TECHNICAL UPDATE SINCE LAST TIME
The TucTuc had it's service on Monday en-route from Clitheroe (Steve's Home Town) to Rhyl. One rear tyre has been wearing quicker than the other, and was replaced before the tread became an issue by an ever-smiling engineer.
Other bits needing attention were 2 rear wheel cylinders that were replaced, the headlights were fixed again (Steve has now seen the light - ha ha) with another soldering job to fix the switch, and to add to the electrical woes, the cigarette lighter (bidi lighter?) was causing problems with the SatNav system, and on dismantling the thing, Steve and Frank found it to be wired wrongly, so another quick fix, and the SatNav was back on track.
The weather for the journey from Clitheroe into North Wales was not at it's kindest, and the roof and canopy is still leaking, but bearable.
The handbrake is now becoming an ornament rather than something you could do a handbrake turn with - some more adjustment needed again - see the report for how it was tested by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance......
This morning - 7th October 08 - we did the last fine tuning for the mammoth run from Rhyl along the North Wales coast to the Welsh Air Ambulance at Caernarfon Airport and then cross country to Nottingham - the offside mirror needed adjusting slightly by Frank as Steve was already zipped up in the weatherproof curtains surrounding the TucTuc
SUNDAY 5th OCTOBER - GREAT NORTH AIR AMBULANCE, YORKSHIRE AIR AMBULANCE - NORTHALLERTON TO CLITHEROE
My First visit was to Teesside Airport to meet up with the Staff at the Great North Air Ambulance there, and here I'm with two of the Paramedics in front of their Explorer 902 helicopter, unique because it has no tail rotor, allowing it to get into very tight landing sites.
I had to wait for 45minutes to get the photo because as soon as I arrived they were off on a "shout" and I whiled away the time looking around the Police helicopter (a very different beast altogether)
I was also extremely pleased to be joined at Teesside by the Vice President of Ladies Circle, Niki Stocken, whose encouraging hug was worth at least 100 miles
My next visit was to Bradford Leeds Airport was to join the staff at the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. It happened again -just as I arrive the 'copter took off ; but have a closer look at the picture, you'll see my forearm straining to keep hold of the TucTuc as the helicopter downdraft started testing the strength of the handbrake - and won!. To make it all worse, our intrepid cameraman was standing on a barrel to take the photo, and he too succumbed to the force of the wind.
It gave me a chance to look at the other Yorkshire Air Ambulance helicopter parked in the hangar
and after only about 15 minutes the helicopter was back and I'm pictured with one of the Paramedics (right) and the Pilot (left)
My final "engagement" and my first "Challenge" was laid on by Selby RT 450 at Bradford Leeds Airport and a visit by two charming ladies who worked there. To qualify for a donation I had to tuck my trousers in my socks, my shirt in my skiddies and stand holding two packets of Tuc biscuits .... yes you guessed it, I had a double TucTuc.........cheeky monkeys!, but I was happy to oblige.
So, from there it was homeward bound to Clitheroe - a chance to sleep briefly in a familiar bed (yes - of course it's my own!) and tomorrow brings the TucTuc's first proper service ready for the second half of the UK and my journey.
MONDAY 6th OCTOBER - CLITHEROE TO RHYL VIA BLACKPOOL AND LIVERPOOL
After a few hours rest at home near Clitheroe, the first task was to get the TucTuc serviced and have some of the technical glitches seen-to. This took a little longer than anticipated, but we were greeted by smiles all round by the mechanics, and by Frank from Blackburn round Table who would be the support driver for the rest of the leg.
The delay to the start meant the pressure was on to make good time and I hotfooted it towards the next Air Ambulance destination at Blackpool Airport to meet the crew of the North West Air Ambulance. I arrived mid afternoon, and the weather had started to turn poor, rain and wind made heavy going, but the call of Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales beckoned. Here I am with my own Area 34 Chairman Matt Jackson (left) of Lancaster RT160, one of the Paramedics, myself and a very tanned Frank, fresh from his Mediterranean cruise, shades in place and ready to roll. You can also see the support vehicles kindly sponsored by SPIE Matt Hall.
My last leg was a bit of a marathon, Blackpool, Lytham StAnnes, Preston, Liverpool City Centre, through the Mersey Tunnel (cough, splutter!) across the Wirral and into North Wales, in the dark and Rain. The Run was reasonably trouble free, but it was cold and wet, and the last leg was a descent of about 1200 feet in a couple of miles and on towards my next night stop, the infamous Sunny Rhyl, Riviera of North Wales and home to my fellow 52Clubbers, Rhyl & District 352, Table of our National Vice President Dave "Sharky" Barker. I stopped over with Mark Roberts (you know - that guy who seems to have been writing for Tabler magazine {sorry - TM} for years) and also Dave's PLC Chairman.
Carys laid on dried bread & cheese (sorry Carys - not that bad - honest!!) and we were joined by Rhyl's Chairman, Anton Sampson, and we all piled into the TucTuc for a spot of night time photo ops amongst the neon and arcades of Rhyl's Prom (yes - they were still open at 10pm!)
Anton is also seen making a donation of £100 from Rhyl RT to go towards the moneys raised for Air Ambulance.
The locals were totally bemused to see the TucTuc on a near-deserted promenade at 11pm, and here are myself, Anton, Frank and Mark just before we parked it up for the night on Mark's front lawn and headed off to Rhyl's meeting place, the Faenol Fawr for a quick refreshment
who say's you can't get good head in Wales..... mine's the half....
TUESDAY 7th OCTOBER - RHYL TO THE WALES AIR AMBULANCE AT CAERNARFON, AND ON TO NOTTINGHAM
An early start after Mark's bacon & sausage butties I manhandled the TucTuc out of it's little hideaway at the side of the house ....
to the bemusement of Mark and Carys' youngest daughter who thought the Wheelie bin had sprouted wheels ..........
and a quick photo opportunity in the daylight in front of Rhyl's Skytower, and I'm away at 10 to 9 am along the North Wales coast to meet the lads from Caernarfon Round Table, who a couple of weeks earlier had donated a cheque for £1000 direct to the staff of the Wales Air Ambulance at Caernarfon Airport and a joint meeting with Rhyl Round Table. I reached the Airport at 10.30am. More later
by Mark Roberts - who got it right 2nd time
