I can remember going around with a grimy shirt collar at school in the 50`s and thinking it was my fault.
But really it was all those smoky chimneys here up North - and on the LMS line - those great Austerity class steam trains stonking by at walking pace - pulling 150 coal trucks.

Auntie Nellie had a Ford Anglia then and considered it `advanced` - uncle John used to drive it past with the engine making that `we saved money making it` small car, bag of nails jingle. Maybe it was the tappets.

The 4pm `Streak` used to come over on the LNER and you cursed it if it was Silver Fox AGAIN. Or even worse Wild Swan.

Meanwhile - not far away - Auntie Ethel had the A60 with 6" of play in the steering and Uncle Bill twitched in his chair dreaming he was still a Commando.

You got taken to Bridlington in the A60 - whereupon the temperature always dropped 10c and your legs went red due to wearing short pants.

Giant `mushrooms` were once found growing under the little pre-fab holiday home - and the adults ate them with confidence - while I, aged 10yrs stood back and held my breath.

So what incidents can you remember from childhood? Read more

and now not starting.

I think i've got air into the tank as when the engine is cold it won't start. Not sure how to remove the air from fuel system from the engine side.

I know glows are good etc as the car was running without problem, just a little fuel leak from the valve before I replaced it.

Fuel cut off valve was replaced because it was leaking.

Is there an easy way to get her started? Pumped the primer (tennis ball sized black pump left side of engine as you face it) which stays hard but refuses to start.

Started earlier when engine was warm but now its cold it refuses to start. Read more

My dear friend has been driving for more than 30 years but has only had a handful of cars. He does a fairly high annual mileage but keeps his cars until they are well and truly worn out. His current one, a large Volvo estate he has had from new is 17 years old and while mechanically sound and religiously maintained under the bonnet, it does outwardly look its age.

It has many a battle scar in its bodywork. A parking ding here, a scratch there, a hole in the rear bumper where he got too close to something or it got too close to him an unremembered number of years ago. Anything which took paint off has been crudely painted over but any dents are left as aide memoirs to be more careful in future. The interior while kept moderately clean by an annual mucking out is also careworn with seat fabrics torn here and there by long forgotten items of luggage or materials needed for some project or other. The drivers footwell carpet has long since worn out. It would never have occured to him to have used a mat and when it tore enough to start catching on his shoes he simply cut out the offending area beneath the pedals exposing the metal floor underneath.

It does get washed but apparently only every leap year if he remembers. As I mentioned earlier, it is kept serviced properly and is never to be seen with a duff bulb or a grumbling exhaust.

This neglect is not a function of wealth. He is a reasonably comfortably off individual and keeps his wife in new BMWs on a contrastingly regular basis. He just doesn't seem to care very much about his own cars appearance and treasures only its functionality.

I know such an attitude to cars is alien to most in the BR but I can't help admiring his pragmatism.

Maybe some of us care too much.

Read more

Hi this is my first post and was just wondering if anyone had any advice.

In December I bought a brand new Suzuki Alto, at 42 I have never had a brand new car before and this was my pride and joy, I had saved hard and used my 10 year old Nissan Micra (under scrappage deal) to be able to afford car. Obviously it then snowed, and snowed and snowed so in fact I had only driven the car for approx. 3 weeks, the rest of the time it's sat on my drive nice and safe.
On Monday this week, no snow, no ice, decided I would take my new car out, that's when a Mitsubishi Shogun decided to plough into the back of me!!. Obvioulsy I had a huge amount of damaged, and if it hadn't been for the spare type in the boot, the dog would have been crushed.
Luckily police were passing at the time and the Shogun's driver admitted full liability. My car was undriveable. Having been taken by insurance companies garage they have now confirmed that they will be repairing the car.
Is there any way that I can contest this. The car has not even done 260 miles, and I don't want a brand new car back that I know has been in a major accident. I've been told that the insurance company will go upto 50% of the value of the car before they write it off, seeing what damage the Shogun has done I would be very surprised if the car can be repaired for £4000 can anyone help. Read more

Having problems with Focus zetec misfiring. Have changed the coil and leads, it run ok for a few days but the problem started up again. The engine management light has come back on. A neighbour had a fault code reader which came up as p2300 but its not listed in the book of codes that he has. Any ideas please? Read more