Saab 9-5 – lovely on long cruises. done cross europe trips in ours and the car eats the miles. Some of the best seats installed make long journeys a breeze and very quiet inside.

i much perfer the saab 9-5 estate, on my second now after covering 90,000 miles in our old one.

just got a top of the range 2.3HOT Aero, 2004 reg for £2.5k: bargin.

if by Whitchurch, you mean the one on the A49, then it would have been the llangollen canal – one of the prettiest canals on the network, and passes through some stunning countryside. it also has Telford’s stunning Pontcysyllte Aqueduct along its route – towpath on one side, but a 120ft drop on the other with no barrier to the side of the iron trough your floating in.

Have done a couple of holidays on a narrowboat – both on the Rochdale canal and the Calder and Hebbe canals, starting at Sowerby Bridge. The Rochdale can be hardwork, as it averages 3 locks per mile, and has 91 locks on its journey from Sowerby Bridge to Manchester (used to be 92, but Tuel Lane Lock is a combined lock 3 and 4 as the original locks were built over after the canal closed.) and since it takes about the same length of time to work a boat through a lock as it does to travel a mile. progress can be slow – but your on holiday, working your way from one pub to the next. Or just deciding to moor up on the tow path just cos its a lovely view.

is very relaxing tho – basically going at walking pace the whole time, with a bop bop bop bop soundtrack from the little disel engine

In the Audi case – they had to introduce a spoiler to the original TT because the smooth rounded bootlid generated lift at higher speeds, so the spoiler distrupted the flow of air off the back of the car.

Same thing with the new shape TT. it still has that rounded back (it has a sharper edge to it) so the spoiler will do something, not a lot. but it isnt a wing in the same sense that the first picture is a wing.

http://www.englishcut.com/

he trained as an apprentice on Savile Row – but moved to cumbria for a quiet life.

you want a 32″ telly… get on freecycle or ebay and get a CRT.

LCD panels dont come close. Emperors new clothes n all that.
🙂

plus you can get excellent CRT for less than a tenner

does the nation speak English

mostly yes.

but depending on where you are in belgium they wil speak either Dutch/Flemish or French. (dutch around Oostend, french near to Francochamps)
as said, the road signs reflect the language spoken. but its fairly easily to get around.

woodfords wherry is a good starter kit. very forgiving of first timers.

for dark – try some of the milestone brews

the Car events at Oulton and Anglesey this year:

2012 PROJECTED DATES
MAR 17 – OP – MSVR / Masters – World Sportscar Masters; Gentlemen Dvrs; Pre 66 TC; 70s TCs; Open Wheel Allcomers.
MAR 24 – OP – BARC – Intersteps (ex F BMW); 2CVs (DH); Prod Touring Cars (DH); Mini Miglia; Mini Se7ens; NW Spts & Sals.
MAR 31 – OP – BRSCC – Nat & NW FF1600 (DH); Mighty Minis; Ford XRs; Porsche 924/Boxster (DH); karts.
APR 6/7/9 – OP – MSVR – MSA British F3 (6 & 7 – TH); F3 Cup (7 & 9 – DH); MSA Brit GT (DH); MSA F Ford (TH); VW Cup (DH); Ginetta challenge.
APR 14 – OP – MSVR – Live Action / Time Attack.
APR 21 – OP – BRSCC – NW FF1600; Caterhams – Superlight R300, Road, Track, Super Sport (all DH).
MAY 12/13 – ANG – BRSCC – Nat & NW FF1600 (TH); F Jedi (DH); Mazda 150R (DH); Mazda MX5 Mk1 (DH); Mazda MX5 Mk3 (TH); Ford XRs (TH); MGs.
MAY 12 – OP – AMOC / MSVR – AMs; AM GT4 challenge; Classic Ferrari; Open Ferrari; Jaguar XKs.
MAY 19 – OP – BARC – Spirit of the 60s (GTs); Chevron GR8; VTEC Challenge; MGs; karts (all DH); NW Spts & Sals.
JUN 2 – OP – BRSCC – NW FF1600; Porsche GT3; Porsche Club; Scottish Minis, Scottish Legends; Scottish Classic Spts & Sals.
JUN 9/10 – OP – BARC – BTCC (TH); Porsche Cup (DH); F Renault UK (DH); Clios (DH); Ginetta G50 & G55 (DH); Ginetta Jnrs (DH).
JUN 16/17 – ANG – BARC – Max 5, Caterhams – Classic, Graduate, Super Graduate, Mega Graduate, Sigma Graduate; Legends; NW Spts & Sals.
JUN 16/17 – Cholmondley Pageant of Power – BARC.
JUN 23 – OP – BRSCC – MSA Endurance champ (Britcar) (2 hr?); Production Cup; 4two Cup (Smart cars)(DH).
JUN 23/24 – ANG – BRSCC – Scottish Legends; Ford XR (TH).
JUN 30 – ANG – CSCC – Swinging 60s; Tin Tops; Future Classics; 7s; Deutsche Marque; Jaguar saloons; Jaguar XJSs.
JUL 14 – OP – BARC – Classic FF2000; Classic FF1600; Pre 90 FF1600; Clubmans sports and Classic Clubmans (both DH); Kumho BMWs (DH); NW Spts & Sals.
JUL 21 – OP – MSVR – Monoposto; GT Cup; Racing Saloons; Prod BMWs; Monoposto; VAG Challenge; Mk 2 Golf GTI.
JUL 28 – OP – MSVR – Lotus Cup UK; Lotus Elise Trophy; Minis; Radical Club; Radical UK.
AUG 4/5 – ANG – 750MC – F750; F Vee; 750 trophy; Sports Specials; Locosts; RGB: Stock Hatch; Saxmax; Bike Sports; MR2; MR2 Super GT; BMW Compact Cup (all DH).
AUG 11 – OP – MGCC – MGs various; Metros; Thoro’bred Sports; Porsche GT3; Porsche Club;
AUG 18 – OP – BRSCC – Nat & NW FF1600; Sports 2000 – Duratec, Pinto & Historic; Euro Spts & Sals (DH); Prod GTIs (DH); Ford XRs.
AUG 25-27 – OP – HSCC – OP Gold Cup – Hist F5000 & F2; Hist FF; Martini Trophy (70s 2L Sports Rcg Cars); App K Jag E Types; Classic F3; Classic Rcg Cars; 60s Road Spts; 70s Road Spts; Guards Trophy; Hist TC; Hist F Junior; Hist FF2000.
SEP 1 – OP – BRSCC – NW FF1600 (DH); F Jedi (DH); 500cc F3; Alfas.
SEP 8 – ANG – MSVR – F3 Cup; Lotus Elise Trophy; Team Trophy (saloons).
SEP 22 – OP – BARC / CTCRC – Classic Sals/Hist TCs; Post Historic TCs; Classic Gp 1 TCs; Pre 93 TCs; Classic Thunder & Modified Fords; NW Spts & Sals.
SEP 29/30 – ANG – BRSCC – Nat & NW FF1600 (DH); Open Sports Cars (DH); Saker Challenge (TH); VW Fun Cup (6 hr); Ford XRs (TH); Euro Spts & Sals (DH).
OCT 6 – OP – CSCC – Swinging 60s; Tin Tops; Future Classics; 7s; Deutsche Marque; Jaguar saloons; Jaguar XJSs; Powered by Jaguar.
OCT 13 – OP – BRSCC – VW Fun Cup (4 hr); Ford XRs (DH); TVRs (DH).

