Trains and Planes and Boats and Vehicles - Your Favourite 4
- Thread starter Focalplane
- Start date
Osgood
Western Thunderer
I can't say if it is a Citroen or a Yankee job Adam - they are very similar, but I'm inclined to think American as there were very few native specimens amongst the 100 or so trucks there.
Most of it was Art Deco eye candy - out of respect I took very few pictures.
An unused WW2 Ward laFrance bonnet and radiator accompanied me home from my first trip - currently being installed in a truck.
Then followed a long chain of emails in an unsuccessful effort to negotiate the purchase a complete but very badly corroded example of this semi-trailer - on reflection I was quite relieved my attempt failed:
His English and my French were fairly rudimentary, so I was using Google Translate or similar for the drawn-out email discussion.
Now here's a cautionary tale regarding the use of online translation services:
My last reply was "What a shame you cannot not accept my final offer, but I quite understand".
I then received a reply advising "In France we say Quel dommage" with a
attached.
Now, although I had noticed the absence of a quel dommage in my reply, I was certain I'd typed in words to that effect, like what a shame.
Confused, I translated my reply back to English and discovered I had in fact told him 'shame on you for not accepting my final offer'
On my most recent visit we shared a good laugh and a drink over my error, and I made good use of a locally-sourced roll of French wallpaper and felt tip pen to create a template of the complex curvature of the Freuhauf Aerovan's front (I have a suitable chassis and would love to recreate a body so I keep doodling and dreaming......).
Most of it was Art Deco eye candy - out of respect I took very few pictures.
An unused WW2 Ward laFrance bonnet and radiator accompanied me home from my first trip - currently being installed in a truck.
Then followed a long chain of emails in an unsuccessful effort to negotiate the purchase a complete but very badly corroded example of this semi-trailer - on reflection I was quite relieved my attempt failed:
His English and my French were fairly rudimentary, so I was using Google Translate or similar for the drawn-out email discussion.
Now here's a cautionary tale regarding the use of online translation services:
My last reply was "What a shame you cannot not accept my final offer, but I quite understand".
I then received a reply advising "In France we say Quel dommage" with a
attached.Now, although I had noticed the absence of a quel dommage in my reply, I was certain I'd typed in words to that effect, like what a shame.
Confused, I translated my reply back to English and discovered I had in fact told him 'shame on you for not accepting my final offer'
On my most recent visit we shared a good laugh and a drink over my error, and I made good use of a locally-sourced roll of French wallpaper and felt tip pen to create a template of the complex curvature of the Freuhauf Aerovan's front (I have a suitable chassis and would love to recreate a body so I keep doodling and dreaming......).
Last edited:
Graham Bustin
Active Member
My selection is:
Locomotive - Has to be a Castle, 5036 Lyonshall Castle in particular.
Aircraft: Has to be the Hawker Hunter. I saw 20+ roll in formation at Farnborough in the 1950s.
Boat- I love the motor launches seen on the Thames but the Caronia has to be my favourite.
Car- E type Jaguar.
Motor Cycle- Triumph Bonneville.
To think that we used to make all these here in the U.K., why has it been allowed to die.
Locomotive - Has to be a Castle, 5036 Lyonshall Castle in particular.
Aircraft: Has to be the Hawker Hunter. I saw 20+ roll in formation at Farnborough in the 1950s.
Boat- I love the motor launches seen on the Thames but the Caronia has to be my favourite.
Car- E type Jaguar.
Motor Cycle- Triumph Bonneville.
To think that we used to make all these here in the U.K., why has it been allowed to die.
Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
Neil
Western Thunderer
The choice of train was the hardest for me. It's a close run thing between the TGV Duplex and the original E300 Eurostar. The top deck of the TGV gives a magnificent view . On the Paris - Barcelona route there's just so much to see , my favourite being flamingo spotting on the etangs in the south of France. However on balance it has to be the Eurostar; leaving the UK by train makes it the most exciting of journeys. Just the thought that Paris or Brussels and the rest of the continent is only a train ride away still makes me smile even in the middle of our locked down state. For me it has to be the original as the interior was a cut above everything else on the rails, stylish in a dark and quirky way. It made all others look bus like in comparison. Just the best way to travel.
