly wouldn’t take my non ULEZ compliant Ferrari inside the M25 now.

[C8RKH]

59 minutes ago, Chillidoggy said:

Remind me again, when’s Kahn up for re-election?

I expect he already knows he will not get re-elected so this is what he will be known for...

[Escape]

27 minutes ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

I wonder if this will spell the death knell for any classic car events within the M25? Things like Brooklands meets etc. I certainly wouldn’t take my non ULEZ compliant Ferrari inside the M25 now.

I thought Brooklands was still outside the ULEZ? At least according to the map I found. It would be such a shame if the events there would cease. 😞

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Oh yes, sorry. I thought the M25 was the boundary. Seems that’s not correct. Mea culpa.

[Escape]

No worries, only gave me a mild heart attack and an excuse for booze. 😄 Would be far worse if the mistake was the other way around and all of a sudden a site like Brooklands is in an LEZ without anyone realising it!

[Kevin Wheeler]

But, classic cars - registered as Historic are exempt. 

So, in a year or two I can drive the Esprit around London (until they change the rules again!)

https://classicandsportscar.com/features/london-ulez-9-things-classic-car-drivers-need-know

If your classic is registered outside the UK, you need to register it with Transport for London (though God - and maybe @Bibs - knows how!)