The next event at Oulton on May 12th the Aston Martin Owners Club day should be good – classic and modern AM, plus they run races for 80/90s ferraris: all nicely loud with being too loud.

At Harewood on the first weekend in June is the Vintage and Classic on the saturday usually a good turn out of cars from pre WW1 to the late 70s (and its an unsilenced day)

i think the call to Perez just affected his concentration, and he missed his braking point later in the lap.

a bit like the example of Senna at Monaco – he was well out ahead, just in the zone and some one spoke on the radio and he crashed out on that lap. I think on the BBC highlights DC mentioned something similar had happened to him one race.

if you have access to power – sensation/sensation XE is brilliant.

if you like to forget about charging your phone for a few days then the Desire S

Also saw them at the NEC.

all i can say is: i lost my eyebrows and got covered in pernod.

saab is not a rebadged anything. It shares a floorpan with other GM cars, including the vectra. but pretty much the rest of the car is all different (saab re-engineered the suspension pick-ups, lengthened the floorpan for the 9-5, the 2.0 and 2.3l petrol engines are saab developed)

personally i prefer the petrol versions to the diesels. mine is a 2.0l – get on average on the weekly commute about 450miles for 60-65litres – and a long run (ie manchester to Eindhoven) we were getting 520-550miles out of the tank (cruise control set to 70mph all the way from Calais to Eindhoven)

reliability wise – ours is on 183000 miles and is 10 years old (had it for 6 years, and it had 95000 miles on the clock then.) the only problems we have is that its at the age now where the rubber vacum pipes are becoming pourous, but tis usually a quick fix, and is something that can happen to any car.

Oil wise – basically run all petrol SAABs on fully synth oil, and change at 6-12k mile intervals (unless doing lots of short driving, like 2-5miles a day for months on end, when oil should be changed after 3k miles)

Have lived in Stacksteads for the last 7 years… on David Street. TBH, i dont see what the the others are talking about in terms of reasons to avoid the place.

Love it here in the Valley tho – only rarely have to go to the supermarket as there is an excellent butchers (H. Tricketts) in Waterfoot (theres 3 butchers in Waterfoot last time i counted) there is a butchers next street over from us, decent grocers, and Rawtenstall market, altho small has good stuff. great are for walking and cycling – the only problem with living in the valley bottom, is there all the decent riding is a good climb up first.