Planes are again a bit tricky as I'm afraid of flying so have nothing to offer by way of personal experience. I could cop out and suggest the DC3 due to its utility and longevity. But if I roll up the flight and sail (limited experience, narrow boat, canoe, rowing boat and cross channel ferry) together can I opt for the SRN4 Hovercraft which took me to France many years ago before the train could.
Finally to cars. I'm not that much into cars these days so again a difficult choice. I started driving in '77 so over the years have a had a go with a fair range of ordinary motors. I once had a Honda as a hire car which was beautifully smooth and quiet and I've had the use of a big Citroen estate with a superb ride quality, but out of everything, the one I would like to go back and have another go with would be my old Morris Marina. I can't honestly tell you why, it had faults aplenty. Maybe it's just so that I can see how far the technology has come when compared to my current Focus, maybe it's because it's such a perverse choice, maybe nostalgia.
Planes are again a bit tricky as I'm afraid of flying so have nothing to offer by way of personal experience. I could cop out and suggest the DC3 due to its utility and longevity. But if I roll up the flight and sail (limited experience, narrow boat, canoe, rowing boat and cross channel ferry) together can I opt for the SRN4 Hovercraft which took me to France many years ago before the train could.
Finally to cars. I'm not that much into cars these days so again a difficult choice. I started driving in '77 so over the years have a had a go with a fair range of ordinary motors. I once had a Honda as a hire car which was beautifully smooth and quiet and I've had the use of a big Citroen estate with a superb ride quality, but out of everything, the one I would like to go back and have another go with would be my old Morris Marina. I can't honestly tell you why, it had faults aplenty. Maybe it's just so that I can see how far the technology has come when compared to my current Focus, maybe it's because it's such a perverse choice, maybe nostalgia.
Peter Cross
Western Thunderer
Well, this is hard thing to decide, so there may be more after this.
Locomotive, there are many I like the designs is W Adams. This round I'm going with an LSWR O2, a nice little loco, well designed and long lived.
Boats, I think this has got to be the scillonian. The first one, due to memories of holidays in the sixties. Standing at the bow with my sister trying to see if we could get wet. Long before HSE stopped all the fun.
Aircraft, this has to be the DH Rapide again from our holidays watching it land on At Mary's, and often seeing it from the boat. It never seemed to go much faster than the boat.
Cars for memories I would say my first, a 1959 Morris Oxford. But this time I am going with an Alfa 75. Not a very tidy car, very dated looking, but boy what fun to drive. I picked it up with my 14 year old daughter. Her first impression was not good, she had a sad sort of face on after the Carlton we had. But by the time we got home there was a smile a mile wide and she loved it.
I also need to sneak in a motorcycle. For me my fun was had on. 1968 Triumph T100T Daytona. What fun on a light weight bike, I did change the front end to a Bonnie one to get a disc brake, as the original only slowed you down by 10 mph before fading from overheating. Ok at 10mph, but very scary at 70.
There will be more no doubt.
Locomotive, there are many I like the designs is W Adams. This round I'm going with an LSWR O2, a nice little loco, well designed and long lived.
Boats, I think this has got to be the scillonian. The first one, due to memories of holidays in the sixties. Standing at the bow with my sister trying to see if we could get wet. Long before HSE stopped all the fun.
Aircraft, this has to be the DH Rapide again from our holidays watching it land on At Mary's, and often seeing it from the boat. It never seemed to go much faster than the boat.
Cars for memories I would say my first, a 1959 Morris Oxford. But this time I am going with an Alfa 75. Not a very tidy car, very dated looking, but boy what fun to drive. I picked it up with my 14 year old daughter. Her first impression was not good, she had a sad sort of face on after the Carlton we had. But by the time we got home there was a smile a mile wide and she loved it.
I also need to sneak in a motorcycle. For me my fun was had on. 1968 Triumph T100T Daytona. What fun on a light weight bike, I did change the front end to a Bonnie one to get a disc brake, as the original only slowed you down by 10 mph before fading from overheating. Ok at 10mph, but very scary at 70.
There will be more no doubt.