Another World Record.

[Stephen Hawkins]

Britain is the home of the industrial revolution, and many great scientists and engineers from Britain have written their own pages in the glorious annals of history. The list of these intrepid and industrious individuals is far too long to publish here, but there is room enough to mention the latest engineering triumph.

The Guinness Book of World Records has officially recognised the fact that there is a new British land speed record. This record pertains to the fastest electric ice-cream van in the World, which has achieved a top speed of 74 mph. No electric ice-cream van has ever attained that speed before.

If you are not impressed by the speed at which this vehicle travels .............. you try selling ice-cream at 74 mph.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[Eddy Yates]

I think the kid on the tricycle probably set a new record, too!

 

[Decbox]

Surely the speed one should be aiming for in an ice cream van is 99????

 

[Dingo40]

Stephen,
Another instance of the famous British quirkiness!??

 

[jozz]

It was done by Edd China, which I had the pleasure to meet on the famous Nurburgring back in 2007 when we were both there. He was driving one of his creations and I was being directed off the course for losing too much coolant.

 

[jozz]

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hi Decbox,

99 mph would be a wonderful achievement with an electric ice-cream van, but "hundreds & thousands" would be even better.

I am currently hooked on bubblegum flavour ice-cream .......... just can't seem to get enough of it.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hi Dingo,

Yes, we Brits do have a propensity for a bit of quirkiness. It always brings a lump to my throat when I see a plucky Brit marching on against impossible odds, and then stopping for a sustaining cup of tea at the most inopportune moment. "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" as they say.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hi Jozz,

I watch "Wheeler Dealers" most days, so have a fair idea of Edd China's engineering ability. Sam Lovegrove is another brilliant mechanic and restorer of cars and motorbikes.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[Dingo40]

Stephen,
All good!??
We get "Wheeler Dealers " here too: just finished watching the vintage Citroen 2CV episode!?
Currently watching the ( Yorkshire) " All new Traffic Cops", a very professional outfit!?

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hi Dingo,

I prefer "Shed & Buried" to "Wheeler Dealers", as I like Sam Lovegrove's laid back personality.

We get cop shows from Australia, New Zealand and the USA, and they are all pretty good at what they do. My contribution to law & order ended with my retirement, though I have made one or two citizens arrests since then.

Being a trained observer, I do tend to notice things which others may miss. Being a member of the National Association of Retired Police Officers also means that my observations are taken seriously and acted upon, so I guess I am still making occasional contributions to justice.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[Decbox]

I think the most important thing to do when driving an ice cream van is to avoid the traffic cones.

 

[boxplayer4000]

Is this what is meant by 'fast food'?

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hi BP,

I guess the same principles and motive power could be applied to a range of mobile fast food outlets, including burger vans. The "green" credentials of a mobile burger van would be somewhat compromised by the hot, oily stench emanating from the vehicle, but you can't have everything.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[boxplayer4000]

I remember a while ago when the burger/chip/ice cream van could be heard in the distance, announcing its approach with the playing of 'Greensleeves' on its tannoy, a nearby street window would open and the occupant would put his head out and bay like a wolf at the moon.

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hi BP,

The music emanating from ice cream vans is certainly diverse, and perhaps worthy of further study. One ice cream van serving our community plays the theme from "Popeye the Sailor Man", which I think has some charm about it.

The behaviour of the gentleman in Edinburgh comes as no surprise to me, as I was once stationed there for about eight months. I got to know Rose Street quite well during my time there, which is something I tend not to boast about in polite company.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[Eddy Yates]

Funny bit:
Rose Street, along with the history, is also famed for a rare drinking game: the Rose Street Challenge.[4] "Rose Street has... oh, I don't know how many pubs," explained Billy Connolly on-stage in 1987.[5] "It starts with the Abbottsford at one end, and I forget the names of the rest of them. I could hardly see the buggers. And the trick is to see how far along Rose Street you can get, having either a half pint or a pint. And in the morning you can see the marks, how far people got. There's wee bits of blood where people went, 'Oh, goodbye...' And the pavement pizza, you know? Some people carry bits of chalk – you know, rugby clubs – and they mark it: Falkirk Rugby Club made it to here."

Not that I condone such behavior or would even imply that our man Hawkins participated. I’m just sayin’.....
Stephen, who you callin’ “polite?”

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hi Eddy,

Over the approximately eight months I was stationed in Edinburgh, I must have visited every pub in Rose Street. Not all in the same evening, I grant you, but I got through them with a certain aplomb. As well as the booze, Rose Street is renowned for the number of "demi-monde" who ply their ancient trade in that precinct. It never ceases to amaze me how much better looking these women became with increased intoxication.

My favourite pub was the White Cockade, which I visited frequently during my time in Edinburgh. I can't remember the names of other pubs, but it was about 45 years ago. (and I had been drinking)

The majority of Rugby Clubs now have shower facilities, but baths were more common many years ago. It has to be said that some players could be quite naughty back then, and would persuade one or two girls to join us in the bath. The baths measured about 20' X 15', so there was plenty room.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[boxplayer4000]

I might mention that the person I wrote about earlier baying at the moon on the approach of the ice-cream motor finished up in a fairy high ranking position in the army pay corps.
Another story concerning Rose Street concerns a fairly unsophisticated gentleman who was accompanying his wife to the shops. They were in Rose St. as the rear entrances to many of the large department stores were there and as the gentleman was less keen on shopping than his wife he got left in Rose St. while she went off to a shop. Hanging about there he got approached by a ‘lady’ who offered her services. This didn’t come to much as he admitted he only had a ‘tenner’ . The ‘lady’ sniffed and said ‘You won’t get much for a tenner!” and left. The gentleman forgot about the incident, was rejoined by his wife and they went on their away along Rose St.
It wasn’t long until the gentleman saw the ‘lady’ he had spoken to earlier coming towards them and did his best to ignore her. However the ‘lady couldn’t resist on the way past and said “I told you you wouldn’t get much for a tenner”.

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hi BP,

I never availed myself of the services these "ladies" provided but, if I had, I would have wanted change from £1. None of the ones I saw would win any beauty contests, or any contest which required cleanliness or elegance of any kind.

Anyway, I had a beautiful young wife at home, so the thought of touching one of these women with anything shorter than a barge-pole would never have occurred to me. (even if I was sozzled.)

Kind Regards,

Stephen.