Thankfully the council were scared off by the residents after their ill thought out plan to demolish large parts of stacksteads and bacup, and instead spent the money they had doing a little bit of inconciquental ‘facelifting’ (sandblasting houses, painting the window stones)

drugs are bad mmm’kay – must be, I’m agreeing with TJ!

i spent about 8, 9 years with my family on Eurocamp holidays in tents like those, on 14 night holidays.

luxury camping under canvas (Assuming these new versions are still canvas, which i would have thought as Nylon would be dead from UV exposure part way through the season)

beds were ok from what i remember – foam mattrasses on a sprung metal base. electric hook up, fridge and gas camping cooker, plates and cutlery.

plus the on site couriers on hand should you need any help (mostly english or dutch students when i holidayed) with anything.

only thing you really need to take is clothes and bedding

the current HTC Desire is the Desire S – tis a great phone – always stealing the missus’ one. my contract comes up for renewal in a couple of weeks and i’ll be getting the HTC Sensation XE

got ours from : http://www.1stforcomfort.co.uk
in bacup- free delivery in the uk

ours is the foam and spring one: choose it after visiting the factory show room and trying the 3 options

ok, if it is a HD2 – then internally the 1GHz processer and RAM is still fairly good – had mine for 2 years from when it first came out.

I personally like the WinMob with sense on this phone.

but in terms of upgrading it then the folks at XDA dev have been able to put Android Gingerbread and Sandwich onto the phone.

HTC HD2 gets a tasty Ice Cream Sandwich

which one?

HTC sense is HTC’s user interface over the top of windows mobile.

for upgrading – look on XDA-developers.com

the LTI 20/20 speed gun is licensed by the home office for use up to 1000m

Claire’s Accessories are just butchers in the world of piercings.

The gun can cause lots of problems.
a piercing with a needle followed by putting in the jewelery is a lot better long term.

For North Wales, theres the Hotel restaurant and Castell Deudraeth both at Portmeirion village.

The Hotel has a table d’hôte and a la carte menu. While the Castell is a brasserie style restaurant.

We’ve eaten at both when we have stayed in Portmeiron, and they are both excellent restaurants, and the setting of the village just lovely – if you book a meal there, and are not staying at the hotel, you also get free entry to the village for the day.

the only interesting thing to happen last year was webber’s accident.

flying pig is full

Uptown or Downtown? there are 2 flying pigs in Amsterdam.

actually – just had a look, they recommend an alternative:

St Christopher’s at The Winston, Amsterdam, Netherlands

5 Bed Private Ensuite: £36.

do really think the driver will be looking away from the apex to where the blue flag was being waved?

At least in medieval you get to actually fight with each other and there is the whole fun of comparing bruises in the beer tent afterwards! (plus knocking all the dents out of your armour….)

Sounds like the Viking re-enactors who do displays at a music festival i go to.

Gaga can certainly hold a note.

Tis amazing what Autotune can do these days.

I dont ‘do’ the touring cars, but i often camp overnight at Oulton when i am marshalling – As said, they’ve been building a new toilet and shower block in the trees behind Old Hall.
The ground is fairly flat… but then slopes closer to the track.

To get to the Eastgate entrance: Turn off the A49 onto Coach Road. At the end of Coach Road (the old Lodge gate is straight ahead), turn left then immediately right, and right again.

you can get a 30 day free trial of autocad – the main 2 and 3D cad software that we use.

tho it is fairly simple to use the learning curve is something like this? /

We get a new matress from http://www.1stforcomfort.co.uk/ which is just down the road from us. (so if your based around Manchester they deliver for free “If your postcode begins BB, BL, M or OL or you are prepared to collect your mattress, we can offer you a massive discount of up to 40%” )

They had 3 different matress’ to try in their showroom above the factory – a medium foam, a firm foam and a mix of sprung with a foam topper.

We found the best one was the sprung with foam topping – more comfortable than just spring, but more supportive than just foam.

Certainly its warmer in winter than our old sprung matress, but its not sweaty.

And at £300 with local discount…very good value

i really like the bourbon that is in Lidl. Thats really nice.

usually decant it into plastic bottles for taking to music festivals.
Has the advantage of it looking like you’ve taken a leak in the bottle, so noone nicks it from your tent.

Chew – i only use Opera.

According to the BBC story it came in through ads via an ad service, and exploited security flaws via java/adobe.

But i run avast antivir and malaware normally, plus a couple of other malware progs.

but it was only when i started up my PC up the next day that i got a problem – it wouldnt boot, never got any of the system tools virus scan hoax program, just a corrupted boot sector

welcome to the system tools virus club.

its got me and the missus’ computers, knackard by XP boot sector.
Its a real nasty piece of programming thats got through several layers of protection we had

do a search on google for system tools for how to remove.

Another underground train.

how about http://www.wheatsheafinwensleydale.co.uk/

Where Alf Wight and his wife stayed for their Honeymoon in 1942 (Alf is better known as James Herriot)

I have a pair of fleecelined deer skin motorcycle gloves that i have for when i’ve driving with the roof down through the winter.

More nightwish – Their Pyro guy doing a display somewhere in Finland.

If the Packard bentley is too much for you, he has a less insane car, which he races regulary.

A 24litre Napier Bentley. Thats been around the Vintage races since the mid 60s

Had a good look around the parkard at this years Pageant of Power, lovely car. Chris is Mad as a hatter. It has a torpedo each side of the car to act as oil tanks