Thumper Club Forum
Club House => Chatter => Topic started by: Rossco500 on February 20, 2017, 11:21:03 PM
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If any of you happen to be visiting the North Yorkshire area (and why not given the quality of the ale!) its worth calling into small Mathewsons Museum. Located in Thornton le Dale on the A170 near Pickering they are also a classic vehicle dealership and have frequent auctions which means the museum stock often changes! Entry fee is only a couple of quid. As frequent visitors to the Farmyard Party MAG event in nearby Helmsley we always try and call with them for a look.
http://www.mathewsons.co.uk/auctions/auctions/vehicles?view=datavw
and Brightwells have quite a few Italian mini thumpers in their next auction (and 2 very low mileage Kawasaki z200s). A few tasty / unusual cars too.
http://www.brightwells.com/classic-motoring/leominster-classic-vintage/leominster-classic-vintage-march-2017/catalogue-8th-march-2017/
Regards
Tony
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I concur :)
Reminds me of a visit years ago, were Rossco500 had parked his bike in Thornton let Dale, after a visit to the museum. We came upon two elderly gentlemen discussing his W650, and what a great restoration of a Triumph it was. Then one of them spied the Kawasaki badge on the tank. The utter disgust on their faces was a sight to behold, which sticks with me to this day!
Anyway, why don't we make this thread about all the little obscure museums around the country. And, guess what, I mean all sorts, not just motorcycles ;)
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this one is well worth a visit, also in York area... http://www.cravencollection.co.uk/
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If you are in the area of Pembroke the Museum of Speed (http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/home/residents/theatresartsmuseums/museums/museum-of-speed/#.WKwX1_LDvIU) at Pendine is worth a visit - Pendine beach is of course wherea lot of the early Land speed records were set and the museum has a good selection of bikes and cars from the era - Don't make a special long journey though as it is tiny!
Also if you are in Lincolnshire/Norfolk area The Bubble Car Museum (http://www.bubblecarmuseum.co.uk/) is worth a visit.
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The Craven collection, Pendine, and the Bubblecar Museum have all been on my radar for the last few years, but I've haven't yet made it. The Dave Silvers Museum looks like a goodun as well.
Usually if I'm in an area, I try to visit the local military museum for a day. These are always great, and I've been as far as Bodmin, Brecon, Perth, Carlisle, Belfast, Enniskillen, Richmond N.York, Alnick, York etc
We have a fascinating little National Trust place near us called Patterson's Spade Mill. Definitely the last working spademill in the UK and Ireland, and possibly the world! The NT warden is an ex road racer, and a real character. He takes you through the whole process starting with a billet of steel, and then using a massive trip hammer and associated machinery driven off belts from a lay shaft, makes a spade in front of you. Originally it would have had a waterwheel, but a water turbine was installed in Victorian times, and is still used to this day. You can buy a finished spade as a working tool, or as a nice momento of a lost craft. In fact, we might visit here on our Shepherds Rest rally at Easter ;)
We're a diverse bunch on this forum, with a broad geographical spread, so just a suggestion, but why don't each of us post up some details of an interesting local museum or place of interest on this thread?
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Pendine is very good but check if `babs` is there before you go, missing last twice i have been !!
Mike Barry museum is well worth a visit, phone to check it`s open first though..
and the `Hub` in Alston...
hope the links work
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H J Pugh of Ledbury have a bike & parts auction on the 4th March. Always a good selection there.
http://www.hjpugh.com/cyclesales/040317catalogue.pdf
There's a cezet for those that like such things, an MZ, a very interesting looking Seeley 3. Plus an Ariel Leader but unfortunately I'm not in a position to go for that yet......
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Whilst Pendine is small try following it up with a visit too the Museum of Internal Fire on the Welsh coast north of Cardigan. Spot the tiny engines based on motorcycle motors. Lots off semi diesels and a monster gas turbine on start up days. Should appeal to those who enjoy a big piston.
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Ooo eerr more tea vicar. "Big pistons" and coming from a man who clearly "always wears protection" 😉😉
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Every day is a learning day as they say - been to Cumbria many times and didn't know these places existed! I must admit I prefer the smaller local museums you stumble upon by accident - like the Morgan 3-wheeler collection in Rolvedon (in Kent?) I happened to pass on the way back from a trip to Europe about 10 years ago.
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Some auction results from the H&H auction at Donington.
£24K for a Venom Thruxton and over £22K for a Vincent Comet are just ridiculous to me. More than a Garden Gate Manx at £18K which to me is a much nicer machine.
Other interesting results were a DR400 for £1200, a tidy looking Birmingham Scott Squirrel for less than £4K and a quite tidy looking Enfield for £1K.
http://www.handh.co.uk/auctions/results-2/209/donington-park
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As you say it's hard to fathom what some of these bikes are fetching - on the flip side the Bridgestone 175 and Moto Guzzi Nuovo Falcone look good value (although the Guzzi is unregistered).
