18-07-2023, 10:24 PM
A year ago today, I was getting the Chummy ready to take to Moreton-in-Marsh. I spent some time getting the reconditioned front wheels to fit: I had to scrape off and rub down the excess powder-coating inside the wheel centres. We packed our suitcase, got various things ready, loaded all the luggage into the car and put in a fan at the last minute. We put the hood up to act as a sunshade. I put in some fresh petrol and it started OK, not bad after being neglected for over 6 years. We had a very hot drive to the Fire Service College, stopping at a garage on the Fosse Way to check there was enough oil in the gearbox (there was). On arrival we unloaded everything out of the car into our hotel room and got our goody bag. We went to Chipping Norton to borrow some sign boards from the VSCC which only just fitted in the back of the Chummy; we had lunch in a cafe - rather hot in there. We took a side roads route (partly) back to avoid a long hill on the main road, then set up the boards on the verges of the A44 (in the hottest part of the day). We had a look at the Archive display but it was like an oven up there so we didn't stay very long; all kudos to the team setting things up. We had an early supper in the Four Shires restaurant with the rest of the organising team which was very pleasant, then turned in early as we found that being so active in such hot weather was quite tiring!