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 | Autos - I like cars, though increasingly older
cars (and racing cars), and many things about them!
I don't have anything against contemporary
vehicles other than the fact
that they have become too complicated/specialised for the owner to
maintain without recourse to the main dealer. I think that many
models are rather brash and ugly in their styling but that is a
personal whim!
I take exception to some of the negative comments,
levelled against older vehicles, which are often based on unfounded
assumptions. Even if the claims, that older vehicles are polluters
were true, they are far too few in number to have any effect.
Secondly, producing more and more new cars (Even if they really are cleaner in
themselves) causes a great deal of "Hidden" pollution, by way of factory
emissions and it also consumes vast amounts of raw materials.
Furthermore, the way cars are now designed, means that the owner can no
longer carry out maintenance without recourse to the main dealer.
This can be very costly and will ultimately reduce the "Economic" life
of the vehicle (i.e. Where the cost of a routine service costs more than
the market value of the vehicle).
This could lead to a situation where a basically sound vehicle is
scrapped, when it is capable of giving a number of years of good
service. The high costs of maintenance are likely to have a
snowball effect, as values of used vehicles are driven down, by the
potential for costly repair and maintenance bills. I see this
leading to an automotive generation gap, since I can't see the cars of
today being taken on by enthusiasts, wishing to maintain them
themselves. The main dealers won't be interested, once the model
is considered too old and without access to the "Software", the owners
will be helpless.
It is
also true that my cars have taken MOT tests and been found to be
within
emission standards set for much newer models! All three are more
than capable of keeping up with modern traffic and are far from the
"Mobile chicanes" that many would assume them to be!
Below
are some of my favorite car related Web sites:
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| Cycling -
I enjoy cycling and make my living from the cycle trade! I cycle
regularly, which helps to keep me fit and is a contribution to
combating pollution! In my younger days, I rode competitively but these
days time is too short. I ride both road bikes and mountain
bikes.
A road bike (What non cyclists would call a
"Racing" bike) is great fun but you have to pick
your times and routes. It has to be said that cycling is a
marginal sport in the UK and cyclists are misunderstood by the
majority. Most people claim that they can ride a bike but by
comparison with an experienced and fit cyclist, they can't ride a
bike! Most people falling into that category, when they ride a
bike, are basically seated pedestrians. For this reason, they see
anyone riding a bike as they would see themselves riding a bike -
slow, incompetent and in the way! This explains the way so many
motorists underestimate a "Proper" cyclist's speed and also explains
their pathological need to overtake all cyclists, without delay (I am
not saying that anybody riding a bike should be pushed off the road but
it does explain why people underestimate the capabilities of the
"Humble" bicycle). I am often amazed how so many motorists are able to see round corners
or over blind brows when overtaking a cyclist, yet those same people
cannot see a cyclist, when pulling out of a junction or turning left!
It has to be said that "Class" has a lot to do with it. Most
people seem to regard a cyclist as someone who can't afford a car.
When all is said and done, we are still a nation of snobs - it's just
there are more of them nowadays! I have heard of numerous
instances where yobbs, driving an old banger, will barrack a cyclist for
being a "Loser" and not being able to "Afford a car", quite ignorant
of the fact that their unroadworthy heap, is worth only a fraction as
much, as the bike their are ridiculing! Furthermore the way that
Police forces and/or courts fail, on far too many occasions, to take
decisive action against motorists, who injure or kill cyclists, sums up
the British attitude to cycling. It has been said that the best
way to murder someone and get away with it, is to knock them off a
bike! One moronic motoring journalist is even reported to have
said that knocking a cyclist off their bike, is more fun that watching
TV. My answer is that punching him in the mouth, would certainly
be more fun than watching his rather childish TV programme
(Bearing in mind that I speak as a motoring enthusiast)! It is
also obvious that most "Cycle ways" are designed by "Seated
Pedestrians". Having said that, perhaps they are the sorts of
cyclists who most need them, as anyone who is fully competent can use
the road. If only there was more tolerance, cycle ways would not
be needed.
Thankfully the mountain bike relieves a cyclist
of such unpleasantness! The machinery takes more of a hammering
and some mountain bikers seem to have no road sense (e.g. Not keeping
to the left on a track as they would on the public highway and nearly
causing head on collisions!) but these are small inconveniences!
In my locality, off road motorcyclists can spoil the countryside.
On the one hand they churn up vast swathes of land, leaving them deeply
rutted (Makes pedalling difficult!) and their total disregard for
everyone else, can lead to conflict. I have nothing against off
road motorcycles and can appreciate that it is good fun.
Unfortunately, the responsible riders, who maintain their machines and
ride them responsibly, seem to be out numbered by the "Sub Culture" yobbs who "Think" (To the extent that they can "Think") only of
themselves. Proper designated areas, set aside for off road
motorcycling, may help but I believe that the sub culture element would
still please themselves.
Below are my favourite websites.
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| History -
I am interested in history. I have a broad interest in the
subject but the 20th century is of particular interest. My
interest was nurtured by some of my history teachers, particularly a
Mr Evans (No relation) and subsequently, very much by Mr Fred Vaughan!