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Thanks for posting Ian. Very interesting. I reckon a lot of stuff is going for way over value. I have a good friend who inherited/bought a Comet. He can't believe what they are worth, and reckons, that really they should be worth no more than approx. £6000. I reckon a lot of 'investors' are in for a very big shock in not too many years, as I predict that the whole market will collapse. I'm 50 years old, which is regarded as young to have any interest in old Brit bikes, and I don't see anyone coming behind me :-\
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I totally agree with you on this one Tim, it's something I've been saying myself for a few years now. I'm almost 54 (April) and I've very little interest in "old Brit iron" and I think it's just the era you're brought up in. To me the classics are circa 1975 onwards anything before that and my interest starts to flag a little. I've absolutely nothing against older stuff, nothing whatsoever. Just my interest isn't the same. Must dash just got some work to do on my classic .......XBR tracker project 🔧🔩🔩🤘
Cheers,Michael
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Agree with both of you, prices of certain Brit bikes are beyond belief. I don't know if you saw some old Brough Superiors found in an outhouse the other year (5 I think it was). Quite literally piles of rust, frames, tanks, engines crumbling away but they sold something like £20K!! ridiculous!......my wife's grandad had a Brough Sup...also knew Lawrence of Arabia when he was stationed at RAF Cranwell......wish she'd inherited that! As Tim says, no-one coming through that seems interested in the old Brit stuff and no matter what you paid for it, it's only worth what someone is prepared to pay.
........( whisper it but have you noticed that the asking price of a really nice GB500 has dropped from £6.5K to £4.5k in the last year or so?)
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Even my uncle (mid seventies now) struggled to maintain interest. Starting out with the Bantams of his youth, he had a CX when I was a kid, before switching back to the classics with a Velo for several years and eventually lured away by the ease of modern Ducatis and now a Triumph Thruxton.
I don't think his Venom was the Thruxton, but I sent him Ian's link to the auction results to see if I can wind him up a bit ;D
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Aye Steve, those Broughs were known as the Bodmin hoard, eight in total I believe, and what a total pile of crap. A few of them, if restored, couldn't contain much of the original, as they were totally rotten. I think altogether they made somewhere near 400,000 dollars!
Anyway, we seem to have gone off on a slight tangent, so linking into your mention of TE Lawrence, I can thoroughly recommend NT Clouds Hill, his cottage in the woods, if you're down Dorset way. And just round the corner, the spot where he had his fatal accident, next to the modern tank training area, where there's a viewing area to watch the guys doing there driver training. Which of course is next to Bovington Tank Museum. You'll need at least a day for that one, as me and SteveD found out on our travels last September. The entrance ticket is valid for twelve months, so I'm planning another visit this year after our June rally. If you want to know a bit more about TE Lawrence, can I recommend his memoirs of his exploits in the desert, 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom', a very interesting and complex character, who was totally let down by his commanders and politicians in the end. No surprise there :-\
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there are a couple of nice little museums in cumbria that ive been to, theres the lakeland motor museum in haverthwaite on the road to barrow, its next door to the lakeside and haverthwaite steam railway so can be part of a good day out, the steam railway links onto the lake cruises on windermere, you can buy a ticket for the train and the boat, so if your other half doesnt want to look at old cars and motorbikes as well as toys, bicycles aircraft boats and caravans for a few hours, she or he could jump on the steam train and take a cruise on the lake with stop offs at windermere and ambleside.
alternatively, up in keswick, next door to the oft derided pencil museum, (yes, its a real place, based on the past mining of graphite in the area) there was once a james bond museum but i think its shut down now.
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Yes, that Lakeland Transport Museum is a goodun, sorry to hear about the James Bond Museum. Never got to it or the Pencil Museum. We used to have a Mini Museum and an American Car Museum, both now gone, and I never visited either :(
So, just a thought, but to keep this thread live, and with the days getting longer, why don't we all aim to visit somewhere local that we've never been to, and then post it on here. Ive at least one place in mind which I've been meaning to visit for years, and this thread has definitely give me the kick up the backside I need. Hang on, just thought of two more places as well :)
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although southport is relativel local to me, i draw the line at visiting the lawnmower museum.......
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Its now on my bucket list! I bet they even have some Royal Enfield mowers ;)
Another good one in the north west, is the Commercial Vehicle Museum at Leyland, just off the M6 :)
And the Anderton Boat Lift at Nantwich? Northwich?
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Try Lincolnshire aviation trust At East Kirkby.
www.lincsaviation.co.uk
They have a Lancaster(just Jane), that does Taxi runs. As a spectator you can get pretty close.
