The Ham Nomads

17 Nov 2014. <GB-ENG> Stratford-upon-Avon, Warw; retrieval to Gloucester (Huilin's), Glos —

We had planned to leave Stratford and limp our way apprehensively towards Gloucester. Warren had been into town to buy he makings for lunch, just in case we ended up eating on the edge of the road. We got 1 kilometer! The alternator belt came off before we even got out of Stratford. As we were just outside Morrison's, we pulled into their car park and phoned RAC, who were with us within 15 minutes — and it was the most friendly chap who had helped us out twice before! We decided that the van was too unreliable to drive to Gloucester, so we arranged for "recovery" to Gloucester — 10 miles for free, then £7 per mile. Not a bad taxi service for an ailing van!

We got to Huilin's after a lovely 75-minute drive in a very comfortable cabin. Lunch time! Nobody there! The RAC man dropped us off in the driveway, and we waited for Richard to get back — having a driveway lunch (rather than a roadside lunch) while we waited. The van was bracingly cool (10°), having been in the airstream on the tray of the truck for 31 miles.

Richard arrived and started looking at the van. After a while, we elected to walk down to the nearby McDonald's, to keep out of his hair, to get a bit of internet time (and to charge the computer — a good move as it turned out) and to get into the warm. While we were there, we phoned the Orchard Hotel, only about a mile away in Olympus Park, to arrange accommodation for the next few nights. We returned to Huilin's at 5pm to find the van ready (with reservations) and a report:

1. The alternator belt had snapped — has been replaced with an automotive belt of the right dimensions.
2. The battery is stuffed — not holding charge properly.
3. The alternator is only putting out 50% of what it should — needs replacing.
4. The engine block should be back on Wednesday.
5. The man who was to grind the crankshaft has decided to go on holiday as of today, so Richard is lining up someone else.

We are to check back with him on Friday, and should be fully back on the road next week sometime.

So we took the van and went round to the Orchard Hotel, getting there at 6pm. Would you believe that we were informed that the place had been closed by Administrators at 5:30pm, so we had nowhere to go. But Warren, in his usual cheeky form, asked that since they were closed, could we park there for the night. So, with their permission, here we stayed.

Distance driven — today, 6 miles ( 9 km ); to date, 9,799 miles ( 15,770 km )