I guess that Mr Vaughan will himself be a part of history by now but I
still have vivid and fond memories of my history lessons. My
interest in the subject overlaps into some of the places I visit and
to my interest in cars and also in old railways. |
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Railways - Having grown up just after the Beeching cuts, much of
the recently decommissioned railway infrastructure was still fairly in
tact (Even the odd abandoned steam locomotive was to be seen).
Therefore to see a working steam engine, was an opportunity to see the
things of which older members of the family had spoken. Many of
the preserved railways are in pleasant parts of the country, which is
an added bonus.
The engineering
aspects are also of interest though, collecting train numbers holds no
personal appeal.
Below are some
interesting links in this field.
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Brecon
Mountain Railway. This is local to me and runs along the
route of a railway, that once passed through the highest railway
tunnel in the U.K. Recently the line has been extended, to
nearly the southern end of the tunnel (Beyond which is now a
mountain bike route!) |
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Bridgnorth Cliff
Railway. Not a railway in the normal sense, this funicular
railway is an interesting piece of Victorian Engineering, that has
remained in use. |
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Dean Forest Railway.
This runs along a former branch line, between Lydney and Park End,
which closed in 1929. It has taken a long time to reconstruct
the railway all the way to Park End, the final leg only being opened
in early 2006. I visited the completed line in June 2006.
The facility has improved a lot since my first visit in 1996.
The D.F.R. station, at Lydney, is within easy reach of the mainline
Lydney station, on the Gloucester to South Wales line. Park End
is a nice place, deep in the Forest, where refreshments/meals can be
obtained. |
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Severn Valley Railway.
I have not visited many of these preserved
railways but I think the S.V.R. will take a lot of beating.
It is a well established facility, whose facilities are of a very
high order. It has the advantage of being run through some very beautiful
countryside and also passes the West Midlands Safari Park.
At its southern end, it adjoins the national network, at
Kidderminster Station, which has its own car park.
Bridgnorth, at its
northern end, is a very interesting old town and has its own link
within the Historic Shropshire site. |
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| Travel - I'm not really a well travelled
person. I've usually had other things to do. I like the
Highlands of Scotland and also the Orkney Isles. I've visited
Austria a few times taking trips into Germany and Italy. My
first trip abroad was to Holland in 1977 (School trip!), which involved
excursions to Germany and a boat trip to Belgium (But we didn't land
there). I have also been to the Le Mans 24 Hour sports car race
in France and to the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps.
I enjoy day trips from home. I enjoy a
train trip to the Severn Valley
Railway and its northern end,
Bridgnorth.
Below are links to places I find interesting.
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Brecon Beacons
National Park. I have been visiting this area all my life
and my parents have lived within the park since 1981 (As I did
from 1981 - 1991). Now I live between 1 and 2 miles outside
the National Park, at the northern end of the former South Wales
Coalfield. The Brecon Beacons themselves are three peaks:- Pen
Y Fan (The highest Welsh Mountain outside North Wales) at 2906 feet,
with Corn Du next up, followed by Cribyn. These mountains are
visible from the tops hills above my house (To where industry did
not spread!), though to see Cribyn demands the very highest of
vantage points. |
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Orkney
Isles. I only spent a day in Orkney, during a trip to
Scotland. That was enough to make me want to spend more time
there! Apart from Hoy, the islands are low lying and
undulating. The roads are good and the traffic light.
Ideal cycling country I suspect! |
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Virtual Shropshire. This site contains
links to an area of beauty and historical interest. It was in
the Ironbridge Gorge
that the Industrial Revolution began. Fortunately for the
surviving landscape, the Industrial Revolution moved on before the
dereliction, that have afflicted other industrialised areas, had
chance to sow its seeds. One has, however, to be objective and
accept that without industrialisation, we would not enjoy the
standards of living that we presently do (Or at least have done!).
Whether it has been mishandled is a valid point but not one I am
going to consider here! Also within this area is
Bridgnorth, northern
terminus of the Severn Valley Railway and a town with an interesting
history (A favourite of King Charles 1) |
There are other places I should like to visit if
the opportunity presents itself!
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| Walking -
I enjoy walking and have done some mountain walking
in Wales, Scotland and Austria. I don't get enough time to put
on my walking boots. However with the Brecon Beacons close by,
when I find time, I don't need to travel far. It is possible to
get a bus to Storey Arms, mid way between Merthyr Tydfil and Brecon,
and from there I can walk home, via the Beacons. Prior to a
walking holiday, I use this to get in some practice. Fortunately
cycling takes care of my fitness (Plus a little swimming).
Below are some of my favourite related websites.
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Brecon Beacons
National Park. Yes, they crop up again! |
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Cairngorms. A high Arctic plateau in the Eastern
Highlands. |
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Kaprun Austria (translated).
A very
pleasant village in a very picturesque part of Austria. There
are some excellent walks for people of varied abilities (See
Photo Gallery). |
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Lake District. This may seem an odd one, bearing in mind
that I've not done any walking in the Lake District. However I
hope to change that one day and anticipate that this site will prove
useful in that respect. |
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Snowdonia. I haven't been to North Wales in a while though
I have climbed Snowdon and Cadair Idris. The latter is less
well known and just fails to make the 3000 mark or to be a "Munro"
(No doubt at one time this ancient and extinct Volcano would have
been much higher). However it is a very pleasant walk with
some stunning scenery. My route up has naturally started from
the south and passes through Cwm Cau.
Llyn Cau is truly stunning! |
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