The wing tip can pass over your head with all 4 merlins doing their thing. Need to make sure you go on a day they do Taxi runs. Under a tenner to get in. Ive been about 3 times now and I shall go again this year.
Dave
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Try Lincolnshire aviation trust At East Kirkby.
www.lincsaviation.co.uk
They have a Lancaster(just Jane), that does Taxi runs. As a spectator you can get pretty close.
The wing tip can pass over your head with all 4 merlins doing their thing. Need to make sure you go on a day they do Taxi runs. Under a tenner to get in. Ive been about 3 times now and I shall go again this year.
Dave
Just remember they shut on Sundays.
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The Dennis factory in Guildford used to have an ancient lawnmower as part of their private museum/ reception area. Probably one of the first things with a petrol engine that moved.
Andy
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top tip, aviation museums are great days out on overcast foggy days. we went last year to the battle of britain memorial flight on such a day, and as the weather was too poor to risk flying these priceless old warbirds, practically the entire squadren was at home to visit, the lanc, numerous spitfires and hurricaines, a dakota, their prop driven trainers, there wasnt a space left to put a plane in when we were in the hanger. full house! apparently if you go in the airshow season, there arent as many things that are worth visiting as everything airworthy is up in the sky! even modern fighter jets, and 2 awacs and helecopters were lined up on the tarmac.
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Great tips on places to visit. Keep them coming ;)
I really think next years rally needs to be over Lincolnshire way, so the eastern/south east guys can be more local. My only worry is, how many cylinders does a Lancaster have?
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Rally venue might be ok at east lincs, they do have bike meets and there is camping on site.
Dave
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Great tips on places to visit. Keep them coming ;)
I really think next years rally needs to be over Lincolnshire way,neo the eastern/south east guys can be more local. My only worry is, how many cylinders does a Lancaster have?
Great Idea!
Don't worry, Just listen
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Results from the Brightwells Auction on Wed - The low mileage Kawasaki z200s were sold for around £2500 each!!!
http://www.brightwells.com/classic-motoring/leominster-classic-vintage/leominster-classic-vintage-march-2017/catalogue-8th-march-2017/
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how many cylinders does a lancaster have then? obviously theres 48 cylinders in the engines, 12x4, but then these planes always seemed to have suplementary engines for generating electricity or hydraulic power, so, anyone got any idea how many pots? theres a pic on here of a prototype with an extra merlin provinding nothing but boost for a supercharger, so that one would have 60 plus suplementary engines.
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Wow! That's some amount of Italian scooters, bikes, and cars. Thanks for posting Rossco :)
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Well, there's a thing, as far as I'm aware, the Lanc 'only' had the 4 merlins (or griffons), generators were run directly from the main engines, along with twin magneto's (2 plugs per cylinder, each plug run from a different mag), the wiring loom was a bit of a nightmare.
I only know this, as during my raf service, I worked on the Shackleton (mk2's & 3's), running the griffon , (which is where most spares come from for the remaining spitfires and lancs come from).
the Mk3 'shack', did have additional power units .... 2 PETROL (well, Avgas actually, 105 octane) jet engines at the rear of the outboard engine nacelle , , beastly machines, which the aircrew hated, and were used for takeoff with full fuel load, and needed because of the huge amount (and weight) of the 'avionics' on board ... i.e. sub
just pull up a sandbag next to me.... I can bore you for years ;D
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'i.e. sub' should read .... i.e. sub hunting equipment... MAD (forrunner of the mri) scanners believe it or not etc etc
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And another thing.....
The 'Lanc' at East Kirby 'may' be airworthy by the the time you get there, they are aiming for an airworthiness certificate sometime in 2018... funds permitting..... as far as I'm aware they now have 4 certified engines (by all accounts RR charge a HUGE amount for a full refurb on a griffon or merlin, then give the job to the apprentice school ??? )
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The Yanks flew the B36 in the '50's. Six 28 cylinder piston engines (4 rows of 7) with 56 spark plugs each plus 4 jet engines.
The Brabazon airliner had eight 18 cylinder engines.
Andy
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And another thing.....
The 'Lanc' at East Kirby 'may' be airworthy by the the time you get there, they are aiming for an airworthiness certificate sometime in 2018... funds permitting..... as far as I'm aware they now have 4 certified engines (by all accounts RR charge a HUGE amount for a full refurb on a griffon or merlin, then give the job to the apprentice school ??? )
I was speaking to one of the engineers last year and as I understand they have the engines but the need to get the air frame passed as airworthy which requires parts of it being x-rayed for stress fractures.
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A group of us visited Scaleby Hill Motorcycle Museum last Friday, having heard it mentioned on this forum. This is the collection of ex bike racer, Mike Barry, situated in Cumbria, between Brampton and Longtown. Unfortunately Mike was on the IOM at the pre TT racing, but his wife very kindly opened up for us specially. Hottest day of the year son far, it was hotter in the shed than outside! Entrance is £4, and well worth every penny. Great mix of bikes, with a particular focus on 1930s Coventry Eagles. 01228 675117
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Gayle Mill, Hawes. Tours are 1pm and 3pm, price £6. Ive always wanted to visit this place since seeing it featured on the original Restoration, presented by Griff Rhys Jones. It was then on the series where Guy Martin went round the country helping restore old machinery, in this case, the 1897 water turbine which powers the mill. What I hadn't realised/remembered, was that the copy of the original 1839 Velocepede, was made at Gayle Mill, for Guy to test out riding down the steep hill outside. This Velocepede is also on display. First Sunday of every month, there are demonstration tours, lasting two hours, were all the machinery is running. These are at 11 and 2.30, and cost £12. 01969 667320
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It seems there's not much happening on here at the minute, so here's a picture of a tank, but what is it.......?
And here's another......?
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Aye tim,
First image, not a clue! :(
Second image, its a Panther, in it? ;) As per Bruce the Essex arms dealer from Quest TV fame.
My regards, Bill
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isnt the first image an spg(self propelled gun) rather than a tank? or perhaps a tank killer, non rotational turret denotes that its probably designed to be used as fixed artillery rather than mobile fighting piece.
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The second one is indeed a Panther. A kind of cross between a Panzer IV and a Tiger. A very good tank by all accounts, but not very reliable, as per most tanks.
The first one is a Tortoise. British, huge, and never went into production. But is it a Tank, SPG, or a Tank Destroyer? Let's have a heated debate ;)
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The one in the background I think is a Ram; Canadian take on a Sherman?
I think the Tortoise may be an assault gun although I doubt in reality you get to shout "excuse me Erwin old mate, would you mind not doing the tank think, I'm not a tank destroyer".
The Swedish S tank I think was also not a tank as it couldn't fire on the move.
One I didn't fancy at Bovington was the Archer. A Valentine chassis with a 17 pounder bolted to the engine deck. The drivers head rests on the loading tray. When he's backed into the firing position be has to jump out before the gunner pulls something and the recoil decapitates him :(
Andy
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The Tortoise weighed 78 tonnes, and was a Heavy Assault Tank designed to take out heavily fortified positions such as concrete blockhouses. Apparently, a well thought out concept, its development was too late as the war ended, so there was no need to put them into production. This is the only one in existence, the others being blown to bits as targets for training.
My understanding, is that tanks are combat vehicles which work on line of sight, and so have to be mobile and heavily armoured. They usually have turrets, but not always.
SPGs are lightly armoured as they don't go into battle, but are mobile artillery pieces, that fire from well behind the front line, in groups, putting down bombardments up to 20 miles away. There eyes and ears are forward observers, who report back their success or not. Some SPGs don't even have a roof, but are open.
Tank Destroyers I'm not clear about. Low profile, huge gun, no turret, and the clues in the title.
I think that is a Canadian Ram in the background, Andy. And my understanding of the Archer, is that the British tanks were seriously under gunned with 40mm 2lbr pea shooters, so desperately needed to put a big gun on a tracked chassis, hence the Archer.
The Tank Museum at Bovington in Dorset, is probably my favourite museum of all. So far, I've spent three full days in there, and still have more to see. A few hours in there would only scratch the surface. They reckon, just with the existing stuff they have in storage, they've another 400 years worth of restoration!
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Yes, fantastic place to wander round. I last went about 30 years ago with a now sadly departed mate and he enjoyed it so much he ended up getting into the military vehicle rally scene with an old Bedford flatbed army truck and an MT500.
Do they still do running days I wonder?
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Yes mate. Tankfest over two days in June every year. And I know a really cool campsite nearby. A potential Thumper Rally sometime perhaps?
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A potential Thumper Rally sometime perhaps?
Great idea! :)
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So here's a couple of film stars.....
First one is the Sherman Firefly used in the film Fury, and second one is the famous Tiger 131, also used in the film, and the only fully running Tiger in the world.
As for the film Fury, well, its a Hollywood blockbuster starring Brad Pitt ;)
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A small military museum that's been on my list for a many years, but I never got round to visiting. Greys Point Fort. Think Guns of Navarone, but overlooking the entrance to Belfast Lough. Built in 1904, its supposed to be the first place to fire in anger for Britain in WWII. Two days after Britain declared war on Germany, a merchant ship from Liverpool, sailed into Belfast, completely unaware of the two six inch guns. Greys Point tried to contact the ship, to no avail, so they fired a warning shot across the bows. That was the only time the guns fired in anger in their entire history.
The site fell into dereliction. but was resurrected by volunteers in recent years :)
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